Hai TangXi hasn't changed a bit!
Jiang Beicheng had just encountered that competitive Hai TangXi again.
She had always been like this since childhood, with an intense drive to win.
In academics, she had to be number one; her clothes had to be prettier than others'; even in play, she had to have more fun than anyone else… Back then, when they played Audition Dance Battle, she even competed to have faster hand speed than others.
Now, as an independent woman, she still carried that competitive spirit.
But for her, this personality trait was a form of self-protection.
It constantly pushed her to tap into her potential and break through her limits.
No wonder she was a top finance graduate from Stanford!
Right after graduating, she joined HKS, the third-ranked architectural design firm in the U.S. and among the top ten globally.
Jiang Beicheng understood women. Hai TangXi was definitely jealous of Wu Keqing just now.
To say she liked him? That was a stretch.
They hadn't seen each other in years, and falling in love at first sight upon her return was a bit too far-fetched.
It was mainly her competitive spirit being triggered. Today was supposed to be about accompanying her shopping, as per Grandma's instructions to buy her gifts, but then Wu Keqing showed up halfway through.
And in front of her, he took Wu Keqing into a boutique to buy clothes.
The price wasn't cheap either.
Hai TangXi probably felt uncomfortable. She was the kind of woman who demanded attention wherever she went. And now, with her "little sister" here, was she, the "big sister," being treated like air?
Was she, the big sister, just a side character today, forced to listen to their "big brother, little sister" banter?
No, she was the protagonist.
She had to make him remember that.
So, she was going to make him pay.
Hai TangXi didn't realize that Jiang Beicheng had seen through her intentions.
She was still waiting to see the pained look on his face when he had to spend money.
Then she'd tease her "stinky little brother" a bit more.
Just thinking about it felt satisfying.
The third floor was filled with luxury brand stores.
Hai TangXi headed straight for Miu Miu.
She asked Jiang Beicheng, "Know this one?"
Jiang Beicheng: "Miu Miu, Prada's secondary line."
This brand was founded by Prada's third-generation heir, with a very youthful market positioning, beloved by international students and young women.
"You've shopped here plenty, haven't you!" Hai Tang said with a smile. "Just be mentally prepared."
Jiang Beicheng smiled and shrugged.
As if to say, "Do whatever you want."
Trying to scare your big brother with this little trick? Too naive.
"Hello, miss," the sales assistant came out to greet her warmly, showering Hai TangXi with compliments about her beauty.
Hai TangXi just nodded politely, not engaging much with the assistant.
For a woman like her, shopping for clothes or shoes rarely required the sales assistant's input.
She might even know more than they did.
"This one, this one, this skirt, this top, and this shirt… find my size," Hai TangXi said, scanning the items.
Like an AI, she instantly picked out the styles she liked and wanted to try on.
The sales assistant was enthusiastic, clearly recognizing a big customer.
"Of course, miss, please wait a moment," the assistant said, hurrying off to fetch the sizes.
Hai TangXi turned back to Jiang Beicheng with a smile, checking if he was nervous.
Jiang Beicheng, smiling, lounged on the sofa, took a bottle of purified water from the assistant, opened it, and asked, "Want some, Sister Xi?"
His heart was completely unruffled.
His expression was calm and natural.
Hai TangXi frowned.
She hadn't actually planned to buy everything she picked out—it would cost at least a hundred thousand or so. She just wanted to rile Jiang Beicheng up and make him admit defeat.
But Jiang Beicheng showed no emotional reaction whatsoever.
Then she remembered—Jiang Tao had left him a fortune worth several small goals. What was this expense to him?
He really had the confidence to back it up.
What she didn't expect was that this "stinky little brother" was actually willing to spend so much on a woman.
Jiang Beicheng's thinking was simple. He would cover all of Hai TangXi's expenses today.
She had just returned to the country and spent tens of thousands buying a jade bracelet for his grandma. He owed her for that gesture.
When they were kids, this big sister had been good to him, taking him everywhere to play, sharing her pocket money, and even standing up for him in fights with kids from lower grades. She hadn't been back in eight or nine years, so buying her some expensive gifts wasn't a big deal.
And then there was the bond between the Hai family and the Jiang family, which Jiang Beicheng would always remember.
True loyalty is shown in tough times.
Some bonds couldn't be measured with gifts.
What was buying a few clothes for Hai TangXi?
"I think they're all good. Take them all?" Jiang Beicheng said casually.
Hai TangXi saw the smug, proud look on his face and wanted to say, "You don't care about money at all, do you!"
The sales assistant watched Hai TangXi, waiting for her response.
Among the items she had picked, there were a few she genuinely liked.
In the end, she chose three to take.
A floral polka-dot mulberry silk dress: 29,500.
A slit midi skirt: 17,100.
And a stretchy knit slip dress for lounging at home: 10,900.
Jiang Beicheng scanned the QR code to pay 57,500.
"Leave me your contact info, and have it delivered straight to my parking spot later," Jiang Beicheng said.
"Of course, sir, we'll stay in touch," the assistant replied warmly.
Great, he wasn't even willing to carry the shopping bags.
Her plan to make her "stinky little brother" play the role of bag-carrier had fallen through.
She couldn't outplay him!
"Sister Xi?" Jiang Beicheng caught up, grinning cheekily.
Hai TangXi asked directly, "Fifty or sixty thousand—does it hurt?"
"Spending it on Sister Xi? Not one bit," Jiang Beicheng said with a laugh.
For some reason, Hai TangXi burst out laughing at his words. "Little City, don't try using those flirty lines you use on young girls on your big sister.
I don't fall for that."
She turned the corner and walked into the CL store.
Jiang Beicheng grinned. "To be honest, CL is my favorite women's shoe store."
CL held a high status in women's hearts. Though the shoes were stiff to wear, that didn't stop them from looking gorgeous.
They were called the "beautiful torture device" for women.
Fake socialites loved buying counterfeit CL shoes to take photos, as they perfectly accentuated foot and leg shapes.
The brand had a cute nickname, "Carrot Stick," a playful transliteration of its English name, Louboutin.
Jiang Beicheng liked this French luxury brand for a simple reason: the soles of its high heels were red.
There's a saying: "Red soles, black edges, boundless charm."
You'd know the impact of those red soles in bed.
This time, Hai TangXi was genuinely shopping for shoes, not setting a trap for Jiang Beicheng.
She tried on a pair of nude, open-sided, thin-heeled high heels.
The open-sided heels beautifully highlighted the arch of her foot.
The pointed toe and thin heel elongated her calves, making her legs look more comfortable and proportionate.
They perfectly showcased the allure of her long legs.
Jiang Beicheng nodded. "Sister Xi has good taste."
Hai TangXi checked herself in the mirror from the side, feeling satisfied.
"Wearing these, I might be taller than you."
With ten-centimeter heels and her 175 cm height, her 185 cm total was indeed two centimeters taller than Jiang Beicheng.
"Doesn't it make your big sister's aura even stronger? Just like when we were kids, protecting me," Jiang Beicheng teased.
Hai TangXi laughed. "I'm not that tomboy from back then anymore. I don't fight with fists."
"Using words works too," Jiang Beicheng said with a smile, going to pay the bill: 9,700.
As before, he asked the store to deliver the shoes to the parking garage later for pickup.
"I didn't even say I was buying them," Hai TangXi said.
Jiang Beicheng smiled. "A woman's expression can't lie."
Hai TangXi shook her head with a laugh. "Little kid, acting like some domineering CEO."
But deep down, she found it quite satisfying to have this "stinky guy" footing the bill.
The little episode with Wu Keqing had already faded away.
"You've spent a lot, Little City," Hai TangXi said. "I won't let you spend for nothing. I heard from Grandma you're building a farm back home. I'll take care of the design plans and renderings for you."