CHAPTER 31:AND YOU ARE?
After another ten minutes of staying at the rooftop, Zhao Xia headed to the penthouse. She changed into some denim shorts, a large white dress shirt and white canvas shoes. Tying her hair into a pony tail, she picked up the car keys, her phone and her credit card.
She made her way to the sixth floor and knocked on room number 72. Lan came out dressed in a mini floral dress and white sneakers.She held a small white purse in her right hand.
"You look good." Zhao Xia complimented as she watched Lan close the door behind her.
"You also look stunning." Lan said as they made their way to the elevator.
"Oh...I forgot to inform my husband of my whereabouts." Zhao Xia said as she dialed Zhao Haoran's number on her phone.
It connected after three rings. "Hey, Haoran. I hope am not disturbing you."
"Not at all. What is it?"
"Umm... I am going out with a friend to Hike Mall."
"Have fun and call me when you get home, okay?"
"Yeah."
"Oh and I have assigned some hidden bodyguards for you."
"Thank you, hubby."
"Anything for you, sweetheart. See you at home."
"Okay, bye."
She hang up the phone and put it in her pocket.
On the other side, in the Japan branch of Zhao Corporation, Zhao Haoran put down the phone and looked at the people in the conference room.
"Shall we continue with the meeting?"
Everyone: "...."
****
In the private parking lot, Zhao Xia was stunned with the number of cars inside. She pressed the car key in her hand and the headlights of a Honda Passport SUV lit up.
"Hop in." She said to Lan and they both boarded the car. On the way, they listened to and sang some songs, lightening the atmosphere in the car.
When they arrived at the mall, Zhao Xia was guided to park the car in a reserved parking space of the Zhao Corporation. Well, it seems her husband owned some large shares in this mall and had informed them that she was visiting the mall.
"Welcome, Mrs Zhao and Miss Lan ." A man in a suit, suddenly said, when they were at the entrance.
People in the mall turned to look at them when they saw a higher up in the mall, greeting two women respectfully. If there is one thing Zhao Xia hated, it was unnecessary attention and this man in front of her was making her irritated already.
"Sir,we are here to shop privately." Zhao Xia said as she held Lan's hand.
"Yes, I will guide you wherever you want to go."
"What I mean is that, I don't need you to follow us around. I want to spend some time with my friend, so if you don't mind please leave us alone."
"Yes, ma'am. But if you need anything please call me." He said as he handed her a card with his name , phone number and position as head manager.
"Thank you. Now please, excuse us." Zhao Xia said as she led Lan to the escalator.
"Your husband really dotes on you."Lan said as they walked to one of the jewellery stores.
"Yeah, he does. Alot."
"Lucky you."
"Hey, you will also find your prince charming one day. Enough talk about our love life. It's time to shop until we drop." Zhao Xia smiled as she revealed her black card.They first headed to a jewellery store.
A female attendant came up to them to guide them inside the store. Attracted by a pearl necklace, Zhao Xia told the shop attendant to pack it up for her. She watched as Lan selected a pair of earrings and asked another attendant to pack them up for her.
After visiting the jewellery store, they headed to the clothes line. There were many stores that they entered and left without buying anything. Finally, they stopped at Blaze Designers.
"Why didn't you tell me you had a branch here in the mall? We could have saved some energy." Zhao Xia jokingly scolded Lan but still proceeded to enter the store.
"Now this is what I call fashion." Zhao Xia said as she looked around, awed by every piece in the store.
"Good afternoon ladies, how many I help you? Oh...Miss Lan, it's an honor to have you here. You haven't visited your store in a long time."
"Well, here I am. My friend wants to shop around. Please help her." Lan said to the attendant and then turned to Zhao Xia.
"Xia, please allow her to escort you around. I need to speak with the store's manager regarding some issues. Feel free to choose anything you want."
"Okay. Carry on with your business."
Lan left for the manager's office.
Zhao Xia toured the whole store and was surprised at the size and wide variety of clothes it had. She was tempted to buy the whole store but she still had clothes that have never been worn back in her wardrobe in China.
The store sold items ranging from office wear to casual wear, party dresses to wedding dresses and many other clothes all designed by Lan.
'Lan surely has a wonderful talent.' Zhao Xia thought as she chose a black party dress.
By the time she finished shopping for clothes, she had three attendants behind her, all carrying carts containing the clothes she had selected.She had also bought some casual outfits for her husband since she had noticed that there were only suits and sleepwear in the wardrobe.
It wasn't her fault for being rich.
She paid for the items at the counter and asked two of the attendants to take the items to her car. She gave them her car key and explained about the model of the car so that they could find it easily.
Lan came to her and sat on the bench next to her.
" Shopped till you dropped?"
"I am even surprised that I can spend that much money on clothes. But, hey, it's worth it."
"Well, thank you for promoting my brand."
"You are welcome.Shall we go have lunch? I am famished."
"Sure. There is this restaur...."
"Well look who it is." A voice suddenly interrupted Lan and they both looked up to see a woman dressed in clothes with ridiculous mismatched colors and with the amount of make up on her face, you would mistake her for a clown.
"Umm..and you are?" Lan asked.
The woman was stunned. " Are you trying to act fool with me? I am Chun Xue."
"Yeah, and?"
The woman was in total disbelief. " I am the woman your boyfriend is sleeping with." Silence ensued for a while among the three.
Suddenly, Lan and Zhao Xia laughed. " What are you two laughing at?" Chun Xue asked, her face burning with rage. This was definitely not the reaction she was anticipating when she said that.