Chapter 21: A Thousand Times Unbelievable

First pour the tea, then the wine, and whether tea or wine, never fill all three cups at once; pour in three separate rounds.

As Li Ping’an lit the fireworks, bursts of light blossomed in the night sky.

His younger sister, Li Ya, knelt before the tombstone burning joss paper.

A gentle breeze stirred, lifting the ashes into the air, drifting over the faces of the siblings as if their parents were tenderly caressing them.

“Dad, Mom, rest assured, I will take good care of my sister.”

...

After waiting for all the flames to die out, Li Ping’an solemnly bowed his head three times before rising to pour the remaining tea and wine onto the tombstone, then began clearing the cups and dishes.

Only after carefully ensuring there were no lingering embers did Li Ping’an and his sister depart.

The two siblings boarded a bus and arrived at the bustling street, which was even livelier than the day before. In an instant, the rich, warm atmosphere of the New Year enveloped them like an invisible wave, wrapping them tightly in its embrace.

Beside her older brother, Li Ya clutched the 1,000 yuan he had given her.

Her eyes darted uncertainly among the dazzling array of goods, momentarily overwhelmed and unsure of what to buy.

“Go get whatever you want. When you’re done, come find me,” Li Ping’an said succinctly, then, following a carefully prepared shopping list on his phone, set off with clear purpose and steady steps toward various shops, beginning his busy purchasing journey.

Li Ya opened her mouth to call out “Brother,” but before the word left her lips, she noticed his figure swiftly disappear into the one large supermarket on the street, swallowed by the crowd.

Thinking it over, her brother had already bought two sets of clothes when he returned, so she didn’t seem to need any herself.

As for food, there was no need to mention — even when he was at school, he often sent her all kinds of snacks, so her needs in that regard were minimal.

With nothing much to do, Li Ya slowly wandered the street alone, her gaze casually flickering between the shops and passersby.

Until...

Her eyes suddenly caught a familiar figure — her classmate Zhang Wenjing!

“Li Ya!” Zhang Wenjing spotted her first and called out excitedly.

“Zhang Wenjing!” Li Ya quickly responded.

At this moment, Zhang Wenjing, out shopping for New Year’s goods with her parents, saw Li Ya alone and asked with a puzzled expression, “You’re here by yourself? Where’s your brother?”

Li Ya shrugged slightly, a note of helplessness in her voice.

“He’s busy buying New Year’s goods in the supermarket. He gave me a thousand yuan and told me to buy whatever I wanted.”

---

Hearing this, a flash of envy lit Zhang Wenjing’s eyes, and without hesitation she suggested, “Buy some clothes! Come on, I’ll go with you.”

“No need, I have enough clothes,” Li Ya replied hesitantly.

“Trust me, you won’t regret it,” Zhang Wenjing said enthusiastically, grabbing Li Ya’s arm.

Perhaps it was because she had company, or maybe because shopping for clothes is simply a girl’s nature, Li Ya gradually immersed herself in the joy of trying on and selecting outfits.

Time slipped by unnoticed. Meanwhile, Li Ping’an, laden with bags of New Year’s goods, stood shivering by the roadside, chilled by the biting wind.

Only then did he suddenly realize: where was his sister?

He had finished buying everything, yet she hadn’t returned.

His heart stirred with worry, fearing something might have happened to her.

After hesitating, he reluctantly pulled out his phone and called her.

The call connected quickly.

“Hey, brother,” came the clear voice from the other end, calming his racing heart.

“I’ve got everything here. How about you?” Li Ping’an asked.

Li Ya, still in the fitting room, paused briefly before replying, “Brother, wait for me. I’m still trying on clothes. I’ll be there soon.”

But Li Ping’an didn’t believe her for a second.

After all, someone who takes half an hour just to wash their face and brush their teeth wasn’t going to mean a quick “soon” by trying on clothes.

From his knowledge of his sister, it would be at least half an hour.

The thought of standing in the cold wind for that long made his vision darken with helplessness.

“Tell me where you are. I’ll come find you. It’s really cold outside,” he said resignedly.

“Okay, I’m at the women’s clothing store across from the school,” she answered.

Not long after, Li Ping’an, carrying his heavy bags, hurried into the boutique.

As soon as he entered, he saw his sister laughing and chatting with a girl about her age while picking out clothes.

Judging by the scene, Li Ping’an guessed the girl was probably a classmate.

---

Seeing Li Ping’an enter, Li Ya’s eyes lit up instantly, her face bright with joy as she called out, “Brother, do you think this outfit looks good on me?”

Li Ping’an examined the clothes carefully; the style and color combination were quite decent.

Still, he knew well enough that even if he didn’t like it, he would never say so aloud.

After all, the aesthetic sensibilities of men and women differ greatly, and judging by his sister’s radiant excitement, she clearly loved the outfit.

Perhaps she wasn’t truly seeking an objective opinion but simply wanted to hear a compliment from him.

“It’s pretty nice. It suits you,” Li Ping’an said with a smile.

“See? I thought so too,” Li Ya beamed upon hearing her brother’s praise.

Seeing this, Li Ping’an turned to the shop owner and asked, “How much for this outfit?”

“Three hundred ninety-nine,” the owner replied.

Li Ping’an nodded slightly, a subtle gesture that made the owner think the sale was about to be sealed.

Yet, without haste, he calmly said, “Take it or leave it—three hundred. If you agree, I’ll pay now. If not, we’ll turn around and leave immediately.”

His gaze was steady and unwavering as he looked directly at the owner.

The shopkeeper met his calm but resolute eyes and instantly understood this young man wasn’t joking or bluffing.

She knew that if she hesitated or tried to bargain further, he might indeed walk away.

After all, with years of selling clothes behind her, she had a keen sense for reading customers.

“Alright! I’ll take a loss and sell it to the beautiful young lady,” she sighed in resignation and agreed.

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PS: It’s the end of the month, friends, please help with monthly votes~~~