Because she had been so frantic while escaping, Lin Yi forgot one thing.
She forgot to tell Jian Shuye that she was going out with Yan Jianxing on Saturday.
And Jian Shuye hadn’t returned since leaving that afternoon, seemingly with little attachment to this school.
She wanted to send her a message but was deterred by the condition Jian Shuye had set: “Don’t message me on your own initiative.”
She had no choice but to let it go.
It couldn’t be helped.
She’d just have to explain the situation when Jian Shuye contacted her first.
She was really short on money, and the school didn’t allow the Work-Study Program, so she wanted to keep this job with Jian Shuye as much as possible.
Surely, being magnanimous, she wouldn’t mind such a small thing.
Besides, who demands their employee start work the very next day after confirming the job on the first day?
When Lin Yi woke up in the morning, she didn’t see Yan Jianxing.
At this hour, she was probably running while heading to the cafeteria for breakfast.
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she looked at her own smooth legs hidden under the blanket and couldn’t help but reach out to touch them.
Damn it, she couldn’t feel a thing.
All that talk about feeling good after becoming a beautiful girl was nonsense!
She couldn’t even emulate the fine virtue of Taki Tachibana’s self-exploration, because she was the pitiful Charm A.
After brushing her teeth, washing her face, and doing her skincare, Lin Yi opened the wardrobe and discovered a terrifying problem.
She had no casual clothes.
Of course.
Being this poor, trying to stretch every penny, where would she get money for clothes?
Even her shoes were gifted by the System!
“Two sets of summer sportswear uniforms, two sets of winter sportswear uniforms, two sets of formal wear… that’s it!”
After some thought, since they were probably going to run on the island anyway, Lin Yi took out a set of summer sportswear and put it on.
Fortunately, her looks were good enough.
Otherwise, going out like this, people might mistake her for a delinquent girl skipping class from some middle school.
“I’m back, I brought your favorite bamboo shoot buns and soy milk… What are you doing?”
Lin Yi was holding her underwear against herself, comparing it.
Seeing Yan Jianxing open the dorm room door, she frantically stuffed the underwear back into the wardrobe.
“I, I, I, I was just…”
Strangely, Yan Jianxing didn’t say anything.
She just put the breakfast on the table and then patted Lin Yi’s shoulder.
Please, don’t look at me with such a sad expression.
I’ll grow more later, I’ll eat more papayas, I promise!
While Lin Yi was eating breakfast, Yan Jianxing had already started getting ready.
A hairband slipped from Yan Jianxing’s distinctively knuckled fingers and wrapped around her high ponytail.
Today, she was wearing a black tank top, showcasing her snow-white, smooth shoulders and collarbone, dazzlingly bright.
The impressive pair at her chest formed a stark contrast with her slender waist.
She wore beige high-waisted trousers as bottoms, further highlighting her incredible figure.
Finally, a pair of white sneakers set the tone for Yan Jianxing’s temperament and personality.
The perfect sporty-style beautiful girl.
She would definitely become the center of attention wherever she went.
In comparison, Lin Yi’s attire seemed much more lackluster.
Plus, she liked wearing a hat in such hot weather, so her entire face was inadvertently hidden in shadow.
Yan Jianxing, who was applying light makeup, turned her head.
“Lin Yi, are you really planning to go out with me wearing your school uniform?”
“I only have uniforms…”
“Really?”
Yan Jianxing got up and opened the wardrobe, finding that Lin Yi was telling the truth.
After thinking for a moment, Yan Jianxing clenched her fist, determined.
“Let’s add one more item to today’s plan. We’re going shopping, to buy clothes!”
“Eh—”
Lin Yi recalled scenes from her past life accompanying her mom to the market to buy groceries.
For a moment, she felt her time was about to be inexplicably lost in the black hole known as shopping.
Yan Jianxing sprayed some perfume on herself and then gave Lin Yi a couple of spritzes too.
“Mhm mhm, all set!”
With that, she slung a white handbag over her shoulder, grabbed Lin Yi’s small hand, and dashed out.
Exiting from the east gate of Zhuming Girls’ High, it was about a one-kilometer walk to the subway station.
They took the spacious, comfortable, and utterly solid Line 11 to Ruyi Fang.
After that, they had to transfer to Line 6, which had its seats removed to increase capacity.
Fortunately, they only needed to ride for one stop to reach their destination.
On the subway, Yan Jianxing attracted the gazes of most people.
Lin Yi felt enveloped by the stares, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
An otaku can’t handle being looked at.
Just being under scrutiny drains all their energy, leaving only snow-white ashes.
“We’re here, let’s go.”
“Mhm.”
Exiting the station, it was a little past 9 a.m.
The two walked towards the adjacent Commercial Plaza.
There weren’t many people yet, but every time Yan Jianxing looked back, she saw Lin Yi with her head down, silently following behind her.
“What’s wrong with you? Why do you become like this as soon as we leave school?”
Lin Yi pulled down her hat brim.
“I, I’m a bit nervous.”
Yan Jianxing stopped and placed both hands on Lin Yi’s shoulders.
“Don’t tell me, Lin Yi, you’re actually a shut-in who can’t stand the light?”
?
Yan Jianxing, you definitely peeked at the script, didn’t you?
Or perhaps you have eyes that see through people’s hearts!
Lin Yi nodded.
In a sense, what she said was completely correct.
“Then, was it not good of me to drag you out today?”
Yan Jianxing looked troubled.
“Should we go back now? It’s only a few stops by subway anyway, it’ll be quick.”
“That’s not it!”
Lin Yi raised her head, revealing a face that even made Yan Jianxing pause her breath.
“I, I don’t think that at all. Being able to come out and play with you, I was actually really looking forward to it and am very happy. I don’t want to go back at all!”
“Slow down, slow down, hahaha.”
Yan Jianxing smiled.
“Ah, so that’s what you think. You scared me. I thought I had done something to make you unhappy again.”
“Again?”
“Mhm, again.”
Yan Jianxing nodded.
“Last time during P.E. class, I didn’t know you had fainted and been taken to the infirmary. I still forced you to go running. I’ve actually been thinking about that these past few days.”
Lin Yi waved her hand.
“Don’t worry about it. My body ending up like this is all my own doing. It has nothing to do with you.”
The two fell silent, the atmosphere becoming somewhat awkward.
Lin Yi extended both hands, mustered her courage, grabbed Yan Jianxing’s shoulders, and turned her around.
Then she pushed Yan Jianxing forward.
“Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go look at clothes!”
“Alright, alright, alright, we’ll go look.”
The two got on the escalator together, found a clothing store with a nice style, and prepared to try on clothes.
The female shop owner quickly came out.
“Welcome. What can I do for you two young ladies?”
“Mhm… help my friend see if there are any suitable clothes.”
“This young lady is so pretty. She’ll definitely look good in anything. But I recommend this set with a coffee-colored theme. It’s very preppy.”
Under the shop owner’s coordination, Lin Yi was pushed by Yan Jianxing into the fitting room.
“Do you need help?”
Yan Jianxing gave a wink and prepared to take off her shoes to follow Lin Yi into the fitting room.
“No need, no need!”
Lin Yi hurriedly pulled the door handle.
“I can do it myself!”
“Ah, come on, we’re roommates. Why so shy? If you can’t zip it up, be sure to call me, okay? I love helping people!”
“Got it!”
Ten minutes later, Lin Yi secretly opened the fitting room door.
Lin Yi’s small head, topped with a milk-coffee-colored octagonal pumpkin hat, peeked out from the fitting room.
She wore a white shirt with a butterfly ribbon tie on top and a coffee-colored pleated skirt on the bottom.
Her smooth legs showed a pinkish hue through their whiteness.
Her tender calves were clad in knitted cotton socks and round-toed leather shoes.
“It’s a bit hot today, so I won’t put on this sailor-collar milk-coffee coat…”
However, neither the shop owner nor Yan Jianxing responded.
They just stared dumbfounded at Lin Yi.
“Um, hello, is anyone listening to me?”
“Yan Jianxing?”
Yan Jianxing snapped out of her daze, trembling as she took out her phone.
“C-Can I take a photo? Just one, one photo!”
Before taking the photo, I suggest you wipe the drool from the corner of your mouth, dear.
Lin Yi covered her pumpkin hat with both hands and whispered, “Okay…”
The shop owner, watching the two take a photo together, made a decision.
“You two, could you leave a photo together in the shop? We can put a sticker over your faces!”
“Eh?”
“Because it’s just too beautiful. I really couldn’t help myself.”
The shop owner proposed, “If you agree, I’ll give you this outfit at the supplier’s price. It’s even cheaper than buying online!”
Yan Jianxing looked at Lin Yi.
Lin Yi looked at herself in the fitting room mirror again.
Charm A, pretty amazing, right?