A black Audi A8 pulled up in front of the apartment. Li Feng had called for it earlier.
*What kind of man lets his wife and daughter walk around when he can do better than that.*
The car drew eyes immediately. Neighbours slowed. A few people on the street stopped to look, following it with their gaze as it came to a stop.
Zhao Lihua stood at the entrance and stared at it. Then she turned to Li Feng, who was leaning against the doorframe with both hands in his pockets.
"Isn't this..." she started. "Too much?"
Li Feng looked at her. "What do you mean too much." He pushed off the frame. "Trust your husband from now on." He nodded toward the car. "Go. Have fun."
Xian climbed into the car and immediately could not stay still. She pressed her face to the window, pulled back, pressed it again. As the car began to move she shot up and twisted around, waving both hands at full speed.
"Bye bye Daddy! Bye bye Daddy!"
Li Feng raised one hand from the doorframe.
Zhao Lihua settled into her seat, Xian bouncing beside her. The interior was quiet and clean, the ride smooth. From the front the driver — a middle aged man in a neat suit — caught her eye in the mirror and smiled warmly.
"Good day, ma'am. Please relax and leave everything to me." His voice was unhurried, pleasant. "Your husband has arranged everything. I will be with you throughout the day. If after your destination there is anywhere else you would like to go, simply let me know and I will take you there."
Zhao Lihua looked at the back of the seat in front of her.
*A car like this doesn't come cheap. And he paid for the whole day?* She turned it over quietly, trying to work out the number in her head before giving up. But there was something more pressing.
She hadn't actually been told where they were going.
She leaned forward slightly. "And the destination is?"
"Starlight Plaza, ma'am," the driver said. "Your husband's arrangements."
Starlight Plaza. Zhao Lihua knew the name. Everyone in the city knew the name. The kind of place you walked past and admired through the glass unless your finances were in a completely different conversation. She had planned on heading to the local store on Mingde Street.
Just then her phone buzzed.
*¥150,000 Credited to Your Account.*
Zhao Lihua stared at the screen.
She let the number sit there for a moment. Then very carefully, very deliberately, she pressed her lips together.
*What.*
"Ma'am?" The driver's eyes appeared in the mirror. "Is everything alright?"
Zhao Lihua looked up. A small smile settled on her face.
"Oh." She set the phone down in her lap. "It's nothing."
She was freaking out.
Nobody made money that fast. He kept mentioning his job but she had never gotten a clear answer on what it actually was. The furniture. The television. The car outside. The ¥150,000 sitting in her account right now. The questions had been piling up and every time she thought about asking the moment slipped away or something else pulled her attention.
She made up her mind. By the end of the day she was going to sit her husband down and get a straight answer.
"Mummy." Xian's small hand found her arm. She was looking up at her with a worried expression, Baozi clutched to her chest. "What's wrong?"
Zhao Lihua looked down at her and softened immediately. She reached over and patted her head gently.
"Nothing, dear."
She looked back out the window.
*It's just that Daddy seems to be on my mind.*
The car pulled into the parking lot. Through the window Starlight Plaza rose up exactly as advertised. Clean lines, wide glass frontage, the kind of building that made you straighten up slightly just looking at it.
The driver brought the car to a smooth stop. "Take your time, ma'am," he said with a smile.
Zhao Lihua stepped out and immediately felt Xian's hand find hers, squeezing tight with barely contained excitement. They walked toward the entrance together. The doors slid open on their own as they approached.
A cold breeze welcomed them in.
The interior opened up wide and bright. Marble floors stretched across the entire ground level, polished until they caught the light. Display cases lined the walls, each one lit carefully from above. Racks of clothing stood in neat formations across the floor, organized by colour and cut, everything pressed and untouched. The ceiling rose high overhead with a large chandelier sitting at its centre, crystals catching the light from every angle. Soft music moved through the air underneath it all, barely there but present.
A young lady appeared almost immediately, dressed in a white fitted blouse and a short navy skirt, her hair pulled back neatly. She walked toward them with a wide smile already in place.
"Welcome to Starlight Plaza." Her voice was warm and practiced. "We carry everything from casual ready to wear to full formal collections. Our new arrivals are along the east wall and our children's section is on the second floor. Please feel free to browse and do not hesitate to ask if you need any assistance finding your size or style."
Her eyes moved over them as she spoke. Their outfits didn't scream wealthy.
The smile stayed exactly where it was.
*Why do I always get these ones.* She kept her eyes pleasant. I'm sure they came to look around and will leave with nothing. I can already tell.*
Zhao Lihua, completely oblivious to her thoughts, turned to her with an easy smile. "Just take us to your best sections. This is our first time here."
"Of course," the young lady replied without missing a beat. "This way please."
She led them through the plaza, weaving between displays until she stopped and gestured ahead with her smile still firmly in place. "Right here, ma'am."
Xian moved immediately, fingers reaching out to touch everything within her height. Zhao Lihua followed more slowly, moving along the rack, lifting fabric, inspecting seams.
Her brow furrowed.
Starlight Plaza had a reputation. Quality. Craftsmanship. Brands that earned their price. But the clothes in front of her were none of that. She could tell from the texture alone. The fabric sat limp between her fingers, the stitching uneven at the edges. These were not what this plaza was known for.
Zhao Lihua's eyes moved slowly to the young lady. Smile still present. Not a flicker of anything behind it.
*She couldn't have done this on purpose. Could she.*
Her hand closed around the fabric she was holding.
*No. She brought us here on purpose.*
Something tightened in her chest. On any other day she wouldn't have cared. But standing here, in this place, being quietly directed to the bottom shelf — that stung.
"Excuse me," she called.
The young lady turned. "Oh, have you found something you like, ma'am?" She moved closer, smile widening.