I Think Someone's Following Us

"Well, how to put it. She's very...sociable and...unreserved,

"So, maybe something else then", she said as she walked over to another display shelf. She wanted the perfume she'd pick to match his mother's outgoing personality and felt like the last one wasn't exactly right,

The fragrance was called Endless Sun, and its unique orange, sphere-shaped bottle design made it very eye-catching.

Its fragrance was fruity and floral with hints of peaches, amber and vanilla making it worth the 125 Yuan it was being sold for,

As she grabbed a box, Li Hao outstretched the basket to her, she reached to take it, but he refused to let go saying he wanted to be the one carrying it around,

"Aren't you already occupied enough with Little Bun sleeping on your shoulder?"

"It's fine, I can manage, besides, this way I won't be completely useless",

She slightly pursed her lips and sighed, she didn't want to take advantage of him, but she knew arguing with him would also be completely useless, so she resignedly placed the perfume into his basket,

They continued going around and picked out perfume and a watch for his dad and a white and peach silk scarf for his mom.

"So, do you have any other siblings apart from your, um,... elder brother", She didn't wish to re-open any wounds so she tried to tread around it lightly, she could have avoided it altogether, but she felt it was better to learn about his family sooner rather than later,

He could understand the reason for her hesitation and he didn't want to make her feel guilty, so in his most nonchalant tone, he answered, "Yeah actually, a younger sister, her name's Li Xui",

"Is she going to be at dinner today ?"

"Yeah, most likely"

"Then we have to get her something as well"

She walked over to the jewellery display case next to the register area and looked over at them, they were necklaces, earrings, bracelets, watches and rings, all in different shapes and luxury designs,

Finally settling for a pearl necklace with a teardrop pearl in the middle, the shop assistant who had come to help them, offered to wrap everything up for her and took Liling to the register area leaving Li Hao and the sleeping Little Bun on their own,

Bored, Li Hao stared down at the display case and an intricately carved geometric gold butterfly necklace caught his eyes, it was inlaid with tiny circular sapphires at its four edges and had a long gold chain attached to the top of its wings,

A shop assistant noticed his gaze on the necklace and hoping to make a sale herself, enthusiastically hurried towards him, "Excellent choice sir, this would make an amazing gift for your wife, would you like me to wrap it up for you",

He was about to ask how she knew he was married but remembered that they had both been walking around the store together with Little Bun on his shoulder,

Did that mean that everyone who'd seen them knew they were married?, for some reason that thought pleased him immensely and he couldn't help but smile to himself,

"Yes actually, but could I stay right here to pay?",

"Umm, yes, uh, I'll be right back", It wasn't an unreasonable request, but it was the first time a customer had asked to not come to the register area, 'Maybe he really wants to keep it a surprise', she reasoned as she packaged up the necklace as quickly as she could,

She returned to him with the bag and a POS machine to complete the transaction, and once they were done she walked away with a big smile knowing she would be getting a huge commission by the end of the month,

"What's that?",

Li Hao nearly jumped from being startled but quickly recognized Liling's voice and relaxed significantly,

"It's nothing really, I just decided to get myself a new watch"

She assessed his expression and Li Hao clenched his jaw praying she would believe his impromptu lie,

She just was about to point out that he hadn't seemed interested in watches when they were picking one out for his dad, when she spotted the vague silhouette of a person holding a camera in their direction on the other side of the mall,

The person disappeared as quickly as she had spotted them and she began to wonder if she was hallucinating,

"Liling, are you okay?", He asked waving his hand in front of her face, she had blanked out suddenly and seemed to be looking out at something,

She finally returned and stared up at him,

"I'm fine, but I think someone's following us"