C7 Custommade Suit

Lin Hao was fretting over his clothing situation. After a fruitless trip around the mall, he found the suit selection lacking—none to his taste and all seemingly ill-fitting, likely due to their mass-produced nature. With no other option, he reached out to the personal secretary Lin Hwacheng had appointed for him that afternoon. She proved to be remarkably efficient, and in under thirty minutes, she had a handcrafted, bespoke suit delivered straight to Lin Hao.

Toting the suit, Lin Hao rode his electric scooter back to the Meng family's residence in the Bluesea District. Upon entering, he caught sight of Meng Shuran in the living room, admiring the 'Dream Lover' necklace he had gifted her. She seemed truly pleased with the present, having eagerly worn it right away. And indeed, the necklace added an extra touch of grace and elegance to Meng Shuran's swan-like neck.

Meng Shuran, catching Lin Hao's reflection in the mirror, quickly masked her look of delight and busied herself with adjusting her outfit, pointedly ignoring Lin Hao's presence.

Soong Yan, seated on the sofa, eyed the sleek black handbag Lin Hao was holding with a frown. "Is that the outfit you picked out? Get changed quickly; we're leaving for the family home in five minutes."

"Right away!" Lin Hao agreed, dashing into his room to change. He donned the new suit in record time, gave his hair a quick tousle, and reemerged.

Soong Yan surveyed Lin Hao, now dressed in a sharp dark grey suit, and for once, her expression softened into one of approval. "Not bad," she nodded. "You've finally managed to dress the part."

"Let's get moving. I don't want to be late again," Meng Shuran said, her eyes softening as she took in Lin Hao's appearance. She led the way out, heels clicking assertively.

Lin Hao took the wheel, and the trio quickly made their way to the Meng family mansion. Upon arrival, they were greeted by a sight of dozens of cars densely packed outside, a veritable showcase of luxury vehicles that could rival any high-end car exhibition.

Soong Yan graced the room in a peacock green gown, complemented by an apricot shawl that lent her an air of both sensuality and elegance. Her well-maintained, radiant complexion shone as she moved alongside Meng Shuran. To the onlooker, they hardly seemed like mother and daughter, but rather a pair of sisters.

As they entered the Meng family's grand hall, their presence immediately drew the eyes of many. Acquaintances familiar with Soong Yan and her daughter approached warmly to exchange pleasantries.

Lin Hao, trailing behind them, was largely overlooked in a symbolic gesture of indifference by most. Yet, there were always those who seemed to relish focusing on Lin Hao, like Meng Junjie. It would be out of character for him not to seek out Lin Hao for some mischief.

"Hey! Isn't that Lin Hao? You clean up nicely; I almost didn't recognize you!" Meng Junjie boomed, clapping Lin Hao on the shoulder, his voice echoing through the hall.

Lin Hao met his gaze with a smile, remaining silent.

Meng Junjie scoffed, "Picked up your outfit on clearance, did you? I've seen the same one in the mall downstairs. What was it, 199 or 299? How's the quality?"

At his words, a wave of snickers and scornful looks washed over Lin Hao, with some unable to contain their laughter.

Meng Shuran glanced at Lin Hao, her face flushed with embarrassment and irritation. She had specifically given him 2000 yuan for a respectable outfit, and yet he had chosen something from the bargain bin. Why did he always put her in these positions?

"You'll be disappointed to hear that I didn't spend a dime on these clothes," Lin Hao replied coolly, straightening his collar.

Meng Junjie roared with laughter as if he'd heard the punchline of a great joke. "You didn't pay? What, did the shop owner take pity on you and hand you a set for free?"

The laughter around them grew, with many eyes on Lin Hao as if he were the butt of some cosmic joke.

Both Meng Shuran and Soong Yan wore expressions of discomfort. With a huff, Soong Yan strode forward, eager to distance herself from Lin Hao, the son-in-law she deemed an utter fool.

"If you're not going to say anything useful, then just sit down and be quiet!" Meng Shuran hissed into Lin Hao's ear before making her way to her seat.

She truly detested bringing Lin Hao to these events, but attendance at the family's quarterly meeting was mandatory for all relatives unless they were abroad or had a special circumstance.

"Shuran, no offense, but your husband's lack of sophistication and penny-pinching is one thing, but why won't you treat yourself? That dress you're wearing, it's what, three thousand yuan at most? I'm amazed you had the nerve to wear it to the family meeting," Meng Junjie remarked, eyeing Meng Shuran with a smirk that she found utterly irritating.

As everyone's attention turned to them, Meng Junjie straightened up and proudly patted his suit, his face exuding arrogance. "For this meeting, I sought out the renowned domestic designer, Mr. Huang Linquan, and spent 390,000 yuan on a custom-made, handcrafted suit."

"Wow! A 390,000 yuan custom suit!" The entire hall buzzed with astonishment. Even with their considerable wealth, the idea of spending such an amount on a single outfit was seen as excessively lavish.

Basking in the envious stares, Meng Junjie's heart swelled with satisfaction, his gaze towards Meng Shuran dripping with scorn.

Meng Shuran's cheeks flushed with a mix of anger and shame. Meng Junjie was making a spectacle of her on purpose, simply to enjoy her discomfort.

Feeling helpless and even more choked up, she glanced at Lin Hao, who seemed unfazed and still wore a smile. Her heart felt even heavier.

Lin Hao caught Meng Shuran's look and flashed her a radiant smile, which only caused her to turn her head away with a frosty expression.

Raising an eyebrow, Lin Hao approached the self-satisfied Meng Junjie and mimicked his earlier gesture by patting him on the shoulder.

"What do you think you're doing?! Who gave you permission to touch me?!" Meng Junjie reacted as if he'd been scorched, nearly leaping out of his skin. He brushed off Lin Hao's hand in annoyance and frantically dusted his shoulder, as if to rid his precious suit of any possible contamination.

Lin Hao nonchalantly slid his hand into his pocket, casting a glance at Meng Junjie's look of disdain. With a scoff, he said, "It's merely a 390,000 yuan outfit—I'm more concerned about getting my hands dirty. My Shuran has a taste for understated elegance; she values jewelry far more than clothing."

Having said that, Lin Hao reached out and drew the somewhat dazed Meng Shuran to his side.