The New Favorite

Shen Mu said nothing, glancing at her several times as if he had much to say but chose to remain silent. The car passed by a shopping mall on Xiangyang Road, and Shen Mu opened the door, smiling at her, “Shall I carry you in or give you a piggyback?” Xu Ke’s face heated up; barefoot, she jumped out of the car, thankfully wearing tights. The salespeople from the shoe store on the first floor rushed over, their eyes all on her feet. Xu Ke had never felt so embarrassed; she tried to maintain her composure with a flushed face. Shen Mu nudged his lips, “You sit on the couch, I’ll pick.” Xu Ke, with no interest in choosing shoes while barefoot, casually said, “Just grab any pair.” Shen Mu stood in front of the counter, pointing to a pair of boots, “This style, size 36.” Her heart fluttered; he remembered her shoe size? Soon, a pair of brown soft leather boots was placed before her, flat-heeled. As Xu Ke removed her tights to try them on, Shen Mu suddenly knelt down, touching her foot. Xu Ke’s heart raced, her face turning bright red. His fingers touched her sole, whispering, “You used to not have calluses here; don’t wear high heels anymore.” He was too tall; she had started wearing heels to match his height, which then became a habit. A habit formed for one person, now seen by another. She felt a sudden pang of sadness and tension; he often delivered the most hurtful blows at moments of utmost tenderness. Once bitten, twice shy, she quickly pushed his hand away and put on the boots. Reaching into her pocket, she realized she had only a few dozen yuan left from grocery shopping and a transit card. Blushing, she said, “Can you pay for these? I forgot to bring money. I’ll pay you back later.” Embarrassed to this extent, she was almost resigned; the night’s awkward moments were piling up, one more wouldn’t hurt. Shen Mu smiled and went to pay. He handed her the receipt, solemnly saying, “Remember to pay me back.” Xu Ke looked at the receipt, her heart aching at the 2699 yuan price tag; she hadn’t expected him to choose such an expensive pair.