Chapter 43: Is This Fabric Made of Gold?

H City commercial center, Star Crown high-end fashion flagship store.

The decor here was so luxurious it left people speechless. Crystal chandeliers refracted dazzling light, and the air was thick with the fragrant scent of money.

“How about this one? This pink lace one is super cute! It’s a limited edition for this season!”

“And this! An improved maid outfit. It has a 100% critical hit rate against otaku guys!”

Amber Flowing Light darted excitedly between the clothing racks like a mouse that had fallen into a rice bin. 

She grabbed a pile of flashy, skimpy outfits and kept holding them up against Fei Xia.

Fei Xia stood there with a blank expression, her eyes dead.

He looked at all the frilly, cut-out, strap-heavy girls’ clothes around her and felt as if countless ants were crawling all over his body. 

Every hair on his skin was screaming in protest.

Kill me now…

“No…”

Fei Xia was about to firmly refuse when her gaze suddenly stopped on a garment hanging in the corner of the store.

It was a deep gray hooded cloak.

No ridiculous lace or frills, with clean, sharp tailoring. 

The fabric had a matte finish. 

It felt thick and smooth to the touch—not only windproof and waterproof, but most importantly…

It was large enough and substantial enough to completely conceal one’s figure.

To be honest, she was tempted.

Fei Xia’s eyes lit up. She reached out and flipped over the price tag.

—Shadow Walker · Night Patrol Series

—Material: High-density nano bulletproof fiber

—Price: 12,800 yuan.

“Hiss…”

Fei Xia sucked in a sharp breath, her vision going dark for a moment.

Twelve thousand eight hundred?!

Was this fabric woven from gold? 

Or had they misplaced the decimal point on the tag?

She had nearly died running this escort mission to H City and barely earned twenty thousand. 

This single piece of clothing would devour more than half of it?

“What’s wrong? You like this one?”

Amber Flowing Light came over, glanced at the price that would scare off most people, and didn’t even frown.

She waved her hand grandly and patted her nonexistent chest with heroic flair.

“If Little Red Bean likes it, then take it! This one’s on me! Consider it a welcome gift for my junior!”

“No.”

Fei Xia instinctively let go and took a step back, her tone stiff and resolute.

“It’s too expensive. I can’t accept it.”

Although she really did like it, this kind of charitable gift made her feel deeply uneasy.

“Aiya, don’t be so rigid!”

Amber Flowing Light looked at her with disappointment, as if she had failed to meet expectations.

Seeing the large tear in Fei Xia’s old cloak that was still letting in drafts, she didn’t waste another word. She yanked the new cloak off the rack, along with the pile of weird clothes she had picked earlier, and shoved the whole bundle into Fei Xia’s arms.

“I didn’t say you had to buy it! Just try it on, okay? What if it doesn’t fit? Trying it on is free!”

Without waiting for a response, Amber pushed Fei Xia from behind toward the fitting rooms.

“Go on, go on! Senior Qinghai is still picking out gifts for the kids over there. Don’t dawdle!”

“Hey! Stop pushing! I can walk by myself!”

Fei Xia hugged the pile of clothes and was reluctantly shoved into a narrow fitting room.

She was just about to close the door.

A hand suddenly blocked the gap.

Amber Flowing Light poked half her head inside. Those orange eyes sparkled with a dangerous light called “curiosity” and “anticipation,” her gaze shamelessly roaming over Fei Xia.

“Hehe, Little Red Bean, do you need help? The buttons on these high-end pieces are pretty complicated, you know~”

“And… I’m really curious what color underwear someone as conservative as you is wearing underneath…”

Bang!

Fei Xia’s face darkened. She mercilessly shoved her out and slammed the door shut, even locking it twice for good measure.

“Get lost!”

“Uu… So stingy!”

Amber Flowing Light’s dissatisfied grumbling came from outside the door.

“We’re all girls here. What’s there to be shy about! Back in the dorm we used to change clothes in front of each other all the time!”

Inside the fitting room.

Who the hell is “all girls” with you!

Fei Xia leaned her back against the door, a vein throbbing at her temple.

She took a deep breath to calm herself, then looked down at the expensive cloak in her arms with a complicated expression.

After hesitating for a moment, she still took off her tattered old garment.

Just trying it on once… should be fine, right?

***

At the same time, at the store’s front counter.

“Xiao Li, my shift is over. The person in the VIP fitting room at the back is…”

The morning-shift clerk was untying her apron, pointing toward the fitting rooms as if wanting to say a few words of warning.

“I know, I know! So naggy. Hurry up and leave already!”

The heavily made-up clerk taking over waved her hand impatiently, cutting her colleague off.

Her attention had already been completely captured by two figures in the rest area.

It was the hottest idol in the T District—Qinghai Starlight—and the currently trending newcomer, Amber Flowing Light!

Oh my god! Big stars! Walking ATMs have arrived!

The made-up clerk’s heart pounded wildly as she began mentally calculating how much commission this sale would bring her.

As for what her morning-shift colleague had been trying to say? Who cared? 

It was probably just some poor student who was only trying things on without buying anything.

She quickly touched up her makeup, plastered on her most flattering and professional fake smile, and hurried over.

“Oh my! Miss Qinghai, Miss Amber! Welcome! I’m the store’s top sales associate…”

Qinghai Starlight was looking down at a hair clip she was picking for her little sister. 

She gave a polite smile but didn’t say much.

Meanwhile, Amber Flowing Light had already wandered off to the other side of the store, drawn by some sparkling jewelry.

Seeing this, the clerk started thinking about how to close the sale. 

But from the corner of her eye, she noticed…

The door to the most luxurious VIP fitting room was closed.

Yet from underneath the door, a pair of dirty white leg coverings and a pair of old-fashioned Mary Jane shoes—scuffed and even starting to come unglued—were visible.

The clerk’s brows furrowed instantly, disgust practically overflowing from her eyes.

Where did this broke ghost crawl in from? Hogging the VIP room?

In her eyes, this was definitely some random person who came in just to enjoy the air conditioning, or one of those vain girls who only tried things on, took selfies for half an hour in the fitting room, and posted them on social media without buying anything.

She had seen plenty of this type.

Suddenly, a clever idea struck her.

If she showed the VIP guests how efficient she was by clearing out this person who was occupying the room without buying anything… they would definitely look at her with new respect, right?

With that thought, although the smile remained on her face, her eyes had turned cold.

Thus, she strode over in her high heels with an aggressive aura straight to the fitting room where Fei Xia was.

She neither asked Qinghai and Amber nor confirmed who was inside.

She only believed what she saw—the owner of those worn-out shoes definitely couldn’t afford even a single button in this store.

Knock— Knock— Knock—

She raised her hand and rapped hard on the door, loud enough for Qinghai in the distance to hear.

“Hey! Customer inside!”

The clerk’s voice was sharp and mean, dripping with condescending superiority.

“Have you finished trying it on yet? This cloak is made of very delicate imported fabric. Don’t dirty it.”

“There are other VIPs waiting. If you can’t afford it, stop hogging the fitting room, okay?”