Chapter Fifteen: A Date with Sister (Part 2)
Opportunities to go shopping with Sister Yameng were few and far between. In Lu Li’s memory, it only happened during holidays, when she would drag him to the nearest wholesale market, where they would excitedly rummage through clothes priced under three digits. Buying new clothes for Lu Li was one of Zou Yameng’s greatest joys. This joy might have seemed materially cheap, but for Lu Li, it was priceless.
The wholesale clothing market near their low-rent district wasn’t comparable to the ones downtown. While it was bustling, the vehicles were electric scooters and motorcycles, and the people weren’t suit-clad elites. The noise of everyday life filled the narrow streets, lined with vendors’ carts, squeezing the already limited space into something resembling a single-plank bridge.
Lu Li smelled cumin and turned to see a cart advertising “New Orleans Grilled Wings.” The wings were coated in barbecue spices, their original color obscured. He used to love these street-side snacks, but back then, they were too poor to afford them. He would stand and stare longingly, and Sister Yameng would count out a few crumpled bills from her pocket to buy him a single wing. The unscrupulous vendors, seeing they were just kids, would sometimes give him the smallest, most burnt pieces. Young Lu Li didn’t mind, still overjoyed with his treat. But when he saw Sister Yameng arguing with a towering shopkeeper to save five yuan, he stopped looking at the street food stalls altogether.
Lu Li bought two grilled wings, handing one to Zou Yameng. “Sister, here.”
“This stuff isn’t hygienic. Don’t eat too much.” Despite her lecturing tone, she smiled brightly as she accepted the wing. “I remember a time when you loved grilled wings. Did your taste change?”
His taste had never changed; he still loved grilled wings. Lu Li smiled and hummed in agreement. “It’s been a while. I was craving one.” He took a bite; the taste of spices overwhelmed any hint of chicken. It was the same kind of grilled wing, yet it tasted so different from the delicacies of his childhood memories. Perhaps the wings had changed, or perhaps he had.
He felt a sense of warmth watching Sister Yameng gnaw on her wing.
Zou Yameng suddenly blushed. “Why are you staring at me?”
“Why are you blushing?”
“Because you keep looking at me.”
“You never used to blush when I looked at you.”
Zou Yameng paused, realizing he was right.
Lu Li seized the opportunity and kissed her, not on the lips, but on her soft cheek. It was a chaste kiss, conveying pure affection.
“Can’t you… wait until we’re home?” she mumbled, a mixture of shyness and reproach.
“I couldn’t resist,” Lu Li grinned.
Zou Yameng’s eyes softened. She playfully stuck her tongue out at him and said nothing more.
The supermarket, called the Eight Dragons Wholesale Clothing Market, held a mix of bittersweet memories for Lu Li and Zou Yameng. The market had stood for over twenty years. The walls were stained yellow and black, and the security guards had been replaced twice, but the market remained. Last year, it underwent renovations, emulating the modern style of downtown markets. The clothes were now categorized, and each section had a tea room and fitting rooms.
Lu Li stepped on the clean, tiled floor, staring at the bright lights reflected in its surface, a sense of bewilderment washing over him. So many years had passed… From graduating high school in his past life, to graduating university, marrying An Baili, starting his business… He had experienced so much without realizing it. Returning to this place felt surreal, like stepping into another world.
“Li, Li, what do you think of this shirt? Do you need a suit for your university interview next year? You’d look so handsome in a suit.” Sister Yameng excitedly pulled him along. She didn’t have many hobbies, but picking clothes for Lu Li was one of them.
Lu Li didn’t like suits; he found them too formal. He intertwined his fingers with hers. “Let’s pick something for you first, Sister. I can buy my clothes later.”
“Me? I just need a new pair of jeans. This one is starting to fade.” Sister Yameng shook her head.
“Sister, we have money now. We don’t need to be so frugal anymore.”
“Oh… oh…” Zou Yameng was rarely this flustered. She hadn’t fully adjusted to their changed circumstances. She instinctively clung to the past, whether it was her habits or her relationship with her brother. She seemed to believe that everything could stay the same forever. Lu Li felt that because she was so aggressive in other aspects of her life, her heart remained tethered to their past struggles.
Lu Li’s gaze drifted past the jeans section and landed on the skirts.
“Sister, let me pick a skirt for you.”
“No—I already have a skirt. I barely wear it. I don’t like wearing those…”
“Come on, how old is that skirt? The one from Lingyue?” Sister Yameng had a pair of legs to die for, and Lu Li thought she’d look great in a skirt.
He pulled the hesitant Zou Yameng to the skirt section. After enduring the saleswoman’s incessant recommendations, they finally settled on a light gray pleated skirt, similar in style to the Chuanhai First Senior High School uniform, the hem falling just above the knee, perfect for a young woman.
Zou Yameng hesitantly took the skirt. “Isn’t it a bit too short?” She’d never worn a skirt this short before.
The middle-aged saleswoman chirped, “Try it on, miss! We have fitting rooms, all private. See? Just pull the curtain, and your privacy is protected.”
Lu Li stroked his chin. “You don’t wear it outside anyway, Sister. It’s for wearing at home. Shorter is better for the summer heat.”
Zou Yameng pinched his arm. “You’re thinking dirty thoughts again!”
The perceptive saleswoman, seeing their playful banter, quickly produced a pair of unopened black stockings. “Oh, this skirt would look great with these stockings! They’re not expensive either, only twelve yuan a pair. What do you think?”
Black stockings held a fatal attraction for men. The visual contrast of black against white flesh was always a potent aphrodisiac.
“Can we try them on?”
“Young man, we can’t sell them if they’ve been tried on. Twelve yuan isn’t much for a pair.”
Lu Li nodded. “Fine, I’ll buy them.” He took the stockings and turned around to see Sister Yameng frowning at him. “Li, don’t even think about it.”
Lu Li clasped his hands together, putting on a pitiful expression. “Sister, please, just this once, please…”
Zou Yameng couldn’t resist her brother’s pleading. After a brief internal struggle, she relented. “Just this once. Don’t make it a habit.”
With a final glare at Lu Li, she took the skirt and stockings and headed towards the fitting room.
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