021 Brand new

After bathing, Zhang Wei changed into his original set of T-shirt and shorts. Although his attire was still wrinkled and sloppy, his body felt much refreshed. Stepping out of the dressing room, he noticed a middle-aged woman dressed in a light pink suit approaching.

"Hello, Mr. Zhang, I presume?" The middle-aged woman wore a professional smile, exuding an air of warmth.

Zhang Wei nodded slightly, glancing at her name tag—Front Desk Manager.

"I am the Front Desk Manager here. Miss Wen instructed me to take you to the beauty salon."

"Ah, thank you," Zhang Wei replied politely.

"You're welcome," the middle-aged woman smiled graciously, gesturing for him to follow.

The beauty salon on the second floor wasn't spacious. Inside were two young women dressed in pink coats, presumably the beauticians here.

Hair washing, haircut, and grooming didn't take much time. The beauticians' skills were commendable. Looking at his refreshed reflection in the mirror, Zhang Wei saw that the stubble on his chin was gone, and his messy long hair had been replaced by a neat crew cut, giving him a spirited appearance.

At that moment, Miss Wen, dressed in a moon-white suit, walked in. Perhaps because of the stark contrast with Zhang Wei's previous disheveled appearance, Miss Wen couldn't help but glance at him a few more times. Undeniably, this young man looked much more pleasing to the eye after tidying up a bit.

"Miss Wen," Zhang Wei greeted.

"Is everything done?" Miss Wen forced a slight smile.

"Yes," Zhang Wei touched his crew cut, feeling a bit rough.

"Then let's go. Kexin is already waiting in the car," Miss Wen said, leading the way out.

In the white BMW, Wen Kexin was already inside. Seeing Zhang Wei's transformed appearance, a hint of admiration flickered in her beautiful eyes as she smiled and said, "Zhang Wei, didn't expect you to look quite handsome with just a casual grooming."

"Really?" Being praised by a beauty somewhat delighted Zhang Wei, but he was well aware of his appearance. No amount of grooming could change him into a heartthrob. Plus, with his current appearance, he was the type who wouldn't stand out no matter where he went.

"But hey, shouldn't you change your clothes? They're all wrinkled and untidy. Hmm, when we get to the city center, I'll get you a new outfit," Wen Kexin remarked, noticing Zhang Wei's crumpled attire and wrinkled nose.

Zhang Wei hesitated for a moment before replying, "No need, Miss Wen. You've already been very kind to me." He believed that the expenses for the hot spring must not have been insignificant, and he felt that Wen Kexin's repayment was already generous enough.

"Oh, why be so polite? Not only did you help me last night, but you also endured so much trouble on my behalf. It's only right for me to do something for you. Besides, with that outfit, you won't be allowed in the dining place we're heading to. So, let's first pick some clothes, then go for a meal," Wen Kexin said warmly, her eyes shining with enthusiasm.

Wen Kexin's beautiful eyes exuded warmth, and Zhang Wei couldn't help but have a favorable impression of her. Refusing would seem too pretentious, so he accepted her offer gracefully.

As they arrived in the downtown area, the driver parked the car in a parking lot beside the pedestrian street.

"Zhang Wei, I'm not in the mood for shopping, so I won't accompany you to the mall. With our driver here, you can choose something nice for yourself. She'll foot the bill," Wen Kexin said softly.

Although Zhang Wei had known this wealthy lady for a short time, he was already accustomed to Wen Kexin's "inconvenience." Since she said she couldn't go, Zhang Wei didn't insist. He followed the driver out of the BMW.

The bustling pedestrian street in the twilight was filled with neon lights flashing on both sides of the buildings. Large billboards almost obscured the entire buildings, with huge images of beautiful women shining brightly under the lights. The street was bustling with people, and shoppers flowed in and out of the malls on both sides of the street.

Amidst the summer crowd, stylishly dressed young women brushed past each other, some wearing sundresses, some in tank tops, their bare shoulders and backs cooling to the eyes. The scents of various perfumes wafted into Zhang Wei's nose unexpectedly, stirring a sense of restlessness within him.

After entering the pedestrian street and walking a short distance, they arrived in front of the Pacific Department Store. The driver stopped and gently nudged Zhang Wei, saying, "Mr. Zhang, let's go to the Pacific Department Store."

Since the driver was paying, Zhang Wei naturally agreed without offering any constructive suggestions.

On the third floor was the men's clothing counter. The driver stopped in front of the Giorgio Armani counter from Italy and said, "Mr. Zhang, let's have a look here."

Giorgio Armani was a well-established brand founded as early as 1973, but Zhang Wei had no concept of the brand. He found a patterned short-sleeved shirt appealing and picked it up along with a pair of khaki casual trousers. When he entered the fitting room, he also grabbed a pair of brown casual shoes.

In no time, Zhang Wei emerged from the fitting room, looking fresh. The selected short-sleeved shirt and trousers fit him just right.

The driver gestured for Zhang Wei to walk around a bit. After a few glances, she nodded slightly and said, "Not bad, the combination looks appropriate."

Since the driver approved, Zhang Wei didn't bother to pick out more. As he was about to take off the clothes, he heard the driver say, "What are you doing?"

"Pack them up," Zhang Wei replied.

The driver gave him an exasperated look. "Why pack them? Just wear this new outfit. Your old clothes are in terrible shape. Throw them away." With that, she grabbed a pair of brown casual shoes from the shoe rack and handed them to Zhang Wei. "Change your shoes too."

Feeling a bit embarrassed by the driver's interruption, Zhang Wei awkwardly took the casual shoes. After putting them on, he felt they matched his outfit and were comfortable. The driver glanced at Zhang Wei's attire once more, nodded in approval, and turned to walk towards the cashier.

Zhang Wei emptied his old pants pocket, took out some loose change, and his house keys, and casually threw away his old clothes and slippers. He had bought that outfit from a night market not far from home, costing less than 100 yuan in total. After wearing it for nearly a month, he didn't feel any regret throwing it away.

Zhang Wei felt a bit embarrassed to ask how much the driver was spending, but he estimated from the price tags that it must be at least over a thousand yuan.

The saying "clothes make the man" held true. With this new outfit, Zhang Wei walked with a more upright posture and a spirited demeanor, no longer the sloppy appearance he had before.

Back in the BMW, Wen Kexin looked at the transformed Zhang Wei, blinking her beautiful

eyes and exclaiming joyfully, "Much better now! Zhang Wei, with this change of clothes, you're like a whole new person. Look at you, so energetic! I wonder why you used to neglect your appearance so much?"

Zhang Wei rubbed his nose and replied, "I thought I was fine before... just wanted to dress comfortably."

Wen Kexin gave him a playful glare and scolded, "Nonsense! What's comfortable about your previous style? I found it displeasing... If you hadn't helped me, I wouldn't have bothered with you."

"Well, thank you, Miss Wen, for giving me some confidence. Without you, I wouldn't have bothered to tidy up," Zhang Wei said with a slightly embarrassed smile.

Zhang Wei felt a blush creeping up as he realized how improper his previous behavior was, especially in the presence of the charming Wen Kexin.

Though Zhang Wei's words were innocent, Wen Kexin felt her face flushing. She couldn't help but scold, "What nonsense are you spouting? I just couldn't stand your previous appearance, that's all. Besides, I'm just repaying you for helping me last night..."

Wen Kexin muttered to herself, thinking, "Even a frog shouldn't be flattered. This silly boy shouldn't even be allowed to entertain such thoughts."

Seeing Wen Kexin's bashful expression, Zhang Wei couldn't help but feel a slight flutter in his heart. However, he quickly realized his earlier statement might have been misunderstood. He hastened to explain, "Miss Wen, what I meant was... I acknowledge that my previous behavior was somewhat disrespectful. If you hadn't reminded me to tidy up today, I would have stayed the same. I didn't mean anything else by what I said earlier."

Zhang Wei's explanation cleared the air, but it only made Wen Kexin's face turn redder. She thought to herself, "Annoying! This silly boy talks as if I misunderstood him. Like I would think anything of the sort."