Chapter 48 Shopping 1

Zhou Yanzhe and Lu Jingshen felt a chill run down their spines from his gaze. They immediately took a half-step back in perfect unison, raising their hands to their chests in a gesture of surrender. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, their faces clearly showing "it's none of my business" and "survival instinct."

Zhou Yanzhe reacted even faster, grabbing his wife's shoulder and half-pushing, half-carrying her towards her understated yet luxurious Rolls-Royce Phantom, all the while shouting:

"Let's go, my wife is driving, Nian'an is a good driver. Ningning will sit in the back. Don't worry, Ayan, I'll make sure Ningning gets home safely."

Xie Shiyan looked at the mixture of shock, helplessness, and a hint of resistance on Jiang Yining's face and sighed almost imperceptibly. He stepped forward and, without a word, stuffed the key pouch and the heavy black card she was holding into the small chain bag she was carrying, even zipping it up for her. His movements were decisive and authoritative, like that of a parent.

"Take it if I give it to you." His tone returned to its usual low and steady tone, tinged with helplessness, but more so with an undeniable forcefulness. "What's mine is yours. What's wrong with spending your own family's money?"

He raised his hand and gently pinched her cheek, which was stiff from nervousness. "Be good."

Looking at the matter-of-fact certainty in his deep eyes, Jiang Yining thought resignedly, "Fine." He wasn't afraid of "losing out," so why was she being so dramatic? Anyway, she'd been under his control since childhood, it wasn't a new problem, it was just that the amount was a bit higher this time… that's all.

She pouted, stopped arguing, and let Xie Shiyan lead her by the hand towards the Rolls-Royce Phantom. Zhou Yanzhe had already eagerly opened the spacious back door for her.

"Bye-bye, Brother Shiyan." Jiang Yining sat in the soft, cloud-like leather seat and waved to Xie Shiyan through the lowered car window. The golden light of the setting sun outlined his tall figure and handsome profile.

"Okay, let me know when you get home." Xie Shiyan nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment before taking a step back.

Chen Nian sat comfortably in the driver's seat and skillfully started the engine. The Rolls-Royce Phantom emitted a deep, resonant hum as the car smoothly glided out of the parking space, merged into the traffic, and quickly disappeared at the parking lot exit.

Xie Shiyan, Zhou Yanzhe, and Lu Jingshen stood there, watching the car that carried their shared concerns disappear completely. Zhou Yanzhe raised his hand and punched Xie Shiyan's shoulder, his tone teasing yet genuinely relieved: "Alright, I've taken care of things for you, now get back to making money. Otherwise, how will you support Ningning?"

Lu Jingshen smiled and adjusted his glasses: "Exactly."

Xie Shiyan's lips curled slightly. He said nothing more, turned and walked towards his Maybach. Zhou Yanzhe and Lu Jingshen also walked towards their respective cars. The engines roared one after another, and the three sleek, expensive luxury cars drove in different directions into the city as the evening lights began to twinkle.

The car was filled with the scent of premium leather and a subtle fragrance, quiet and comfortable. Jiang Yining leaned back in the spacious back seat, her hand still tightly clutching her small bag. Through the leather, she could clearly feel the sturdy outline of her key pouch and black card inside.

"Still not back to your senses?" Sitting in the passenger seat, Shen Nian'an saw Jiang Yining looking lost in thought in the rearview mirror and couldn't help but laugh and tease her.

Jiang Yining snapped back to reality, her face flushing slightly. She hugged the small bag to her chest shyly. "No... I just think... it's too exaggerated." She paused, then added softly, "It feels like a dream."

Xiao Xiao sat next to her and laughed when she heard this. She reached out and gently patted the back of her hand: "What are you exaggerating about? You don't know, these past eight years, Ayan..." She stopped mid-sentence, seemingly realizing something, and gave a meaningful look.

"In short, it wouldn't be too much for him to give you mountains of gold and silver. Just be a rich lady and spend his money as much as you want. Don't feel bad about it; he'd love to."

As Shen Nian'an smoothly merged into the traffic on the main road, she smiled gently and said, "Yes, Ningning, this amount of money is nothing to Ayan. Just think of it as helping him boost consumption and increase GDP. If you want to buy something, feel free to pick and choose when we get to the mall." Her tone was relaxed and encouraging.

Her best friends' lighthearted words, like warm spring water, gradually washed away the unease in Jiang Yining's heart. Yes, he was Xie Shiyan. The Xie Shiyan who had domineeringly managed her and protected her since childhood, giving her the best of everything.

In his eyes, spending money on him and spending money on her were probably never different. That sense of entitlement, "What's mine is yours," was the deepest sense of belonging he gave her.

With that thought, Jiang Yining's slight unease vanished instantly, replaced by a pampered and slightly smug sense of ease. She even began to look forward to the upcoming shopping spree.

“Then…” Her eyes lit up, a sly glint in them, as she looked at Xiao Xiao and Shen Nian’an, “What should we buy first? Pajamas? Towels? Toothbrushes?… Or… should we browse bags and jewelry first?” She spoke the last few words with a mixture of nervousness and excitement.

Xiao Xiao and Shen Nian'an exchanged a glance, both seeing a smile in each other's eyes.