What do you want to do once you have money?
That’s probably something everyone has fantasized about.
It’s like those posts that inexplicably appear on forums, like “We’ll give you X amount of money to choose from the following options,” making it seem like if you seriously make a choice, cash will magically appear in your bank account.
That kind of thing is impossible!
Money is tied to memory.
How you spent every cent in your bank account might fade from your smooth brain’s pathways, but you definitely remember clearly how you earned it.
That’s what Lin Yi thought, so when she saw the hard-earned little sum of money in her account, she immediately chose to spend it.
If she just spent this money, maybe that utterly humiliating memory would disappear along with it, right?
So, where would Lin Yi spend the money?
“Of course, it’s on buying the latest Kamen Rider Kuuga CSM Collector’s Grade Belt 25th Anniversary Version!”
As everyone knows, every nerd has watched some tokusatsu shows more or less in their youth, and Lin Yi is no exception.
No one can resist a glowing light stick or a belt.
If they can, it’s just not bright enough, not loud enough!
Transforming into a righteous knight, delivering a flying kick to a villain, saving the world… it’s just too thrilling.
“The latest version costs over 2500, but if I buy second-hand, it can drop to around 1700, hmm…”
If only her financial power were stronger!
Next time, if there is a next time, she’ll definitely buy a brand new one, sob.
After returning to the dorm last night, she frantically searched on forums and second-hand market apps, finally locking onto a local nerd.
If she picks it up in person, the price could drop below 1600.
She’d still have quite a bit left for next month’s living expenses, completely affordable!
Yesterday’s clothes were already sent out for washing, so Lin Yi still planned to go out in her school uniform.
Yan Jianxing sighed and helped straighten Lin Yi’s collar.
“I say, is it really okay for you to go out in your school uniform every day?”
“Not much choice, my only casual outfit is that one set.”
And that one set of casual clothes was inexplicably dissed by Jian Shuye yesterday. Just thinking about it made her angry.
What right did that lofty young lady have to look down on her and Yan Jianxing’s taste?
“You can borrow my clothes,” Yan Jianxing said happily, opening her wardrobe.
“There are plenty of clothes here you can wear. Come on, hurry up and pick something.”
“No, no, wearing your clothes would be too inconvenient,” Lin Yi quickly backed away.
“Besides, if I got them dirty or tore them, I’d feel really bad.”
Yan Jianxing took out a floral spaghetti-strap dress on her own.
“What’s the big deal? If it gets ruined, just change it. Oh right, how about I go with you today!”
“Huh?”
“First, go get that toy of yours, then go to the clothing mall to pick out some clothes. Isn’t there a clothing wholesale market over in Shahe?”
Too enthusiastic, passionate as fire!
Seeing that she couldn’t refuse Yan Jianxing’s suggestion, Lin Yi was about to succumb…
Suddenly, Yan Jianxing’s phone rang.
She held it between her neck and shoulder, using both hands to hold the floral dress against Lin Yi’s body for comparison.
“Hello, Mom?”
“Mhm, mhm, ah? I totally forgot about that. Oh, my fault, my fault.”
“Right now? But… okay, fine, I know, I’ll be right there.”
Lin Yi blinked. “What’s wrong?”
Yan Jianxing puffed out her cheeks, putting the dress back into the wardrobe with slight regret.
“I completely forgot today is my grandpa’s birthday. I have to go home for dinner.”
“That’s a big deal,” Lin Yi said, slinging her backpack over her shoulder and opening the dorm door.
“You should hurry. I need to get going too, or the other person won’t wait around forever!”
“Aw— I don’t want to leave you,” Yan Jianxing plopped down on the chair.
“I wanted to go out and have fun with you.”
“Next time, we’ll definitely have time next time. Bye~”
Lin Yi closed the dorm door and let out a sigh of relief.
She wasn’t mentally prepared to go out wearing a floral dress like that.
No matter how cute it was, it was a no.
—
—
Lin Yi took Line 11 directly to Shahe.
After getting off the station, she scanned a shared bike on the street and wobbled her way into the clothing market.
“Damn it, you’re riding without watching the road” (Watch where you’re going, you idiot!)
“Su… sumimasen!”
After nearly colliding with a cargo tricycle on the narrow road and being scolded by a bald old man, Lin Yi’s apology slipped out automatically.
In Suizhou, when people or bikes want to cross the street, they don’t look at the traffic light color, they look at the old men’s expressions.
For the sake of the belt, Lin Yi endured the hardship, circling around the clothing market for a long time.
She finally stopped in front of a shop that looked like an e-commerce wholesale store.
Looking at the young man in his twenties with dark circles like a panda smoking a cigarette, Lin Yi asked quietly, “Excuse me, are you Mr. Xiao Tianqie Burang?”
“Yeah, that’s me…”
The young man was moving cargo boxes and glanced at Lin Yi, who was wearing a mask.
“You are… Dianzan Kuangmo Gege?”
Lin Yi scratched the back of her head.
“Hehe, that’s me.”
“You’re a girl?”
“What about being a girl? Can’t girls play with belts?”
Lin Yi protested.
“I’m furious and honestly kind of disillusioned (Anger, tremble, cold), when will we women stand up?”
“Sorry about that.”
Then, the young man went into the shop’s storage room and brought out a box carefully wrapped in PE bubble wrap, placing it in front of Lin Yi.
“Here, I had a friend buy it for me a while ago. Got checked thoroughly at customs,” the young man lit another cigarette, squinting.
“Came back and my girlfriend asked how much it cost, then got scolded for no reason.”
Lin Yi squatted down, looking at the large black box visible through the bubble wrap.
The BANDAI logo in the bottom right corner was all too familiar.
The box cover featured Kuuga’s black and gold Ultimate Form.
It was just too cool!
“That’s rough, man.”
“Tell me about it.”
The young man patted the box.
“Guess we’re fated. I was forced to put it up on the second-hand app last night to recoup some cash. Several scalpers contacted me, but I refused them all. I saw you were more of a private collector, so I’m selling it to you.”
“Don’t worry, man,” Lin Yi patted her non-existent chest.
“I’ll definitely take good care of it!”
The guy took a deep drag, inhaling sharply.
“Sss— Hah, I can tell just by looking at your expression.”
Lin Yi had specifically borrowed Yan Jianxing’s oversized sports backpack for today, which was just big enough to fit the entire box.
The young man looked at Lin Yi’s backpack with reluctant fondness, like a wise man who had seen through everything in the world.
“When I was a kid, my biggest dream was to have a belt and save the world.”
“Hah…”
“But the gravity of reality is just too heavy.”
The young man crushed his cigarette butt and waved.
“Goodbye, kid. Don’t forget your knight’s dream.”
“Goodbye, big brother who loves Kamen Riders!”
Lin Yi waved goodbye, then rode her bike to near Shahe Station.
It was almost lunchtime, so she found a nearby restaurant, sat down, ordered beef meatballs and fresh shrimp with brisket noodles, planning to treat herself.
Just thinking about returning to the dorm, putting on the belt, and shouting “HENSHIN!” made her so excited she wanted to jump up and shout “Yay!”
“Hum hum hum, hum hum hum~”
“Boss, one serving of special chicken leg congee, add some shiitake mushrooms, and two single-serving grilled skewer sets, not spicy.”
“Coming right up!”
Lin Yi felt that voice sounded so familiar.
Looking up, she saw a girl in a white knitted cardigan and a brown long skirt, carrying a large bag, with her back turned to Lin Yi.
She had the bearing of an old acquaintance!
The girl turned around, fanning her face with her hand.
Her slightly brownish long hair swept past Lin Yi’s field of vision, revealing a sweet face.
“Su… Su Kui?”
Su Kui paused for a moment, then her red lips parted slightly.
“Lin Yi… classmate?”