Chapter 39
After seeing the sign, Su Bin couldn’t help but start imagining all sorts of things. Could it be that Allen is the little boss of this store? Oh my god! That would be really impressive!
However, the surname Lewis is also common in Country B, and there is more than just Allen with that name… In the department where Su Bin is currently studying, there is another teacher whose full name is exactly the same as the name of this store!
Su Bin decided that from now on, he wouldn’t indulge in wild speculation without concrete evidence. He was already foolish enough, and he didn’t want to become like Sun Yujie, who was obsessed with fantasies!
Allen led him into the store, and a significant portion of J. Lewis was dedicated to “clothing” because it had its origins in the fabric business a century ago.
Arriving at the men’s clothing section, Allen stopped and began to browse through the selection.
Su Bin looked at the sea of black, white, gray, and various plain patterns and couldn’t help but wonder if Allen had made a mistake and walked into the wrong place.
Su Bin reached out and picked up a sweater with a pattern of intersecting shades of gray-brown and red-brown, with a puzzled expression on his face: “Is this what my dad would wear at his age?… But it does feel nice, very soft and comfortable.”
He looked at Allen and asked, “But are you sure these colors are suitable for a handsome twenty-year-old?”
Seeing Allen wearing a casual shirt in a similar dark color scheme today, Su Bin suddenly realized something!
In that guy’s aesthetic world, it seemed that only black, white, gray… and one additional dark red were allowed!
… (=_=||) Am I unknowingly falling into a pit?
Su Bin saw that Allen had chosen a sky gray sweater for him and beckoned him to try it on.
“Why… is it a low neckline?” Su Bin asked in confusion.
Not hearing Allen’s answer, Su Bin couldn’t help but look up and saw a hint of dissatisfaction in those deep green eyes.
(=口=) Almost forgot, apparently I’m not supposed to question!
“I’ll go change…” Su Bin quickly hugged the clothes and rushed into the fitting room, letting out a sigh of relief. Allen’s gaze just now was really scary!
Su Bin suddenly remembered the scene from last night when Allen bit his neck… To be honest, he was scared stupid at that time, and to some extent, it was because Allen played the villain role too convincingly.
When Allen pinned him down, that indifferent glance, the bloodthirsty curve of his lips, and the biting that seemed so realistic, all made Su Bin’s body stiff. Even just thinking about it now made his hands and feet go cold…
Regardless of whether Allen was a vampire or not, Su Bin’s fear and submission to Allen had been deeply implanted in his heart with that “bite.” So when he saw that look from Allen just now, Su Bin felt really uneasy. Apart from being obedient, compliant, and not wanting to die… he had no protests whatsoever.
While changing clothes, Su Bin couldn’t help but think that if Allen were to act in a movie, he would definitely be an actor at the top level. He actually bit for real, and it hurt so much!
After putting on the clothes, Su Bin touched his neck and then walked out anxiously.
Now without a scarf to cover it up, the red mark on his neck was exposed, very prominent, and it made Su Bin feel particularly ashamed.
Fortunately, there weren’t many people in the mall, and in fact, the whole country of B had a relatively small population, so even on a relatively busy weekend, compared to the city where Su Bin had lived before, it was very quiet. The sunlight was good, the weather wasn’t too cold, and people were sitting on the street drinking coffee, moving at a slow pace, and everyone seemed lazy—it was just like that.
The mall wasn’t crowded like in China, and J. Lewis was not exactly affordable, so there were relatively few customers.
When Su Bin came out, the service staff who had originally wanted to offer assistance had already been dismissed by Allen. Therefore, there was only Allen himself outside the fitting room, leaning lightly against the wall, looking relaxed.
Allen examined Su Bin for a moment, neither confirming nor denying, and his gaze involuntarily shifted to the spot on Su Bin’s neck where he had left his “mark,” with a slight smile on his lips. He said, “Come, try this one on again.”
“…” Su Bin originally wanted to ask if this sweater was too expensive. Just now, when he was in the fitting room, he saw that the price of the one he had just put on after the discount was 59, which is about six or seven hundred… He was a bit worried that it might exceed his budget!
After seeing Allen’s gaze, Su Bin didn’t dare to ask anything. He remembered Allen’s words.
“Ah, let’s just exceed the budget. Anyway, my dad didn’t ask me to save, and even if I tried to be ‘frugal,’ my dad probably wouldn’t notice,” Su Bin consoled himself. He walked into the fitting room again, and before changing his clothes, he glanced at the price tag—85 pounds! Damn, it’s just a sweater!
… Allen, did you not study math? Or did you not understand what I just said? QAQ
Su Bin reluctantly put on the clothes. When he walked out this time, Allen nodded slightly and handed him another dark gray sweater.
Su Bin continued changing, wondering why it was still a low neckline on the third piece. Can he cry on the floor? Orz…
When he finished changing, Allen made a decision, “The second one.”
It was a loose-fitting sweater with a small round collar. It looked thick and warm but definitely couldn’t cover the shame mark on his neck, and it was also the most expensive!
Su Bin followed Allen with a heart full of Sparta spirit, considering whether to risk his life and break the previous agreement.
But then, instead of taking Su Bin to the coat or down jacket section, Allen led him to choose shirts.
… Did I say I wanted to buy shirts? (⊙A⊙)
This time, Allen finally picked two slightly livelier colors—a deep red plaid and a sky blue stripe. He instructed Su Bin to try them on one by one and then said, “After wearing the shirt, put on the selected sweater.”
Huh? Ah! So, the shirt collar is used to cover the neck…
Feeling guilty for misunderstanding Allen, Su Bin walked into the fitting room and put on the shirt. He even buttoned up the highest button to completely conceal the mark. It couldn’t be seen at all!
Looking at himself in the mirror, Su Bin’s drooping tail finally showed signs of rising…
Satisfied, he walked out, but Allen’s expression was displeased. He said to Su Bin, “Come here.”
“???” Wasn’t it looking good? Why does he want to take a closer look? Su Bin walked over, puzzled. But he didn’t expect that they would almost be face to face. Allen felt it wasn’t enough and grabbed his arm to pull him closer.
Su Bin: “…”
Allen raised his hands and slowly unbuttoned one of the buttons on Su Bin’s shirt collar. Then, squinting his eyes, he touched the red mark…
Su Bin felt his whole body go numb from being touched by Allen. Goosebumps covered his body, and whether it was because the bitten area was particularly sensitive or not, whenever Allen’s fingers touched that spot, he couldn’t help but recall last night’s scene…
The posture, the actions, and combined with Allen’s current gaze, Su Bin felt a burning heat of unease all over his body. He couldn’t help but take a step back awkwardly, his gaze wandering aimlessly.
However, Allen’s expression remained serious. “Don’t button the first button, it looks ugly.”
… Is that really all? For a moment, Su Bin felt himself falling back into the fear of being eaten, but it wasn’t absolute fear. There was also a strange feeling that made him even more afraid.
“This one will do. Let’s go,” Allen turned around.
Afterward, they quickly picked out a camel-colored coat that looked high-end, which Su Bin was quite satisfied with. Then Allen chose a dark blue casual hoodie with a fleece lining inside that felt soft and warm, probably suitable for winter wear.
But when all the clothes were added up, the total price exceeded 500 pounds… Su Bin felt he should have brought a knife with him when he left home so that he could generously cut his wrist during checkout—a grand bloodletting!
He confirmed once again that Allen truly couldn’t understand what he was saying… Ah, not even a hundred yuan!
The checkout counters at J. Lewis were divided by floor, and underwear and innerwear were not on the same floor, so the two of them went to pay separately.
Su Bin carried several pieces of clothing and arrived at the counter. As he was searching for his wallet, he saw Allen taking out a gold card from his pocket.
Su Bin wanted to ask Allen what he was doing, paying for him in advance. But since he also brought his card and had money in his account…
“Um…” He was about to say something, but Allen glanced at him—silence.
Su Bin immediately shut his mouth, feeling a bit sorry… Although it was nice to have someone pay for him, we’re not even close, and I can’t bear this… orz…
“When we get back, you can give me the cash,” Allen explained.
Ah, that’s how it is… Su Bin felt relieved.
It would be weird to have Allen choose underwear for him, so Su Bin randomly picked a pack of five that fit his size and went to pay for them on his own.
After settling the bloodletting shopping trip, Robert came to pick them up in the car. On the way back, Su Bin repeatedly emphasized and politely requested Robert to park near an ATM.
Robert was also in a dilemma and sought the “young master’s” opinion through the rearview mirror. Finally, Allen nodded and said, “Alright, let’s park at the corner of Ford Street for a while, ten minutes.”
Su Bin: “…”
The moment he got off the car, Su Bin suddenly felt a sense of “freedom,” wanting to fly in the sky like a bird. But he couldn’t do that (sigh), Allen was still watching him from the car… Why does it feel like I’m being watched by my roommate next door?
Su Bin quickly withdrew 600 pounds from the ATM, feeling his heart bleeding… £7,200! That’s a month’s living expenses! Oh my god~ Why are my eyes filled with tears? Because I love you so deeply at this moment!
Su Bin also checked his salary card and saw a two-digit balance, which he earned from picking up garbage all afternoon—£40!
Making money is really difficult, sob…
I wonder when I’ll be able to afford a ring, sob sob…
I wonder when I’ll be able to propose to Chen Xiaotian, sob sob sob…
Back in the car, Su Bin immediately wanted to settle the accounts with Allen. He handed over all the cash in his hand and asked, “Is it enough?”
After Allen took the money, his gaze became deep, as if he was thinking about something. In the end, he only took two bills and handed the rest of the money back to Su Bin.
Su Bin: “…” The largest denomination of currency in B country is 50 pounds, and Allen only took two bills, which means he only accepted a hundred.
What does that mean? Does he only want a hundred pounds? Is there really such a good roommate in the world? (⊙_⊙)
But Su Bin couldn’t accept his “generosity.” He was just thinking about how to translate the phrase “no grace without bribery” into English to tell Allen, when he said, “You owe me. Pay me back when you earn enough money.”
“…” Su Bin’s mood was particularly complicated. He felt a bit uneasy, a bit guilty, and a bit touched.
Allen’s words also struck the most vulnerable part of Su Bin’s heart…
Although he had only been abroad for a short time, these few days had been a baptism for Su Bin, both inside and out.
The unfamiliar environment and various setbacks highlighted his naivety… While experiencing the outside world, he was also gradually discovering his own strengths and weaknesses. He understood himself better than before, and he was more determined to prove himself, but this kind of proof was different.
In the past, the need for proof was just an excess of self-awareness, but now it was more about proving to himself—can I make money, can I endure hardships, can I be self-reliant, am I strong enough for others to rely on…
And every time he used the money his father gave him, it felt like erasing a part of his efforts.
But now, Allen returned that money to him, saying he would wait for Su Bin to earn it himself.
In fact, when they were buying the coat earlier, Allen said another sentence that made Su Bin change his original persistence:
“The clothes you wear represent your attitude towards life. You don’t need to be excessively extravagant, but it must be worthy of your value.”
Allen’s words didn’t embarrass Su Bin; instead, they were a form of recognition. His meaning was clear: a £100 outfit wasn’t worthy of Su Bin.
And now, Allen was taking care of Su Bin’s self-esteem in his own way.
Dang, where to find me a Splenda parent too.