Free Web NovelChapter 198: Chapter 198: A More Affectionate Nickname
Jiang Xia felt a little better, but he was still sulking.
He unconsciously touched his own face. ’Standing next to Lanlan, do I really look like a little brother?’
As he thought this, his eyes fell on the flowers in Shi Lan’s hand, and he grew even more annoyed. "Lanlan, don’t take flowers from other men. I’ll go buy you some."
Shi Lan didn’t object and handed them to him.
Seeing how readily she agreed, he was instantly placated, like a puppy being petted. His mood improved slightly. He took the bouquet, casually found a trash can to toss it in, and then entered the mall. His first mission was to find a flower shop and buy her flowers.
Shi Lan suggested quietly, "Don’t get too big of a bouquet. It’ll be heavy."
’We still have to walk around later, so it won’t be very convenient.’
Jiang Xia was conflicted. He felt a small bouquet wasn’t worthy of Lanlan, but with a large one, he’d feel bad that she had to carry something so heavy.
Finally, inspiration struck, and he bought a bouquet of plushie flowers. They were stuffed with cotton and very light.
Shi Lan squeezed them and played with them for a moment, then couldn’t help but remark, "Our Jiang Xia is so smart. These kinds of flowers are so practical, and they’ll never wilt."
Being praised again made Jiang Xia blissful. He thought for a moment, then clingily lowered his head and nuzzled hers. "Lanlan, can you not call me by my full name? It sounds a little distant, and other people won’t know I’m your boyfriend."
After saying that word, ’boyfriend,’ he secretly glanced at Shi Lan’s expression. Seeing she had no objection, he smiled to himself, his canine teeth faintly visible at the corners of his mouth.
Shi Lan said, "Then should I call you Xiaxia too?"
"No, that’s what my parents call me. I want something unique."
Jiang Xia was still bothered by the stranger’s two-word description of him: "little brother."
So, he subconsciously rejected the idea of Shi Lan using the same nickname his family did. It would make him feel like Lanlan was one of his elders, too.
Shi Lan couldn’t bring herself to say things like ’babe.’ After pondering for a good while, she finally said, "Is Jiang Jiang okay?"
Jiang Xia’s eyes lit up. "Okay."
"Then, Jiang Jiang, shall we continue shopping?"
"Mhm, mhm."
Jiang Xia nodded repeatedly, overjoyed. The tips of his ears, peeking out from his long hair, turned red with excitement.
’It sounds so nice. I have a unique nickname now, too.’
Although Shi Lan wasn’t used to calling Jiang Xia that at first, she quickly grew accustomed to it after saying it a few times.
Jiang Xia led her to the next shopping spot. Along the way, however, even though Shi Lan was holding the plushie flower bouquet, several other males still rushed up to give her gifts.
’As expected of a major planet, there are so many opportunities.’ The gifts these males offered didn’t look cheap, either.
However, before Shi Lan could even refuse, Jiang Xia viciously drove them all away.
It was unclear what he did, but the moment those males saw him, they would tuck their tails between their legs, become utterly respectful, and then scurry away in disgrace.
By the time they reached the shop he wanted to take Shi Lan to, Jiang Xia’s expression was still dark.
Shi Lan hadn’t expected him to get so worked up. This morning in the Hovercar, on their way to go shopping together, he had been grinning foolishly with happiness. Now he was all gloomy, wearing a fierce ’don’t-mess-with-me’ expression for all the surrounding males to see.
She couldn’t help but say to him, "Jiang Jiang, lower your head."
Hearing Shi Lan’s voice, Jiang Xia immediately wiped the anger from his face. His gaze turned gentle and a little wronged as he obediently bent down and leaned closer. "Lanlan, what’s wrong?"
His voice was still sullen.
Shi Lan reached out and used her fingers to manually turn the corners of his mouth up into a smile. "There now, be good. Don’t be angry."
"I don’t like any of those males. You’re the only one by my side right now, and you’re the only one I like. It’s a rare chance for us to go out shopping, so let’s not be unhappy because of people who don’t matter, okay?"
She coaxed him in a soft, gentle voice. Jiang Xia glanced at the crowd bustling behind Shi Lan. He could still feel some males staring at them.
Perhaps it was because other females were almost always accompanied by two or more males, while Lanlan only had him by her side.
He pursed his lips and pointed to them. "Then... can Lanlan give me a kiss?"
"Huh?"
Shi Lan looked awkwardly at his lips, then glanced at the surrounding crowd.
’There are too many people; I’m a little embarrassed.’
Jiang Xia’s eyes dimmed. "I’m sorry, Lanlan. My request made you..."
"Don’t say it."
Shi Lan cupped his face with both hands, shielded them with one hand, and planted a quick, fleeting peck on his lips.
"Is that good enough?"
"It’s good, it’s good."
Although the kiss was so fast he barely felt a thing, Jiang Xia immediately became smug again, his eyes sparkling brightly once more.
The surrounding males saw that although Shi Lan only had one follower, the two were clearly very close and affectionate. Realizing that trying to take advantage of the situation would only annoy the female and that they had no chance, most of them retracted their gazes.
Sensing something, Jiang Xia swept his gaze around, snorted coldly, and discreetly moved even closer to Shi Lan.
He led Shi Lan into a shop that specialized in selling spatial storage tools.
He glanced at a red cord visible at her collar. He remembered it was the string for her Space Bag, hidden under her clothes. Though inconspicuous, it was still too plain.
So, he said directly to the shopkeeper, "I’d like to custom-order a Space Chain, in the form of a necklace."
He then added, "Lanlan, what kind of necklace do you like?"
Shi Lan’s eyes widened in surprise. "You’re going to buy me a Space Chain?"
Jiang Xia nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Mhm, you’re my female. Who else would I buy it for?"
He even seemed very proud of himself. The shopkeeper, a male, also had an expression that said this was exactly as it should be.
The shopkeeper expertly took out Space Stones, various types of chains, and a DIY catalog, waiting for Shi Lan to make her choices.
Thinking of the price of a Space Chain, Shi Lan still felt a bit hesitant. "Isn’t this too expensive?"
"Expensive?"
At that, Jiang Xia grew unhappy. "Lanlan, you’re being biased. You accepted Yan Huoshui’s Red Crystals, and all those Red Crystals together are enough to buy a Space Chain. And his bracelet wasn’t cheap either."
"Why won’t you accept my gift?"
As he spoke, he started to feel like this was a huge injustice and almost worked himself up into a state of feeling wronged again. He just lowered his eyes, his long lashes drooping listlessly, his gaze locked tightly on her.
Shi Lan was clearly just trying to save him money, but in the end, it seemed she had become the one deeply at fault.
Left with no choice, she quickly said, "I’ll accept it."
"Thank you, Jiang Jiang. You know me so well. A Space Chain is exactly what I was missing."
Hearing this, Jiang Xia finally broke into a smile and took the DIY tray the shopkeeper presented.
"Lanlan, take a look."
"You can mix and match on here. There are different chains and cords to choose from, as well as different colored Space Stones."
In reality, the actual storage space of a Space Chain is within the Space Stone. That’s why many people design their exclusive, custom Space Chains based on the Space Stone.
To be honest, Shi Lan really did want a Space Chain. She stopped feigning reluctance and took the DIY board, looking with fascination at what resembled a little mix-and-match game.
For the sake of versatility, she chose a thin silver chain and a milky-white Space Stone.
The shopkeeper next to them also showed her a picture of the actual stone. Shi Lan saw that the picture of the Space Stone she’d chosen looked slightly translucent, like an agate, with a faint white pattern. It was very pretty.
She was instantly even more satisfied.
"This one."
"Alright."
The shopkeeper took the DIY board, and after having them both confirm the design, he said, "It’ll be ready in about fifteen minutes."
With that, he went into the back room.
