C13 The Difficult Way of Changing Clothes

Listening to Moo Xiaoxiao's exaggerated remarks, Ruan Shiyu couldn't help but laugh, "Aren't you my mom? How did you suddenly become my sister?"

Moo Xiaoxiao shot her a look, "Get out of the car!"

"Huh?" Ruan Shiyu was puzzled. "Are you seriously kicking me out because you're embarrassed?"

Moo Xiaoxiao, half amused and half exasperated, reached over and pinched Ruan Shiyu. "Silly, we've arrived!"

Only then did Ruan Shiyu realize, quickly pushing open the car door and jumping out. Seeing Moo Xiaoxiao giving her a look of playful frustration from inside the car, Ruan Shiyu playfully stuck out her tongue at her.

Moo Xiaoxiao had a love-hate relationship with her scatterbrained friend, but seeing her silly face, she couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head as she got out of the car too.

Ruan Shiyu finally settled down, watching Moo Xiaoxiao lock the car. The two of them linked arms and headed into the mall ahead.

After a few steps, Ruan Shiyu suddenly remarked, "Xiaoxiao, I'm really glad I know you."

The unexpected heartfelt confession caught Moo Xiaoxiao off guard. Looking straight ahead, she replied, "You better remember that, and when your mom gets old, make sure to take care of me, okay?"

Though she was joking, Ruan Shiyu noticed Moo Xiaoxiao's ears turning red.

Laughing and chatting, they entered the mall. Moo Xiaoxiao dragged Ruan Shiyu to a high-end clothing store. Seeing the elegant interior, Ruan Shiyu hesitated, "Isn't this a bit much? It's just a class reunion."

"What are you worried about? It's my treat today. Whatever you want, I'll cover it." With that, Moo Xiaoxiao confidently pulled Ruan Shiyu inside.

"Hey! That's not necessary," Ruan Shiyu tried to protest, but she was already being pulled into the store.

A nearby sales associate approached them, "Welcome, ladies. How can I assist you today?"

With strangers around, Ruan Shiyu felt too shy to joke around with Moo Xiaoxiao, so she stood quietly. Moo Xiaoxiao gave her a gentle push forward and said, "See if there's anything in the store that suits her. Recommend a few options."

The sales associate gave Ruan Shiyu a quick once-over, a hint of hesitation in her eyes. Ruan Shiyu immediately felt defensive. Even if her figure and looks were average, surely she could find something that fit?

Noticing Ruan Shiyu's displeasure, the associate quickly said, "We just got a new summer collection. Would you like to try something on?"

Moo Xiaoxiao waved her hand enthusiastically. "Let's see it."

The associate promptly brought over a pink outfit. It was pretty, but it didn't seem like Ruan Shiyu's style. Holding the clothes, Ruan Shiyu glanced at Moo Xiaoxiao, feeling a bit awkward.

Moo Xiaoxiao stood up and nudged her toward the fitting room. "I think it looks great. Just try it on."

Ruan Shiyu found herself pushed into the fitting room, with no chance to refuse. Resigned, she changed into the outfit inside.

The dress clung to her like a bubble, highlighting every curve, including her little belly. Staring at her reflection, Ruan Shiyu felt disheartened. The dress was lovely, but her figure wasn't cooperating.

Outside, Moo Xiaoxiao waited impatiently. When Ruan Shiyu didn't emerge, she knocked on the fitting room door. "Are you done? Come out and show me."

Hearing Moo Xiaoxiao's voice made Ruan Shiyu even more embarrassed. Leaning against the door, she replied, "This dress isn't right for me. I'm going to change back."

Moo Xiaoxiao grew anxious. "Come out right now, or I'm coming in!"

With no other choice, Ruan Shiyu timidly opened the door and stepped out. Thankfully, the store was nearly empty, sparing her from too much embarrassment.

Moo Xiaoxiao looked at her outfit and frowned, "Something just feels off."

Ruan Shiyu, with a face full of distress, replied, "I told you, this outfit just doesn't suit me..."

Seeing her like this, Moo Xiaoxiao couldn't help but laugh. She pulled Shiyu closer and said, "Don't worry, we'll take our time to find the right one."

Then she turned to the store clerk and asked, "Do you have anything else? Maybe something a bit looser? Bring those over, please."

The clerk left and returned shortly with a pile of clothes. Ruan Shiyu was nudged back into the fitting room to try them on one by one.

Unfortunately, the store's style was all about the prim and proper look, while Shiyu was used to lounging around at home. The moment she put on formal wear, she felt completely out of place. After trying on clothes for what seemed like forever, not a single one felt right.

Half an hour later, Shiyu changed back into her sweatshirt and collapsed onto the store's sofa, watching Moo Xiaoxiao enthusiastically discuss options with the clerk. Shiyu was on the verge of tears, "Please, Xiaoxiao, can we call it a day? Trying on clothes is more exhausting than running a marathon!"

Moo Xiaoxiao turned to give her a stern look, ready to scold her, but when she saw Shiyu's pale face, her heart softened. She quickly pulled her up from the sofa, "Alright, alright, we won't try anymore."

Shiyu's face lit up, just as she was about to speak, Moo Xiaoxiao added, "Let's try another store. This one might not be your style."

Shiyu sighed, "...Fine, just let me melt into this sofa!"

But in the end, Moo Xiaoxiao got her up again. They wandered around the mall without finding anything satisfactory, then headed to the shopping street behind the mall. After walking up and down the entire street, the sky began to darken.

Shiyu's stomach growled loudly, and she pleaded, "Xiaoxiao, can we stop for today? Maybe we can continue tomorrow?"

"No way, we finish what we start today. This is the last one. If it doesn't work, we'll just go with that blue one from earlier." Moo Xiaoxiao was determined, pushing Ruan Shiyu into the fitting room and shutting the door firmly, leaving no room for escape.

Ruan Shiyu reluctantly changed into the outfit she was holding. It was a light green dress, a two-piece set. The top was mainly white, with delicate green flowers embroidered at the cuffs and neckline. The skirt was a soft green, reminiscent of a tutu but not overly dramatic. The color was fresh and perfectly complemented Ruan Shiyu's complexion, and the two-piece design cleverly hid her little tummy.

When she stepped out of the fitting room, Moo Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up. "This one's great!"

After an entire afternoon of trying on clothes, finally hearing a compliment made Ruan Shiyu want to drop to her knees in relief. She quickly nodded, "Let's go with this one. How much is it?"

The sales associate smiled, "One thousand eight hundred eighty-eight."

"What?" Ruan Shiyu was shocked. "That expensive?!"

It's just a little dress!

Suddenly, the dress felt uncomfortable on her.

Beside her, Moo Xiaoxiao pulled out her wallet without hesitation. "This one and the blue one from earlier, please wrap them up."

Faced with such a generous customer, the sales associate couldn't hide her smile and quickly led Moo Xiaoxiao to the register.

Ten minutes later, they left the store with bags in hand. Ruan Shiyu felt a pang of regret. "That was so expensive, and you didn't even try to bargain."

Moo Xiaoxiao playfully pinched Ruan Shiyu's cheek. "Ungrateful! It's all for you. Do you think I wasn't tired?"

After trying on clothes all day, they finally found something suitable. Why haggle? Just buy it and head home!

Hearing Moo Xiaoxiao's words, Ruan Shiyu felt a bit guilty and chuckled awkwardly, saying nothing more.

Moo Xiaoxiao said, "This time for the class reunion, you really need to dress up. I won't comment on your usual style, but you have to seize this opportunity! You need to make a good impression, you know?"

"Got it, got it," Ruan Shiyu replied, nodding and agreeing enthusiastically. She glanced at Xiaoxiao's profile and laughed, "But why? You never pushed me for reunions before. Why so eager this time?"

Shiyu asked casually, not expecting Xiaoxiao to suddenly freeze. After a moment of hesitation, Xiaoxiao finally said, "Just make sure you look fabulous, okay?"

With that, she grabbed Shiyu's hand and said, "Come on, let's get something to eat. I'm starving."

Before Shiyu could figure out why Xiaoxiao was acting this way, she was already being pulled along. "Don't drag me, I'm coming."

The two of them went to a small diner by the roadside for dinner. After finishing their meal and settling the bill, Xiaoxiao suddenly got a call. "Hello? Who is this? Yeah, I'm out. Huh? Right now?"

After hanging up, Xiaoxiao gave Shiyu an apologetic smile. "Shiyu, I'm sorry. Something came up at work, and I need to head over there now."

As she spoke, Xiaoxiao glanced at her watch. "It's 8 PM. Can you get home by yourself? I need to make a quick trip to the office."

Shiyu quickly nodded. "No worries, you go ahead. My place isn't far, I'll just grab a cab."

"Alright then." Xiaoxiao stood up to leave but couldn't help but add, "Text me your cab's license plate number, and let me know when you get home safely."

Shiyu felt both touched and amused by Xiaoxiao's motherly concern. "Stop worrying so much. I'm not a kid, just heading home. I'll be fine, you go on."

Hearing this, Xiaoxiao playfully pinched Shiyu's nose before turning to leave the restaurant.

Ruan Shiyu had spoken so confidently earlier, but as soon as Moo Xiaoxiao left, her expression changed, looking worriedly at the pile of bags on the floor. They had spent the entire afternoon shopping, picking up not just clothes but also shoes, hats, accessories, and even two large plush toys they won in a raffle. Now, she was left wondering how she could possibly carry all this back by herself.

After hesitating in the restaurant for quite a while, Ruan Shiyu finally gathered all the bags and wobbled her way outside. She was already on the shorter side, and carrying so much made her feel off-balance. When she finally reached the street, there wasn’t a taxi in sight. With no other option, she pulled out her phone to use a ride-hailing app.

Just as she opened her phone, a message popped up from the system: "A walk after a meal is great for fitness and toning!"