C4 The Shop Opened

Upon hearing his voice, the dorm leader Zhao Chen approached with a look of concern. "I heard you almost got into a fight with Yang Wanli yesterday. What happened?"

"It's nothing, just a bit of mutual dislike," I replied.

"That's a relief."

Wang Lei, the second-in-command, joined in, his face etched with worry. "How's your shop doing? Can you pay back the money you owe Yu Wei? If not, you should start figuring out a solution soon."

I didn't want to cause them any concern, so I answered vaguely, "Su Yue spoke to him on my behalf, asking for a one-month extension. I'll pay him back once I have the money."

"Su Yue really has some clout. With a bit more time, you might just be able to turn things around."

The guys all breathed a sigh of relief at that.

With a wry smile, I said, "I owe a huge favor now, and I have no idea how to repay it."

Though Su Yue hadn't said much today, I could infer that Yang Wanli had agreed to the extension out of respect for the Su family's influence.

Indeed, repaying this favor wouldn't be easy.

Then, the youngest among us, Liu Wenyu, came over to reassure me, "What's there to worry about? If push comes to shove, you could always marry into her family. Her dad's a big shot in the city. You'd be lucky to be a son-in-law in that family."

The other two nodded in agreement, finding the idea quite reasonable.

"Cut it out, she's way out of my league," I scoffed.

We all shared a laugh before I climbed into bed to rest for a bit.

"Ding dong!"

Just as I settled in, my phone suddenly rang.

Was that an Amazon notification?

Quickly, I opened the app and saw that the chiffon dress had sold!

I glanced at the chat window and noticed a new message.

Jade Hare: Are you there?

Seeing the name, I paused. Could it be the mythical Chang'e's pet rabbit?

A surge of excitement washed over me as I greeted the customer professionally, "Yes, I'm here, dear. How can I assist you?"

Truth be told, typing out that response made my skin crawl.

Unfortunately, there was no other way; this was part of the training he received at the store. It's what's in vogue now...

Jade Rabbit: Here's the situation: I purchased a dress from your shop. My master thought the dress's style was quite innovative, so she designed a new version based on it. However, after trying it on, she still wasn't completely satisfied. She would like to ask for your advice, dear pal. Naturally, we're willing to pay a consultancy fee for your trouble. What do you say?

Jade Rabbit's master?

That's Chang'e, isn't it?

I never expected her to be not only beautiful but also a talented clothing designer. Truly, she's the legendary Fairy of the Grand Cold!

Chu Yang responded with enthusiasm: "Absolutely, I'd be delighted to help! But I can't make any promises about the outcome..."

Jade Rabbit replied promptly: "No worries, pal. You just need to take a look and see where the fit isn't quite right for my master."

After the message was sent, an image of a breathtaking fairy appeared in the chat box.

Chu Yang took one look and was utterly captivated, his eyes bulging and saliva betraying him as it trickled down.

The fairy in the image had a cool demeanor, her skin pale and smooth, her long hair swept up into a bun. Her features were strikingly refined, with arched, slender eyebrows and eyes that resembled pools of autumn water, yet they emitted a chill that seemed to keep others at bay.

Chu Yang mused to himself that she was indeed the kind of woman the Jade Emperor himself would desire. "If it were me," he thought, "I'd be powerless to resist!"

His attention then shifted to Chang'e's dress.

The dress bore a resemblance to the chiffon one, yet it exuded a more celestial charm.

It was clear that the dress had undergone significant alterations; the hem was longer, the fabric lighter and softer, and the pattern had been changed to a radiant, flowing cloud motif.

From any perspective, this dress was leagues ahead of anything he could sell!

But when his gaze landed on Chang'e's ankles, he experienced a jarring sense of discord.

"The shoes! They're mismatched with the dress," he realized after a moment.

This kind of dress obviously called for high heels to complement its flowing elegance.

However, in the picture, Chang'e was wearing a pair of plain white cloth shoes, which seemed quite incongruous.

Chu Yang quickly found an image of a glamorous woman in silver high heels and sent it over.

"A skirt like this needs to be paired with these shoes to really pop!" he added.

It took a while, but Jade Rabbit eventually responded, "Thank you, pal. Your advice has been a real eye-opener. How much should we pay for your consultation?"

Chu Yang was tempted to quote a steep price.

But then he remembered the pending orders that were awaiting her positive review. If she felt cheated, she might leave a negative review instead.

With that in mind, he quickly changed his tune and replied, "Don't worry about the payment. I do love the new dress you designed, though. Could you... perhaps send me one? If not, no worries—just a five-star review would be great, thanks!"

Jade Rabbit replied, "I've spoken with the Master. Since the design was inspired by some of your ideas, it's only fair to send you one. We hope you'll continue to share your insights with us."

[Ding! The other party has sent an item. Do you want to accept it?]

"Accept!"

System Notification: You have successfully received the item. Please check your inventory.

Chu Yang pulled the ethereal long dress from his inventory, his face lighting up with delight.

This was a treasure of the immortals, priceless by any measure!

...

After a midday nap, Chu Yang awoke to find it was already past one o'clock.

With an elective class scheduled for the afternoon and his roommates still deep in slumber, he tiptoed out of the dorm.

Before leaving, he discreetly packed the dress and headed for the women's dormitory.

"Class monitor, I'm downstairs. Need to talk to you," he messaged Su Yue on WhatsApp.

"What now... I'm coming down!" Su Yue's reply was tinged with annoyance, clearly not expecting anything positive.

Girls are often particular about their looks, and despite any disarray in the dorm, they usually take care to dress up before stepping out. Su Yue was no exception.

Patiently, Chu Yang waited.

Buzz... Buzz...

While he was engrossed in his phone, the campus was filled with the roar of an engine.

Chu Yang whipped around just in time to see a black sports car barreling towards him.

Screech!

Before he could even process what was happening, the car executed a horizontal drift and skidded to a halt right in front of him.

Chu Yang jumped back, startled. A few inches closer and he would have been hit.

He was about to let loose a tirade when the door swung open, and Yang Wanli emerged.

A girl in a short skirt stepped out from the passenger side simultaneously.

Chu Yang recognized her; her name was Zhao Qian. He had pursued her for a while last semester.

In his quest to win Zhao Qian's affection, Chu Yang had lavished her with numerous gifts. She, on the other hand, accepted them eagerly but kept him hanging, claiming she needed to give it serious thought.

But it wasn't long before Yang Wanli swept her off her feet. When Chu Yang first heard the news, he nearly came to blows with Yang Wanli.

"A match made in heaven," Chu Yang muttered sarcastically as he watched the two cozy up to each other and spat in disgust.

Yang Wanli's car was a recent purchase he hadn't yet had the chance to flaunt in front of Chu Yang.

Seizing the opportunity, he wasn't about to pass up the chance to gloat.

Circling the car, Yang Wanli shot Chu Yang a contemptuous look and sneered, "Chu Yang, time's running out for you. Instead of working to make some money, what are you doing loitering under Zhao Qian's dorm? Still harboring unrealistic hopes?"

Chu Yang was taken aback, then realized Yang Wanli thought he was there waiting for Zhao Qian.

"Don't flatter yourself, I have no interest in driving a used car. I'm here for someone else," Chu Yang retorted with disdain.

"Who are you calling a used car, you jerk?" Zhao Qian, overhearing the comment, bristled with anger and launched into a tirade of her own.

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