Chapter 63: The Costume Fitting and a Shocking Revelation

The following day, during the lunch break, the drama club’s activity room buzzed with activity.

Driven by Old Zhu and several other members, who insisted on preparing everything before the weekend, Bai Chen reluctantly donned his costume.

Gazing at his reflection in the mirror, Bai Chen nearly failed to recognize himself. Accustomed to wearing only his school uniform or practical casual attire, he had never before donned such a stylish, formal outfit.

Though labeled a costume, it was, in essence, a well-tailored suit. Yet, as the old adage proclaimed, ‘the clothes make the man,’ and with this refined ensemble, Bai Chen’s presence was instantly transformed. Only his perpetually casual hairstyle remained, starkly at odds with the elegant attire.

“Hmm, the handsome young man has a good foundation, doesn’t he?”

“Even though it’s just cheap clothes, it has such a good effect. The future is promising.”

“It fits quite well, so no need for adjustments.”

Members of the drama club showered him with compliments, and even Old Zhu, with a look of genuine interest, surveyed him from head to toe.

“Who would have thought, Old Bai, that you possessed such hidden depths?”

“It’s… passable, I suppose.”

Bai Chen, however, couldn’t shake the feeling that the suit was a touch too small; the shoulders perpetually felt tight, restricting his movements, making him hesitant to even raise his arms with full force.

He definitely preferred his everyday clothes, thankful that he would only have to endure this attire during the stage performance.

More than his own appearance, Bai Chen’s gaze frequently drifted towards the activity room’s entrance.

Mo Qiu, too, had been whisked away to change, but she had yet to reappear. Bai Chen was convinced her beauty truly deserved the moniker ‘Highland Flower,’ yet ordinarily, her style of dress, school uniform aside, was as unadorned as his own.

It was akin to a vibrant blossom cradled by plain A4 paper; no matter how stunningly it bloomed, it would fail to capture any attention.

As if conjured by his thoughts, the classroom door swung open, and Mo Qiu, escorted by two girls, slowly glided into Bai Chen’s field of vision.

The previously bustling classroom instantly fell into a stunned silence, a stillness that mirrored the sudden halt in Bai Chen’s gaze and the frantic pause of his heart.

The individual remained the same, yet the impression she now cast was utterly transformed.

The gown, with its distinctive tailoring and exquisite detailing, flawlessly accentuated the young woman’s figure, evoking the image of a fully bloomed rose. Its shoulder design artfully bared her delicate collarbones and gracefully rounded shoulders, her pristine skin appearing as smooth and luminous as fine porcelain.

Having taken such time, her raven hair had been meticulously styled into a more fitting coiffure, swept up and coiled at the back of her head, resembling a regal crown.

Before Bai Chen could stir from his stunned immobility, Mo Qiu was already advancing towards him. Benefiting from the gown’s high-slit design, each step she took offered tantalizing glimpses of her thigh’s curve, preserving an alluring air of mystery.

“Bai Chen?”

Only when the young woman’s voice pierced his daze did Bai Chen snap back to reality, his gaze finally shifting away.

“Why are you staring into space?”

“Ah, I was simply lost in thought.”

“I see,” Mo Qiu acknowledged with a nod, then lifted her bare arms. “Do you think it’s beautiful?”

“Er, is it… comfortable to wear?”

“Is it beautiful? If it is, then there’s no need for alterations.”

‘Why on earth is she asking for my opinion?’

Bai Chen found himself caught between laughter and tears. ‘Isn’t this supposed to be a fitting? The crucial aspect is whether it suits her, not whether I find it aesthetically pleasing.’

Should he offer a negative response, Mo Qiu would undoubtedly insist on trying on a new style, continuing until he was thoroughly satisfied.

Bai Chen had no desire to further inconvenience the other drama club members, and besides, confronting Mo Qiu in her current resplendent state, he suspected no one could possibly articulate a word of denial.

While Bai Chen had often found himself staring blankly at Mo Qiu before, those instances were usually due to her lifeless eyes.

This occasion, however, was entirely different: she was simply breathtakingly beautiful, an image that had, in his mind, unequivocally claimed the top spot.

Consequently, as Bai Chen met her gaze—eyes that seemed capable of absorbing even sunlight—he felt not a flicker of hesitation, his voice ringing with unwavering conviction:

“It’s stunning. It suits you perfectly.”

“…As long as you like it, then.”

Despite her words, Bai Chen observed a subtle awkwardness in Mo Qiu’s posture, her ‘two white rabbits’ (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘dà bái tù,’ referring to breasts, often implying a generous size) conspicuously bouncing before him, an undeniably attention-grabbing sight.

“Mo Qiu, are you alright?”

“No, it’s just that this dress is a bit tight.”

“Tight where?”

Mo Qiu remained silent, simply lowering her head, and Bai Chen instinctively followed suit. Their eyes simultaneously settled upon those ‘two white rabbits,’ and in that shared glance, everything was silently understood.

Evidently, this bandeau-style gown proved a touch too snug for Mo Qiu’s ample proportions.

“My apologies for interrupting your moment,” a drama club member interjected, suddenly appearing with a cheerful grin, “but I wanted to inquire if the attire is satisfactory?”

“Should it not fit, please inform us, and we shall arrange for alterations.”

“No issues here,” Mo Qiu promptly declared.

‘Is it truly wise to wear it so tightly?’

A fleeting, absurd worry about her ‘two white rabbits’ (TL Note: breasts) potentially shrinking surfaced in Bai Chen’s mind, which he promptly banished before stating:

“My suit is a bit small; the shoulder area remains quite constricted.”

“Understood. We shall send it to the tailor today, with hopes it can be altered before the weekend.”

****

With the fittings concluded, the time for formal rehearsal commenced.

Upon changing out of her gown and returning to the classroom, Mo Qiu found no trace of Bai Chen. She selected a seat and settled down to review the script.

Bai Chen’s role was simply labeled ‘Suit Man,’ while Mo Qiu’s was ‘Gown Woman.’ As mere background characters, they lacked even proper names, and their combined lines barely filled two pages of the script.

Despite their limited roles, the performance itself promised to be explosive. The play depicted a poignant tale of a impoverished young man and a wealthy young lady, who, against all odds, surmounted numerous obstacles to forge a love that defied their circumstances.

Midway through the narrative, a grand ball takes place, only to be violently interrupted by an attack. It is within this dramatic segment that Mo Qiu and Bai Chen, portraying a pair of lovers, are destined to tragically perish together.

During this climactic moment, Bai Chen was to cradle Mo Qiu, weeping as he desperately pleaded for her life. Meanwhile, Mo Qiu, as the Gown Woman, would, in her final breath, confess her love to him before succumbing in his embrace. Subsequently, a grief-stricken Bai Chen, in response to her declaration, would tragically take his own life.

Given that this would mark Bai Chen’s inaugural stage performance, Mo Qiu couldn’t help but question his ability to master such an emotional scene.

A timid virgin, who shied away from even a simple hug or kiss, could he genuinely deliver his lines with composure before an audience?

When that moment arrived, Bai Chen would surely be paralyzed by nerves, rendering him utterly helpless. It would then be her cue to step forward, embrace him, and offer solace, allowing him to be moved, to develop an undeniable reliance on her, and to gradually find himself unable to depart from the sanctuary named ‘Mo Qiu.’

The prospect of the future savior, cradled in her arms like a helpless child, sent a thrill of anticipation through her.

Mo Qiu snapped her script shut, just as she began to formulate the precise gestures for comforting Bai Chen, when the activity room door was abruptly thrust open.

“It’s terrible! Everyone, you have to see this!”

The one who burst in was Zhou Yue. Upon recognizing her, everyone ceased their activities. President Luo was the first to approach, his expression bearing a striking resemblance to that of a parent confronting their own mischievous child.

“What is it now? Why have you brought your phone? Are you not concerned it might be confiscated?”

“That’s hardly the point. Last night, I unearthed an earth-shattering secret!”

Zhou Yue’s utterly astonished expression genuinely piqued the curiosity of President Luo and the other members. Even Mo Qiu, setting aside her script, stepped forward.

“Is that truly so?”

“She hardly seems the type.”

“But who can truly know another’s heart, despite knowing their face?”

As Mo Qiu drew near, all eyes turned to her, and the members instinctively parted, clearing a path. Mo Qiu reached Zhou Yue’s side with virtually no hindrance, eager to glimpse the so-called ‘great secret’ on her phone.

On the phone screen was a photograph, featuring two individuals whose faces were instantly familiar to her.

‘It’s Xinleit and me from last night!’

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Mo Qiu looked up, her gaze locking directly with Zhou Yue’s smiling eyes.

“Mo Qiu, is this you?”

‘Was I followed last night?’

“Is the person next to you an acquaintance? You two seemed to be arguing.”

‘When did she discover this?’

“You just emerged from that alleyway. Is it what I suspect? Did you go to *that* place?”

‘This photograph cannot be allowed to remain!’

Uncontrollable murderous intent nearly erupted from the depths of Mo Qiu’s heart. The secret of her demonic power absolutely could not be discovered.

‘But not now; there are too many people, and Bai Chen will be back.’

Mo Qiu meticulously concealed all her emotions behind her deadpan eyes. To Zhou Yue, her silence was tantamount to an admission.

“No way, you actually went to *that* place.”

Anyone living in Fengling City knew this alleyway. A side path within it led to one of the city’s few ‘Joyful Hotels’ (TL Note: A euphemism for a love hotel or a place offering adult services).

What exactly was a Joyful Hotel? It was a hotel that provided ‘joyful’ series items, allowing people to experience the pleasure of primal desires. As long as you were willing to pay, they could provide any item you wished for; there was nothing they couldn’t do, only things you couldn’t imagine.

Under Zhou Yue’s relentless verbal prodding, Mo Qiu’s image in their eyes transformed into that of a promiscuous young woman carousing with a man at night.

Only Old Zhu, sensing the impending disaster, discreetly retreated to the back of the crowd.

Mo Qiu watched Zhou Yue’s performance, her eerie gaze like that of someone observing a life entering its final countdown.