The Suited Bruiser and the Young Gentleman

"Little Fatty... Ahem. Your master's old habit of putting himself through hell to save face? He's never going to change."

Ye Wanqing put her glasses back on. A teasing glint flashed in her shrewd eyes behind the lenses.

"He told you I only agreed to make your clothes because he was such an important man and spent days wearing me down?"

Qin Zhong nodded honestly. "That's what Master said. He also said the Enchanted Garments were worth a fortune, and that they were a gift from him to us."

"It's nice to have good intentions. Shame you can't eat them or make clothes out of them."

Ye Wanqing sighed. "That master of yours, the great Master Hong of the Shocking Heron Martial Hall, has pockets cleaner than his face."

"What?!"

Qin Zhong's eyes bulged in disbelief.

Li Xiang wasn't surprised.

The poor could afford books; the rich could afford martial arts. That had been true since time immemorial.

Hong Tianbao charged no tuition at his hall and even paid for his disciples' medicinal baths and meals out of his own pocket. The Dragon-Tiger Bone-Tempering Soup Li Xiang had soaked in, for instance, was a bottomless pit for money. Even mountains of gold and silver wouldn't survive spending like that.

"Then these clothes..." Qin Zhong pointed at the rack.

"These clothes are a transaction." Ye Wanqing laid it out plainly.

"He can't pay the bill, and he doesn't want to lose face in front of his disciples, so he struck a deal with me."

"He said he'd lend me the two of you for a few days."

"As it happens, my shop just received several batches of new men's fashions from the West. I need a few well-built models to show them off to those wealthy ladies."

"The male models I had were too thin. They couldn't fill out these military-style overcoats and suits. They lacked a little masculine presence."

Ye Wanqing's gaze swept over Qin Zhong's tower-like frame and Li Xiang's tall, straight figure. She nodded in satisfaction.

"Hong Tianbao may not be good for much else, but he has an eye for people."

"One of you is powerfully built; the other is handsome and upright. You complement each other perfectly."

"The deal is simple." Ye Wanqing held up a finger. "You two work as my models for free for a while and help me sell this batch of clothes."

"Once it's done, I'll waive the cost of your Enchanted Garments and make them myself."

"That's what you call borrowing a hen to lay eggs."

"Of course, the hen is your master. As for the eggs, those are you two."

"..."

Qin Zhong was dumbfounded.

His mouth hung open for a long time while his head buzzed.

So it wasn't that his master had pull. His master had sold them?

What kind of mess was this?!

They were direct disciples of the Shocking Heron Martial Hall, pupils of a former dynasty's Martial Laureate, and now they had to pose in a tailor shop for a bunch of rich women to ogle?

If word got out, how could he show his face at the Horizon Carriage Company? How could he hold his head up on the streets of Linjiang County?

"Master's wife, this... this is a bit..."

Qin Zhong looked painfully constipated. He wanted to refuse, but he couldn't bear to give up an Enchanted Garment that might save his life.

"A bit what?" Ye Wanqing gave him a knowing look. "Too humiliating? Too much to ask?"

"If you don't want to do it, the door's right there. You can leave whenever you like. But then you won't get your Enchanted Garment."

That struck Qin Zhong where it hurt.

"I..." Qin Zhong gritted his teeth and hung his head. "I'll wear it. I'll wear it, all right?!"

Watching from the side, Li Xiang couldn't help thinking Hong Tianbao's scheme was shameless. The man was a master at catching a wolf with empty hands.

On second thought, this was an opportunity.

He would get an Enchanted Garment worth a fortune for free and unlock the [Model] Profession while he was at it. Why wouldn't he?

Besides, Hong Tianbao really had given everything he could to help them win. Even if his method was a little shameless, his intentions were sincere.

"Madam Hong, we'll do it."

Li Xiang stepped forward, his expression calm. "Since Master Hong has 'sold' us to you, we're your employees for the next two days."

"We'll do our best to show off these clothes so you don't lose money."

Ye Wanqing glanced at Li Xiang in surprise, her approval growing.

"A sensible young man." She said no more and waved to the shop assistant beside her. "Take them to change."

"Have Qin Zhong try on the black Double-Breasted Striped Suit with the Cashmere Overcoat."

"Have Li Xiang try on the white Tailcoat and the light-gray Plaid Casual Outfit."

"And call the hairstylist over to tidy them up. Don't let them come out with birds' nests on their heads. They'd ruin my reputation."

"Yes, boss." The shop assistant came forward with a smile. "Gentlemen, please follow me."

Half an hour later.

The changing-room curtain was pulled aside.

Several wealthy ladies chatting on the sofas turned at the sound, their gazes carrying a casual, critical air.

They were regulars here. What sort of model hadn't they seen?

Blond, blue-eyed men from the West, pretty local men—they had long since grown tired of them all.

But when they saw the two figures emerge from the changing room, their indifference froze. Stifled gasps took its place.

"Oh..."

Even Ye Wanqing, who had seen her share of grand sights, brightened and gave a small nod.

Qin Zhong came out first.

The big man had been transformed.

His sweat-stained, patched work clothes were gone. In their place was a sharply tailored black Double-Breasted Striped Suit.

That kind of suit put its wearer's build to the test.

On a thin man, it would look like a child had stolen an adult's clothes—loose, baggy, and utterly lacking in presence.

Qin Zhong was different.

His tower-like frame, broad shoulders, and bulging chest filled the suit completely, leaving not a wrinkle in sight.

A black Cashmere Overcoat hung over it, its collar turned up to cover half his neck.

A black Bowler Hat sat low on his head, its brim revealing only his sharp tiger eyes and angular jaw.

To complete the look, the hairstylist had given him a cut that made him appear even tougher and more intimidating.

Best of all, Ye Wanqing had someone give him a pair of Sunglasses.

Standing there in that outfit, he didn't look remotely like a Rickshaw Driver.

He looked like a mob boss from the West. His fierce, keep-your-distance aura hit everyone head-on, frightening them even as it made them want another look.

One wealthy lady covered her mouth, her eyes full of wonder. "Why does he look like the sort of man who'd kill without blinking? And yet, in those clothes, he makes me feel so safe."

"Exactly. Imagine going out with a bodyguard like that. What a statement!"

With so many people staring at him, Qin Zhong felt uncomfortable all over.

The suit felt too tight, especially the bow tie around his neck. It felt as though someone had him by the throat, making it hard to breathe.

And the trousers were too tight. If he took one big step, he was afraid they'd split open and expose his backside. He'd be so embarrassed his grandmother would hear about it.

He instinctively reached up to scratch his neck.

"Don't move!"

Ye Wanqing's voice cut through the room. "Straighten your back, tuck your chin in a little, and let your hands hang naturally. Stop scratching yourself like a monkey."

"And your eyes—look colder. Bring out that attitude you have when you're fighting for turf at the carriage company."

Qin Zhong had no choice but to grit his teeth and follow her instructions, adopting a cold, merciless expression.

That only made him look more like a bruiser in a suit.

Then Li Xiang came out.

If Qin Zhong was a mob boss in the darkness, Li Xiang was a young gentleman beneath the spotlight.

He wore a well-tailored, light-gray three-piece Plaid Casual Outfit over a snow-white stand-collar shirt, with a dark-blue silk tie at his throat.

His long legs looked straight in his suit trousers, and polished brown Oxford Shoes gleamed on his feet.

The hairstylist had carefully parted his hair to one side, revealing his smooth forehead and eyes as deep as a starry sky.

Gold-Rimmed Non-Prescription Glasses rested on his nose. Behind the lenses, his gaze was gentle and reserved, and a faint smile played at his lips.

He looked like a learned gentleman returned from studying abroad, or a well-bred young master from a distinguished family.

A scholar's refinement and a young man's vigor blended perfectly in him, giving him a charm all his own.

"Oh my goodness..."

The wealthy lady who had been discussing Qin Zhong stared at him, nearly dropping her coffee cup.

"He's so handsome! Which family is he from? How have I never seen him before?"

"Those clothes might as well have been made for him!"

"That refined scoundrel... No, that gentlemanly, jade-like air of his could steal a woman's soul."

"I wonder how skilled he is below the waist..." a bolder young matron murmured, drawing a round of muffled laughter.

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