Looking at Bai Xiaoxiao's flustered, adorably blank expression, Jiang Cheng couldn't hold back a soft laugh.
Truly a born Girl; every little move she makes is irresistibly cute.
He slipped off his own coat and held it out to her.
"Tie this round your waist for now, to cover up?"
Bai Xiaoxiao eyed the LV coat Jiang Cheng was offering.
She waved her hands. "I…it's fine. That coat is so expensive; if the coffee rubs off on it…"
When she still refused, Jiang Cheng stepped forward until he stood right in front of her.
He bent down and fastened his black jacket around her waist.
"A piece of clothing is just a piece of clothing."
Seeing his jacket now tied at her waist,
Bai Xiaoxiao's heart felt warmer than ever.
Especially the moment Jiang Cheng leaned in, his arms circling her.
She felt so safe.
And with Jiang Cheng being so handsome…
Bai Xiaoxiao couldn't stop her heart from pounding.
She admitted Jiang Cheng had a point.
But years of streaming made her pout instinctively.
"You're right, but if this coat were mine I'd baby it. I'd never use it to hide a coffee stain—once it's splashed the fabric's ruined. The world of the rich is beyond me…"
Realizing she'd blurted out her true thoughts,
Bai Xiaoxiao hastily covered her mouth.
Jiang Cheng understood what she meant.
To her current income, that coat equalled two months' salary.
Of course she didn't want to ruin it.
Unless you reached Jiang Cheng's level, where fifty thousand and fifty yuan felt the same.
Otherwise anyone would wince at trashing such pricey cloth.
He hadn't planned to debate "position decides perspective."
But seeing Little Crispy tense up,
he paused, then spoke slowly.
"You're right. What I said was careless. If I were broke right now, wearing a thirty-yuan street-stall shirt, I'd probably feel inferior—like the whole world had abandoned me.
In that state I'd treat different clothes as symbols of wealth, creating a distance I couldn't cross. So I definitely couldn't casually say 'clothes are just clothes' like I did now."
His words were sincere, without the slightest mockery.
He was putting himself in her shoes.
Hearing this, Bai Xiaoxiao felt a surge of warmth.
She'd feared he might get angry or laugh at her slip.
Or simply dismiss the topic.
Instead he answered with such gentle understanding.
The last time they'd met was at Xingchen Media; back then he'd been all business.
She hadn't expected him to be this warm in person.
His response made her relax at once.
With their twenty-plus-centimetre height gap,
and Jiang Cheng now standing so close,
Bai Xiaoxiao felt like a little rabbit facing a big bear.
She cooed, "Thank you, Onii-chan. What a pity—I picked this outfit so carefully, and it's stained before the date even starts…"
With that coquettish stamp and shoulder-wiggle,
Jiang Cheng's gaze sharpened.
The height angle was perfect; for a split second
he'd even glimpsed the style of her underwear.
No idea what brand.
The cut looked good, the size spot-on.
Why?
Because quality lingerie can cradle both sides, making the shape look fuller,
without any outward spill,
and no empty cups—the edge hugs perfectly.
Yet because the fit was so flawless,
Jiang Cheng felt a twinge of regret.
Sometimes perfection hides the very "points" you want to see.
Inferior cuts can be more revealing.
"Nothing to regret—this place is packed with clothing stores. Let's swap that for something normal."
In one breath Jiang Cheng had calmed her,
and in the next he turned icy, spun round and walked off.
Leaving Bai Xiaoxiao standing in disarray.
Clearly his words had stunned her; she stood frozen.
A few seconds later she snapped out of it.
"Hmph!" She stamped her foot and hurried after him, pouting. "Onii-chan, are you saying my outfit looks bad?"
Seeing Jiang Cheng keep walking toward the mall entrance without replying,
she finally caught up and grabbed his arm to stop him.
Eyes wide, she asked expectantly, "If you don't like loli dresses, what style do you like?"
Feeling two soft "walls" press against his arm,
Jiang Cheng finally glanced back.
After sizing her up, he curved his lips. "Do you want the truth or a polite lie?"
"The truth, of course."
Watching her blink those big eyes fixed on him,
Jiang Cheng bent and murmured, "I like… nothing."
The moment the words left his mouth, the usually livestream-shameless Bai Xiaoxiao turned bright red.
Her lips twitched, searching for a comeback but finding none.
At last she forced out a few words.
"Onii-chan, you're so mean."
Yet instead of letting go, she hugged his arm tighter,
burying her flushed face shyly under his shoulder.
Watching her, Jiang Cheng's thoughts began to turn risqué.
Among the Girls closest to Bai Xiaoxiao's height were 163 cm Little Xia and 162 cm Xia Meng.
Judging by practical experience,
if either Girl matched his frame,
the chance of her receiving his multi-step "service" was low.
At equal lying distance,
only one-way communication would be possible,
with maybe an extra oral exchange.