Ch 141: TGCIR

Shen Cheng listened to Li Weilan talk about the development between Xi Bei and Fu Yanzhou, and she was utterly stunned: “Xi Bei and Fu Yanzhou?”

Although there were some hints in the game before, she had thought that Xi Bei’s feelings for Fu Yanzhou were purely about admiring his looks. A crush based on appearance didn’t necessarily lead to anything serious.

And besides, Xi Bei was so young.

Her memory of Xi Bei was still being just around 18 years old—if purely based on age, the base might even be accused of exploiting child labor, considering that Xi Bei had started working in the base’s plantation with her plant-based abilities before she was even of age.

“Fu Yanzhou actually went along with it?” Shen Cheng mumbled to herself in disbelief, “Xi Bei just barely became an adult.”

When Li Weilan heard her say this, he coughed slightly, rubbed his nose, and showed a hint of awkwardness.

Seeing his expression, Shen Cheng suddenly realized: “You mean to say, it wasn’t Fu Yanzhou who made the first move, but Xi Bei?”

Li Weilan nodded.

Shen Cheng’s surprise deepened.

Li Weilan observed her reaction and, although he had been the one to bring up the topic of the effects of the zombie virus, seeing her so focused on others now made him feel a bit jealous: this was only their second day together!

Shen Cheng was already so concerned about the other people in the base, her attention drifting away from him. They hadn’t even settled into an “old married couple” routine yet!

He needed to think of something to bring her focus back.

Quickly, Li Weilan changed the subject: “Cheng Cheng, can you help me pick out some things to take back with us?”

He gently ruffled her hair, smiling: “I’m talking about your colleagues at work, and especially Sister Ma. They all take such good care of you, right? We should bring back a few suitable gifts for them on our way back.”

As Shen Cheng listened to Li Weilan speak, she suddenly remembered the time when she was carrying a Hermès bag. In this world, a well-preserved Hermès bag would probably be worth a fortune, but if she brought a few Himalayan bags back home, and someone realized just how rare and limited they were, they might even track the bag’s ID to verify its authenticity.

Too precious of a gift wouldn’t be appropriate, so what would be a suitable way to express her gratitude? It would be best to find something that genuinely conveyed her feelings without putting any burden on the recipient.

After thinking it over, Shen Cheng looked up at Li Weilan, smiling with a hint of anticipation in her eyes. The thought of “going home” crossed her mind, and she realized that going back to their time, to their little home, with Li Weilan would be like bringing him home with her.

“You remembered everything?” Shen Cheng only mentioned a few names, but Li Weilan had taken note of every detail, committing it all to memory.

It showed how much he cared about and paid attention to everything related to her, remembering every little thing so clearly.

“Of course, I remember. After all, they are all friends of my Baby Cheng,” Li Weilan said with a slightly teasing smile.

Shen Cheng was stunned.

Her face instantly heated up.

Baby Cheng? What kind of nickname was that?

Shen Cheng had always thought of him as mature and steady, but this playful nickname had shattered that image.

“What kind of nickname is that?” Shen Cheng weakly protested.

It was true that she had thought of him as a cute little cub, and had even called him that in her mind for a long time, but now that the tall, handsome man was standing in front of her, with his chiseled features and well-defined muscles—she couldn’t bring herself to call him a “cub” out loud anymore!

Now, hearing him call her “Baby Cheng,” especially in that affectionate tone, felt like a bolt of lightning had struck her, and she was sure her face was flushed red.

Li Weilan chuckled.

Seeing her embarrassed expression, the last bit of vague worry he had harbored quietly faded away.

Seeing that she didn’t react with anger but instead blushed, he knew that she didn’t see him merely as someone to be taken care of or pitied.

Li Weilan stood up, the corners of his mouth lifting in a smile. “Let’s take a look at the wardrobe.”

In Li Weilan’s wardrobe, clothes were piled up like a small mountain.

Shen Cheng saw countless luxury brands that would have been impossible to buy during the apocalypse—high-end clothes, handbags, branded jewelry, and luxury watches.

The various high-end clothes alone filled an entire massive wardrobe, with some fabrics that looked incredibly expensive tossed aside like rags. Beautifully tailored garments were crumpled and lying neglected in corners, some even gathering dust. Only a few pieces had been spared from being ruined and were properly hung on the rack.

Shen Cheng frowned as she walked over, examining the clothes with a sense of dismay, then turned to Li Weilan with a sigh: “These are all good clothes, but they aren’t styled well.” Her face flushed with embarrassment, “Some of these outfits look so well put together, but I’ve never worn anything like this, so I’m not sure how to wear them.”

Li Weilan hadn’t realized how complicated women’s fashion could be.

Seeing Shen Cheng standing in front of the wardrobe, overwhelmed, he finally waved his hand and said, “Alright, let’s sort this out.”

A few minutes later, a particularly slender man came running in front of Shen Cheng.

The man worked with remarkable efficiency. Although his eyes briefly flashed with a sense of regret when he saw the wardrobe, within just a few minutes, he had expertly paired the accessories with the outfit. In Shen Cheng’s hands, the outfit seemed somewhat awkward and ill-fitting, but under his skillful touch, it transformed into a seamless and elegant ensemble.

With a few twists and turns, the man tied a bow that made Shen Cheng’s figure appear particularly graceful, with the hemline of the dress flowing like waves, giving her a fairy-like aura as she moved.

He had her sit down in a chair, and his hands moved quickly and skillfully, issuing commands like, “Open your eyes,” “Close your eyes,” and “Look up.” Shen Cheng, perhaps overwhelmed by his professionalism, obediently followed his instructions in a daze. It wasn’t until everything was done that she realized: wait, why does my face feel cool?

The man then guided her to a full-length mirror with a proud smile, the kind only a true professional would have, beaming with pride in his work. “Take a look.”

Shen Cheng looked at her reflection in the mirror.

If seeing her face in the game had been surprising, then seeing the beauty in the mirror now was utterly astonishing.

She had lived a rather rough life in the modern world. At first, her income barely covered her basic expenses, leaving little room for luxuries. Even after acquiring some valuable items, she had hesitated to spend much, feeling that they were the last remnants of her fortune. Most of her money had gone into supporting “Little Cub,” with almost nothing left for herself. In reality, she had no real experience in dressing up; it was almost non-existent.

She knew that the Druid character had a natural beauty, unrefined yet pure, but she hadn’t expected that a little bit of grooming could turn that face, which was 80% similar to hers, into something so stunning.

The man had already opened the door and nodded to Li Weilan before leaving, accepting his payment in credits.

Li Weilan’s gaze also flashed with surprise, but the emotion in his eyes was mostly a soft, glowing warmth. “Cheng Cheng, you look amazing!”

Shen Cheng thought back to the man’s skillful technique and quick movements during the makeover and couldn’t help but ask, “Who was that? He’s really good!”

“He’s one of the few remaining designers here,” Li Weilan explained with a smile. “He doesn’t have any abilities, so his main livelihood now comes from things like this. But…” Li Weilan sighed, “Although things are gradually improving, there aren’t many who can afford such luxuries, so his business is limited.”

“If that’s the case,” Shen Cheng’s eyes began to sparkle with an idea, “I think I know what gifts to bring back for my friends!”

In this post-apocalyptic world, he was a well-known designer, but in a pre-apocalyptic world, the skills he had worked so hard to build had little use.

When survival is at stake, fashion and beauty fall to the bottom of the priority list—but not in their world!

No matter how expensive or difficult it might be to hire a personal image designer in modern times, the more rare and limited it is, the more special the gift becomes!

Just like how certain high-end brands, such as some niche jewelry lines, derive their value not from the base materials but from the design and the brand’s premium.

Shen Cheng smiled slightly at Li Weilan—knowing that if they returned to the modern world and wanted to avoid causing a market stir by selling “second-hand goods,” they could always start a small business venture.

Now, the only question was: how many people with similar skills were left in this world?

Those with such skills weren’t numerous in this world anymore.

The man who had just completed Shen Cheng’s styling, Ian, received a notification just as he was about to leave. Assuming there was something else, he paused for a moment. After all, it was rare to get such a job, and although sales work like this was unheard of during the apocalypse, as a designer, he knew his designs better than anyone else. Helping to organize the outfit to make it look more fluid and applying makeup to better match the intended style was no big deal to him.

When Shen Cheng asked if he could design a few suitable outfits for her friends, Ian’s eyes flashed with a bit of surprise: a slightly chubby middle-aged woman? In this day and age, there were still people who could eat well enough to become slightly chubby?

But the thought only passed briefly through his mind. After listening to Shen Cheng’s description of the details and preferences, Ian nodded—this task was quite simple for him and posed no difficulty at all.

He then added, “Nowadays, materials are scarce, so you’ll need to provide your own fabric.”

As he spoke, it was hard for him to hide a trace of bitterness: as a fashion designer, there are many things one can manage without, but when even fabric is scarce—when the most important materials are missing, and there’s no opportunity to practice—it’s tough.

Shen Cheng glanced at Li Weilan. Li Weilan smiled, having already turned over Shen Cheng’s ‘plan’ several times in his mind. Expensive jewels would still be a universal currency; things like diamonds and gold were still used by some of the top-tier ability users in this world, but the prices of other gemstones and natural materials had dropped significantly.

When they go to Shen Cheng’s world, they will still need to live. They can’t sell too much gold jewelry or too many resources, but if they follow Shen Cheng’s plan to open a small boutique at a place like X and sell a few items here and there, the profit margins would still be unimaginable.

The shop doesn’t need to be big at first, nor does it need to have too many clients. The initial costs would be low, but the quality would certainly be excellent.

At that moment, Shen Cheng had already started discussing jewelry with Ian.

Ian hadn’t expected that with Shen Cheng’s status and position, she would request ‘affordable’ jewelry. What kind of stones can’t she afford? Even diamonds, which were worth a fortune in the post-apocalyptic world—if Li Weilan wanted to buy them, it was just a matter of how many credit points it would take.

But Shen Cheng kept emphasizing repeatedly that the materials should ideally be something like shell or agate—nothing too expensive, but beautiful and elegant, and with a good design story to back it up.

Ian’s eyes flashed with interest, and he nodded repeatedly. As a designer, he had his pride. While an expensive gem can make a piece of jewelry a timeless masterpiece, achieving the desired effect with smaller stones is still a rewarding challenge and a testament to a designer’s skill.

Ian made a gesture indicating he understood, and Shen Cheng, satisfied, leaned into Li Weilan’s arms with a smile on her lips. “If this works out, we’re going to have so much money.”

A little money-grubber.

Li Weilan chuckled, gently tapping her nose. He, too, was looking forward to their future life in the modern world.

🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋