Chapter 187: Shopping

Early the next morning, Lingyun was dragged out of bed by Chen Jing. When he walked out of the bedroom, the others were already up, and Busujima Saeko and Asuna were preparing breakfast in the kitchen.

"I say, it's just a shopping trip, is there any need to be this excited, dragging me up so early!" Lingyun stretched and spoke.

"This is different, you know. We used to go shopping by ourselves, but now we've added you to the mix; that's more important than anything!" Chen Jing said.

The others nodded as well, leaving Lingyun speechless. Why did adding him make it so important?

After finishing breakfast, the group set off in a grand procession toward the commercial street. Along the way, many people were staring at Lingyun's group; after all, the number of beauties in Lingyun's party was truly astonishing. As for Lingyun, who was in the midst of the beauties, he was the target of envy, jealousy, and hatred from a group of men.

Monopolizing so many beautiful resources would surely invite Heavenly Punishment. Many men muttered this in their hearts.

Upon reaching the entrance of the commercial street, Luo Yexi smiled and hooked her arm through Lingyun's, saying to the others, "For now, I'm borrowing Lingyun!"

Luo Yexi and the other women nodded at her, then dispersed, heading toward the shops that interested them.

For some reason, Lingyun always felt that Chen Jing and Luo Yexi had reached some kind of agreement just now, which was why Chen Jing could take Lingyun away so easily.

"It's very rude to let your mind wander while shopping with a beauty, you know!" Chen Jing, who was by his side, suddenly spoke up.

"Uh..." Lingyun felt a bit ashamed. When did Chen Jing acquire the ability to read minds?

"We're here!" Just as Lingyun's thoughts were drifting, Chen Jing suddenly spoke in his ear.

Lingyun looked up and realized that, without him noticing, they had already arrived in front of a men's clothing boutique.

"Let's go, maybe she's already waiting for us!" Chen Jing pulled Lingyun into the shop.

"Hello, welcome." A sales clerk saw the two of them enter and immediately came over to greet them politely, showing no disdain despite the fact that both Lingyun and Chen Jing were wearing quite inexpensive clothes.

Chen Jing glanced at the clerk, then looked toward the counter: "Is your boss in?"

"This..." The clerk looked troubled. The owner of this shop had a somewhat eccentric temper and didn't like meeting customers. Since Chen Jing asked to see their boss the moment she opened her mouth, the clerk couldn't help but feel put on the spot.

"Little Yu, the boss just called and told you to bring these two upstairs to see her." Just as the clerk was caught in a dilemma, a voice sounded from the direction of the counter.

"Please follow me!" Upon hearing this, the clerk breathed a sigh of relief and led Lingyun and Chen Jing toward the stairs.

After bringing the two to a door, the clerk said, "Our boss is inside. You can go in yourselves; I'll be going now."

After the clerk left, Chen Jing took Lingyun and pushed the door open to enter: "Auntie Chen, I've come to see you!"

After Lingyun walked into the room, his first impression was that it was incredibly messy. The room was filled with all sorts of papers, beverage bottles, and fast-food containers; even clothes were strewn everywhere. At a desk in the room, a middle-aged woman was hunched over, writing and drawing on a piece of paper.

"Auntie Chen, you forgot to tidy up the room again!" Chen Jing sighed helplessly and began to clean up. Seeing how familiar she was with the process, it was clearly not the first time she had done this.

"I had some inspiration recently, so I was in a hurry to record it!" The middle-aged woman writing and drawing looked up and said to Chen Jing with some embarrassment.

Regarding the middle-aged woman's words, Chen Jing shook her head helplessly: "Auntie, why don't you find someone to help you clean up?"

"There's no way. You know about the things that happened to me before; there are always some greedy people who do bottomless things for their own benefit. After seeing enough of that, I just don't have the heart for it anymore." The middle-aged woman sighed slightly, then her gaze fell on Lingyun. "Oh? Is this the Lingyun you told me about? He really is a talent; no wonder you came in person to ask me to design an outfit for him!"

"Hehe, of course!" Chen Jing said with a smile. "Lingyun, let me introduce you. This is Chen Rui, an elder I've gotten to know. Auntie Chen is a world-renowned fashion designer, you know! Her clothing design sketches are hard to come by in the entire international community!"

"Nice to meet you, Auntie Chen!" Lingyun greeted Chen Rui.

"Hello." Chen Rui smiled and nodded, then kept looking Lingyun up and down, making him feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Alright, Auntie, don't keep staring at Lingyun. What about the clothes I asked you to make for me?" Chen Jing finished cleaning the room and, seeing Chen Rui still scrutinizing Lingyun with unknown glints flashing in her eyes, spoke up immediately.

"Chen Jing, I have a few things I'd like to discuss with you!" Upon hearing Chen Jing's voice, Chen Rui suddenly turned her gaze toward her.

"Um, what is it?" Chen Jing felt a bit embarrassed under Chen Rui's gaze.

"I want Lingyun to be my model. What do you think?" Chen Rui stated her purpose.

"A model?" Chen Jing said, quite surprised.

"That's right, a model. You might not have noticed, but Lingyun's physique and appearance are top-tier for a male model. With a period of training, he could definitely become a new star in the modeling world!" Chen Rui's eyes were shining.

Chen Jing looked at Lingyun, then imagined him wearing the clothes designed by Chen Rui, and little stars couldn't help but flash in her eyes. But she quickly shook her head; Lingyun's excellence was still unknown to others, and if he became a male model, who knew how many people would set their sights on him.

"No, I don't agree!" Chen Jing immediately expressed her opposition.

"Oh my, Xiaojing, whether he becomes a male model isn't up to you, but up to this young man!" Chen Rui chuckled, then turned to Lingyun, "Young man, if you become a male model, I can make you my exclusive model. My team will also go all out to make you one of the most famous models in the world in the shortest possible time. How about it? Such good conditions, don't you want to try?"

Lingyun looked at Chen Rui, who was extending an olive branch, and shook his head with a smile: "Sorry, I'm still a university student. My studies are the most important thing, and I don't have such thoughts for the time being."

Hearing Lingyun's words, a trace of disappointment appeared in Chen Rui's eyes. She then took a business card from her drawer and handed it to Lingyun: "Young man, I really think highly of your potential. If you ever do walk down the path of a model, there will definitely be a place for you in the international modeling world in the future. This is my business card. If you ever change your mind, you can use this card to find me. I will always welcome you!"

Lingyun took the business card and nodded: "I will consider it!"

"Auntie, where are the clothes I wanted?" Chen Jing asked.

"Right here!" Chen Rui took a box out of a cabinet.

Chen Jing took the box and handed it to Lingyun: "Go try them on quickly."

Lingyun smiled at Chen Jing and took the clothes into the fitting room.

Before long, Lingyun came out after changing. When she saw Lingyun's appearance, a gleam of light couldn't help but flash in Chen Jing's eyes.

Lingyun, wearing these clothes, gave off the feeling of an elegant aristocrat. If Chen Jing hadn't known Lingyun for a long time, she might have truly thought he was an heir who had received a fine aristocratic education from some ancient family.

Chen Rui looked at Lingyun and was also momentarily stunned. She had originally worried that Lingyun wouldn't be able to display the essence of the outfit himself. But seeing him now, her worries were unfounded; Lingyun had displayed the aristocratic temperament contained within the clothes to the fullest, as if the outfit had been tailor-made for him.

"Lingyun, I believe it now. You are naturally cut out for this path. Please don't waste your excellent talent..." Chen Rui spoke again.

"Lingyun, we've got the clothes, let's go join the others first!" Chen Jing quickly interrupted Chen Rui.

After Lingyun changed out of the clothes, she pulled him and ran straight out of the room: "Auntie Chen, thanks for the clothes. I'll come see you again next time."

Watching the door close, Chen Rui chuckled: "To think that this little Princess has actually found someone she likes. If this news gets back, I'm afraid it will make those old fogies drop their jaws!"