Little Crispy quickly sent over a game invite.
After clicking accept, Jiang Cheng glanced at Xiao Xia, whose hair had just been trimmed.
She sat stiff as a board, staring into the mirror like a primary-school kid paying rapt attention in class.
Jiang Cheng couldn't help ducking his head to stifle a laugh at her adorably dazed look.
Once he'd swallowed the laughter, he told her, "This could take a while; feel free to use your phone—it won't bother the stylist."
Wang Xin, taking in Jiang Cheng's head-to-toe designer labels, chimed in with an obliging smile, "The gentleman's right, no worries. Relax and play on your phone. I'm just applying some smoothing serum; I'll let you know when we need to rinse."
Only after Wang Xin spoke did Xiao Xia exhale in relief and give a slight roll of her neck.
She softly thanked Jiang Cheng, "Got it—thank you."
Three pleasant hours slipped by inside the game.
After all, a match where someone's willing to camp the bushes is never frustrating.
Especially when that someone is a pretty Girl—everything just flows.
With the final whirr of Tony's hair-dryer fading out,
Xiao Xia's makeover reached its finishing touch.
Wang Xin gave her hair one last tweak and declared it a complete success.
Xiao Xia stared at the fresh reflection in the mirror, transfixed for a long moment.
Her once-thick bangs now parted 3-7, revealing a smooth, fair forehead.
Soft, silky strands cascaded naturally over her shoulders.
A palm-sized face framed by clear, doe-like eyes.
And the faintest dimples that flashed whenever she curved her lips.
To Jiang Cheng she looked radiant as spring blossoms, luminous as an autumn moon.
Caught staring, Jiang Cheng left her momentarily shy; she turned her flushed cheek away.
Face scarlet, she quietly asked, "Does… does it look awful?"
Jiang Cheng smiled and shook his head. "It looks great—much prettier than before."
At the praise, Xiao Xia glanced back at him for a second before shyly looking away again.
Knowing she needed time to overcome her embarrassment, Jiang Cheng said nothing more.
He simply walked over to the cashier.
Seeing him head to pay, Xiao Xia hurried after him.
"Um… Mr. Jiang, let me cover it myself."
Jiang Cheng glanced at her and didn't fight for the bill.
Spending on herself was part of rebuilding confidence; though the price might sting,
insisting on paying would probably only make her feel smaller.
Besides, Jiang Cheng had his Mind Perception Skill; he could sense what she needed.
When he didn't wave her off, Xiao Xia felt a surge of wordless gratitude.
She knew he was loaded and that the styling wasn't cheap,
yet he'd already helped her plenty; leeching more would be unthinkable.
Sure enough, the bill came to 2,200 yuan.
Earlier, Wang Xin had suggested coloring, but she'd declined.
So a simple cut and smoothing treatment alone cost over two grand.
As Jiang Cheng expected, Xiao Xia winced inwardly at the sum.
It was the biggest single expense of her life so far.
Fortunately, when Jiang Cheng had last transferred 350,000 to her, she'd only sent 20,000 home.
After all, she'd only been working a few months.
Claiming she'd earned more than 350k would raise suspicions; her parents might ask awkward questions.
Worse, in her hometown's boys-favoring culture, they'd likely keep hitting her up for money.
So she'd decided to drip the funds to them gradually.
She now congratulated herself on that choice—on her old salary she could never have footed today's bill.
After rent and food, saving a single yuan in Chengdu had been impossible.
Once payment was done, the two set off to wander the shops.
Jiang Cheng wasn't in a rush; he picked up a few outfits for himself first.
After that he didn't buy anything else.
There was no need to haul loads of stuff from Chengdu all the way to Shanghai.
He could simply purchase whatever he needed once he reached Shanghai.
While choosing clothes he didn't consult Xiao Xia, casually selecting the newest arrivals.
He could sense her unease.
Clearly this was her first time setting foot in a boutique like this.
As the Sales Associate introduced pieces, Jiang Cheng's peripheral vision caught Xiao Xia sneaking a peek at a price tag.
Her eyes went wide in shock.
She hastily released the tag, lowered her head, and instinctively stepped away from the merchandise.
Jiang Cheng had started with menswear precisely to give her time to adjust.
Dragging her straight into womenswear would have been too much too soon.
After they finished, they meandered along until they reached the Dior cosmetics boutique.
Seeing Jiang Cheng head inside, Xiao Xia asked in puzzlement, "Mr. Jiang, are you buying skincare?"
He hesitated. "Picking a set for my mom. They offer free make-up trials—could you test a few products for me later?"
When she reflexively shook her head, he added, "I'd really appreciate it."
Hearing that, she nodded at once, "It's no trouble."
Since she didn't object, Jiang Cheng asked two Sales Associates to give her a simple day look.
Fortunately it was quick; within ten minutes the light make-up was done.
Just as Jiang Cheng had figured, Xiao Xia's fundamentals were solid.
With minimal polish, her looks could rival Qiao Yinyin or Zhou Ying.
Even the two Sales Associates couldn't help exclaiming, "Gorgeous—and your skin is amazing, practically pore-less!"
It was the first time in her life Xiao Xia had ever worn make-up.
Though her complexion wasn't porcelain-pale due to her environment,
years without cosmetics had left it free of common skin woes.
When Jiang Cheng stayed silent, she mustered her courage and asked, "Do I… look all right?"
"Beautiful. Pack a full set of everything she just tried."
His praise sent an unfamiliar flutter through her; she felt oddly elated.
She pressed a hand to her racing heart, took a deep breath, and forced the thrill down.
Xiao Xia knew her family background put Jiang Cheng far out of her reach.
And she refused to show him the most wretched side of herself.
Still, she couldn't stop a pang of inexplicable loss from flashing through her.
She sneaked a sidelong glance at him.
Fair, tall, handsome—he really was the dream man for countless Girls.
While the Sales Associate prepared the products, Jiang Cheng added a set for his mother.
After leaving the Dior counter they walked one behind the other.
Jiang Cheng's 183-centimetre frame and slightly better-than-Little Crispy looks drew frequent second glances.
Everyone knows Chengdu is a city of remarkable tolerance.
Girls strolling Taikoo Li dress fashionably, speak bluntly and aren't shy with their flirting.
It's a hotspot for celebrity sightings and a magnet for influencers snapping photos.
If you're socially anxious, steer clear of this place.
You'll run into plenty of outrageous antics—
street interviews, prank videos, candid street-style shoots.
Jiang Cheng remembered that in his previous life—around 2023—something huge happened here.
A state-owned-enterprise big-shot was filmed strolling Taikoo Li hand-in-hand with his subordinate; the clip went viral and the man was suspended the very next day.