She smoothed the creases in her clothes and took several deep breaths before opening the car door and getting out, not daring to look too closely at Lin Chaoci.
Seeing her look like a frightened little rabbit, Lin Chaoci couldn't help smiling again.
He didn't tease her anymore. He simply took her hand gently and led her around the shopping center.
Qin Chi Chi turned her head slightly, pretending not to notice, but didn't refuse to let Lin Chaoci hold her hand.
Haikou City was a first-tier city, and the shopping center was quite large, with just about every kind of store. The first and second floors housed various shops, while the supermarket was on the third.
Since they so rarely got the chance to shop together, they didn't rush upstairs to buy ingredients. Instead, they browsed the stores on the first two floors.
Whenever they saw something they liked, they simply bought it.
His father hadn't yet guaranteed that fifty-million-yuan loan, so Lin Chaoci's family was still wealthy. He had several thousand yuan in cash in his wallet.
Prices were still low, nowhere near as expensive as they would be over a decade later. A few thousand yuan could buy plenty.
At the time, pork cost only three to five yuan per jin.
Lin Chaoci remembered it clearly. In his previous life, after entering government service, he had gone shopping during the first few years of his marriage, but hadn't done so again for decades afterward.
Lin Chaoci savored the feeling of having the woman he loved beside him, quietly accompanying her as she browsed.
Qin Chi Chi was shy at first, but after visiting a few stores and spotting things she liked, she became more enthusiastic, excitedly taking Lin Chaoci by the hand.
She led Lin Chaoci through the entire first and second floors and bought quite a few things. Fortunately, Uncle Chen had come up to help carry the bags, or Lin Chaoci wouldn't have been able to manage them all.
Only after browsing for quite a while did they reach the supermarket on the third floor. Qin Chi Chi picked out plenty of her favorite snacks before finally remembering their purpose for coming: choosing ingredients for Laba porridge.
They quickly finished picking out the ingredients. Both had thoroughly enjoyed shopping, and once they were done, they returned to the car.
Even sitting in the car, Qin Chi Chi still had a smile on her lips. She couldn't understand it herself. She had often come to this shopping center before, so why had this visit made her so happy?
She hadn't even bought that much, yet she felt so happy, as though she had tasted honey.
Was it because Lin Chaoci was beside her?
Qin Chi Chi's heartbeat unconsciously quickened. She stole a glance at Lin Chaoci, who was deep in thought with his eyes closed, and felt her heart beat even faster.
Lin Chaoci hadn't let go of Qin Chi Chi's hand even after they got into the car, so naturally, he noticed her palm growing sweaty.
Puzzled, he opened his eyes and turned to find Qin Chi Chi looking at him with a shy, timid gaze.
When Qin Chi Chi realized Lin Chaoci had caught her sneaking a look, her face flushed even redder. She turned her head slightly, pretending nothing had happened.
Lin Chaoci smiled. After shopping for so long, he was rather tired and had wanted to rest.
But Qin Chi Chi was so adorable that he immediately felt like teasing her, eager to see her get angry and pout.
"Your Highness, Princess Chi Chi, I spent so much money on you today and kept you company shopping for so long. Aren't you going to give me a little reward?"
Struggling to hold back his laughter, Lin Chaoci asked for something in return.
"Huh? W-what do you want?"
Thinking it over, Qin Chi Chi felt a little sorry for Lin Chaoci. She had dragged him around shopping for so long, and she really did feel somewhat guilty.
"If someone could give me a kiss, that would be nice. Maybe I'd be back at full health in an instant..."
Lin Chaoci thought for a moment before tentatively making his request.
Hearing that Lin Chaoci wanted her to kiss him, Qin Chi Chi gave him an embarrassed smack and said, feigning anger:
"You big bully! You're going too far. You only kept me company shopping, and now you want a kiss? If you come with me a few more times, won't I end up having to give you myself?"
"Even a capitalist wouldn't be as ruthless as you... You meanie! You're awful!"
Lin Chaoci wasn't upset. He merely grinned shamelessly after she hit him. He had only been testing the waters, anyway, and hadn't expected her to agree outright.
After all, girls these days were still rather shy. No matter how much they liked someone, they wouldn't openly show it.
Lin Chaoci wasn't in any hurry, anyway.
The car fell quiet. Lin Chaoci was thinking things over, while Qin Chi Chi sneaked looks at him.
Qin Chi Chi was a little worried that Lin Chaoci would be angry because she had refused his request, but he wasn't upset at all.
Qin Chi Chi hesitated. When she loved someone, she entrusted herself to him completely, body and soul, and she didn't want a little thing like this to spoil Lin Chaoci's affection for her.
Thinking it over carefully, they were childhood sweethearts from well-matched families, and both sets of parents were happy for them to be together.
After spending so long together, Qin Chi Chi had long since considered herself Lin Chaoci's wife-to-be.
Letting her fiancé kiss her now didn't seem like it would be a problem.
Qin Chi Chi shyly tugged at the hem of Lin Chaoci's clothes and spoke in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "Y-you can kiss me!"
"What?"
Had his physical abilities not improved after his rebirth, Lin Chaoci wouldn't have been able to hear Qin Chi Chi's tiny voice at all.
But precisely because he had heard her, Lin Chaoci was taken aback.
Qin Chi Chi might look like an easily bullied little rabbit, but she was actually very conservative. Lin Chaoci truly hadn't expected her to agree.
"I-if you didn't hear me, forget it!"
Those words had already used up all of Qin Chi Chi's courage. Hearing Lin Chaoci's question, she immediately lost her nerve and lowered her head in embarrassment.
Qin Chi Chi, you're far too bold! You actually offered... How embarrassing! Thank goodness Chaoci didn't hear! Qin Chi Chi was shocked at herself, too. She hadn't expected to say such a thing.
"Hehe, I heard you just now. You said I could kiss you!"
Having already been reborn, Lin Chaoci had skin as thick as a city wall. How could he possibly let such a perfect opportunity slip by?
Grinning, he leaned closer to Qin Chi Chi.
Shy and frightened, Qin Chi Chi leaned back against the car door. Lin Chaoci shifted over as well, pressing close and pinning her beside it.
"Who said that? Don't make things up. I didn't..."
Lin Chaoci's words made Qin Chi Chi even more embarrassed. She denied it repeatedly, keeping her head down and not daring to look him in the eye.
"Your nose will grow if you tell lies!"
Lin Chaoci smiled fondly and gently cupped Qin Chi Chi's cheeks, gazing at her shy, timid face as her eyes darted away.
His heart couldn't help giving a little flutter.
Although they had been married for decades in his previous life, he had always been busy with work and had never truly taken a good look at her. He had let down such a wonderful girl.
Qin Chi Chi's breathing grew heavy. She neither refused nor pulled away, only closed her eyes nervously.
Although she had never experienced this before, she had watched plenty of movies and could sense what would happen next.
Her small hands clutched her clothes tightly, and she felt as though her heart were about to leap out of her chest.
With the beauty willing, how could Lin Chaoci remain unmoved? Naturally, he would grant her wish.
He lowered his head slightly and gently kissed those soft, smooth lips.
Before you continue