A Reluctant Visit to the Women’s Clothing Store

“No, no! I’m not going!”

Outside the apartment building, a striking, brown-haired woman, exuding the aura of an authoritative older sister, gripped the collar of a brown-haired youth with one hand. He was dragged along for a stretch, much like a sack of rubbish. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn’t break free from her seemingly delicate, slender arm.

“Xiao Ling, let’s go, let’s go.”

“No! Absolutely not!”

The unfortunate youth being hauled away by the older sister was, of course, Lin Ling. When he first heard Lin Yiting mention going to a women’s clothing store, his heart vehemently rebelled. But he never imagined Lin Yiting possessed such strength, able to forcibly drag him downstairs. And it was the kind of dragging where Lin Ling couldn’t resist at all. How could Lin Ling possibly endure such a thing? The thought alone made him squirm internally, yet no matter how he thrashed, he remained firmly in her grasp.

“Sis, Sister, if you want to go to a women’s clothing store, just go by yourself! Why drag me along?”

Lin Yiting paused, fixing Lin Ling with an odd gaze.

“Didn’t Xiao Ling used to love wearing my clothes when you were little? Why the sudden aversion now?”

“Sis! That was when I was a child! What did I know back then?”

A faint blush crept across Lin Ling’s face—a reaction from this body he now inhabited. ‘What do the original protagonist’s strange habits have to do with *me*, Lin Ling?’

“So scared of going to a women’s clothing store… could it be that Xiao Ling has some ulterior motive?”

Lin Ling was utterly stumped by Lin Yiting’s remark. ‘After all, my true self is a pure-hearted youth who hasn’t even touched a girl more than a few times!’

“Pfft~ Alright, alright, I’m not teasing you anymore.”

Seemingly pleased with her brother’s reaction, Lin Yiting happily mounted her motorcycle and gestured for Lin Ling to get on quickly. Lin Ling, not daring to provoke this formidable figure, meekly climbed onto the bike. Once out of the complex, the motorcycle hugged the edge of the road.

As they idled by the roadside, waiting for the traffic light to change, Lin Yiting inadvertently glanced into the rearview mirror. Lin Ling was observing the surrounding scenery in the reflection. Gazing at his profile, Lin Yiting couldn’t help but sigh internally. ‘If Lin Ling were a girl, he would undoubtedly be captivating enough to charm all living beings.’

“Ah, if only I had a younger sister.”

Lin Ling caught Lin Yiting’s soft murmur, but the surrounding noise was too loud for him to discern the words.

“Sister, what did you just say?”

“Oh, nothing. Don’t talk on the motorcycle, okay? You’ll get a tummy ache from the wind.”

Hearing this, Lin Ling instinctively drew his neck back. Such words, he thought, sounded exactly like something one would say to a child. A surge of inexplicable anger welled within him, and Lin Ling turned his face away, clearly disinclined to speak with Lin Yiting further.

The women’s clothing store Lin Yiting had mentioned was not far, and given their swift pace, they arrived at its entrance in no time. The storefront appeared quite spacious, spanning approximately eighty square meters. Its overall aesthetic was modern minimalist, with a sign in a delicate pinkish-white hue. From a distance, it could easily be mistaken for pure white. Beneath the pinkish-white sign, an indented space featured silver-white walls. These walls were adorned with simple decorative elements. Adjacent to the walls, a glass door and window offered a clear view into the store’s interior.

The array of gorgeous women’s apparel inside the store immediately caught Lin Ling’s eye. Even though he knew nothing about fashion design, he was momentarily taken aback. Unaware of Lin Ling’s surprised gaze behind her, Lin Yiting expertly found a spot to park her motorcycle, then led Lin Ling into the women’s clothing store.

*Ding-dong~*

The doorbell chimed as the door opened, and Lin Yiting stepped inside quite naturally. Lin Ling, by contrast, was a bundle of nerves, his face flushed with embarrassment.

“Um… Sister, maybe I shouldn’t go in?”

Lin Yiting, who had only taken two steps, heard Lin Ling’s voice, turned her head, and forcibly pulled him inside.

“Hey!”

Lin Ling cried out in surprise, and his exclamation drew the gazes of the surrounding customers. At that moment, Lin Ling felt his heart pounding out of his chest; it was his first time in a women’s clothing store, and he couldn’t possibly *not* be nervous. Fortunately, the female customers merely spared Lin Ling a glance before returning their attention elsewhere.

“Alright then, Xiao Ling, do you want one?”

“No!”

Lin Ling refused with unwavering resolve. Lin Yiting merely smiled at his response, having only been teasing him anyway.

After a quick survey of the clothing styles within the store, Lin Yiting confidently made her way to a clothes rack. Lin Ling, no longer daring to wander off on his own, stuck close behind Lin Yiting, anxious not to be mistaken for some strange individual. Lin Yiting cheerfully approached an outfit. It was predominantly white with long sleeves. A layer of light gray fabric covered the torso. Both the sleeves and hem were loose and flowing, immediately suggesting a casual style of clothing. She held the garment up against herself, her amber eyes—identical to Lin Ling’s—gazing at him with eager anticipation. Lin Ling observed the clothes in Lin Yiting’s hands, then contrasted them with her aura, concluding that such casual attire didn’t quite suit her.

“Well? Xiao Ling, why so quiet?”

“Cough…”

He let out an awkward cough, unsure how to articulate the subtle sense of incongruity he felt.

“Uh… well, Sister, I feel like this outfit doesn’t quite match your temperament.”

Hearing his words, Lin Yiting glanced at the clothes in her hands, then at her own black casual wear. What was meant to be casual attire somehow took on the air of a uniform when worn by Lin Yiting. Despite feeling that the garment didn’t align with her usual style, Lin Yiting found herself reluctant to part with it. She simply adored its design, a style she hadn’t encountered elsewhere during her previous shopping excursions. After pacing for a moment, Lin Yiting finally made up her mind.

“I’ll go try it on first.”

“Excuse me, could you find me a smaller size?”

As soon as she spoke, a female attendant approached with a professional smile. The attendant swiftly located the correct size for Lin Yiting and handed it to her. After taking the clothes, Lin Yiting dashed into the fitting room. Lin Ling found a seat and settled down to rest obediently. ‘There’s no other choice; this is a women’s clothing store, after all.’ ‘It’s not proper for a grown man like me to be wandering around in a place like this, and besides, Lin Ling already felt a pang of shame just entering.’

Observing the stream of female customers, Lin Ling, feeling somewhat idle, pulled out his phone. A single glance at the most prominent message on the screen jolted Lin Ling wide awake. The most conspicuous message on the screen was unmistakably from Chen Sishi, the original protagonist’s love interest. Its content was brief, just a few words.

[Chen Sishi: Is Lin Ling really helping his sister with errands?]

The message had been sent a few minutes ago, seemingly… around the same time Lin Ling had entered the women’s clothing store. It felt as if a pair of icy hands had reached in, ripped out Lin Ling’s heart, and brutally pounded it. Intermittent chills assailed his mind, causing Lin Ling’s brain to crash instantly.