An amusing thing happened when it was time to pay.
Following the shop owner to the checkout counter, Fang Yi watched as the man pulled out five different POS machines and lined them up in a row.
Back in this era, there was no UnionPay system yet—each POS terminal could only process cards from one specific bank.
It wouldn't be until 2002, when UnionPay was introduced, that a single bank card could be used universally.
After swiping his card and completing the purchase, Fang Yi walked out of the store with the packaged laptop in hand.
Han Ning didn't know much about computers, and given her quiet personality, she hadn't voiced any opinions the whole time—she simply watched silently from the side.
Still, she didn't find it boring in the slightest. When you're with someone you care about, even drinking plain water feels satisfying.
Not that Han Ning understood this idea just yet. She only knew that being with Fang Yi felt fun and interesting.
Outside the computer store, Han Ning turned to him and asked, "Fang Yi, are you buying anything else?"
"Yeah, I need to get a phone too."
To be honest, getting a phone felt even more urgent to him than the laptop—he'd been itching for one for a while now.
"I think there's a phone store on the second floor," Han Ning recalled. "It's right by the escalator."
"Let's go."
Fang Yi headed toward the escalator—and casually took her hand in his.
As her small hand was suddenly enveloped in his, Han Ning panicked a little. Instinctively, she tried to pull away.
But Fang Yi's grip was firm. After a couple of half-hearted attempts to shake him off, she gave up.
With her head slightly lowered, she let him lead her to the second floor, hand in hand.
Fang Yi sneaked a glance at her and, barely suppressing a grin, asked with mock concern, "You okay?"
"I-I'm fine!" she stammered quickly, shaking her head.
Falling in love is like being a frog in warm water—bit by bit, your boundaries are crossed without you realizing it. By the time you do, it's already too late—the water's boiling, and what's done is done.
Only a fool would rush in swinging for a home run on the first pitch. That's how you get slapped.
When Fang Yi first grabbed her hand, Han Ning felt as though everyone in the mall was watching them—staring, whispering, teasing. Even normal facial expressions seemed to take on hidden meanings.
But after a while, she gradually relaxed. Her head lifted a little, and a faint smile played at her lips—soft, shy, and undeniably sweet.
Fang Yi noticed the change and found it incredibly amusing.
When they reached the phone store upstairs, a sales assistant immediately approached them with a smile. "Looking for a phone today? Any brand or model in mind?"
"Where's the Nokia section?"
If you were buying a phone in the early 2000s, there was no need for fancy features or gimmicks—just pick a Nokia and you were set.
Back then, all phones basically had the same features. But when it came to durability, Nokia was king.
You could smash one into pieces and tape it back together, and it would still work. What's not to love?
"Right this way, please."
The assistant gestured for them to follow and led them to a display case.
Tsk.
Just the designs alone made Fang Yi want to roll his eyes.
Amidst a sea of flip phones and awkward sliding models, he finally spotted a Nokia that looked... somewhat normal.
He pointed at it. "Let me see that one."
"Of course!"
The assistant opened the case and handed the phone to him while explaining, "This is the new Nokia 8210, just released this year…"
Fang Yi turned it over in his hand a few times before interrupting, "Got any other colors?"
The one in his hand was bright red—definitely not his style.
"Yes, just a moment!"
She ducked behind the counter and opened a drawer, pulling out five or six different phone boxes.
After browsing for a bit, Fang Yi chose the black one. Then, he turned toward Han Ning.
Before he could even say a word, she spoke up first, "No need—I already have a phone."
As she spoke, she reached into her little yellow bag and pulled out a pink Motorola.
"Well, alright then."
He had been planning to buy her one too, but since she already had one, there was no need.
Still, even knowing that, Fang Yi ended up buying two phones anyway. "I'll take this black one… and the white one too."
The sales assistant's smile widened with glee—two phones in one go? Jackpot.
Efficiently, she packed up both phones and printed the invoice. "Sir, that's 7,200 yuan for both. You can pay at the front counter."
Fang Yi reached out to take the invoice when, unexpectedly, Han Ning chimed in.
"We're buying two at once—any discount?"
"Ah, sorry," the assistant looked troubled. "The 8210 is a brand-new model. 3,600 is the lowest. No discounts."
She hesitated for a moment before gritting her teeth and adding, "How about this: I'll throw in two extra batteries and some keypad covers, but you can't tell anyone else."
Clearly, she didn't want to lose such a big sale.
Fang Yi glanced at Han Ning, slightly surprised. This little cutie really knew how to stretch a yuan—smart girl.
Feeling his gaze, Han Ning grew self-conscious and lowered her head.
Fang Yi let go of her hand to head over to the counter and pay.
The moment their fingers separated, Han Ning felt a tiny pang of loss in her heart.
Places like electronics and phone stores typically had POS machines, which made the transaction smoother—something Fang Yi greatly appreciated.
After paying, he didn't leave right away. Instead, he asked the cashier, "I still want to walk around the mall. Can I leave the laptop and phones here for a while?"
"No problem at all! Just bring your receipt when you come back to pick them up," the cashier said with a bright smile.
"Thanks!"
Fang Yi grinned and placed the laptop and phone boxes behind the counter.
He had other plans for the rest of the afternoon, and lugging all that stuff around would've been a pain.
Not to mention, an IBM T20 laptop from that era wasn't exactly light—combined with the charger, it easily weighed six or seven pounds.
Now that he was once again empty-handed, a flicker of anticipation lit up in Han Ning's eyes.
Fang Yi caught the look and knew exactly what she was hoping for—but instead of grabbing her hand again, he stuffed both hands into his pockets and said casually, "I heard there's a skating rink on the sixth floor. Want to check it out?"
"Um… sure, let's go take a look."
Han Ning hesitated briefly, but eventually nodded.
If she were alone—or with her female classmates—she would've never considered going to a skating rink.
Rumor had it those places were messy and full of troublemakers.
But going with Fang Yi?
Well, that changed everything.