Couple Outfits

In February, during the winter break, the streets of Jiangcheng were already brimming with the festive spirit of the approaching New Year.

Chen Zhi slouched in his computer chair, looking at the gloomy grey sky outside the window, and exhaled a puff of white breath.

Time flew by too fast.

"Cough, cough."

The penguin icon in the bottom right corner of his computer screen bounced.

Chen Zhi clicked open the message box. It was an extremely minimalist white avatar.

[Pei: Getting online?]

Chen Zhi raised an eyebrow.

Ever since Pei Ningxue's stepmother stopped keeping her under high-pressure control, this aloof desk-mate of his seemed to have flipped some weird switch.

Before, she would obediently go straight home after school; now, she invited Chen Zhi to the internet cafe the moment classes ended.

However, Chen Zhi disdained the poor environment of internet cafes in 2016, filled with the stench of smoke, and refused to go no matter what.

As a result, the very next day, Pei Ningxue equipped her own bedroom with a top-of-the-line PC.

Chen Zhi typed on the keyboard.

[Chen Zhi: No, I have things to do today.]

An instant reply came back.

[Pei: ?]

[Pei: Tonight?]

[Chen Zhi: OK.]

[Pei: I'll wait for you.]

The avatar instantly went grey.

Just as Chen Zhi closed the chat window, the sound of a key turning came from the door.

"Click."

The lock popped open.

Chen Zhi didn't even turn his head. In this house, the only people who would unlock the door and walk in without knocking were his mom, Zhang Shufang, and that person.

"Chen Zhi! Stop playing games!"

Her voice arrived before she did.

Lin Wanwan was holding half a bag of unfinished sugar-roasted chestnuts, bringing with her a sweet, roasted aroma.

"What time is it, big bro? The sun is already roasting your butt."

Lin Wanwan shoved her freezing little hands straight down Chen Zhi's neck.

"Hiss—"

Chen Zhi shivered violently from the cold, almost launching himself out of the chair.

"Lin Wanwan, you just have to do this every single day, don't you?"

Chen Zhi yanked away the offending hand and glared at her in annoyance.

"Cut the crap."

Lin Wanwan grabbed Chen Zhi's wrist in return and dragged him outward with all her might.

"Auntie Zhang said we have to buy your new clothes for the New Year today, and I need to pick out an outfit for you too."

Chen Zhi clung desperately to the edge of the desk.

"I'm not going. It's cold outside. I'd rather stay home."

"No way! Auntie Zhang gave me the funds!"

Lin Wanwan pulled a bank card out of her pocket and waved it in front of Chen Zhi, looking smug.

"Plus, Auntie Zhang said if you don't go, this thousand bucks will all be my compensation for emotional distress."

Chen Zhi let go of the desk.

"Let's go."

...

Central Department Store.

With the Spring Festival approaching, the mall was adorned with red lanterns and Chinese knots. The speakers played "Gong Xi Fa Cai" on a loop, a song practically etched into everyone's DNA.

As soon as Lin Wanwan entered the mall, she automatically switched into combat mode.

She dragged Chen Zhi straight to the women's clothing section on the third floor, expertly weaving through the clothing racks, her fingers swiftly gliding over piece after piece.

"How about this one?"

"And this one?"

"Ugh, is this color too old-fashioned?"

Chen Zhi followed behind, serving as a soulless bag-carrying machine and a human accessory.

Lin Wanwan picked up a bright red coat and held it up against herself.

"Chen Zhi, look at this. Does it look good?"

Chen Zhi glanced at it and nodded with extreme perfunctoriness.

"It looks good. Very festive. You'll look like a red envelope spirit when you wear it."

Lin Wanwan rolled her eyes at him, hung the coat back, and picked up a puffer jacket.

"What about this?"

"Looks good. Fresh and refined."

"And this?"

"Looks good. Drop-dead gorgeous."

Ten minutes later.

Lin Wanwan walked out of the fitting room wearing a cream-colored fleece jacket paired with black flared pants.

She twirled in front of the mirror.

"Chen Zhi, how's this one?"

Chen Zhi was looking down, scrolling through forums on his phone, and didn't even lift his head.

"Looks good, looks good. You're so pretty, you'd look good wearing a potato sack."

The air suddenly went quiet for two seconds.

Chen Zhi acutely sensed a murderous aura.

He looked up, meeting Lin Wanwan's fire-breathing eyes.

"Chen Zhi."

Lin Wanwan gritted her teeth, grabbed a throw pillow from nearby, and hurled it at him.

"Can you put some heart into it?! You didn't even look!"

Chen Zhi caught the pillow and sighed helplessly.

"My lady, this is the eighteenth outfit you've tried on. My vocabulary is completely depleted."

"Besides, I'm telling the truth. You have pale skin, so you look good in anything."

Lin Wanwan marched up to him, puffing her cheeks in anger, and looked down at Chen Zhi, who was slumped on the sofa.

"No. Your attitude gives me zero sense of accomplishment."

She kicked the tip of his shoe.

"Get up. We're going to buy your clothes."

Feeling as though he'd been granted amnesty, Chen Zhi quickly stood up.

"Right away. Let's go."

The two moved their battlefield to the men's clothing section.

Chen Zhi's aesthetic taste was extremely single-minded and stereotypically straight-male.

He walked straight into a sportswear store and pointed at a long puffer jacket on a mannequin that was so black it reflected light.

"This one. It hides dirt, it's durable, and it can cover my face."

He then pointed to a pair of black sweatpants nearby.

"Add this pair, and we're done."

All black. This was Chen Zhi's highest form of respect for New Year's clothes.

Standing next to him, Lin Wanwan looked like her face was about to turn green.

"Chen Zhi, are you going to a funeral?"

Looking disgusted, she pulled Chen Zhi away from the "Michelin Man" style puffer jacket.

"It's the New Year, and you want to dress up like a crow. If Auntie Zhang sees this, she'll break your legs."

Chen Zhi was unconvinced.

"As long as the clothes are wearable, it's fine. Why care so much?"

"Wearable my foot. Can you have some aesthetic sense?"

Refusing to hear any more, Lin Wanwan dragged him straight into a trendy streetwear shop.

"Stand still. Don't move."

Lin Wanwan pushed Chen Zhi in front of the fitting mirror and then began to sweep through the store.

She looked even more serious picking out clothes for him than she did for herself.

With furrowed brows, her fingers rubbed the fabrics. From time to time, she'd hold a piece up against Chen Zhi, shake her head, and toss it back.

"This one won't do. The collar is too big."

"The color on this one is too loud. You can't pull it off."

"The cut of this one is bad. It makes your legs look short."

Chen Zhi stood to the side, letting Lin Wanwan fuss over him.

After quite a while.

Lin Wanwan walked over with two items of clothing in her hands.

A coffee-colored short puffer jacket made of thick, high-quality material.

A pair of dark grey straight-leg, wide-fit jeans with frayed hems.

"Go put these on."

Lin Wanwan shoved the clothes into Chen Zhi's arms and pushed him into the fitting room.

"If you dare slack off, I'm telling your mom."

The threat was highly effective.

Two minutes later.

The curtain of the fitting room was pulled back.

Chen Zhi walked out looking a bit awkward, his hands tugging at the hem of the jacket.

"Aren't these pants too baggy? I feel a draft."

He was used to wearing slim-fit sweatpants, so these wide-leg pants made him feel a bit uncomfortable.

Lin Wanwan was playing on her phone. Hearing the noise, she looked up.

The next second, she froze.

The young man stood tall and straight. The coffee-colored jacket accentuated his fair skin, and his slightly messy hair now gave off a lazy, effortless charm.

The wide-leg pants perfectly flattered his legs, making them look long and straight.

Shedding that dull, all-black ensemble, he instantly transformed from a "Michelin Man boy" into a "Korean drama male lead."

Several girls nearby who were picking out clothes couldn't help but steal glances in their direction.

Lin Wanwan stuffed her phone into her pocket and walked over briskly.

She circled Chen Zhi twice, nodding in satisfaction, an irrepressible grin spreading across her face.

"Not bad, Chen Zhi. Clothes really do make the man."

She reached out to adjust his collar, her fingertips accidentally brushing against his chin.

"Don't wear those puffer jackets that look like a row of bread rolls anymore. They're really ugly, a total waste of that face of yours."

Looking at himself in the mirror, Chen Zhi had to admit that Lin Wanwan had excellent taste.

"Alright, I'll listen to you."

Chen Zhi turned around. "So, this is the one?"

"Wait."

Lin Wanwan suddenly stopped him.

She turned and ran back to the racks, rummaging through the spot where she had just grabbed his jacket.

Then, she walked back holding a beige puffer jacket of the exact same style.

The design was identical to the one Chen Zhi was wearing; only the color was different.

"I'm getting this one."

Hugging the white jacket, Lin Wanwan stood next to Chen Zhi in his coffee-colored coat and flashed a peace sign at the mirror.

One coffee, one white.

Wasn't this a textbook couple's outfit?

Chen Zhi looked at the two of them standing side by side in the mirror and raised an eyebrow.

"Lin Wanwan, I don't think this is a good idea."

"Mind your own business!"

Lin Wanwan lifted her chin and righteously shoved the jacket into Chen Zhi's hands.

"Auntie Zhang said I could pick out something I like too."

She pointed at the jacket in Chen Zhi's hands, then pointed at herself.

"And this is what I like."

Without giving him a chance to retort, she pushed him by the back toward the cash register.

"Hurry up and pay! I'm starving!"

Chen Zhi shook his head helplessly and walked to the counter with both jackets.

Looking at her skipping silhouette ahead of him, Chen Zhi felt a warm fullness in his heart.

"Hello, I'd like to pay."

Chen Zhi slapped the bank card onto the counter.

"I'll take both. No need to bag them, just cut the tags off."

...

By the time they walked out of the mall, the sky outside had already grown dark.

The evening lights were just coming on, and the trees lining the street were draped with colorful, shimmering fairy lights.

Wearing their brand-new couple's outfits, Chen Zhi and Lin Wanwan strolled through the bustling crowd.

Lin Wanwan held a freshly bought cup of hot milk tea in her hands, occasionally dipping her head to take a sip, her eyes narrowing in satisfaction.

"Chen Zhi."

"What?"

"This jacket is really warm."

"Of course it is. It cost my mom over a thousand bucks."

"Tch, so tacky."

Lin Wanwan leaned a bit closer to Chen Zhi, gently bumping her shoulder against his.

"Come over to my house for hotpot tonight. My dad bought a ton of lamb rolls."

Chen Zhi checked the time on his phone.

He still had an hour before his scheduled "Dust II battle" with Pei Ningxue.

"Sure."

Chen Zhi stuffed his hands into his pockets, feeling the warmth brought by the new jacket.

"But I have to head back after dinner."

"Why?" Lin Wanwan's ears perked up vigilantly. "Going to play games again?"

"Yeah, I made plans with someone."

"A guy or a girl?"

"Take a guess."

"Chen Zhi! Are you sneaking around behind my back playing with other b- ... other girls again!"

"Keep it civil. That's my desk-mate."

"Desk-mate or not, it's still a no! I want to play too! I'm coming with you!"

"Do you even know how? All you do is feed kills."

"You can teach me! I refuse to believe I can't learn it!"

Amidst the wind and snow, the sound of their bickering gradually faded into the distance, melting into the peaceful, lively atmosphere of the city lights.