After school that evening, Mrs. Hiraki came to pick up Hanako again. Lin Ze guessed that she wouldn't be able to leave Hanako alone for a long time.
Declining Mrs. Hiraki's offer of a ride, Lin Ze took Kayako home first.
"I'm back."
Lin Ze walked into the quiet living room, curious. He thought Hachiku would come out to greet him, but instead, he saw her sitting at the computer just as she had been when he left this morning.
"Hm? Lin Ze, you're back? Sorry, I was a little too engrossed and didn't notice you were back." Hachiku only noticed Lin Ze's arrival after he walked beside her.
"...Hachiku...you haven't been here all day, have you?" Lin Ze had a bad feeling about this.
"Huh? Is it already evening? Never mind that, Lin Ze, look at all the clothes and accessories I've saved. Can I buy them all?"
Hachiku excitedly opened her photo library. Lin Ze suddenly felt his vision go dark. Seeing at least a thousand images, he suddenly felt his wallet couldn't handle it. He couldn't afford normal clothes, but why did she have so many jewelry pictures saved? Who was she buying them for? Oh... it was me... haha...
"Hachiku, why did you pick out so many pieces of jewelry?" Lin Ze felt his blood pressure rising.
"Because I can't transform those. I can change my own appearance and clothing, but the accessories I transform are just illusions, fake. That's why I need to choose so many pieces of jewelry."
The clothes Hachiku transformed were actually just variations of the one she was originally wearing.
"Why? Are women naturally interested in jewelry? Why are you even interested in urban legends?!" Lin Ze cried out in his heart, but on the surface, he could only gently persuade Hachiku. "Wait, you have so many things to buy, and you wouldn't have anywhere to put them, would you? Most people buy things slowly. How about we buy a few pieces every once in a while? You should also buy some clothes first, otherwise, your closet won't be big enough."
Hachiku thought for a moment, "Lin Ze, are you saying you don't have enough money to buy them?"
Pfft! It was like something had stabbed Lin Ze's heart. Who could afford to buy this much? Look at how many things she wants! If I buy all of this, I'll be living on the streets!!! His heart was pierced in an instant. "I haven't looked at the prices yet. Some jewelry in human society is insanely expensive, and normal people really wouldn't buy this much at once. It's not that I won't buy them for you. I just want you to buy them slowly, it's what humans call the anticipation."
Hachiku nodded understandingly, "Then let's buy a hundred pieces, including clothes!"
"...Buy buy buy! But let me see the prices! Come on, let's go out and buy your sheets and blankets and books first, then see if there are any of these things you like. If there are, just buy them, if not, we'll order them online later." Lin Ze went to change his clothes, not in a good mood. Hachiku waited by his side with excitement.
"You have to choose them yourself, so you don't have to go invisible. But don't do anything weird, don't talk randomly, just act like a normal person." Lin Ze pulled Hachiku aside, who was curiously running back and forth, and tiredly instructed her.
"Alright, alright, you're so nagging, Lin Ze." She finished and then ran off to the side again.
Lin Ze had originally planned to take her for a ride on the train, but then he simply called Tsukuyo.
"Hello? Don't move! Tsukuyo, come pick me up. I told you not to run around! I'm going to take Hachiku to buy stuff, can you drive us there? Oh, okay, we'll wait for you here." He hung up the phone with one hand, the other firmly gripping Hachiku's arm. Hachiku was leaning towards the coffee shop next to them.
"Lin Ze, what's that drink? Is it good?"
"It's good! Really good! I'll buy you a cup tonight!" Lin Ze decided to buy a cup of extra strong, no sugar black coffee for her to taste the cruel world!
The wait for Tsukuyo was excruciating for Lin Ze. Finally, Tsukuyo arrived in his car.
On the way, Hachiku kept her face pressed against the window, looking out at the world. Many things had changed in the past ten years, and Hachiku hadn't had a chance to take a good look.
Tsukuyo didn't say much because of Hachiku, and Lin Ze was busy thinking about what to do next, so he didn't speak either. The car silently arrived at the entrance of the super mall.
"Lin Ze, call me when you're done, I'll be waiting nearby." Tsukuyo gave instructions before driving off.
"Hachiku, you can't act like you did before. Tell me what you really want to see, but you were attracting too much attention before. If you do that again, I won't buy you anything." Lin Ze used the method of dealing with a child - threatening her with not buying her things!
Hachiku became a lot more obedient, only saying a dozen times on the way to the sheet area that she wanted to see this and that. Lin Ze could only take her to look at each one and explain things to her.
In the end, they finally bought eight sets of sheets and blankets, all white, the only difference being the lace trim.
Lin Ze entered the clothing store with a look of death on his face. Hachiku was tirelessly trying on outfit after outfit, the only consolation being that it was very pleasing to see her in different styles of clothing. The salesgirl next to her was about to crack a smile.
The entire process was repeated over and over, with just these few sentences: "Wow, you look so pretty in this one, wow, you have such a great figure, this outfit really suits you, wow, you look great in this style too."
At checkout, the salesperson kindly offered to deliver it to the door and gave Lin Ze the highest membership level.
Buying books was much faster, Hachiku wasn't very interested in them.
Looking at the last stop of the day, Lin Ze swallowed hard, like a warrior going to his death, and walked into the jewelry store.
"Ten pieces! I've agreed to a maximum of ten pieces! And let me see the prices, it's okay, it's okay." Lin Ze muttered to himself.
"Lin Ze, this one is so pretty."
Looking at the string of zeros, Lin Ze's heart bled. It wasn't that he couldn't afford it, it was just that he felt heartache, what was that about?
"Buy it!" Lin Ze said through gritted teeth.
Earrings, necklace, ring, bracelet, bracelet, string bracelet, finally bought ten pieces. Hachiku was still a little reluctant, Lin Ze quickly paid and prepared to leave.
"Your boyfriend is so good to you." The saleswoman suddenly said to Hachiku enviously. Young, handsome, and rich, and so good to his girlfriend, how could she not find a man like that?
"He's not my boyfriend, he's my master." Hachiku corrected the saleswoman seriously.
Lin Ze and the saleswoman both froze, and under the saleswoman's suggestive gaze, Lin Ze pulled Hachiku away.
Behind them, they could still hear the conversation between the saleswomen, "Young people nowadays play so wildly." "If my boyfriend was like that, I could accept a little special interest."
Lin Ze silently made up his mind, he would never come to this jewelry store again!
On the way back home, Tsukuyo was driving when Lin Ze suddenly said, "Tsukuyo, pull over at that coffee shop."
Getting out of the car, Lin Ze ordered seriously to the cashier, "One extra strong, no sugar black coffee! To go!"