BXBX NOVEL Chapter 262 - 262: Shopping
Locust Tree Bay was bustling with activity. In the square, there were many toys for children to play with, such as tops and kites.
Such toys were only affordable to the children of wealthy families in the county. Jiang Gu had always stayed in Pushan Village and had never seen these toys.
To make her happy, Jiang Chuan spent five coin to buy two kites and two tops. He let the two children compete to see whose kite flew higher and whose top spun longer.
Jiang Gu was strong and had an advantage when playing with the top. She defeated Jiang Xia.
Jiang Xia, being clever, skillfully flew her kite and outdid Jiang Gu.
The family played until nightfall before packing up their things and heading back to the hotel.
On their way back, Zhou Lan noticed a shopping mall.
True to her reputation as a shopping queen, Zhou Lan spotted the store that Jiang Xia and Jiang Chuan had passed several times without noticing.
Through the clear glass showcase, Jiang Xia saw a variety of items, including imported chocolates and candies. There were also dazzling jewelry and “Flourishing Era” brand moisturizing cream.
But what attracted Jiang Xia more was the bookstore in another corner of the shopping mall. The displayed books were from foreign authors who had just won awards.
Jiang Xia never expected to see works of famous foreign authors in a village. In this era where basic needs were hard to meet, materialistic needs often overshadowed spiritual pursuits, making books an overlooked commodity.
Jiang Xia headed straight for the bookstore, but she hesitated at the entrance because of the lingering fishy smell on her. She didn’t want to transfer the smell to the books.
The bookstore owner, a gentle woman dressed in a cheongsam, approached Jiang Xia after noticing her eager gaze.
“Little girl, do you want to buy a book?”
She didn’t show any disdain for Jiang Xia’s smell or attire. Instead, she bent down to meet Jiang Xia’s gaze and gently patted her head.
Jiang Xia pointed to a book in the display, “Can 1 have that book?”
The bookstore owner, Wan Ping, looked in the direction Jiang Xia pointed at. It was “The Road to Revolution”, a story about a married couple’s struggles and mutual torment.
She gently suggested, “Little girl, this book is quite negative. Maybe you’d prefer another, like ‘The Razor’s Edge’ which is about a person’s intellectual awakening.”
Jiang Xia was instantly fond of Wan Ping, who recommended a philosophical book rather than a children’s tale. It was rare for someone in a village to have such progressive views.
“Can 1 buy the book with money? 1 don’t have book tickets…” Jiang Xia whispered, fearing she might trouble Wan Ping.
Wan Ping replied with utmost gentleness, “The store policy requires book tickets. But 1 can give you this book as a gift.”
Jiang Xia was overjoyed. She held the book tightly, wondering how she could repay the kind gesture.
“Big Sister, consider this book as borrowed. I’ll return tomorrow with something to exchange for it.”
Wan Ping was about to decline but didn’t want to upset Jiang Xia, so she agreed.
With her new book, all Jiang Xia wanted to do was return to the hotel and read. She was absent-minded as they continued shopping.
Jiang Chuan, knowing his daughter well, bought some candies and creams and took her back to the hotel.
That night, while everyone slept, Jiang Xia hid in a brightly lit space, surrounded by the sounds of a stream and wildlife. With the scent of fresh breeze, she read throughout the night and finished the book by dawn.
Despite the lack of sleep, she felt refreshed after washing her face with water from her interspace.
Upon exiting her interspace, Jiang Chuan asked,” Xiao Xia, have the fish in the interspace grown?”
Jiang Xia nodded. She had just checked, and all the hundred fishlings had matured, continuously producing new eggs. However, she realized there’s a threshold; once the total number of fish reached two hundred, they seemed to halt reproduction. Otherwise, the interspace wouldn’t be able to accommodate them all..