A Blue Enchantress outfit on his body, golden Chelsea boots on his feet, flamboyant red hair covering his eyes, black lipstick lending him an air of nobility, and foundation whiter than a corpse.
Thanks to Stella and Lingwind's efforts, Zane's brand-new look was finally complete.
Standing before the mirror, Zane swore that not even his own parents would recognize him.
"Are you... sure... Lily Zhao... will like me... dressed like this?" Zane mechanically turned his head toward Stella, speaking one word at a time.
"I'm sure!" Stella nodded, her pretty face perfectly serious.
She was afraid she would burst out laughing if she let her expression slip.
"I'm sure too!" Lingwind gave him a thumbs-up, staring at him in amazement. "You look so handsome!"
"Hmm..." Zane rubbed his chin, his gaze shifting between Stella and Lingwind.
He genuinely could not tell whether they were being sincere.
Still, this outfit was certainly nothing like his previous youthful style. If he had to describe it, his current appearance conveyed an uninhibited sense of freedom and absolute confidence, as though he feared no one's judgment.
The more he thought about it, the more convincing it seemed.
Zane had never pursued a woman before, but even he could tell that his current presence set him apart from ordinary people.
People often said that presence was extremely important. No matter how handsome someone was, without a distinctive presence, they could easily be forgotten. But if someone had enough presence, they would stand out in any crowd even without exceptional looks.
Of one thing, Zane was now certain.
He was unforgettable.
"Something still feels a little off."
Stella frowned as she examined Zane's outfit.
Her gaze eventually settled on his blue dress pants.
They had been purchased as part of the Blue Enchantress outfit, but they did not quite capture the right vibe.
After a moment of thought, Stella pulled a pair of brown ripped skinny pants from the pile on the floor. She held them up before Zane like a prized treasure and smiled.
"Here~ Put these on, and your transformation will be complete."
Zane took the pants and returned to his room to change, still only half convinced.
...
"Great King, you're amazing!" Lingwind gave Stella a thumbs-up.
It was brilliant.
They had sabotaged Zane's date without shedding a drop of blood.
There was no chance Zane and Lily Zhao would get anywhere if he went out dressed like that.
Stella chuckled, certain of victory.
"Of course. Do you have any idea who the Pineapple King is?"
...
A while later, Zane emerged from his room wearing the ripped skinny pants.
The strange aura surrounding him immediately reached its peak.
"These pants are... a little tight around the crotch..." Zane took two awkward steps and scratched his head. "And they make me look like a beggar. What's the point of putting all these holes in them? Wouldn't your legs get freezing cold whenever the wind blows on a rainy day?"
"What do you know? It's all about the vibe!"
Stella stared at Zane's current appearance.
She could no longer even remember what he had looked like before. Zane in ripped skinny pants was simply too overwhelming.
Beside her, the corner of Lingwind's mouth twitched.
She had not thought the outfit looked particularly outrageous before.
But now, with the addition of the ripped skinny pants, she finally felt a genuine sense of distance between herself and Zane. More specifically, she suddenly wanted to keep her distance from him.
She had always adored Zane's world-weary, handsome older-man look, but that feeling had now vanished completely.
It was like watching your favorite heartthrob enter a barbershop, only for an ordinary stranger to walk out.
"Do I really have presence like this?"
"You really do!" Stella and Lingwind nodded vigorously.
Under their relentless praise, Zane could not help feeling pleased with himself.
He might be getting older, but he clearly still had plenty of charm.
"I'll wear this when I meet Lily today!" he declared.
He picked up the bouquet of roses from the floor and headed for the door.
Before he could take more than two steps, however, Stella stopped him.
"Flowers are so ordinary. Give her this instead!"
She produced a gigantic ring with a "diamond" the size of a fist.
"Holy crap!" Zane stared at it in shock. "I-isn't this far too expensive? Wait... that doesn't look like a diamond."
On closer inspection, it appeared to be crystal.
Or perhaps it was not even crystal, merely a chunk of glass.
"It definitely isn't a diamond," Stella admitted with a nod. "But that doesn't matter. It represents your feelings. You may not be able to afford a diamond this large right now, but someday you want to give her one just like it. This fake diamond is a symbol of that promise. Imagine the day you replace it with a real one. What woman wouldn't be moved?"
"Whoa! You know, that actually makes sense!" Zane tossed the flowers aside and accepted the ring, his face filled with gratitude. "Women really do understand other women best. Don't worry. Tonight's date is guaranteed to be a success!"
Stella clenched her fist and nodded solemnly.
"Good luck!"
Lingwind raised both hands enthusiastically.
"Good luck!! ヾ(◍°∇°◍)ﾉﾞ"
...
Under Stella and Lingwind's expectant gazes, Zane left the club.
He hailed a taxi outside, but instead of stopping in front of Zuanka Tech, he continued past it to a nearby shopping mall.
He found a suit shop and removed the entire ridiculous outfit beneath the astonished gaze of the sales clerk. Following the clerk's recommendation, he changed into a mature-looking suit.
Afterward, he visited a cosmetics shop and a hair salon to have his appearance fixed, then bought a bouquet of roses from the flower shop downstairs.
He was nearly forty years old.
How could he possibly be that clueless?
Did Stella and Lingwind really think he could not see through their little scheme?
They had deliberately made him look ridiculous in an attempt to ruin his progress with Lily Zhao.
Under normal circumstances, had he not been under so much pressure, he would have been more than willing to play along.
Unfortunately...
Zane climbed back into the taxi and sighed as he watched the scenery rush past the window.
"Now that I've gone along with their plan, they should finally give up, right?"
He owed Lingwind far too much.
It was precisely because of that guilt that he had to maintain enough distance from her and draw a clear boundary between them.
That was the best way to avoid hurting Lingwind.
"Driver, drop me off in front of Zuanka Tech."
Once he won Lily Zhao over, everything that followed would be simple.
Zane leaned back against the seat and narrowed his eyes, his gaze filled with determination.
...
At the Stella Club, Lingwind seemed convinced that Zane and Lily Zhao's relationship was doomed.
Her gloomy mood instantly brightened. She sat on the sofa, humming as she watched television.
Stella looked at Lingwind and sighed inwardly.
There was only one little fool among them, and that was Lingwind.
If Lily Zhao still accepted Zane even after seeing him dressed like that, Lingwind would finally abandon all hope.
Stella was helping her see the truth. In a way, it was a desperate final gamble.
She did not want to watch Lingwind grow more dejected by the day.
But Zane had been around long enough to recognize their plan. He was undoubtedly playing along with it.
If he truly liked Lily Zhao, he had probably changed out of that outfit the moment he walked out the door...
...
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