BXBX NOVEL Chapter 81 - 81: Don’t Sleep During the Day, Sleep Soundly At Night
As far as Lu Xuan was aware, current events in the Archean Eon Realm were relatively peaceful, making it an opportune time to emerge from seclusion and enter the fray.
However, the subsequent matters did not concern Lu Xuan; as they were the internal affairs of the merpeople. The final outcome would be decided by them.
Lu Xuan was strolling with Cheng Lingzhu through the merpeople’s commercial district, when suddenly, upon turning a corner, he stopped.
“What’s wrong?” Cheng Lingzhu asked, looking at him.
Lu Xuan pointed to the left.
Following his gesture, Cheng Lingzhu saw what appeared to be a shop specializing in women’s accessories, spanning two floors.
“Come on, let’s check it out,” Lu Xuan said, extending his arm in invitation. Cheng Lingzhu looped her arm through his, and they headed into the shop together.
The crystal counters and shelves displayed an array of earrings, hairpins, scented sachets, and other items, all exquisitely crafted with a distinct merpeople style.
The shop was attended by a mermaid girl, around seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in a blue gown.
As Lu Xuan and Cheng Lingzhu entered, she approached them with a smile and a courteous bow.
“Dear guests, what can I help you find?”
Lu Xuan was mildly surprised, recognizing that the shop girl’s bow was in the style of the land-dwelling human nations.
Blinking, the girl remarked, “You two aren’t from our merpeople nation, are you?”
She identified their origins immediately upon speaking.
“Indeed, your insight is remarkable,” Lu Xuan admits openly, acknowledging his and Cheng Lingzhu’s identities.
“How did you see through our disguises?” Cheng Lingzhu asked curiously.
They had disguised themselves as a merpeople couple, but were recognized before even speaking. With Lu Xuan’s skill in illusion, it was not likely a flaw in their technique.
“In matters of love, our merpeople customs are more conservative. We never display affection in public, not even holding hands while walking together as a couple.”
The shop girl, with a smile on her face, explained, “I noticed how affectionate you two were behaving, which led me to guess that you’re visitors from another race.”
“I see,” Lu Xuan realized.
“I once traveled with her father out of the merpeople nation, to the lands for trading, and visited some countries on land, thus observing their customs,” the girl said playfully, blinking her eyes. “Was my earlier gesture accurate to your land’s customs?”
“Your memory is remarkable; your gestures are indistinguishable from those of our human race,” Cheng Lingzhu replied with a smile.
“Did you come here looking to buy some accessories?” the girl asked with a slight smile. “Allow me to assist you.”
“We appreciate your help,” Lu Xuan and Cheng Lingzhu said together.
Inside the shop.
The girl presented various accessories, explaining each to them. Cheng Lingzhu tried them on, while Lu Xuan sat in front of her, appreciating and evaluating them.
The girl approached with a tray lined with red silk, holding a light blue bracelet, “This is called the ‘Phantom Sea Bracelet,’ carved from our special spirit jade ‘Tianyan Crystal.’ Wearing it can nourish the meridians…” Lu Xuan, admiring the beauty of his lady, said, “We’ll take it.”
Thus, the girl put the item aside and brought out a fragrant sachet.
“This is the ‘Warm Fragrance Pendant,’ made from over a hundred types of exotic flowers and spiritual grasses…”
Lu Xuan nodded, “We’ll take it.”
“This is the ‘United Hearts Hairpin,’ crafted from rare metals found in the sea…”
“We’ll take it.”
“This is…”
“We’ll take it.”
“We’ll take it.”
“This is…”
“We’ll take it.”
“This is my mother! Not for sale!”
Lu Xuan looked puzzled.
He turned around to see a beautiful merwoman standing behind him, graceful and smiling.
Beside her, the shop girl pouted slightly and tugged at her mother’s sleeve, pointing to the table.
The wooden box filled with jewelry had piled up into a small mountain.
Lu Xuan’s indiscriminate buying made the shop girl feel as if there was nothing in the store impressive enough for the customers, leaving her somewhat disheartened.
The beautiful merwoman greeted them and introduced herself as the owner of the shop, and the girl was her daughter.
Lu Xuan and Cheng Lingzhu introduced themselves as well, to which the shop owner smiled and said, “It turns out you are visitors from land. We’ve just received a new shipment. Would you be interested in seeing it?”
Lu Xuan and Cheng Lingzhu, naturally interested, watched as the shop owner brought out a wooden box from her storage magical artifact. As the wooden box was opened, what came into view was a pristine…
A pristine pair of white silk stockings.
Lu Xuan’s eyes widened: ‘I !!!”
“I’ll buy it!” he decided without hesitation.
Cheng Lingzhu, understanding his thoughts, clenched her teeth, hugging his arm and giving it a vigorous shake.
Lu Xuan blinked, feeling more than just his arm being shaken.
“What color would you like, sir?” the shop owner asked with a gentle smile, displaying the neatly folded silk stockings before Lu Xuan.
Lu Xuan pondered for a moment: “Both black and white.”
There’s an old saying: ‘Wearing white silk during the day prevents sleepiness, while black silk at night ensures a sound sleep.’
To be well-prepared, one should have both black and white silk stockings.
“And what about the thickness?” the shop owner inquired.
Just as Lu Xuan was about to answer, she suggested: “Our shop would recommend thinner silk stockings for the sir.”
“I’m eager to hear your advice,” Lu Xuan replied, dignified.
“Please look at this,” the shop owner said, bringing out a piece of fabric, the same material as the silk stockings, and displaying it before Lu Xuan. It was delicate, silky, thin, and translucent, pinned to a wooden board.
She lightly touched the fabric with her fingertip, sliding it across. Smooth-edged, irregular holes appeared on the fabric.
“These stockings tear easily but don’t unravel, forming holes like these,” she explained with a slight smile, understanding the little fun between couples. Having been young herself, she knew the importance of such playful elements in a relationship.
Lu Xuan responded, “Excellent choice.”
He immediately decided, ordering ten pairs of both black and white stockings in various thicknesses, with special emphasis on the thinner ones.
Cheng Lingzhu, standing beside this flirtatious man, hummed lightly.
She wasn’t averse to silk stockings and even liked them. However, in her view, it was uncommon to go shopping for silk stockings with one’s partner.
If this question were posed to Lu Xuan, he would earnestly reply that couples should indeed do such things together. “And specifically choosing the ones that tear easily…”
Cheng Lingzhu’s cheeks flushed slightly.
“Hmph, wait till we get back. I’ll put them on and deliberately flaunt them in front of him, just to tease him!” she thought..