Under the increasingly strange and vigilant gazes of the surrounding customers, Wuming felt like holes were about to be stared into his back.
When he came back to his senses, his hands were already laden with bags of clothes that Serena had bought.
Wuming’s heart was bleeding.
This, this money…
This was all the funds he had planned to spend on the game—!
A full two 648s had just flown away like that!
My new character, my limited skin… all down the drain!
Wuming was practically on the verge of tears.
He never imagined that a simple clothes-shopping trip would turn into a massive wallet hemorrhage, draining even his capital for next month’s “refreshing recharge” in the game.
In stark contrast to him was Serena beside him, beaming with joy and practically floating as she walked.
“I finally have new clothes to wear!!!”
She exclaimed contentedly, her voice crisp and loud, instantly dropping another shock bomb into the already eerily silent store!
Hiss—
Wuming seemed to hear countless gasps of cold air being sucked in.
Those gazes instantly upgraded from vigilant to substantive “scum elimination” signals!
If they didn’t leave now, the police would soon come knocking to check the meter!
Before the onlookers could turn into a riot, Wuming reflexively grabbed the still giggling Serena and fled the clothing store in a panic.
“Hey! Don’t just walk by yourself,” Wuming protested, panting heavily once they reached a spot outside with lighter foot traffic.
“I’ve got so many bags; are you just going to let me carry them all alone?”
“You have to help share the load!”
Without waiting for a response, he quickly shoved two heavy bags of clothes into Serena’s arms, forcibly assigning her some “manual labor.”
The two of them carried the newly bought clothes and took the elevator to the next floor down.
“What now, Wuming?”
“Shouldn’t we head home?”
“No rush,” Wuming’s expression suddenly turned as reverent as a pilgrim’s.
“There’s one more thing I absolutely have to check out.”
He hadn’t forgotten the other purpose of this trip!
“—?”
Serena followed him with a puzzled look on her face, and soon they arrived at the place Wuming wanted to go.
It was the Model Paradise flagship store!
In the store’s glass display cases, various beautifully painted, impressively proportioned models and figurines were arranged on the stands, holding Wuming’s gaze for a long time.
“This is it!”
Wuming instantly perked up like he’d been injected with adrenaline, sweeping away his earlier dejection and replacing it with a pilgrim-like devotion!
Counting the days, he hadn’t been here much this month.
“A model store?”
Serena looked at the shop, her tone slightly bewildered.
She wasn’t very familiar with figurines and models; only Wuming understood these things.
That did fit Wuming…
Serena glanced at the still excited Wuming beside her.
“Come on, Serena, let’s go in and browse.”
“…Okay.”
Even though she didn’t understand, Serena wouldn’t refuse to go with him because of that.
She followed Wuming into this model store that was unfamiliar territory for her.
“Wow! There’s a new series of wargame models!”
“Brand new unit types… and Titan Knights!!!”
“By the yellow weasel above!!!”
Wuming’s eyes shone as he spouted words Serena couldn’t understand at all, his gaze sweeping over every soldier model.
He already had this series of soldiers in his room, but he hadn’t bought the Titan Knight series yet; he should get a few to display in his room.
He didn’t even dare imagine what it would be like if these Ascarts came to life in reality.
With the current combat power of humans and demons, this place would probably turn into Terra in a few days.
And he would be the God-Emperor!!!
So, those soldiers at home—Wuming wasn’t planning to activate them unless it was the last resort; it was much better to keep them on display.
“Oh oh oh! The new Ming Chao figurine is in stock! My little Kati, I have to buy one to take home and enshrine!”
“Hm? Even Iron’s ‘Great White Tower’ has a figurine now? The craftsmanship looks amazing! Full marks for collectible value!”
Wuming browsed excitedly, wishing he could buy all the figurines and models to take home.
In that grand universe, he would practically be the “Figurine King” himself!
“Uh… Wuming?”
Serena, who had been following him, suddenly tugged gently at his sleeve, with a bit of curiosity and hesitation.
Her gaze was firmly drawn to a distinctly different section not far away, where the sign read “COS Costume Area”!
“Why… do they sell clothes here too?”
“And they look so special…”
Serena muttered softly, prompting Wuming to follow her line of sight.
“Oh, the COS costume display, yeah, there’s a section for that.”
This mall often hosted COS events, so it made sense to have this area.
He remembered his mom used to drag him here to watch the fun when she was still around… it had been a long time since he’d set foot here.
“COS costumes… what are those?”
Serena was clearly unfamiliar with the term.
“Simply put, it’s cosplay,” Wuming explained.
“You wear specific clothes and props to dress up as your favorite characters from anime, games, or movies.”
“How about it, Serena? Want to go in and broaden your horizons?”
Wuming shifted the topic; since Serena didn’t know, he should take her to see and expand her knowledge!
“But… we’ve already got so many new clothes in our hands…” Serena looked puzzled as she hefted the heavy shopping bags in her hands.
“Hey, we’re just going in to look! Browsing doesn’t cost money!” Wuming said righteously.
“Isn’t it good to gain some experience?”
He himself couldn’t suppress his curiosity and wanted to see what new styles were popular now.
Seeing Wuming’s enthusiastic expression, Serena couldn’t help but nod.
“Okay… I am a bit curious.”
The two hit it off and stepped into that “other world.”
As soon as they entered, Serena was stunned by the sight before her, her little mouth slightly agape!
“If I had to… wear this every day…”
The clothes here were ten times more gorgeous and exaggerated than those in the fashion stores outside! Lace, ribbons, armor pieces, intricate hair accessories, huge wings… a dazzling array that left her eyes spinning.
Wearing this every day would tire her half to death?!
“I told you, these are COS costumes for specific occasions; who would wear them 365 days a year!?”
Wuming was amused by her naive thought.
Suddenly, Serena’s gaze was firmly captured by the outfits on a few mannequins, and she revealed a deeply shocked expression.
“Th-these outfits—”
That revealing design, and those absolute territories! It made Serena’s face turn as red as an apple in an instant, flushing from her cheeks all the way to her ear tips.
“Do they… really wear this out?”
She turned to Wuming in disbelief; would people really go out dressed like that!?
“Of course they do, otherwise why display them here?”
“Th-then… that one too…”
Then Wuming followed Serena’s line of sight—
That iconic blue-and-black color scheme, the bodysuit, the elegant and sexy qipao design, with a thigh slit that carried a hint of seductive charm…
Each one hit right at the core of Wuming’s XP system!
It was the COS costume of his favorite character!!!
He even had a exquisite figurine of her treasured in his room!
This former “popularity king,” her charm hadn’t diminished in the slightest even now!
Though Fufu was more popular these days, in his heart, there was only her!
Wuming stared at that elaborate COS costume, unable to help fantasizing.
Oh no…
Suddenly, he really wanted… really wanted…
It had been a while since he’d done “that.”
Maybe… while Serena was asleep… he could experience heavenly bliss?!
He still had lubricant and everything…
Originally, Wuming hadn’t thought this way, but after his eyes landed on that outfit, his mind was filled only with pure desire for the character!
“Wuming?”
Serena’s voice pulled the dazed Wuming, who had been staring at the COS costume, back to reality.
“What are you thinking about? You’re totally spaced out.”
She tilted her head, looking at him curiously—what was he thinking about so intently?
“N-nothing!”
Wuming hurriedly shifted his gaze away from that highly impactful COS costume.
Crap, almost exposed! This little ancestor’s eyes are sharp… better wait until she’s asleep.
Though Wuming had averted his gaze from the COS costume, Serena’s eyes remained fixed on it.
She bit her lower lip thoughtfully, silent for a few seconds before suddenly speaking.
“…Hey, Wuming.”
Wuming’s heart skipped a beat, a bad premonition rising.
“Do you… want to see me wear this outfit for you?”
Her gaze fixed on Wuming, as if she could see right through what he was thinking.
Pfft—!
Wuming nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.
Wh-what do you mean, wear it for me?!
With your little frame?! With your paper-thin body, where do you get the nerve to compare to her?!
Wuming’s eyes involuntarily drifted to the scant curve at her chest.
…Cough!
This getup is standard onee-san template! Your hardware specs are off by more than a little, okay?! Daring to imitate!?
Even so, an image of Serena wearing it flashed through Wuming’s mind.
A mini version… a childish face paired with a sexy outfit…
Loli lewd? Borderline feel?
It seemed… oddly appealing?
Maybe it wasn’t… completely impossible?
“Of—course!!”
Serena’s face instantly puffed up in anger as she declared loudly, “Wuming, you big! Per! Vert! You really do want me to wear this kind of outfit, don’t you!”
Those words scared Wuming so much he almost covered her mouth!
You can’t just shout that here! If anyone around hears, it’s over!
Fortunately, it was just the two of them right now.
“Wh-who wants that?! Don’t slander me!”
Wuming denied it vehemently; he absolutely didn’t mean that!
“I’m just objectively evaluating, understand?! You… your figure just can’t hold up this type of outfit! Got it!?”
He deliberately emphasized “can’t hold up,” thinking Serena didn’t match this outfit at all; she shouldn’t have such ideas.
In front of her, you could only count as a loli.
“Ha—?!!” Serena reacted like her tail had been stepped on, instantly exploding!
Wuming’s “objective evaluation” was no less than precisely detonating a bomb in her minefield!
What do you mean “can’t hold up”? What do you mean “can’t handle it”? This was blatantly mocking her figure, wasn’t it?!
She, a (self-proclaimed charming) girl, being questioned like this?!
“What do you mean, Wuming!” Serena’s little face flushed red as she put her hands on her hips and glared at him!
“What do you mean I’m not suitable to wear it? What do you mean I can’t handle it? Explain yourself!”
“Literally what it says!”
Seeing her truly explode, Wuming regretted his quick mouth but hardened his resolve and continued, “This outfit’s design style just isn’t tailored for… um… your body type, understand? It won’t look good on you!”
He put on an innocent expression of “I’m saying this for your own good, just telling the truth,” unaware that this was only adding fuel to the fire.
“It’s just an outfit!!”
Serena declared explosively, “It’s not armor! It’s not shackles! Why say I’m not suitable?! Why say I can’t handle it?! You’re just picking a fight!”
“But the fact is, it is.”
Wuming nodded affirmatively.
“Ugh—I’m so mad!”
Serena stomped her foot, then pointed at the COS outfit and said, “I’m going to change into it right now and show you! Just wait!”
“Calm down, missy.”
Wuming sighed, then reached for the price tag on the outfit.
“Look closely: 999 yuan, no try-ons allowed.”
“So don’t think about proving anything; if I say it’s not suitable, it’s not suitable. Trust me on this.”
“Ugh…”
Serena couldn’t swallow this insult; she really wanted to prove it to Wuming, but his words made it clear he wouldn’t buy it.
With that money, he could buy several figurines, and he already had some at home.
In the end, Wuming led the dissatisfied Serena out of the COS area, bought a few figurines, and then left the store.
That was a satisfying purchase.
But life ahead would be tight.
Over a thousand, that was a big splurge.
Thinking about the money for these figurines, Wuming’s heart was bleeding; it felt wrong to go back empty-handed otherwise.
But it was all worth it!
Wuming consoled himself in his mind.
“You said that outfit was too expensive to buy.”
“But after buying these, it exceeds the cost of that outfit.”
Serena grumbled discontentedly; Wuming was clearly not giving her a chance to prove herself!
“My dear missy, these figurines could be lifesavers later; they’re way better than that outfit by who knows how much.”
“So stop dwelling on it.”
Next time, for sure, next time.
“Hmph…”
Then, Wuming and Serena, hands full of stuff, left the mall together.