Chapter 11 – How can a ‘raising cubs’ game be complete without a ‘dressing up the cubs’ minigame?
The walk-in closet was shared between Lu Xi and Xie Yizhao, with her taking up three-quarters of the space, leaving only a quarter for him.
When they first got married, this was how the closet was divided. Lu Xi hadn’t expected that Xie Yizhao would remain so disciplined over the years, never once encroaching on her space. She couldn’t help but want to praise him for it.
However, his clothes were far fewer than hers, consisting mostly of suits and shirts, very simple and formal.
Perfect for her to find something suitable for Xie Heng.
She led Xie Heng past her section and over to Xie Yizhao’s.
His clothes were also neatly arranged as well: shirts, suits, shoes, bags, ties, watches, and other accessories were all in separate areas. Under the soft lighting, accompanied by a cool woody scent, each item looked very high-end.
Lu Xi reached out and ran her hand along the row of shirts from left to right, her eyes lighting up. She decisively pulled out a shirt and said, “Put this on.”
Xie Heng looked at the white shirt and pouted, “I don’t want to.”
Lu Xi replied, “Do you know how to dress? This looks better. Put it on.”
As if she knew anything about dressing well? Xie Heng was not convinced and was about to retort when he saw the woman frowning, her cold and beautiful face clearly showing disdain.
“… Fine, I’ll put it on.” Was it necessary to be so fierce?
Xie Heng didn’t think he was giving in; he was just planning to mock her taste after changing.
Boys change clothes quickly, and it took him half a minute to take off his sweatshirt and put on the shirt.
There was a full-length mirror in the dressing room. Xie Heng looked at himself after changing and was stunned for a second.
It seemed… a bit better than before? He couldn’t say exactly how, as he didn’t know much about fashion. He usually dressed haphazardly and had overheard female classmates saying he relied on his good looks to pull off anything.
But admitting that was impossible. Xie Heng walked out with a stern face and said, “It doesn’t look good.”
Lu Xi glanced at him, her gaze becoming more serious than ever. She said, “It doesn’t look good.”
Xie Heng: ?
She turned around and quickly picked out a black high-neck cashmere sweater for Xie Heng. “Put this on too.”
Xie Heng held the hanger, his defiant expression turning into a confused cat-like face.
Wear this? How?
Take off the shirt and put it on? Or wear it over the shirt… that didn’t seem right.
Seeing his expression, Lu Xi couldn’t help but hold her forehead. She had browsed Mingli High School’s forum and searched for her household troublemaker’s name. Seven out of ten posts were confessions, two were other delinquent students challenging him, and one was criticizing him as a fashion disaster with straight-man aesthetics, wasting his good looks.
She rolled her eyes. “Wear it under the shirt.”
Xie Heng awkwardly tugged at his mouth. Wearing a sweater underneath a shirt, what kind of fashion suicide was this? And she had the nerve to roll her eyes at him.
She must be messing with him.
With the mindset of ‘I’ll mock her harshly when I’m done,’ Xie Heng grudgingly went back in and quickly changed, then looked in the mirror.
“…”
It wasn’t as strange as he had imagined?
Earlier, he had worn a black sweatshirt with his blue hair, making him look weirdly dark. Now, with the white shirt, his complexion seemed a shade brighter.
Although he, as a guy, didn’t care about being fair or not, he did have basic aesthetic sense.
“Are you ready?” Lu Xi’s impatient voice came from outside.
Xie Heng pushed open the door and came out, hands in his pockets, looking sulky. “It’s hideous.”
Lu Xi looked him up and down, then nodded in agreement. “Yes, it’s hideous.”
“…” It was unclear if she was talking about the clothes or the person.
Since Xie Heng was the first to call it ugly, he had no choice but to accept the silent defeat. He snorted unhappily and was about to go back and change his clothes.
Lu Xi said, “I’m not saying you’re ugly; I’m talking about your shoes.”
Alright, that was a little better. Xie Heng looked down at his limited-edition AJs with a somewhat complicated expression and asked, bewildered, “What’s wrong with my shoes?”
He thought they looked great!
Lu Xi shook her head and said calmly, “They’re fine with your usual straight-guy outfits, but since you did your hair and changed your clothes today, you can’t let the shoes bring down your score.”
Xie Heng: So she’s still implying that he usually looks bad!
Unconvinced, he was about to retort when he suddenly realized something and asked in surprise, “You actually think my hair looks good?”
“You jest, why else would you dye it if you didn’t think it looked good?” Lu Xi gave him a strange look, half-smiling. “To annoy me?”
Well, that was the intention, but it seemed to have failed.
Only a fool would admit that, so Xie Heng pretended he didn’t hear it.
Lu Xi spoke again, her tone becoming serious. “Honestly, the first look at your hair was quite shocking, but then I realized it was your outfit. The hair color is well-dyed, it makes you look fairer, and with the right clothes, you look like a trendy guy.”
That head of blue hair seemed like a disaster, but with a white shirt to enhance his skin tone and a black inner layer to tone down the hair’s ostentatiousness, the overall look changed instantly.
Combined with his youthful face and tall stature, he could easily pass for a runway model.
Xie Heng wasn’t particularly interested in being a trendy guy and usually didn’t bother with his appearance.
But somehow, hearing Lu Xi praise him made him a bit happy.
He often received compliments on his looks, got gifts and love letters all the time, and was even called the school heartthrob by classmates. However, Xie Heng found these compliments bothersome, feeling that such affection was too superficial and based merely on his appearance.
But Lu Xi seemed different.
Xie Heng couldn’t quite pinpoint why, but he had a vague feeling that Lu Xi’s gaze seemed to see something deeper beyond his exterior.
He looked down, a smile unintentionally forming on his lips. Noticing Lu Xi looking over, he quickly suppressed it and pinched the base of his thumb.
Get a grip!
This is just a sugary trap from a wicked stepmother. Don’t be fooled by a few nice words!
Lu Xi, unaware of his inner turmoil, patted his shoulder. “Come on, I’ll take you shopping.”
Xie Heng was stunned. How could she be so unpredictable?
“I’m not going,” he refused bluntly.
Lu Xi blinked. “Did you forget you owe me a bet? Is a little man like you going back on his word?”
Xie Heng gritted his teeth, widening his slightly drooping puppy eyes.
Unbelievable, she was using that to threaten him… but was shopping all she wanted in return for such a good opportunity?
Something fishy was definitely going on!
One hour later, Lu Xi and Xie Heng appeared at the Xisheng Mall.
This mall belonged to the Xie family. The Xie family had initially made their fortune through hotels and malls. Since over a decade ago, this mall was the largest, most established shopping mall in the city. Despite many new malls opening in recent years, none had managed to surpass the Xie’s mall.
Lu Xi used to love visiting this mall. Every time she came with her girlfriends, there was a dedicated manager accompanying them, with an entourage in tow.
But this time was different, as the only person beside her was her reluctant cheap son.
Before they left, the butler had suggested informing the mall staff about their visit, but Lu Xi refused. She didn’t want to be so high-profile, mainly because she knew Xie Heng definitely wouldn’t want the attention.
This experience was novel for her. No one was following them around, bowing and scraping, or showering her with compliments. Instead, she felt particularly at ease.
Lu Xi stood at the navigation point on the basement level, browsing through all the stores in the mall. There were many new brands.
She quickly found her target for the day, a relatively niche foreign designer brand she liked a lot, and led Xie Heng straight to that store.
This store was on the first floor. Although the brand was niche, it was more expensive than many top-tier brands. It wasn’t as mature or formal, with a style that was younger and more unique.
Lu Xi especially liked the men’s line from this brand.
She had a thing for good looks, and all the male models this brand used were tall, long-legged, and had a cool demeanor. When they wore the brand’s clothes, they embodied her ideal boyfriend look. Every fashion show was a feast for her eyes!
She wanted to buy every piece from this brand and dress her boyfriend in them so she could feast her eyes on him all the time.
But after marrying Xie Yizhao, she knew it was impossible to get him to play along with such childish dress-up games.
But now—
She had Xie Heng!
If the father won’t do, then the son will have to step in. How can a ‘raising cubs’ game be complete without a ‘dressing up the cubs’ minigame? Playing games like Shining Nikki with a tsundere Young Master was bound to be interesting!
Lu Xi was excited. After entering the store, she quickly selected a dozen pieces for Xie Heng to try on one by one.
Xie Heng, being a straight guy, felt his head spinning.
???
Was this the stepmother’s plot to exhaust him?
He was reluctant. What if someone he knew saw him? How could he, the cool guy of Mingli, face anyone?
“I don’t…”
Before he could finish, Lu Xi pointed to a black trench coat and smiled, “Try this one first. You’re tall, you’ll look great in a trench coat.”
Xie Heng was startled, his mood suddenly lifted, and he touched his head.
Really?
He frowned proudly, speaking in a very reluctant tone, “Fine.”
Teenagers are simple and often unaware of their own simplicity. He was easily coaxed into a good mood and went to try on clothes with the store clerk.
Lu Xi was in a good mood and walked lightly to the women’s section.
Though she wasn’t suited to the women’s clothing in this store, she couldn’t miss out now that she was here. She had a strong interest in fashion, not just in buying clothes but also in appreciating different styles. It was pleasing to the eye.
“This one, this one, and this one, go try them all on and show me,” a gentle and melodious female voice came from nearby.
Following that, a voice full of lament but still clear, “Mom, these are enough…”
Lu Xi couldn’t help but smile.
It was the same tired and reluctant tone Xie Heng had when he didn’t want to try on clothes.
It seemed like another mother had brought her son out for a shopping spree, probably enjoying the dress-up game as much as she did.
Lu Xi couldn’t help but feel a sense of familiarity. She turned her head to look, and was stunned.
Wasn’t that Yang Yihan?
Yang Yihan was a child star who had grown up to become a veteran movie star, having acted in many classic films. Lu Xi practically grew up watching her works.
She wasn’t a fangirl and couldn’t be considered a fan, but she felt a sense of warmth toward Yang Yihan, and her gaze lingered a little longer than usual.
It wasn’t just Yang Yihan she was looking at, but also her son.
The young boy was about the same height as Xie Heng, and it looked like he was wearing a school uniform—blue and white, fresh and full of youthful energy. The boy had short, neat hair, a handsome face, and long legs, exuding a cool and aloof aura. He had certainly inherited the good genes from his movie star mother, making him quite eye-catching.
However, Lu Xi couldn’t help but wonder—what are kids these days eating to grow so well?
Of course, Lu Xi’s gaze at the handsome boy was different from before. Thinking about how this boy was around Xie Heng’s age, she unconsciously assumed an elder’s perspective, even her gaze softened with a hint of affection (?).
Noticing Lu Xi’s kind gaze, Yang Yihan nodded at her.
Meeting fans outside was a common occurrence for her, and she was used to it.
Lu Xi didn’t look at them anymore, nor did she intend to ask for an autograph or a photo. She didn’t want to disturb their happy family time.
Xie Heng soon came out.
He was still wearing the same top, but had changed into new black jogger pants and a pair of sneakers, with a coat over it. He walked towards Lu Xi with a long stride, wearing a cold expression as if someone owed him eighty million, and said, “Done.”
When he walked over, Lu Xi’s eyes lit up. This outfit suited him so well!
Now, the blue hair no longer looked like an exaggerated punk style but became a highlight. The closer she looked, the more she appreciated the dye job. The color was perfect and layered, creating different visual effects under various lighting. The more she looked, the more she liked it.
Her taste was really good! The little guy indeed suited this brand’s style, looking just like a model fresh off the runway.
“……”
Xie Heng cleared his throat uncomfortably.
Lu Xi looked at him with an appreciative and strangely excited gaze, similar to the excitement he had when planning to stay up all night gaming.
Sure enough, the woman said with a smile, “Go try on all the other clothes I picked.”
Xie Heng glared at her, tightly pressing his lips in refusal.
He had already been cooperative enough.
This situation was getting stranger and stranger. He originally dyed his hair to annoy her, but somehow, she ended up styling him?
He wasn’t her dress-up doll!
The shop assistant, who had been mesmerized by Xie Heng’s looks, praised, “This young man really looks good in our clothes,” then added with a smile, “Your sister has a great eye.”
She had been curious about this pair from the start. They were so attractive and eye-catching, yet they didn’t seem like a couple. Although the boy was tall, he still had a youthful face, looking like a student. The woman had a more mature makeup and demeanor. They weren’t very intimate, and the boy seemed reluctant but obedient to the woman.
Such a beautiful woman—it’s not just men who would be attracted; even a girl like her would be smitten. There were only two people who wouldn’t appreciate her.
Either a son or a younger brother.
It must be the latter.
Lu Xi was startled. “Sister?”
The shop assistant blinked and apologized with a smile, “You two look so alike… Sorry, did I guess wrong?”
Xie Heng frowned. “How do we look alike?”
He accidentally glanced at the mirror and saw himself standing next to Lu Xi. Those two faces…
Oh no, they really do look a bit alike?
It’s all because she looks too much like his mother!
Suddenly, Xie Heng noticed the boy behind him in the mirror and was startled.
Xu Jiaming?
It’s Wednesday today. Why isn’t this well-behaved top student in school attending classes but out shopping?
Unlike him, Xu Jiaming is a bona fide top student, always topping the rankings and frequently winning various competitions. He and Xie Heng are not on the same path.
They are in the same class but have never spoken to each other. Their only connection is appearing together in a boring school forum post about the most handsome boys.
Xu Jiaming saw him too and glanced at Lu Xi, looking puzzled.
Xie Heng was speechless. He warned Lu Xi in a low voice, “Don’t say you’re my Mom, or I’ll flip out.”
Lu Xi sighed, “So sad.”
The Young Master is at the age where he thinks parents are embarrassing.
Xie Heng : … She’s starting her antics again.
Lu Xi blinked, “Then will you obediently try on the clothes?”
Xie Heng : … He tolerated it.
Fine, he’d try them on! It was better than her spouting nonsense and embarrassing him.
On the way to the fitting room, he and Xu Jiaming tacitly pretended not to know each other, both feeling how glorious the current situation was.
Lu Xi’s plan succeeded, and she smiled smugly.
She was about to focus on shopping for women’s clothes when she noticed Yang Yihan approaching her from the corner of her eye.
“Excuse me, sorry to bother you, but could you help me pick out a few outfits for my child?” Yang Yihan asked with a smile. “Just in the style you picked for your brother.”
She really didn’t understand boys’ clothing at this age. The store clerk had picked out a few pieces, but Yang Yihan thought they were too mature. That boy’s outfit was just right—clean, youthful, like the protagonist from a school movie.
Lu Xi’s eyes lit up, “Sure!”
Double the dress-up game would double the fun!
rokumi’s note : starting next month, this novel will be updated every Tuesday and Sunday (next chapter will be updated on September 1st)