Ji Hanxing closed his eyes, cutting off his wandering thoughts.
The system ranted and swore for ages. If Ji Hanxing went to the charity auction dinner looking like this, its reputation as 004, the Domineering CEO Development System, would be utterly ruined!
Finally, the system put a soul-searching question to Ji Hanxing: [Did you actually pay attention to the basic domineering CEO skills lessons these past two days? Did you learn anything?]
Ji Hanxing rubbed his nose guiltily.
Learning any of it was out of the question. A wild boar couldn't appreciate fine bran; that sort of flashy, impractical knowledge simply wouldn't sink in.
The system's voice was cold. [This system hereby determines that the host's assessment result is a fai-]
"Wait!"
Ji Hanxing immediately stopped it. "If this outfit won't do, I'll change right now. There's still time, isn't there?"
[One last chance!]
Ji Hanxing returned to the walk-in closet. Faced with its neat rows of suits, he was stumped. There were so many choices that his eyes were swimming-which one should he pick?
His gaze roamed around until he suddenly spotted the large box in a cabinet diagonally below him. He thought for a moment. This seemed to be the latest custom-made suit, which he hadn't worn yet.
Ji Hanxing opened the box, and his eyes lit up. This was the one!
The body's original owner had ordered this suit from a bespoke tailoring shop in Country Y. It had arrived a few days ago, and Ji Hanxing had put it straight into the walk-in closet without opening it.
Soon, Ji Hanxing emerged in the suit.
The coffee-brown pinstriped suit was tailored to fit, its broad peaked lapels lending a hint of aggression to its otherwise sober style. The centimeter of white shirt cuff showing beneath the sleeves was just right, giving him an air of refinement and restraint.
The suit trousers were slightly loose, their fabric smooth and fluid, making Ji Hanxing's long legs look even longer and straighter.
Ji Hanxing stared at himself in the mirror in astonishment. Was that him? He instinctively touched his face. It was still the same face, identical to the one he'd had in his previous life.
But was that imposing man standing tall in the mirror really him?
[Hmm, this one barely passes.]
[Clothes really do make the man, just as a saddle makes the horse.]
Ji Hanxing's slender fingers brushed over his sleeve. The fabric felt fine and soft.
[After studying these past two days, you should have a general understanding of this suit. This system will give you a test: how much does it cost?]
The system's rather patronizing remark left Ji Hanxing at a loss for words. It already knew perfectly well that he hadn't studied, yet it still wanted to quiz him?
Still, he gave the price some serious thought. Xue Hui had paid for this suit, and the original owner's memories contained no such information. He wouldn't have bothered remembering a trivial detail like the price of a suit.
"Five hundred thousand?"
Even his voice trembled slightly. That was the highest price Ji Hanxing could bring himself to name.
[No. The suit you are wearing costs eight hundred and fifty thousand.]
Ji Hanxing was dumbstruck. The price of this top-of-the-line, entirely handmade bespoke luxury suit could cover the down payment on a home in City A.
Good heavens, could I really afford to be this extravagant now? Was I wearing gold? Even gold wasn't this expensive!
Poverty had limited his imagination. Ji Hanxing let out a goose-like squawk of astonishment.
[This is vicuña fabric, made from the fleece of wild vicuñas. The fabric alone can cost tens of thousands per meter. Just the fabric for this bespoke suit was worth over a hundred thousand.]
[Please remain calm, host. You are a domineering CEO now. Please don't act like such a country bumpkin.]
Ji Hanxing: (=ﾟДﾟ=) He would do his best. After all, he really hadn't seen much of the world.
His clothes had once consisted entirely of shirts and jackets bought from street stalls for a few dozen yuan. Winter was even easier: he wrapped himself in a green military coat, cheap and warm.
As he'd understood it before, clothes were merely for covering the body and keeping warm. As long as his clothes were clean and tidy, Ji Hanxing hadn't thought there was anything shameful about them.
But seeing himself in the mirror today, Ji Hanxing suddenly understood the saying: only when the granaries are full do people learn propriety; only when they have enough food and clothing do they understand honor and shame.
Clothing really could change a person's bearing, and now he had the means.
Disgusted with the way Ji Hanxing had tied his tie, the system immediately found a tie-tying video and flung it into his consciousness. Having come this far, could it really give up on him?
It would just have to teach him little by little.
[Tie your tie using this method.]
This time, Ji Hanxing watched carefully and learned earnestly. The shift in his mindset allowed him to learn quickly.
The video said a tie shouldn't be tied too rigidly, nor should it be too thick, as that would look stiff and ugly.
The tie should be made of silk. Fortunately, all the ties in his walk-in closet were silk now. Ji Hanxing raised an eyebrow. Men really did like them thin.
There was also an art to tying it. The section extending from the triangular knot shouldn't be too flat; it needed a raised fold with a dimple to give the tie a fuller appearance.
The silk tie was fairly thin, and Ji Hanxing soon adjusted it to create the dimpled fold he wanted.
[Hmm, that's not bad.]
The system then directed Ji Hanxing in choosing leather shoes, cufflinks, and other accessories. Only once everything was ready did it finally agree to let him leave.
[Go! Remember, you are a domineering CEO!]
Ji Hanxing held his head high and puffed out his chest, striding along with vigorous steps. Everything he was wearing today put together could buy a home in City A!
Were these clothes?
No, this was his battle attire for the day!