Chapter 21: A Princess’s New Wardrobe

My gaze fell upon the garment, a women’s motorcycle jacket. The cowhide appeared quite thick and durable. With spring having arrived and the weather steadily warming, it was indeed the season for leather jackets. Given Dragon Brother’s naturally rebellious demeanor, this jacket would undoubtedly suit her well.

After a moment’s consideration, I glanced at the price tag: 1,500 yuan.

The salesperson stood nearby, observing me with a pleasant smile. I ran my fingers over the fabric, lost in thought for a moment.

Still, I decided against it.

It wasn’t that I was particularly stingy with money; I was well aware of Dragon Brother’s usual habits. When buying clothes for her, durability was hardly a concern; it was better to simply choose something aesthetically pleasing. No garment seemed to last her more than a month before inevitably acquiring a few new cigarette burns.

Shaking my head, I inquired, “Do you have anything else?”

The salesperson led me to another clothing rack. A row of trench coats hung there, and they began to elaborate, “This coat is crafted from wool, featuring a double-breasted, open-collar design at the chest. And if you look inside, you’ll find it’s lined with cashmere, making it exceptionally warm. What’s more, the coat itself lends a beautifully elongated silhouette…”

While the coat itself seemed decent, trench coats generally suited individuals with a certain height or a more reserved, ‘cool’ demeanor. They always looked quite elegant on such people, much like Old Chu, who used to favor this style.

Dragon Brother, however, would likely not fare well in it. It wasn’t that it would look bad on her, but rather that it simply wasn’t her style. Her stature was simply too petite. While Dragon Brother had never been particularly tall—I recalled her being 175 cm in high school, only half a head shorter than me—a recent measurement at home revealed she now stood at a mere 150 cm.

I shook my head once more. After a moment of contemplation, I suggested, “You needn’t bother with those unisex styles for her. Do you have anything that truly accentuates one’s figure?”

The salesperson then guided me to another display counter. “This dress,” they announced, “is excellent for highlighting the figure. It’s a recent bestseller and particularly well-suited for more petite ladies.”

I scrutinized the garment for a moment: a sleeveless black dress, designed to cling to the hips. Its fabric appeared remarkably smooth, and the neckline, originally an open V-shape, was fastened with delicate ties. Worn, it would likely reveal a hint of skin at the chest. A row of white lace flowers adorned one side, giving it the appearance of an elegant evening gown.

To my eye, it exuded an air of sophistication.

Picturing Dragon Brother in it, I felt it would look quite fetching. I hesitantly touched the fabric, then glanced at the price: 720 yuan. It wasn’t excessively expensive, falling well within an acceptable range.

Currently, I wasn’t particularly strapped for cash; my parents had recently transferred my living expenses. Moreover, Young Master Feng had been relentlessly pestering me with phone calls every day since the incident at the billiard hall. I couldn’t tell if he’d lost his mind or what, but he insisted on calling me his ‘big brother’ and treating me to meals.

However, having been severely bruised and battered recently, I was recuperating at home and had little desire to go out. I’d managed to fend him off with various excuses.

In any case, having stumbled upon such a generous benefactor, I felt less remorseful about spending money. If push came to shove, I could always borrow a bit from that fellow.

I pondered for a moment before nodding. Dragon Brother was still engrossed in selecting clothes at another counter. Ever since we’d entered the store, she had been picking items on her own, and I suspected it was because my earlier comment about her inability to shop had ruffled her feathers, leading to a minor sulk.

I turned my head and beckoned Dragon Brother over. With a triumphant grin, she approached, holding up a ripped denim jacket. “How about this?” she exclaimed. “I think it looks really good!”

Seeing the jacket riddled with holes, I thought, ‘You just can’t resist anything with rips, can you?’ I instructed, “Put that back and come try on what I picked.”

Dragon Brother considered for a moment, then hung the ‘beggar’s attire’ back on the rack. As she approached and caught sight of the dress in my hand, her expression immediately soured. “Are you even capable of picking out clothes?” she grumbled. “Why does it look like something a woman would wear?”

Waving the dress, I retorted, “It *is* for women, and you *are* a woman. Now hurry up and change into it for me.”

“No! I won’t!” Dragon Brother shook her head vigorously, like a rattling drum.

I fixed her with a serious gaze, raising my voice slightly. “Are you going to change, or not?”

Dragon Brother recoiled slightly, then cast a quick glance at me before extending her hand. “Fine,” she muttered, “give it here.”

I handed the form-fitting long dress to Dragon Brother. She accepted it with a noticeable reluctance, then shuffled off to the changing room. The salesperson, who had been listening to our exchange, watched the changing room door and sighed. “Your girlfriend appears quite wild,” they remarked, “yet she’s surprisingly obedient to you. If someone like her truly settles down, they become incredibly devoted. You really ought to treat your girlfriend well.”

I gazed at the changing room door, sighing and shaking my head.

Standing around was tedious, so I engaged the salesperson in a brief chat. Approximately two minutes later, Dragon Brother emerged from the changing room.

While we were chatting, arms crossed, Dragon Brother approached me. She tugged at the hem of her skirt, then smiled. “It actually looks pretty good on,” she conceded, “and it’s quite cool.”

The salesperson’s eyes lit up at the sight of Dragon Brother, and I, too, found myself frozen in stunned silence for a good while.

I barely recognized the person standing before me.

She truly looked exquisite in the ensemble. Her already fair complexion was accentuated by the black dress, making her skin appear even more luminous, like a princess.

Earlier that day, she had resisted washing her hair before we left, so I had to physically hold her down in the bathroom and scrub it vigorously with shampoo. Now, her white hair, no longer disheveled, cascaded smoothly over her shoulders. Her naturally petite frame, combined with this outfit, gave her the appearance of a subtly alluring, youthful girl.

Despite her diminutive stature, her figure was remarkably curvaceous, with lace trim delicately accentuating her ample bosom. While undeniably alluring, it also conveyed a sense of playful cuteness. A vertical knife scar near her right eye, however, prevented her from appearing fragile in the dress, instead lending her an undeniable air of character. She resembled a mischievous noblewoman from a medieval film.

I nodded, taking a moment to observe her with a satisfied expression. Dragon Brother, meanwhile, ran her hand over the dress’s fabric. My gaze then fell upon her feet, noticing she was still wearing her old gray sneakers. They were likely white once, I surmised, though my vigorous scrubbing the previous day had failed to restore any hint of their original color.

She also had on two gray socks, though they were conspicuously mismatched in height. ‘Hmm,’ I thought, ‘she probably put them on incorrectly again when we left the house.’

As I stared at Dragon Brother’s sneakers, I turned my head only to find the salesperson similarly lost in thought, fixated on her mismatched socks. It took several attempts to get their attention, and when they finally snapped back to reality, they scratched their head sheepishly. I pondered aloud, “Do you happen to sell shoes here?”

They quickly nodded, responding, “Sell? Of course we sell shoes!”

Dragon Brother and I followed them to a different counter.

The store was quite spacious, with a dedicated women’s shoe section illuminated by a warm, yellow glow that brightened the entire area. I stood by the counter for a moment, then crouched down, picking up a white high-heeled shoe to examine it closely.

Upon seeing me with the high heel, Dragon Brother stared at me in horror, quickly shaking her head. “Don’t even think about it!” she declared. “I’ll die before I wear those shoes; I’d trip and break my neck!”

I raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to be obedient?”

Dragon Brother gritted her teeth, pondering for a moment. This time, her resolve was unwavering; she shook her head like a frantic rattle, absolutely refusing the shoes. Just as I was about to speak, the salesperson quickly interjected, “I know of a type of shoe that would be perfect for this young lady. We’ve had female customers who dislike high heels before. Please, wait a moment…” They then hurried off to the storage room beside the changing area.

Dragon Brother stood beside me, her gaze complex as she stared at the high heel in my hand. “Old Lu,” she began, “there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask… you’re not a pervert, are you?”

Ignoring her comment, I held the shoe against Dragon Brother’s foot. ‘Hmm,’ I mused, ‘I think it’s quite suitable.’ With a determined gesture, I held up the high heel. “This is the one,” I declared.

A moment later, the salesperson emerged from the storage room, slightly breathless, carrying a pair of round-toed brown leather shoes. They resembled the kind often favored by female students in anime.

I contemplated the leather shoes for a moment, then lifted my gaze to Dragon Brother.

‘Loli style, then…’

Dragon Brother regarded the shoes with a complex expression. After a moment, I reconsidered, turning my attention back to the high heels. Dragon Brother, seizing the opportunity, looked at me pleadingly. “Old Lu,” she entreated, “these are good. Why don’t I wear these instead…?”

The salesperson handed me the shoes. I accepted them with some hesitation, inspecting the leather pair for a moment, even tapping them on the ground. The soles and construction seemed quite sturdy. The salesperson quickly added, “These leather shoes are a Japanese school style. Besides their aesthetic appeal, they are also incredibly durable, gleaming with just a quick wipe and requiring minimal polishing. They should be very suitable for this lady.”

Dragon Brother looked at me, her face alight with hope.

I hesitated for a moment, then, with a regretful sigh, placed the high heels back on the counter. Dragon Brother’s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. I then took the leather shoes, motioned for her to sit on a stool, and proceeded to remove her sneakers.

She propped herself up, sitting on the stool. Dragon Brother’s feet were remarkably delicate and small. Even though the shoes in my hand were also quite petite, I still felt they might be a size too large. However, once I slipped the leather shoes onto her feet and lifted Dragon Brother’s slender calves to inspect them, I found they fit perfectly. I nodded with satisfaction.

There was no need to purchase a slightly larger size; Dragon Brother was already twenty this year, and her feet wouldn’t be growing any further.

I exhaled in relief, then stood up, hands on my hips, and asked Dragon Brother to walk around to check for comfort. Dragon Brother obediently stood up, took a couple of steps, and even bounced twice, looking just like a little girl.

I scrutinized Dragon Brother’s entire outfit. It was excellent, quite adorable, making her look like a wealthy young lady.

Dragon Brother paced hesitantly, glancing at me occasionally. Yet, as I looked at her feet, those mismatched socks—one high, one low—irked me. The salesperson stood nearby, watching Dragon Brother. “Do you sell socks here?” I asked. “My purchases must have exceeded a thousand yuan by now. Seeing as I’ve bought an entire outfit from your store, could you offer a discount?”

The salesperson considered for a moment, then pointed towards a counter behind the women’s shoe section. “Purchases over a thousand yuan qualify for a 15% discount as part of a store promotion,” they explained. “As for socks, they’re at that counter over there.”

Relieved to hear about the discount—15% would save me at least a hundred yuan—I led Dragon Brother towards the sock counter, which was at the other end of the store. Plastic legs displayed various sock styles, while the counter itself was filled with sheer stockings, pantyhose, and even fishnets.

Dragon Brother’s eyes widened as she stared at the socks, then she turned to me, her expression wary.

Ignoring her, I surveyed Dragon Brother’s ensemble from head to toe. I selected a pair of white over-the-knee socks; the material felt quite good, and the price was a modest twelve yuan.

I actually really wanted Dragon Brother to wear white sheer stockings, but I figured if I suggested that, she’d probably bite me.

I took the long socks, peeled off the tag, and said, “Change into these. I’ll go pay.”

Dragon Brother took the socks, thought for a moment, then headed back to the changing room. I walked to the store’s main counter. The salesperson scanned the tags from my hand, then smiled at me. “One thousand and two yuan. I’ll round down to an even thousand for you, and with the 15% discount, the total comes to eight hundred and fifty yuan.”

I nodded. Dragon Brother looked truly lovely in this outfit; I would have bought it even without a discount. I pulled out my credit card to pay. Dragon Brother, now wearing the white long socks, stood obediently beside me like a little princess, holding a bag. “What should I do with these?” she asked.

I handed my credit card to the salesperson and turned to look. The bag contained her old tracksuit, sneakers, and socks.

Taking my credit card back, I thought for a moment before replying, “Pour gasoline on them and burn them.”

****

After leaving the store, Dragon Brother and I went to KFC, ordering two combos for less than fifty yuan.

Dragon Brother sat at the table, eagerly devouring her burger. At this moment, she resembled a youthful girl, beyond just a loli, in her form-fitting lace dress, white long socks accentuating her fair, slender legs, and round-toed leather shoes. She looked as if she had stepped right out of an anime, and passersby, carrying their trays, couldn’t help but stare at her.

He calculated inwardly. “Hmph, as expected of my Dragon Brother—her head-turning rate is still a hundred percent.”

Everyone in the restaurant, whether intentionally or not, kept glancing our way. I picked up a french fry, dipped it in ketchup, and offered it to Dragon Brother. “Ah,” I prompted.

The instant I extended the fry, countless eyes converged on us, and I experienced a feeling of being the center of attention.

“Munch.”

Dragon Brother, still munching on her burger, instinctively looked up, took the fry in one bite, then lowered her gaze to continue eating. I looked around, noticing many people watching me with varied expressions. A college student with a backpack, sitting by the window in the front row, angrily lowered their head and muttered, “Explode, normies! Just explode, you bastards!”

A slight smile touched my lips.

‘Tormenting lovers is truly a delightful pastime.’

Dragon Brother looked up at me, took a sip of cola. Seeing me watching her, she smiled back, then resumed eating her burger. A subconscious smile spread across my face. After a full day of shopping, I was indeed a bit hungry, so I lowered my head and began eating my own fries.

Truthfully, my initial budget for clothes today had been five hundred yuan, but this entire outfit ended up costing me over a thousand. If you asked if I felt bad about the money, I certainly did.

But as I looked at Dragon Brother, who at this moment resembled a little princess captivating all eyes, I took a sip of cola.

‘Hmm, it was worth spending all that money.’

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