Chapter 178: Chapter 171: Low-Key Arrival
Actually, when it comes to clothing, Xiao Lin doesn’t really care, unless it’s extremely necessary, like during a mission or for occasions like tonight’s.
When it comes to taste in clothes, Xiao Lin isn’t really skilled, but luckily there are two skilled women here, Wei Lingling and Chen Xiaohui. The two women help Xiao Lin pick out clothes with quite an eye for fashion.
However, the biggest difference between men and women shopping for clothes is that women pursue perfection, while men just settle for what looks decent. When the two women picked out the first outfit, Xiao Lin felt it was quite nice and thought it would do.
"It’s a bit off, feels a bit too petty!" Wei Lingling frowned.
"Hmm, it would be fine for regular office wear, but for an engagement outfit, it seems too small-minded, making people who know better laugh!" Chen Xiaohui nodded, critiquing Xiao Lin. With his tall, handsome appearance, she felt the outfit didn’t match his looks and vibe.
At this moment, Secretary Luo very straightforwardly sat on the sofa, picked up a newspaper, and started to read it. There was also a pot of good tea beside him that he savored while reading, seemingly understanding women’s habits and preparing for a long battle.
One suit, two suits, three suits...
Xiao Lin felt he was going crazy, truly crazy. Before this, Xiao Lin’s clothing was always simple and casual, as long as he liked it, it was fine. But now with Wei Lingling and Chen Xiaohui picking clothes, everything he thought looked good, these two women could always point out the flaws, making him have to believe them.
Xiao Lin started to doubt his own aesthetic sense.
Every time Xiao Lin wanted to speak up, he was defeated by the two women’s professional critiques, as if all opinions without theirs were wrong. Endure, Xiao Lin could only endure, mechanically changing outfits and walking the runway. At this moment, Xiao Lin had almost become a professional model... or rather, a model for Wei Lingling and Chen Xiaohui.
Wei Lingling and Chen Xiaohui didn’t seem to notice Xiao Lin’s suffering, they were quite excited to have found each other. How come they didn’t realize their tastes were so similar before?
"Last three outfits, the last three outfits. If you two aren’t satisfied, I’ll just grab one and leave!" Xiao Lin finally couldn’t bear it anymore. Seeing their pace, he estimated they’d keep going until the banquet started. An hour and a half had already passed without finding a single outfit worth considering, not even a backup option.
"Uh..." Chen Xiaohui and Wei Lingling exchanged glances. It wasn’t until Xiao Lin lost his temper that they remembered this young man’s status. Chen Xiaohui might not be so clear, but Wei Lingling definitely was. Someone who can have her fiancé accompany her to choose an engagement outfit couldn’t possibly have an ordinary status.
But it was Chen Xiaohui who had the courage to righteously say, "Mr. Xiao, today is your big engagement day. Your fiancée wouldn’t want you to dress too casually, right?"
"Alright, I surrender!" As soon as Chen Xiaohui mentioned Xia Xue, Xiao Lin quickly surrendered. He must not embarrass Xia Xue.
Seeing Xiao Lin helplessly continue into the fitting room, Chen Xiaohui and Wei Lingling were quite envious of his fiancée. Although they didn’t know her, with someone of Xiao Lin’s status, just mentioning her, he would endure some miserable things for his woman. Having a man like this is really nice.
Wei Lingling looked at Secretary Luo and coquettishly said, "Look at Young Master Lin, I really envy Xia Xue!"
Secretary Luo had already finished reading three newspapers and two pots of tea. Hearing Wei Lingling’s complaint, he could only smile bitterly without saying anything, making Chen Xiaohui beside him very envious. She didn’t know Xiao Lin’s identity, but she knew Secretary Luo’s identity well. He was the spokesperson for the Hua Family, and every action represented the Hua Family. She never thought that such a powerful figure would treat his woman so well. Why didn’t she have such luck?
"Miss Wei, don’t blame Secretary Luo. You’re making it hard for me!" Chen Xiaohui said with a giggle, then continued, "Miss Wei, I’m afraid the clothes here don’t suit Mr. Xiao. Why don’t we go to the inside room to pick a few sets?"
Wei Lingling didn’t speak because she knew what Chen Xiaohui meant by the inside room. The clothes there were much more expensive than these outside, even world-class designers had custom pieces there. Although Secretary Luo had a high status and represented the Hua Family, the clothes in there, costing tens of thousands or even millions, weren’t something Secretary Luo could currently afford.
Secretary Luo nodded lightly and said, "Since there are no clothes here that suit Young Master Lin, let’s go inside to choose!" Secretary Luo knew there were clothes in the inside room, but he knew Xiao Lin wasn’t the kind of young master who blindly pursued expensive things. Picking clothes that were too expensive might cause Xiao Lin to have thoughts, but now that Chen Xiaohui suggested it, there weren’t so many concerns.
The clothes inside indeed looked much better compared to those outside. It’s not that the clothes outside were bad, but they were somewhat generic and not designed to suit a particular person’s aura. However, the clothes inside were very targeted. Xiao Lin tried on three sets, each looking better than the last, and they complemented his handsome appearance perfectly.
"Is this tailcoat okay?" Xiao Lin looked at the tailcoat he was wearing and realized that he wasn’t really inferior to Hua Qingyi, especially with that noble aura. This outfit seemed tailor-made for him.
"Perfect, let’s go with this one!" Xiao Hui’s eyes lit up when she saw Xiao Lin come out. Having been in this industry for a long time, she’d seen many people wear this tailcoat, but no one had looked as noble and elegant as Xiao Lin.
"Secretary Luo also wore this outfit, but it didn’t show off its nobility," Wei Lingling sincerely praised, "Only when it’s on Young Master Lin does it truly shine!"
"Then it’s settled, how much is it?" Xiao Lin finally felt relieved, no longer needing to suffer.
"With the discount from Secretary Luo, it’s a total of 1.18 million," Xiao Hui politely said.
"Alright, can I swipe my card here?" Xiao Lin wasn’t surprised and took out a Purple Gold Card from Huaxia Bank from his pocket, handing it to Xiao Hui. "Thank you!" No matter what, Xiao Hui had earnestly helped him choose an outfit. Although it was tormenting for him, a thank you was necessary.
Secretary Luo had thought of helping Xiao Lin pay. Although the outfit was a bit expensive, it was still within his budget. However, he didn’t expect Xiao Lin to be so straightforward in settling the bill himself. If he insisted on paying now, it would seem contrived. Knowing Xiao Lin’s personality, he would surely dislike it, so Secretary Luo refrained from insisting.
This outfit, although costly, was complete with all the accessories, eliminating the need to buy shoes, shirts, belts, etc. After paying, the three of them left directly.
Secretary Luo checked the time, it was almost five o’clock. In about an hour, they could head to the Xia Family. Smiling, he asked Xiao Lin, "Young Master Lin, shall we go together?"
"I have a few things to take care of, might be a bit late. You go ahead. Oh, and take this outfit for me. I don’t want to draw everyone’s attention when I arrive; there’s still quite a scene to watch!" Xiao Lin chuckled as he said this.
"Alright, see you then!" Secretary Luo didn’t ask what else Xiao Lin had to do and merely nodded in response.
Secretary Luo and Wei Lingling left on their own, while Xiao Lin turned back towards Yan University First Hospital to check on Niu Niu’s mom. By now, the bruising on her body had mostly subsided, her previously pale face had gained some color, and her aged skin appeared a bit more radiant; she looked much better than when he first saw her.
Xiao Lin didn’t waste words and directly took out the Silver Needle to begin treatment. This time, it went more smoothly than two days ago, but still showed little improvement. However, Xiao Lin was not discouraged.
The Xia Family Villa was located in the outskirts of the eastern part of the city atop a small hill. Although it was just past six in the evening and the sun hadn’t set yet, many people had already arrived to offer their congratulations. Some of the younger generation from the Xia Family were standing at the villa entrance to greet guests, each sporting a beaming smile.
"After tonight, our Xia Family will be considered among the top-tier families in Yanjing now that Xia Xue has agreed to the engagement with Fatty Wang from the Wang Family!" A Xia family member, appearing to be in his thirties, expressed his delight.
"It might not be Fatty Wang from the Wang Family; I actually think Qu Haobo from the Qu Family would be better!" Another younger female from the Xia Family sympathized with Xia Xue. To most girls, marrying Fatty Wang was not as appealing as marrying Qu Haobo. No matter what, Qu Haobo was at least handsome, and his family background wasn’t inferior to the Wang Family’s. The Wang Family merely had the local advantage.
Regardless of whether it was Qu Haobo or Fatty Wang, as long as Xia Xue agreed to marry either, it would bring endless benefits to the Xia Family, without considering Xia Xue’s own feelings.
Initially arriving were business partners who relied on the Xia Family for their livelihood. After six-thirty, a key figure arrived: Li Chunsheng, the chairman of the Earth King Mansion Group. Although Li Chunsheng didn’t have the influence of the Xia Family, the Earth King Mansion Group was under his complete control, making him a prominent figure in Yanjing. Upon learning of Li Chunsheng’s arrival, Xia Yusheng personally came out from the villa to greet him.
After Xia Yusheng and Li Chunsheng went inside, a silver-colored QQ car appeared in front of the Xia Family Villa, causing a surprise to the Xia Family members at the entrance. Who could this be? It was known that guests coming to congratulate the Xia Family wouldn’t show up in a car worth less than a million. On the vacant grounds beside the villa, only luxury cars worth over a million were parked; a typical commuter vehicle like this was a rarity. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian () to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)