Chapter 40: Christmas
Christmas is definitely not going to live up to people's expectations, it is bound to come as scheduled, the streets and shops are full of festive atmosphere, the gift shops are full of people, people are busy buying Christmas gifts for their friends and family, and busy store clerks fill empty shelves with very popular goods, but they are quickly snapped up again.
Jason walked slowly through the crowd, this was the first time he had walked leisurely in the crowd, and the only thing he noticed in the crowd at this time of year was which guy was the best to start.
For example, the fat uncle over there didn't button his coat very regularly because he was fat, and his exaggerated belly jumped out of it, apparently he was single and choosing a gift for his child. It's easier to get a guy alone, and you see a boy with a baseball cap approaching him.
On the other side, a couple of people were discussing how to choose gifts, and two people walked towards them. People in love are easy to get by if they don't pay attention, and these people used to be his priority targets.
Jason didn't go up to stop him, he knew very well what would happen if these kids, who were about the same age as him, couldn't steal something.
Only this time he's here to pick out a gift, one for Afu, Bruce, Barbara, and that pesky Dick.
He didn't quite know what to buy, and Bruce felt like he lacked nothing, when in fact he did lack nothing; Ah Fu's words felt that the things that were too popular were a bit out of his style, and the old man had never seen him lose his politeness since Jason first saw him; Barb... Jason had never given anything to a girl, and he had visited a few jewelry stores, and the labels in the display cases really scared Jason, and he finally knew why the big guys also liked to rob jewelry stores when they had nothing to do; As for Dick...........
“... Why don't you give him a box set? ”
Standing in front of a row of display cases in the supermarket that specialize in selling sex toys, the dazzling array of colors and models almost dazzled Jason's eyes.
"Hey! Little ghost, you are thinking about dating a woman when your hair grows up."
Jason's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden teasing question from behind, and when he turned around, he found that it was a man about the same age as Bruce wearing an apron with the supermarket logo on it. The man said with a smile as he stared at the pink box in Jason's hand with interest.
"What's the business with you?"
"That's... Kid, I'll give you a word of advice, I'd suggest you're better adults to do this kind of thing, and besides, I don't think there's a size you can use here."
The man pulled the pink box from Jason's hand and put it back on the shelf. Jason noticed that he didn't know when, he had become the focus of the store, the eyes of the people around him were all on him and whispered from time to time, Jason's little face slowly turned red, and he hurriedly squeezed out of the crowd, and he could hear the man saying loudly behind him:
"Hey! The imp is waiting for you to grow to a size that you can carry, and I will welcome you."
The man's voice caused a burst of laughter from those around him.
"Cut, nasty guy!"
After finally getting rid of the pesky shop, Jason continued to wander aimlessly.
Two girls with large bags walk past Jason, and their conversation catches Jason's attention.
"What did you buy him?"
"A watch"
"Wow, you've been working just to buy that watch?"
"yes, what about you?"
"I got him that latest console"
"Wow, the new one? That's a lot of money."
"yes, I worked for three months."
The two girls drifted apart, and Jason looked thoughtfully at the backs of the two girls.
"I think I have to work on my own to buy gifts."
Jason only then remembered that his money was given by Bruce. After wandering aimlessly for a while, Jason decided it would be better to go back.
Back at the manor, Alfred was preparing for tonight's dinner, and after seeing Jason come back empty-handed, he asked a little strangely:
"Didn't Master Jason buy a gift for Master Bruce?"
Alfred didn't know that Jason was going to pick out a gift for them, he thought Jason was just going to buy a gift for Bruce.
“... Hmmm"
Looking at Jason's weak appearance, Alfred felt that this must be more than just not buying a satisfactory gift, and after thinking about it, he said:
"I'm going to prepare the dinner for the night, so I'm too busy to do it alone, can Master Jason come and help?" We could prepare a great dinner together as a gift"
Jason thought about it, then took Alfred's advice.
When Bruce returns home before dinner begins, he sees an extra Jason in the kitchen, which Alfred has always considered an absolute no-no.
"Ha, it seems that even if Ah Fu retires one day, you won't starve to death"
Dick said with a smile as he stood next to Bruce and looked at the boy in the kitchen who looked like he was helping.
"Oh, Master Bruce, please go to the restaurant, you can eat soon"
Alfred turned around, placed the prepared food on the cart and pushed it towards the dining room.
“... Eat now? ”
Although Jason had never had Christmas, he had heard that dinner at Christmas started a little late, and everyone could sit together and eat late, and then open the presents under the Christmas tree the next day. But apparently, tonight's dinner was even earlier than usual.
"Hmm... That little wing, you know, this is Batman's home, so we need to be ready at all times, after all, it's not just ordinary citizens who have Christmas to celebrate."
Dick turned on the TV with his remote control as he spoke, and the host of the TV show was broadcasting fancy promotions from the atmospheric merchants in Gotham, as well as random interviews with citizens, some passing by, and some randomly selected shops, asking all kinds of strange questions.
After that, the beautiful hostess handed the microphone to a man who made Jason a little familiar, and asked the question of what interesting customers were there today.
The man laughed a little, and then talked about a ten-year-old boy who came to buy a set today, causing everyone around him to laugh.
"Wow, today's children are really"
Dick spoke his opinion as he ate his food. Then he noticed that Jason, who was sitting across from him, seemed to have a somewhat wrong face.
[Ten-year-old boy?? 】
Dick wondered, "Probably not, Jason XIV... Forehead... Not yet, but that little body...
Dick's gaze swept up and down Jason several times until he saw Jason glaring back impatiently.
[It must be him....]
Before Dick could ask his question, an explosion on the television interrupted the conversation.
"Oh, what's that old saying? Criminals also need to spend Christmas."
"Let's go!"
Bruce's words rang an intermission bell for tonight's Christmas dinner. The three of them soon had everything ready in the bat cave.
"You're going too?"
Jason looked at Dick strangely, Dick should still be recuperating.
"Hey, I just injured my back muscles and ligaments, but I didn't break my spine."
Dick was a little unhappy with Jason's underestimation.