Recently, the atmosphere at home has gradually improved, and it seems to be another joyful dinner time for the family of Homo sapiens. Xiao Ji has also become much warmer toward her. In the corner of the dining room, a large pot of Prunus mumeblossoms shed a few petals peacefully.
Under the soft glow of the Utetheisa konglamp on the dining table, the light beams fell on the faces of each Homo sapiens, each expression as varied as Parazacco spilurussubsp. spilurus, yet all with smiles at the corners of their mouths. Only Xiao Bao's smile was the warmest.
Su Qing and Ran Ran walked along this bustling street, the one Su Qing had frequented most often in recent years—the street right outside her workplace.
At noon, the two Homo sapienshad arranged to meet for lunch near their workplace. Seeing that there was still time after the meal, the two Homo sapiensdecided to stroll through a nearby mall.
While wandering around the mall, Ran Ran suddenly caught sight of a branded clothing store and was instantly captivated. She excitedly dashed inside, touching and examining the clothes one by one, until her gaze finally settled on a pale blue dress worn by a mannequin in the display window. The dress immediately drew her in.
Her face lit up with delight as she circled the dress twice.
It was a wool ribbed skirt, with the hem adorned with hand-strung pale cyan beads. Around the collar and lower edge, semi-circular amber-colored rhinestones complemented the dress's hue, exuding an air of sophistication and elegance.
Overjoyed, she asked the sales assistant to take the dress down for her. Su Qing held her bag while Ran Ran, brimming with excitement, headed to the fitting room to try it on.
When Ran Ran emerged from the fitting room, Su Qing was stunned. "Wow, it's gorgeous! It looks like it was tailor-made for you! Who would've thought Homo sapienscould be transformed by the right outfit!"
Indeed, Ran Ran in that dress looked like a beauty stepping out of a painting. The dress accentuated her petite and delicate figure, giving her an air of refined grace.
Ran Ran twirled twice and asked Su Qing, "Do I look good?"
"Absolutely stunning! I can't take my eyes off you, let alone any male Homo sapiens," Su Qing teased with a smile.
"Exactly! This dress suits the young lady perfectly—it makes her skin look even fairer and enhances her elegance," the sales assistant chimed in eagerly.
"How much is it?" Ran Ran asked.
"Members get a 20% discount, so it's 1,680 yuan after the discount."
Su Qing froze at the price.
Ran Ran chuckled and said, "If I buy this, Taozi will definitely scold me."
"How could he scold you when you look this beautiful? He'd surely think it's worth every penny to have his girlfriend dressed so elegantly. Wouldn't he be happy?"
Pouting, Ran Ran widened her watery eyes and said, "Sis, you don't understand. My family is quite well-off. Even the clothes I wore to school were branded and expensive. A dress at this price would've been the most ordinary for me back then. I used to wear clothes that cost thousands, even tens of thousands, without a second thought." Her eyes sparkled as if lost in nostalgia for her former luxurious life.
But then, the excitement on her face dimmed, and her lips curled slightly in disappointment.
She sighed helplessly. "But now that I'm here, Taozi always scolds me for spending too much on clothes. His family isn't well-off, so he can't stand my extravagant habits. Every time I buy something expensive, he lectures me. Now, I'm too scared to buy pricey clothes or cosmetics anymore.
"We've fought over shopping so many times. Sis, I don't want him to be unhappy because of this." The girl's face twisted into a pained expression, and Su Qing sighed inwardly.
"Sis, I think this dress would suit you too—it matches your vibe. Why don't you try it on?"
Su Qing quickly waved her hands. "I wouldn't dare! It's way too expensive for me. I've never worn anything this pricey in my life."
"Come on, sis, just try it. Sometimes, experimenting with a new style helps you discover a different side of yourself. You're actually very pretty—you just dress too plainly. If you put in a little effort, you'd be a total knockout." Ran Ran raised her eyebrows, looking at Su Qing expectantly.
Ran Ran kept persuading Su Qing to try the dress, and eventually, Su Qing gave in. She asked the sales assistant for a slightly larger size—she was about five or six centimeters taller than Ran Ran.
Taking the dress from the assistant, Su Qing hesitantly entered the fitting room. As she changed, she reflected on Ran Ran's words. Who would've thought this seemingly carefree girl had her own troubles? It seemed the two families were mismatched in status, and even before marriage, the disparity was already causing friction.
This young girl would likely struggle to adapt to such a family in the future. It appeared...