9 The Pleasure of Shopping

Xiao Yao first took his new car for a spin on the highway, savoring the exhilarating sensation of rapid acceleration and testing its performance. Afterwards, he went to the city's most renowned hair salon and got a smart, refreshing new haircut.

Though the style was simple, the two thousand yuan price tag was well justified; the hairstylist’s design perfectly matched Xiao Yao’s personal aura. Standing before the mirror and examining himself closely, he found that nothing else had changed—his clothes were the same, his appearance untouched—yet the new haircut somehow rendered him noticeably more handsome. This made him appreciate all the more how powerful money could be; the saying “you get what you pay for” truly held merit at times.

He then drove to the International Shopping Plaza and outfitted himself from head to toe with four or five sets of clothes, along with several wallets and briefcases. Now that he was no longer short of money, he simply bought whatever he liked without a second thought about the price. This unrestrained freedom of shopping brought a pleasure quite unlike anything he’d experienced before.

He chose only luxury brands, and even a simple T-shirt cost at least four or five thousand yuan. By the time he finished, he’d spent over 360,000 yuan in total. From Pan Wu’s memories, he learned that Pan Wu usually wore high-end custom attire, each outfit easily costing a million yuan. Though he had now merged with Pan Wu’s memories, he still couldn’t reach Pan Wu’s level of indifference to money. Spending more than three hundred thousand in a single spree already left him feeling exhilarated and satisfied. Only when such shopping no longer brought him joy would he consider even more extravagant ways to spend.

Today marked his first shopping trip as a wealthy man—a memorable occasion—so naturally, he wouldn’t forget to buy gifts for his parents and sister.

Ever since renting a place outside, he typically returned home once a week. With the restaurant newly opened and business brisk, lately he’d only managed to visit every two weeks or so. He had just gone home a few days ago, so there was no rush now. The inheritance had come so suddenly, and the fortune he’d received was so immense that even he hadn’t yet adjusted; it wasn’t the right time to tell his parents.

He planned to wait until after his trip to the capital, once he had the deed to the courtyard house in hand, before telling his parents about the inheritance and bringing them to live together in the villa. Although his family’s financial situation was decent, they were, at best, at the lower end of the middle class. Gifts for his family needed to be reasonably priced—if too expensive, they would be more shocking than delightful.

He selected a Vacheron Constantin watch for his father: platinum case, sapphire dial, perpetual calendar, moon phase indicator, and leap year display—a stylish and imposing design he was sure his father would love. Naturally, a watch with such complex features didn’t come cheap; it was priced at 1.26 million yuan, likely the upper limit of what his father could accept. Xiao Yao paid for it without hesitation.

For his mother, he bought an apple-green jadeite bracelet. High-end jadeite was indeed costly; this bracelet cost a staggering 1.46 million yuan! Knowing his mother’s fondness for jade, he had initially wanted to buy a high-grade imperial green bracelet, but at 4.6 million yuan, it seemed a bit excessive. He worried his mother would be reluctant to wear it out, so after considering practicality, he settled on the slightly less pricey apple-green one.

Choosing a gift for his sister was easiest; she loved the classic pieces from all major luxury brands. Of course, for the first gift to his sister, he had to pick something expensive. Though she was a bona fide beauty, she had a bold, spirited personality. He had grown up under her protective wing—or perhaps her formidable presence. Fortunately, her strictness was offset by her willingness to share all her good things with him, so in light of those tangible benefits, he didn’t begrudge her.

Having spent over a million yuan each on his parents’ gifts, he couldn’t be stingy with his sister’s. He finally settled on a Van Cleef & Arpels diamond necklace costing 1.76 million yuan. The colorless diamond pendant weighed 5.5 carats, about the size of a small pigeon egg. Such a large diamond shimmered brilliantly under the lights; once she wore it, his sister would surely squeal with excitement.

He wasn’t well-versed in the four Cs of diamonds, but after listening to the sales assistant and checking the certificate, he knew enough to be satisfied that the necklace was worth its price.

With his shopping bags piled onto the car seats, he planned to drop by the restaurant for a quick look before returning to the villa.

His sudden transformation—designer clothes and a luxury car—naturally sparked lively discussion among the staff. He offered no explanation, simply encouraged everyone to keep working, assuring them that their boss hadn’t disappeared, then headed back to the villa.

As for the clothes Xiao Yao brought home, Butler Lu made no comment except to praise his taste, noting that the choices were quite sophisticated. He seamlessly slipped in some tips on clothing coordination, offering advice in a way so subtle and agreeable that it was hard to take offense. Such ability was rare indeed.

Pan Wu had spent most of his life in France; while he hadn’t formally studied fashion, the arts were interconnected, and his theoretical knowledge and eye for style surpassed even Butler Lu’s. With a bit of recollection, Xiao Yao easily summoned this part of Pan Wu’s expertise. Still, he didn’t interrupt Butler Lu’s explanations or show any impatience. A diligent, insightful, and tactful butler like this was someone Xiao Yao truly valued.

After tidying up the items Xiao Yao had purchased, Butler Lu frowned and asked, “Young master, why didn’t you buy yourself a watch?”

“Grandpa Zhao gave me a box of watches the night before he left. He said they were all very valuable. I’ll just pick one to wear,” Xiao Yao explained.

“That’s good. The watches your grandfather collected are mostly limited edition custom pieces from major brands, bought for the sake of collecting. They should be fitting for your status,” Butler Lu said with satisfaction. “Now that these collectible watches are in your hands, they can finally see the light of day.”

On the surface, the inheritance left by the old master didn’t seem as vast as expected. Butler Lu had originally felt guilty for his bold words. Now, discovering that the old master had privately given Xiao Yao other items, his suspicions were confirmed. At last, he felt reassured.