Chapter 25: An Unexpected Encounter
After school in the afternoon, I walked out of school alone, preparing to buy ingredients for dinner.
The results of the last monthly exam had already come out, and I ranked among the top, so I was eligible to skip the evening study session.
I prefer buying ingredients from the shopping street over the supermarket’s fresh produce. The shopkeepers there are more reasonable, allowing me to get better ingredients at a cheaper price.
Of course, I also had another reason for coming here: to see if there was anything I could get as a gift for Lianbing.
But, a gift…
Lianbing is the young miss from a wealthy family; I can’t imagine she’d be lacking anything.
So, if I tried to pick a gift based on what she might be lacking, I wouldn’t find anything. There’d be no choices at all.
However, the probability of finding a divine artifact by casually browsing an antique store, like last time, is too slim.
If I’m going to give a gift, it should be something meaningful. And the best way to make a gift meaningful is to ‘make it myself’.
Although I’m quite skilled at cooking, giving food just feels off. So, I should probably make something practical.
Besides cooking, what else is there? Sewing, I suppose.
I do have a little experience with simple weaving skills. I dabbled in other knitting skills before when I was interested in cross-stitch, but at best, I’m only at a beginner’s level.
I should check out the craft store first. Conveniently, there’s one in this shopping street.
This kind of starting from scratch, trying to please a girl and earn her affection, isn’t really motivating me.
As a man, entering a shop filled with so much pink requires some courage. I first looked around the entrance, making sure no one I knew was around, before pushing the door open and stepping inside.
There weren’t too many customers, but there were still four or five people. For a craft store, that’s quite a lot.
I was a bit surprised by the sheer variety of merchandise.
They had fabrics of all colors, lots of small accessories, and even petticoats and wigs. It felt like you could find all the materials needed to make an entire outfit here.
But making clothes is too difficult… Besides, Lianbing’s clothes are likely designed and handmade by professional designers. How could I, a beginner, possibly do better than them?
No, no, I can’t think like that. If I do, I won’t be able to give her anything.
Considering the time it takes to make something, something like a scarf would be easier and wouldn’t take too much time. The weather has also started to get a bit cooler.
But it feels like the roles are reversed… Usually, it’s the girl who knits a scarf for the boy she likes…
My head hurts. What should I give her…?
Ah, standing here isn’t helping. I should ask a shop assistant for advice before making a decision.
As I turned to look for a shop assistant, I spotted another familiar figure.
“Yahoo~ Juncheng~”
From about ten meters away, a cute girl was waving both hands, running towards me excitedly.
When she was about three meters away, she crouched and leaped, pouncing at me.
“Whoa, wait…”
Since I was still holding the groceries I just bought, I managed to catch Xuan’er with one hand, but I still lost my balance and fell backward.
Then, a freshly bought live fish jumped out of the plastic bag, its tail slapping my cheek.
“Ah, sorry! Juncheng, are you okay!”
After catching the lively fish and putting it back in the bag, I wiped my face. The fishy smell still lingered.
Xuan’er took out a handkerchief from her small bag and wiped my cheek. The handkerchief had a faint floral scent.
Right, flowers?
Yes, I could give her flowers. I completely forgot about this most common gift.
That day, Lianbing, Lan, and I saw that field of flowers together.
If I gave her a bouquet of orchids, it might evoke some memories for her. Even if she couldn’t recall anything, just the feeling of familiarity would be enough.
“Juncheng? Are you okay? Why aren’t you saying anything? Did I hit you too hard… it’s all my fault…”
“Ah, no, I just suddenly thought of something.”
“Speaking of which, I didn’t expect to see you here, Xuan’er. What are you doing?”
“Xuan’er? It’s new for you to call me that, Juncheng.”
“Ah…”
It’s the honorifics again. Habits are really hard to break.
I also can’t remember how I first started calling Xuan’er. Did I call her classmate Xiang Yue before? No… It seems I’ve been calling her by her name from the beginning.
I couldn’t remember how to address Xuan’er for a moment, which made me very awkward.
Seeing my predicament, Xuan’er saved me by saying,
“It’s okay, calling me that feels more intimate~ Actually, I’m buying clothes for cosplay.”
Oh, cosplay has always been Xuan’er’s hobby. I remember we went to an anime convention together during the summer holidays… Ah, but I don’t know if that even happened in this world.
Huh? But she’s buying cosplay clothes here? They wouldn’t sell cosplay clothes here, would they?
Usually, people buy complete sets online.
“Hmm? Buying them here?”
T SF Light Novel
“Yes, actually… it’s because the outfit for the character I want to cosplay this time isn’t sold anywhere, so I thought I’d make one myself!”
“Oh, making one yourself… Can you sew, Xuan’er?”
I didn’t realize Xuan’er had this skill.
“Of course not!”
“By the way, which character’s cosplay outfit is it that isn’t sold? Does that mean it’s really obscure…?”
“That’s right! It’s the gothic lolita maid outfit worn by Meiya, the character from ‘Shibai Shile Jun, Guan Bi Ya Chui Keng Huili’! I really want to wear it once!”
“Wai-wait, that’s not…”
Although I haven’t actually played it, I’ve heard of it. If I remember correctly, that’s… a game!
And it’s a really hardcore one.
If it’s an adult game, wouldn’t the outfit be quite revealing?
“Um, do you have to cosplay?”
“Of course! I want to become an anime character myself! That’s the ultimate love for a character!”
“……But, still, this outfit is a bit…”
Isn’t it a bit too much…?
“Right, Juncheng, since you’re in this store… You can make clothes, right?”
“Uh? Well, I can’t really say I can…”
I just thought I might find a suitable gift, so I came in to take a look.
“In that case! Please make the cosplay outfit for me, Juncheng!
“…Wha-what? Me make clothes?!”
“That’s right! You can definitely make it, Juncheng! I have high hopes for you!”
Wow, don’t look at me with those sparkly, glowing eyes. How can I refuse…?
“Then let me tell you first… the characteristics of this outfit are…”
Xuan’er excitedly started telling me about Eve, and even mentioned the game’s content.
Things like beating, electroshock therapy, piercing… It’s too awful…
The customers and staff around me were giving me strange looks.
In any case, talking about adult games with a loli in a craft store is a bit…
“Um, Xuan’er, we still…”
Just as I was about to ask Xuan’er to stop, my collar was suddenly grabbed.
“Wait! Juncheng! What are you doing! I know you’ve always had a thing for lolis, but did you really make a move on a loli!”
I didn’t make a move on a loli!
Xuan’er just looks like a loli, but she’s actually five hundred years old!
Well, if she looks like a loli and she is a loli, then there’s no problem.
But I absolutely deny making a move!
Huh? Wait, is that voice…?
I immediately turned around, and there stood…
“Li Nai!”
