A moment later, when Chunan stepped out of the store, his expression was utterly bizarre.

Xiaohan, however, bounced along behind him, super excited and lugging a mountain of shopping bags.

She finally got why girls loved shopping so much.

With someone footing the bill? She could totally fall for it too.

Especially after shoving Chunan forward to pay earlier—that was the first time she’d thought he looked damn handsome.

But Chunan didn’t feel it.

He was still stuck on what happened in the fitting room.

That was probably the most intimate contact he’d ever had with a girl in two lifetimes.

Not that this girl was innocent.

He was a normal guy—desires and physical reactions included. Lying to himself about feeling nothing while facing a completely naked Xiaohan? Yeah, right.

But… he mostly just felt annoyed.

Xiaohan was his childhood friend, sure. They were close. But deep down, Chunan had always treated her like his little brother.

Spending every day with a kid clinging to you—when you’ve got an adult’s mind—naturally makes you see them as a tagalong.

Plus, with his extra lifetime of experience, he’d always dominated their dynamic. Like how Xiaohan complained he loved teasing her—it was just an adult’s playful habit with a kid.

Except now that kid had grown up.

And become a girl.

This was the one thing Chunan had no clue how to handle.

It felt like a bully suddenly getting humbled—that was his mood right now.

But watching Xiaohan skip ahead, grinning stupidly under her pile of bags, Chunan couldn’t be bothered to reclaim his dignity.

Why argue with someone experiencing life as a human for the first time…?

—That might be his eternal advantage.

"Chunan! Time for outerwear now, right?" Xiaohan suddenly pointed at a women’s boutique, tilting her head. "That store’s clothes look amazing!"

Chunan pressed his lips together slightly but followed.

Whatever. Consider it repayment for all the cash she’d dumped on him.

The boutique was ultra-chic, packed with every style of women’s wear, including fresh-off-the-runway designs. Xiaohan’s eyes went wide. Before finishing one lap, she’d already grabbed several outfits.

Chunan trailed behind, expression unreadable.

Since when was she this into shopping?

Did turning into a girl really change her personality that much?

"Hey, Chunan! See anything you like?" Reaching the end of the aisle, she finally remembered him. She spun around, beaming. "Try anything on! I’ll model it for you—consider it a perk!"

Chunan: "...Just try what you’re holding first."

Xiaohan nodded and dashed into the fitting room.

Watching her disappear behind the curtain, Chunan’s expression turned even weirder.

He seriously felt like he was shopping with a girlfriend.

"Hey, bro—here with your girlfriend?" A guy around his age sidled up.

Chunan glanced at him. "Yeah. You too?"

"Or I’d be insane to wander into a women’s store." The guy chuckled wryly, nodding toward the fitting room beside Xiaohan’s. "Mine’s trying stuff on in there."

Chunan gave a noncommittal nod.

Silence hung. The guy pressed on: "Shopping with your girlfriend always drains your wallet. Saw yours haul in a ton of clothes—you’re bleeding way more than me today."

Chunan shrugged. "It’s fine."

"Ugh…" The guy sighed. "Worth it to make her happy. Wish mine was clingier though—yours seem sweet? She sticks to you?"

Who wouldn’t want a girlfriend glued to their side?

Chunan stayed quiet.

Xiaohan emerged minutes later. A shoulder-baring tee hugged her frame, paired with an ultra-short skirt riding dangerously high. She showed off every curve, radiating a mix of cuteness and allure—lightyears better than her earlier awkward look.

She pitter-pattered straight to Chunan. "Do I look good?"

Chunan noticed the other guy staring, slack-jawed.

No denying it—Xiaohan was stunning. No makeup, yet glowing like she’d stepped out of a dream.

Even Chunan felt a flicker of awe.

But remembering this beauty housed his childhood buddy’s soul killed any spark.

"...Good." Liking her or not, he owed her that much. And it wasn’t a lie.

Her smile widened. Then she lunged, wrapping her arms around his neck, faces so close he felt her breath.

Chunan froze.

Before he could react, she cooed like a spoiled kitten: "The other outfits I grabbed are cute too! Let’s buy them all, okay?"

The other guy gaped.

So did every man in the store accompanying wives or girlfriends.

Envy. Jealousy. Sourness.

All of it. Especially from the guy beside him.

Chunan stared at Xiaohan for three silent seconds. A faint smirk tugged his lips. "Did you even try the others on?"

"Tried a few… Pfft, same size! They’ll fit. Too lazy to change here—I’ll show you each one at home!"

—Chunan felt the envious stares on him intensify.

After a pause, he nodded. "Fine."

Stuck indoors too long, he wasn’t used to this attention.

He just wanted to leave.

Seeing his easy agreement, Xiaohan climbed right up the ladder she’d built: "I spotted a few more gorgeous pieces! Let’s grab those too?"

Chunan: "..."

Before he could refuse, she hopped down, snatched the remaining clothes, and handed them to a clerk. She turned back, beaming with a radiant smile. "Time to check out!"

Chunan pressed his lips together but didn’t argue. He strode to the register. "Total?"

"Three thousand seven hundred twenty," the cashier said politely.

Chunan paid without blinking. He grabbed the bulging bags and walked out without looking back. Xiaohan scrambled after him, leaving behind a store full of stunned onlookers.

The guy who’d chatted with Chunan stood frozen.

Damn. A real young gun.

Three grand—paid like it was pocket change.

No wonder he scored such a hot girlfriend.

Fucking hell. Why wasn’t he rich? If he had cash, he’d do the same!

Just then, his own girlfriend—who’d watched everything—sidled up, mimicking Xiaohan’s tone: "Honey… you’d buy them all for me too, right?"

The guy flinched. His smile looked more like a grimace. "O-Of course…"

Shit. He shouldn’t have talked to that guy earlier.