Creak!
The fitting room door swung open, and Zhou Wang emerged in his brand-new outfit. Ranran, who had been waiting outside, instantly lit up.
Even she couldn't help but admire her own sense of style at that moment.
Considering Zhou Wang's already striking good looks, Ranran had deliberately chosen minimalist styles to avoid overshadowing his natural charm. A light-wash denim jacket paired with straight-leg jeans in a similar hue, white sneakers, and an antique silver brass necklace struck the perfect balance—maintaining his youthful appeal while accentuating his slightly roguish charisma.
If Ranran were to rate it herself, it would undoubtedly be a perfect ten!
Zhou Wang had intended to ask for Ranran's opinion, but one glance at her starry-eyed expression made him realize it was unnecessary. He walked over to the mirror to inspect himself.
"Not bad at all," he muttered, turning this way and that, thoroughly satisfied.
He knew he couldn't have put together a better outfit himself, so he confidently called out to Ranran, "Let's go!"
Ranran hadn't even registered what was happening when Zhou Wang waved over the sales associate, who had been bustling around earlier and was now standing nearby with her hands clasped, waiting for instructions.
"I'll take everything I'm wearing. Where can I pay? Oh, and you can dispose of my old clothes, right?"
The graphic on his old T-shirt was nearly worn away, and his shoes were falling apart—so worn that he wouldn't even dare donate them to a rural community.
Zhou Wang had chuckled to himself earlier while changing. No wonder Ranran seemed more nervous than he was when they entered the store; he certainly didn't look like someone who could afford Balenciaga.
"Of course, sir! Please come this way."
Seeing the sales associate's genuine smile for the first time, Zhou Wang finally understood what true enthusiasm looked like. Still, it was only human nature, so he wasn't surprised.
Is he really buying all this?
Ranran blinked in disbelief, trailing after them to the checkout counter. She watched as Zhou Wang confidently pulled out his phone to complete the payment...
Only for the transaction to fail on the first attempt.
Zhou Wang only realized the daily single-transaction limit for WeChat Pay was 80,000 yuan when a notification popped up on his phone. After buying the phone, his subsequent purchase of over 70,000 yuan had exceeded the limit.
Tch, when would I ever have learned something like this otherwise?
Zhou Wang shook his head with an amused smile. Fortunately, he had brought his bank card and could pay directly through the POS machine, avoiding an awkward situation.
Once Zhou Wang swiped his card, Ranran's anxious heart finally relaxed.
She couldn't help but steal glances at Zhou Wang's profile, her breath quickening. A blush crept across her pale cheeks... Ah, being handsome and rich is just too unfair!
Zhou Wang suddenly felt a wave of warmth radiating from beside him, which seemed oddly noticeable in the air-conditioned store. However, he was too focused on waiting for feedback from the System to pay much attention.
The final bill came to 72,750 yuan: 25,500 for the top, 18,300 for the pants, 6,300 for the T-shirt, 9,900 for the shoes, 4,700 for the necklace, 4,250 for the sunglasses Zhou Wang had chosen to boost his rating, and 3,800 for the two pairs of underwear he had impulsively added to the purchase.
With the double cashback from buying the iPhone, Zhou Wang had just over 80,000 yuan on hand, making this outfit purchase a total gamble.
Fortunately, the clothes Ranran had picked out added up to exactly the right amount. Otherwise, Zhou Wang would have had to split the payment into two transactions, wasting a valuable chance to use the Azure Dragon Blade's cashback effect.
"This cashback better be worth it!"
Zhou Wang barely cared about the System's rating anymore. There was still time left in the round, and if this outfit failed, he could simply try another one. But the Azure Dragon Blade's cashback multiplier was crucial. Whether he could truly take off depended entirely on this moment.
Ding!
As Zhou Wang waited anxiously, the System's notification finally arrived as expected.
System detected Host has completed an outfit change. System rating in progress...
System rating complete. Current Outfit Impression Points: 92
Congratulations, Host! You have received a 92% reimbursement, now deposited into your account. Please check your balance.
Ding!
Consumption detected. Trist's Azure Dragon Blade effect activated. 4x consumption cashback granted.
China Merchants Bank: Your account ending in 1024 received 66,930 yuan at 12:39 PM on July 1st.
"China Merchants Bank: Your account ending in 1024 received RMB 291,000 at 12:39 PM on July 1st."
"China Merchants Bank: Mr. Zhou, an exclusive gift awaits! Don't let your current account assets sit idle. Click here to explore exclusive wealth management options..."
Zhou Wang was holding his phone when the system notification chimed, followed by a flurry of text messages pinging in rapid succession.
Four times the amount!
Zhou Wang glanced at the deposit amount in the text message again to confirm he hadn't misread it.
Holy crap, is this for real?
A massive sum of nearly 300,000 RMB!
Zhou Wang's excitement surged until a shop assistant asked for his phone number to register his points, snapping him back to reality.
Any Balenciaga purchase automatically grants membership, but this tier offers limited benefits.
To become a Balenciaga VIC (Very Important Client), one must spend over 500,000 RMB annually. VICs enjoy priority access to limited-edition items, insider discounts of up to 70% on select products, and exclusive events like private Haute Couture previews—so-called "closed-door shopping experiences."
(VIC stands for "Very Important Client.")
It's worth noting that the "Haute Couture" offered at these exclusive store events is essentially just slightly harder-to-find ready-to-wear clothing. True Haute Couture is on an entirely different level.
Although Zhou Wang didn't immediately become a VIC, the sales associate enthusiastically added him on WeChat and showered him with complimentary gifts: a clear travel mug, three lip balms, and a thick, padlock-like device.
"What the heck is this thing?" Zhou Wang asked, turning it over in confusion.
"It looks like a snowboard lock!" Ranran exclaimed as they stepped out of the store. "This is probably a gift for purchasing the ski collection. The sales associate must have given you every complimentary item they could."
A hint of envy flickered in Ranran's eyes.
Clearly, despite Zhou Wang's age and demonstrated spending power, he was already enjoying perks far beyond those of a regular member, even though he wasn't yet officially classified as a VIC.
A snowboard lock?
Zhou Wang was both amused and exasperated. What on earth was he supposed to do with a snowboard lock? Even if he ever went skiing, he certainly wouldn't bother bringing this along!
"It's all stuff I don't need anyway. Want it?" Zhou Wang asked casually.
"Huh?" Ranran blinked, instinctively demurring. "Is that okay?"
"Take it. I'm tired of carrying this bag."
Seeing the obvious temptation on Ranran's face, Zhou Wang simply pressed the gift bag into her hands. "I'm really happy with the outfit I bought. Consider this a thank-you gift."
"Perfect timing! Summer's coming, and I was just about to buy lip balm. You're so thoughtful, Brother! Then I won't be shy. Thank you, Brother!" Ranran smiled sweetly as she accepted the gift bag. In her mind, Zhou Wang's image grew even taller.
It wasn't the gift itself that impressed her, but rather Zhou Wang's nonchalant attitude toward these luxury store freebies. She'd seen plenty of people flaunt such items on social media, drawing likes and admiration. After all, these freebies were symbols of spending power.
And don't underestimate them—these "freebies" even had clearly marked price tags on the luxury brands' official websites.
Ranran knew that the transparent travel mug alone cost 1,900 yuan. She wasn't sure about the prices of the lip balm and ski boot bindings, but she guessed they added up to at least a few thousand more.
It had nothing to do with the quality of the items themselves; it was all about the logo. And there was never a shortage of buyers—some even specialized in acquiring secondhand luxury goods!
As absurd as the prices were, that was the beauty of luxury brands... they never preyed on the poor.
Looking at Zhou Wang's nonchalant attitude toward these freebies, Ranran thought, This must be what true wealth looks like.
Zhou Wang glanced at the round timer. There were still over two hours remaining, and he had three more uses of the Azure Dragon Blade left. That meant he could recklessly buy three more outfits, but time was growing tight.
"Let's hurry," Zhou Wang urged. "We still need to visit a few more stores. Your mission is far from complete."
"Don't worry, Brother! Leave it to me!" Ranran replied enthusiastically, her spirits soaring as she received the gifts. She even boldly looped her arm through Zhou Wang's.
The weather was warm, and Ranran's Chanel-style blouse was thin and lightweight. As they walked, Zhou Wang occasionally felt a faint, soft touch—the fabric, of course. What else would a respectable man like Zhou Wang be referring to?