It wasn't particularly cold that day, and Tang Xiaoxiao accompanied her parents to a shopping mall in City A.

Tang's mother was still grumbling, "Why spend money? I have clothes to wear, I don't need to buy any," but Tang Xiaoxiao shut her down with, "Your daughter has money. Isn't the purpose of earning money to spend it? You spend it faster than I earn it."

Although Tang's mother said, "You've really grown up and dare to talk to your mother like that," the upturned corners of her mouth betrayed her true thoughts.

When they ran into a neighbor on their way out, Tang's mother smiled and struck up a conversation with them. When asked what she was going to do, she cheerfully said, "It's all because of my daughter. She's such a little kid. She doesn't know how to save money. She insists on dragging me out to buy clothes. What do you think an old woman like me needs so many clothes to wear?" After successfully earning envious glances from the neighbors, she got into the car with Tang Xiaoxiao with a satisfied expression.

Tang Xiaoxiao suppressed her laughter, letting her mother show off her daughter like a child showing off their new toy.

Once inside the mall, Tang Xiaoxiao launched into a shopping spree, constantly urging her elderly parents to try on clothes. She bought everything that looked good. She was prepared that it wasn't easy for her mother to come out with her like this, given her frugal nature. She probably didn't know when the next opportunity would come, so she had to make the most of it and buy everything she could for the entire winter.

Tang's mother was a beauty in her youth. Although she didn't live a life of leisure like a wealthy socialite after marrying Tang's father, she was still well-off, with a harmonious family and an obedient daughter. Apart from the significant blow caused by her older sister Tang Xinxin dropping out of school and getting divorced many years ago, her life could be described as smooth sailing. As the saying goes, appearance reflects the heart. Tang's mother looks very gentle and kind, while Tang's father is a serious and handsome old man. Tang Xiaoxiao also secretly takes care of her parents' health from time to time. Now, the two elders look no older than fifty, with a well-proportioned and upright figure and no signs of aging.

In a shop with a distinctly Chinese style, Tang's mother wore an elegant cheongsam, while Tang's father wore a casual suit reminiscent of the Republic of China era, paired with a mid-length trench coat. The two of them standing together looked like an aristocratic couple who had stepped out of that era.

Tang Xiaoxiao immediately wanted to buy it, but her mother stopped her, saying, "You can't wear these clothes normally, they're inconvenient to walk in, no way."

“I can’t wear it normally, but I can wear it when I go out to visit someone. My cousin is getting married next month, so this is the perfect outfit for me.”

Tang's father also said, "Buy it, you look good in this."

Hearing Mr. Tang's words, Mrs. Tang, despite her advanced age, felt a little embarrassed. This old man, who had never been one for sweet talk, was actually praising her in front of so many people?!

Shameless!

Tang Xiaoxiao covered her mouth and chuckled to herself, gesturing for the waiter to quickly swipe the card.

The feeling of being unexpectedly bombarded with a mouthful of PDA from your parents is... well, a slightly bittersweet experience.

Tang's mother went on a shopping spree, initially trying to stop her, but eventually gave up. She figured she couldn't control her daughter anyway, so she just did as her daughter suggested. It's a rare opportunity to go out, so why worry about anything else?

Even later, when Tang Xiaoxiao took them to look at jewelry, Tang's mother didn't resist too much.

I chose an icy jadeite bracelet for Tang's mother. Good jade is good for one's complexion, and Tang's mother has fair skin. Jadeite is a suitable gemstone for her age, and it makes her look particularly elegant. Tang's mother herself loves it. Next, I picked out a men's watch from a well-known brand for Tang's father. The white gold dial is simple yet sophisticated.

This trip cost her hundreds of thousands of yuan, but Tang Xiaoxiao didn't feel bad at all. She was happy no matter how much money she spent on her parents.

After shopping, the three of them sat down to rest in the food court on the top floor of the mall. They ordered some simple food and were chatting when a female voice called out Tang Xiaoxiao's name. Tang Xiaoxiao turned around and saw that it was one of her high school classmates, named Wang Dandan.

The two had been deskmates for quite a long time in high school and got along well, so Tang Xiaoxiao had a pretty deep impression of her. Although she hadn't seen her for more than ten years since her previous life, she recognized her at first glance.

Tang Xiaoxiao stood up, smiled, greeted the other person, and introduced them to her parents. Then she pulled the other person to sit down. Wang Dandan was also out shopping by herself. She recognized Tang Xiaoxiao at a glance from a short distance away and called out to her.

Wang Dandan was naturally cheerful and didn't hold back in front of Tang's parents. Instead, she took Tang Xiaoxiao's hand and said warmly, "It's been four years! I haven't heard from you since graduating from high school. Have you graduated or are you continuing your postgraduate studies?"

"I've graduated, and I didn't plan to take the exam again. I've gone back to my hometown to develop my career," Tang Xiaoxiao replied.

"Just like me!" Wang Dandan was even happier. "My parents wanted me to take the postgraduate entrance exam, but I didn't listen to them. After graduation, I found a job in City A, which is close to home, familiar with everything, and convenient. How great is that?"

Tang Xiaoxiao nodded in agreement.

Being close to home is definitely the best option.

After chatting about their recent situations, Wang Dandan suddenly slapped her forehead and said to Tang Xiaoxiao, "Oh, I almost forgot. Our high school classmates are having a reunion this weekend. Do you want to come? There was a notice in the group chat before, but you didn't notice it. You didn't come to the two previous reunions either."

After Tang Xiaoxiao went to university, she gradually lost contact with her high school classmates. She only had one class group chat, which she usually muted and never looked at.

From this perspective, Tang Xiaoxiao is actually a reclusive person. Apart from her closest few people, she doesn't care much about others. In her previous life, she didn't have many friends she kept in touch with, let alone any close confidants.

Thinking back on her high school days, they were actually quite pleasant. Although her memories of her classmates were hazy, she wasn't a particularly prominent figure, and she didn't have any unforgettable, glorious past experiences. The only time she had a somewhat outrageous early romance was with someone from outside of school.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!