Chapter 33: Clothes Make the Man, and the Man Makes the Pretension

"Ms. Chen, you are a super VIP at our store. You get a 20% discount on all products. For everything you've picked out today, the total comes to 1.09 million!"

"Charge it!"

"Wait!"

Ye Fan interrupted Chen Shuting's shopping spree, pulled her aside, and whispered, "Look, Sister Chen, you're buying so much at once, I can't possibly wear it all!"

"Why not?" Chen Shuting's eyes showed a hint of surprise. "One outfit a day, that's only three months' worth. I haven't even bought the seasonal clothes yet!"

"No, Sister!" Ye Fan frowned. "Three or five outfits are enough. As long as I can wash and change them, that's fine!"

"Wash?" A smile played in Chen Shuting's beautiful eyes. "None of the clothes here can be washed! Wouldn't they lose their shape if you washed them?"

"They can't be washed?" Ye Fan was even more shocked. Is this the life of the wealthy? Clothes that cost ten or twenty thousand each—you wear them once and throw them away? No, wait—why haven't I encountered such a good deal before? Even if I just grabbed the clothes rich people discarded and washed them to wear, that would still be impressive!

Ye Fan mocked himself inwardly, feeling that this arrangement still didn't seem right. He was very clear about his position: he was just Chen Shuting's assistant. Now, it was starting to feel like he was being kept as a boy toy!

Thinking of this, he continued to object: "Sister Chen, besides, even if you buy all these clothes, where am I supposed to put them? Should I keep them in my supermarket? If so, I might as well turn my shop into a clothing store!"

Chen Shuting watched Ye Fan's rebuttal with interest, a "pampering" smile on her face. "Xiao Fan, you are my secretary from now on. Of course, you can't stay in that supermarket of yours anymore; you have to move into my villa!"

"Huh? That doesn't seem right!" Ye Fan thought to himself, *And I'm not a secretary, I'm an assistant!* He grumbled internally: *Your husband is missing, and you're having me—a red-blooded young man—move in? This is absurd!*

"What's wrong with it?" Chen Shuting suddenly turned serious. She lifted her slender hand, placed it on Ye Fan's shoulder, and said solemnly, "Ye Fan, we've been through so much together. I know your character, which is why I consider you a friend I can absolutely trust. Now that I have rashly taken over Lin Zhenjie's business, I have no one I can rely on. You are my most important help!"

"Assistant, secretary—it's all the same. From today on, we are comrades-in-arms fighting side by side. Living together is also to deal with any emergencies that might arise!" As she spoke, her eyes turned slightly red.

Listening to her heartfelt words and looking at her eyes—which appeared strong on the outside but were actually fragile—Ye Fan immediately fell for it! What man could resist the temptation of "doing great things" together?

"Alright! Then I will assist you well, help you grow and strengthen, and reach new heights!" Ye Fan's gaze was firm; he was only a step away from hugging Chen Shuting's arms and shouting "My Lord!"

"That's more like it!" Chen Shuting's beautiful eyes shimmered. She patted Ye Fan's arm, her hand sliding down to tap his chest. "When I need you to do something, you have to be strong, stand tall, and be ready!"

After saying this, she smoothed her appearance and returned to her cold, stern demeanor. "Waiter, charge the card!"

"Certainly, Ms. Chen! Should we deliver it to the Chunjiang Yueming Villa again?"

"That's right!"

Once the payment was processed, Chen Shuting picked out the suit she liked best and told Ye Fan to change into it. Ye Fan didn't refuse this time; he had already started thinking about high-level business warfare, and a proper outfit was naturally a welcome start!

"Not bad! You look very spirited!" Chen Shuting looked at Ye Fan in his new clothes. A faint flush rose to her cheeks, but she struggled to maintain her cold, aloof persona.

Ye Fan was also satisfied with his attire. Clothes really do make the man! He now saw himself as an up-and-coming business star, a rising capitalist!

"Hmm..." He crossed his arms, touched his chin with his right hand, and pondered for a moment before saying to Chen Shuting, "The clothes are fine, but the hairstyle is still lacking. I think I need a side-part, preferably with some hair wax!"

"Oh, that's too greasy!" Chen Shuting was amused by Ye Fan and tapped his arm lightly. "I'll take you to get your hair done!"

An hour later, the two left the hair studio, and Chen Shuting pulled Ye Fan along again: "Let's go buy a watch!"

"And leather shoes!"

"It's noon already. Let's grab some lunch first; we still need to get you a car this afternoon!"

"No, Sister, I don't even have a driver's license yet!"

"Oh! That's true! Then let's go eat first!"

...

The elevator stopped at the 7th-floor dining area. By now, Ye Fan had completely transformed. With a clean, sharp hairstyle, a well-tailored suit, a luxurious yet understated watch on his wrist, and polished leather shoes, he even had a pair of zero-prescription gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose! He didn't actually need them, but because Chen Shuting felt the gold-rimmed glasses made him look more like an elite, she had spent a fortune to get him a pair.

"Tsk, truly an elite professional!" Ye Fan looked at himself in the elevator mirror and couldn't help but puff out his chest. Even the passersby sharing the elevator couldn't help but move aside, afraid of bumping into this "big shot!"

The two arrived at a high-end restaurant. Chen Shuting only took a few bites before putting down her knife and fork, resting her chin on her hand to watch Ye Fan.

"What are you looking at, Sister Chen? Don't tell me you've fallen for me?" Ye Fan polished off a jar of caviar and chuckled. He was filled with a sense of mission now, and seeing Chen Shuting appreciate him so much, he couldn't help but crack a joke.

"Of course I have~" Chen Shuting replied, almost coquettishly, then urged, "Eat quickly. Once you're done, I'll take you to move house so you can live at my place!"

"That's no problem!" Ye Fan said, popping a piece of foie gras into his mouth. "But let's be clear: I'm coming to your place for work, so we shouldn't live *too* close!"

"Of course~" Chen Shuting looked at Ye Fan with a smile, her gaze lingering on him intensely. "But it can't be too far either. When I need you, you have to be there immediately!"

"Uh!" Ye Fan choked on the foie gras and hurriedly took a sip of 28-year-old red wine, giving an "OK" gesture with his hand.

It was past two in the afternoon when they finished eating. They went straight to Ye Fan's small shop.

"Xiao Runfa Times Supermarket..."

The alley where the supermarket was located was too narrow for the car, so Chen Shuting parked outside and walked to the entrance with her arm linked in Ye Fan's.

"The location you chose for this store is really..."

"What's wrong? If you have something to say, just say it!"

"It's a long story!" Chen Shuting's eyes crinkled with laughter. "Who opens a supermarket in a small alley like this? There isn't even anyone around!"

"You think I wanted this? It was my old jerk of a boss who owed money and couldn't pay wages, so he used this to settle the debt!"

"No wonder." Chen Shuting let go of his arm. "Go ahead and pack up. I'll wait for you outside; it's a bit messy in there."

Ye Fan chuckled. The supermarket hadn't been operating, and since he had been out so much lately, it was indeed quite dusty. He went inside and looked around. Most of his things had already been sent to Li Yaoyao through the mysterious wooden box. Aside from the shelves, there were only his spare clothes, but he wouldn't need those anymore. He gathered his essential documents and grabbed the mysterious wooden box, ready to go.