The air inside the haute couture boutique seemed to have been carefully filtered, carrying a faint fragrance of cedar and iris, which softened the winter chill outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Yu Jiuyuan sat on the velvet sofa, her fingertips casually tracing the sketchbook on her lap, but her gaze fell on Xie Zhecheng standing not far away under the spotlight.
The man was dressed in a well-tailored black suit, his shoulders were straight as a ruler, and his pale skin shone with a jade-like luster under the warm light.
He lowered his eyes slightly, letting the tailor pin a safety pin to his waist. His expression carried his usual aloofness, yet revealed impeccable refinement in the details. This was Xie Zhecheng's perfectionism; even trying on a sample garment was like completing a meticulous work of art.
“Take the waistline down another half inch.” Xie Zhecheng’s cool voice broke the silence in the store. “Adjust the hem’s curvature by three degrees, otherwise there will be wrinkles when you walk.”
The tailor readily agreed, the soft measuring tape in his hand moving nimbly along the tailor's waist.
Yu Jiuyuan looked at the narrow waist outlined by the suit, a faint smile curving her lips, her voice sweet as honey: "President Xie is quite strict with himself. It's just signing a contract, is it necessary to be so serious?"
Xie Zhecheng turned his head to look at her, his gaze behind his glasses sweeping over the innocent smile on her face, his cold expression softening for a moment: "In formal occasions, demeanor is attitude." He paused, then added, "Especially when I'm with you."
The last sentence was spoken very softly, yet it landed precisely in Yu Jiuyuan's ears.
She raised an eyebrow, didn't reply, and instead looked at Lin Yanran beside her.
Lin Yanran clearly had little patience for this kind of occasion. He was wearing a silver-gray casual suit with the top two buttons of his collar undone. He was lounging casually in the sofa, his fingers flying across the screen of his phone.
He muttered to himself, "It's just a stupid contract to cooperate with the Su family, does he really need to wrap himself up like a Christmas tree?"
“Watch your words, Director Lin.” Yu Jiuyuan’s tone was light, yet carried an undeniable air of authority. “The Su family is now our partner, and…”
She looked up at him, her gaze like sugar dipped in ice. "This isn't about being wrapped up like a Christmas tree, it's about being presentable. Your father wants you to join the student council to toughen you up, so you can't be so bad at basic etiquette."
Lin Yanran paused, a flash of anger at her exposed arrogance crossing her face, but she still reluctantly put away her phone.
He glanced at Xie Zhecheng, then at Yu Jiuyuan, and sneered, "I know, President Yu. You're really something, always managing this and that, even personally overseeing what clothes I wear."
Yu Jiuyuan ignored the barb in his words and instead looked at Xie Zhecheng: "What do you think of this black one? We'll use a dark blue background on the day of the signing, and black will look better in the photos."
Xie Zhecheng turned halfway around in front of the full-length mirror, his indifferent profile reflected in the mirror, but his gaze met Yu Jiuyuan's on the sofa through the mirror: "If you think it's good, then it's good."
The favorability rating of 82 flashed on the system panel, and the positive emotional fluctuation quietly increased by 1 point.
Yu Jiuyuan felt nothing inside, but her face showed just the right amount of surprise: "President Xie is unusually easy to talk to."
She stood up, walked behind him, and gently traced the line of his suit collar with her fingertips. "But I think dark gray suits your temperament better."
The warmth of his fingertips seeped through the thin fabric of his clothes, and Xie Zhecheng's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. He didn't turn around, but his eyes in the mirror darkened slightly: "I'll listen to you."
Lin Yanran, who was standing to the side, frowned as she watched. Just as she was about to say something, her phone suddenly vibrated.
He glanced at the caller ID, his expression changed slightly, and he turned and went to the corner to answer the call.
Yu Jiuyuan ignored him and turned her attention back to Xie Zhecheng.
She walked around to face him, looked up at him, and gently touched his tie with her finger: "Choose a burgundy tie, it's similar to the color of your eyes."
Xie Zhecheng looked down at her. The girl's eyes were bright, like they held starlight, and her pure and innocent nature made his heart soften.
But only he could occasionally catch a glimpse of that almost indifferent scrutiny beneath that layer of innocence, like now, as she carefully examines an item that belongs to her, assessing how to make it more to her liking.
His Adam's apple bobbed slightly. He raised his hand and grasped her fingers, which were still lingering on his tie. His fingertips were icy cold. "Whatever you like."
Just then, the shop door was pushed open, and Rong Shenghan walked in, exuding a chilling aura.
He took off his snow-covered coat and handed it to the waiter, his face bearing his usual approachable and gentle smile. His gaze swept across the store, finally settling on Yu Jiuyuan's hand, which was being held by Xie Zhecheng.
"Sorry I'm late."
Rong Shenghan's voice was emotionless. He walked to Yu Jiuyuan's side and naturally wanted to put his arm around her waist, but when he saw that Xie Zhecheng was still holding her hand, he paused and instead raised his hand to tidy up the stray hairs by her ear.
"Things at home were a bit more complicated than expected. Hope that didn't delay your clothing selection?"
His fingertips, cool from the outside air, touched her earlobe, and Yu Jiuyuan instinctively shrank her neck, like a startled little animal.
She looked up at him and smiled, her eyes curving into crescents: "I just chose President Xie, and I was just about to take a look at mine."
Xie Zhecheng had already let go of her hand, taken a half step back, and resumed his aloof demeanor, as if he wasn't the one who had just held her fingers.
He looked at Rong Shenghan and nodded slightly: "Vice President Rong."
"Thank you, President." Rong Shenghan returned the greeting with a smile, but his gaze lingered on Xie Zhecheng's suit, which was clearly prepared for signing the contract. The smile did not reach his eyes. "This suits you very well. It seems that President Yu's taste is as good as ever."
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