Chapter 39: The Stuffed Toy Bet

Chapter 39: The Stuffed Toy Bet

Upon arriving at the underground parking lot of the mall, the secretary was mercilessly left in the car like a child left behind, wishing he had stayed at the dog park—it seemed money was hard to earn and life was tough.

Meanwhile, Liang Xigui, who had been arranged for this task, was leading Tan Xing by the hand into the mall. They took the elevator up to the third floor, where the men's clothing section was located, each counter featuring clothes with distinct styles.

Clearly, custom-made suits would take too long, so Liang Xigui could only select suitable off-the-rack options for Tan Xing first, planning to have alterations made for finer details later.

Fortunately, although Tan Xing was slender, his frame and height made him a walking clothes hanger. Once suited up, he exuded an aura of sophistication that was hard to look away from.

"This gentleman is not only handsome but also has a great figure, perfect for wearing suits. We also have various new accessories in our store; feel free to browse if you're interested."

The salesperson spared no effort in promoting their products, and Liang Xigui, already engrossed in dressing Tan Xing, played along, picking out several ties and cufflinks to match.

"Wrap these all up, I'll pay by card." These words were music to the salesperson's ears, and she hurried to pack everything up, fearing the esteemed customer might change his mind.

"Just a moment—"

"What is it, sir?" Surely, the deal wasn't going to fall through now?!

"Could you please take this brooch out for me to see?" Liang Xigui pointed at the glass cabinet.

"Certainly." No problem, my esteemed guest.

This brooch was a pair of red and blue gemstone lovers' edition, designed with simple lines that captured the essence of a lion and a tiger, symbolizing an evenly matched love.

Gleaming gems adorned it, blending ruggedness with a touch of tender affection akin to smelling roses.

"This brooch would be perfect for two gentlemen to wear together."

"Pack it together, then."

Exhausted from trying on clothes, Tan Xing sat on a sofa nearby, sipping water. Accustomed to the comfortable attire of this world, he found it slightly disorienting to switch back to clothes that required attention to posture and appearance.

Since the one spending the money called the shots, Tan Xing waved his hand, leaving the choice of clothes to Liang Xigui. As the boss, he could wear whatever he wanted.

Liang Xigui indulged in the small pleasure of dressing up a doll, but their next destination became aimless.

Tan Xing, worn out from changing clothes, firmly refused to continue shopping in the clothing area, so they decided to explore another section.

When they reached the leisure and entertainment area, Tan Xing noticed a row of machines in the corner, enclosed by transparent glass, filled with various plush toys. One could control a mechanical arm to grab a toy.

"Liang, look over there."

Liang Xigui thought there was something extraordinary, but upon turning around, he saw it was just a claw machine.

A few children were trying to catch stuffed toys, and Tan Xing pulled Liang Xigui to watch quietly from behind. Each time, the claw would lose its grip just when it was almost successful.

Liang Xigui, well-versed in such games, never spent money on them, knowing he could buy a claw machine for their apartment with adjustable difficulty settings if Tan Xing wanted to play.

Watching the children run out of tokens, Tan Xing whispered to Liang Xigui, "I think we're close to succeeding. What do you think, Liang?"

Tan Xing's subtle intentions were laid bare, but Liang Xigui didn't bite.

"It's possible."

"Why don't we give it a try?"

Liang Xigui enjoyed how Tan Xing sought his approval for everything, yet he couldn't resist teasing him.

"Sure, let's each have a go. Whoever succeeds first gets to make a request of the other." Liang Xigui continued in a low voice, "Let Stars go first."

Tan Xing was enticed by the proposition. To him, grabbing the toy seemed effortless, and he began contemplating what request he might make.

"Agreed, Liang."

Liang Xigui exchanged some money for game tokens, and Tan Xing inserted two into the machine, maneuvering the joystick above the toy.

After pressing the confirmation button, the mechanical arm wobbled as it grabbed the toy, only to loosen its grip just short of the exit, dropping the toy predictably beside the chute.

Disheartened, Tan Xing stepped aside to watch Liang Xigui's attempt.

Liang Xigui didn't position the arm directly above the toy but moved it slightly higher instead.

How could he possibly grab the toy this way? Tan Xing wondered.

As the mechanical arm descended, just as Tan Xing was preparing for his next turn, he saw a toy being lifted, the claw having hooked onto the loop on the toy's head.

Once caught, the loosening of the claw was futile, and Liang Xigui won the bet without a doubt.

"Liang, you're amazing." Tan Xing, holding the toy, congratulated him somewhat begrudgingly.

Understanding the deceptive nature of the claw machine, Tan Xing lost interest in playing further, depositing the remaining tokens into a newly opened account.

"Don't forget our agreement, Stars."

"What request does Liang have in mind?"

"We'll talk about it tonight."

Tan Xing gave him a suspicious glance. Whatever was to be discussed later could hardly be something proper—he didn't want to get involved in any mischief.

Liang Xigui steered clear of the topic, leading them to the supermarket level. Tan Xing's eyes were dazzled by the colorful snack packaging; people in this world certainly knew how to indulge.

Four years younger than Liang Xigui, Tan Xing was said to belong to a different generation every half year. Liang Xigui wasn't sure what he liked, except for spicy foods, which he allowed Tan Xing to freely choose from.

Having his desires fulfilled by someone else, Tan Xing felt a mix of unease and happiness. He relished the indulgence of having someone willingly cover for him.

The sweet evening date ended with several bags of snacks, and before heading home, they picked up Stars from the pet store.

Tan Xing had such a great time with his little buddy that he almost forgot to leave, calling out twice before he could get the playful pup to come back.

"Alright, it's time for us to go home. Shh, no more mischief," Tan Xing gently grabbed the puppy's restless snout and scooped him up in one arm.

As he sat in the car, he idly played with the puppy, when suddenly he remembered the boxing lessons he had scheduled. How was he supposed to maintain his perfect physique if he had to go to work?

He would have to find time to talk to his trainer about rescheduling his training sessions. His pursuit of perfect muscles was something he would never give up on!

The puppy, sensing a shift in his master's mood, whined softly and rubbed against Tan Xing's palm, as if cheering him on.

Liang Xigui glanced at the silly father-son duo beside him, wondering what had them so delighted this time. The pair seemed to find joy in the simplest things.