Chapter 45: The Quest for the Perfect Outfit

This one, no.

This one, still no.

This one, absolutely not.

Mo Qiu’s bedroom remained sealed, its windows and door tightly shut, but this time she had specifically turned on the lights, standing before the mirror to try on clothes.

After shedding her own garments, Mo Qiu stared intently at the young girl reflected in the mirror for a long time.

No matter how she scrutinized it, this was a body bordering on perfection.

The daytime sun had not marred her fair skin, which shimmered with a hint of delicate pink.

From head to toe, the young girl’s face was exquisitely lovely; even her unchangeable deadpan eyes and doll-like melancholic aura couldn’t detract from its inherent beauty.

The young girl’s proudly swelling breasts, with their small, cherry-like nipples exposed to the air, rose and fell with each breath.

Her belly was snow-white and flat, her waist alluringly slender.

Below that lay the mysterious delta, concealing the girl’s most private haven.

Her long, straight legs were a picture of elegance, and the arches of her feet, pressed against the floor, curved gracefully, her toes like pearls.

Even Mo Qiu herself couldn’t help but place her hands on her hips, puff out her chest, and silently admire.

‘Truly, this body I crafted to conquer Bai Chen was flawless from head to toe… No, wait, those damnable deadpan eyes are still a nuisance.’

Mo Qiu flipped open her eyelids, yet no matter what she did, she couldn’t change the fact that her eyes lacked any sparkle.

Mo Qiu raised a hand, using two fingers to push up the corners of her mouth, forming a strange, stiff, and somewhat eerie expression that was neither a smile nor a frown.

“It’s still not right. What exactly constitutes a natural smile?”

Mo Qiu suddenly yearned to wear her disguise mask; in that form, she was unburdened by mental shackles, able to express both laughter and tears with effortless naturalness.

Beyond this, she realized she didn’t seem to own a single truly beautiful dress.

Ever since hearing Elia’s words, Mo Qiu had rummaged through all her clothes.

Most were simple in style, monochromatic, merely comfortable and presentable.

Indeed, clothes make the man, or in this case, the woman; a physique so exquisite would be buried without proper attire.

Apart from her school uniform, Mo Qiu’s only dress was a simple white gauze gown, which, besides its plain design, was also loungewear – hardly suitable for alluring Bai Chen every day.

‘Evidently, I need a refined outfit.’

With this thought, Mo Qiu embarked on a shopping trip.

Fengling City boasted a bustling commercial street, overflowing with clothing stores; menswear, womenswear, and children’s apparel stretched as far as the eye could see.

Mo Qiu visited several stores in a row, yet found nothing to her liking.

When she articulated her requirements to the shopkeepers, their faces invariably contorted with discomfort, clearly unable to satisfy her.

Mo Qiu was compelled to visit the larger, more crowded establishments.

Prices here were considerably higher than in smaller shops, but the thought of winning Bai Chen’s heart made her less concerned about her wallet.

The design of the large clothing stores was far more refreshing than that of the smaller boutiques; with constant air conditioning, even a throng of customers wouldn’t elicit many complaints.

Mo Qiu’s gaze swept across the dazzling array of racks, meticulously selecting one garment after another.

“Hello, little sister, tell me if you need anything,” a warm and helpful saleswoman approached, her face adorned with a professional smile.

“Can you help me find something?”

“Our store’s reputation is the best on this entire commercial street; we can meet any customer’s demands.”

‘Better be,’ Mo Qiu muttered to herself, then stated her requirements.

In an instant, the saleswoman’s face froze.

“Excuse me, could you please repeat that?”

‘What kind of saleswoman has such poor hearing?’

Mo Qiu calmly reiterated her request:

“The material must be light and thin, with minimal coverage, ideally only three points.

It would be best if it came with chains and belts, otherwise, if tightened too much, it might snap.”

According to Mo Qiu’s description, the saleswoman’s mind conjured an image of an outfit made of interconnected leather straps, practically nonexistent when worn, the kind that would only appear in a strange, dark room.

Completely oblivious to the saleswoman’s paling face, Mo Qiu paused before adding:

“Do you sell ropes and collars here?”

Bai Chen had said he would adopt her if she turned into a cat.

So, Mo Qiu, clad in a leather outfit covering only three points, wearing a collar, and offering a rope.

If she went to such lengths, she couldn’t believe Bai Chen wouldn’t be swayed.

“Little sister, is this a prank?” the saleswoman managed, forcing a smile.

“No, I’m serious.”

Mo Qiu pondered for a moment.

“You don’t know what three points are? Three points refers to the chest and the…”

“Stop, stop, stop!”

The saleswoman, horrified, cut her off.

“I’m sorry, we don’t have the kind of clothing you’re describing.”

“Then, do you have anything transparent?”

“…”

“Nothing transparent either? What about leather straps?”

Mo Qiu planned to buy several and make an outfit herself; if she learned tailoring temporarily, she could finish it within half a month.

The saleswoman completely broke down, bowing repeatedly.

“I’m so sorry we couldn’t satisfy you. Our humble shop is simply inadequate.”

‘Is that so? And they call themselves the best-reputed store?’

Mo Qiu couldn’t find a single item she wanted and had no choice but to search for another store.

Just as she turned, she suddenly noticed a head retracting from the opposite shelf, though half of a twin ponytail remained visible.

‘Who is it?’

Before long, the person looked up again, and upon meeting Mo Qiu’s gaze, gasped, then turned and fled.

‘Could it be an enemy?’

‘A demon hunter or a monster… or perhaps a subordinate of the Mysterious Person?’

Mo Qiu took off after them, chasing them all the way out of the store and onto the street.

It was the busiest time on the commercial street, and people filled every inch of her vision; trying to chase someone through such a crowd would indeed be difficult without demonic power.

The twin-tailed girl, having been discovered, didn’t run aimlessly; she deliberately darted into the most crowded areas, and soon Mo Qiu lost sight of her.

She reached the entrance of a small alley, leaning against the wall, and let out a sigh of relief.

“Finally shook her off. Why would she be in a place like this…”

Her words hung in the air unfinished as the twin-tailed girl tensed, cold sweat trickling down her forehead.

“Who are you, and why are you following me?”

Mo Qiu emerged from behind her like a ghost, casually transforming the mirror back into a card.

“I’m not.”

The twin-tailed girl looked on the verge of tears.

“It’s me, Mo Qiu, don’t you remember me?”

Mo Qiu turned her face around; it was a cute face that would likely be vibrant and lovely when smiling, but now it was scrunched in misery, making one want to tease her even more.

‘Somewhat familiar, but I can’t recall.’

“I’m Zhu Youcai’s girlfriend from your class!”

‘Zhu… Old Zhu, as Bai Chen calls him?’

Mo Qiu remembered; this was the little Libelle who had interrupted them that day.

To unexpectedly run into that troublesome twin-tailed girl here, Mo Qiu’s expression grew even gloomier.

“I was just shopping and happened to run into you.”

“Then why did you run?”

“Because… because, last time I interrupted you, didn’t I? Your eyes were so scary. Please don’t bully me.”

“…”

“I understand, you know. Someone like you must be so ruthless they have no friends and are all alone. My family has young ones above and old ones below… oh, wait, no, in short, I need to support my family. And I have a philandering boyfriend; if I weren’t around, who knows how many innocent girls that Zhu fellow would harm.”

Mo Qiu hadn’t even touched her, yet Libelle had already collapsed to her knees, sniffling and weeping.

She cried a torrent of tears, a truly heart-rending sight, only missing a handkerchief to dab her eyes with.

‘She’s lying. Mo Qiu observed her exquisite attire; she was at least a small heiress with some financial means.’

However, the absence of killing intent or hostility seemed genuine.

Mo Qiu put away the card.

“Alright, I believe you.”

Libelle’s mood shifted faster than turning a page; she instantly broke into a joyful smile, springing to her feet.

“I knew you weren’t a bad person! I’ll definitely help you clear up everyone’s misunderstandings about you when I go back.

Hahahahaha, I’m off now!”

‘Someone in the next class is thinking about me?’ Mo Qiu paused, bewildered.

“Wait, come back.”

Libelle nearly stumbled but obediently stood still.

“Are you also shopping for clothes?”

“Yes.”

Mo Qiu fell into thought; she didn’t care about the impression she made in the next class, but…

“Are you good at dressing up?”

“I’ve learned a few tricks. I plan to major in fashion design in the future,” Libelle replied.

“My dad says I’m suited to be a runway model, but I don’t like exercising; I’d rather be a designer.

Even my mom…”

“Can you help me with something?” Mo Qiu asked, frowning slightly.

“What?”

“Help me pick out some nice clothes.”

“…Um, I suddenly remembered I have something to do. My newborn brother is waiting for me to feed him at home.”

‘You didn’t give birth to him, so why would you go back to feed him?’

Mo Qiu’s tone grew serious, and she called out to her again.

Libelle was so startled that her twin ponytails trembled, forcing her to turn around.

“I’m not good at this sort of thing; you help me.”

“Why would you need help buying clothes? Just pick what you like… unless it’s deliberately for someone else to see…?”

At this, Libelle’s eyes lit up.

“Are you buying clothes for someone else?”

Mo Qiu nodded.

“Really?”

Libelle covered her mouth, as if she had discovered a shocking secret.

“She actually… could it be someone she likes? Someone like her, actually…”

In the eyes of those in Class 6, Mo Qiu was a ruthless, taciturn, unconventional “Dark Queen.”

Could such a person also be experiencing the stirrings of first love, even dressing up for a love interest?

Who exactly possessed such remarkable ability?

Recalling the scene she had witnessed that day, Libelle’s questions were suddenly answered.

‘It’s him, I remember he’s Youcai’s friend.’

At this moment, Mo Qiu was still awaiting her answer; if this girl didn’t agree, she would threaten her with the incident from last time.

*Snap!*

Libelle’s hands suddenly landed on Mo Qiu’s shoulders, and she spoke with righteous conviction:

“Leave it to me, Mo Qiu. I absolutely won’t let you or him down.”

‘Him?’

Mo Qiu didn’t recall mentioning anyone else, but her agreement was a good thing.

Indeed, she needed guidance from a true woman; Mo Qiu truly didn’t understand how to choose girls’ clothes.