Su Wan was deeply engrossed in her excited analysis of “Li Yanzhou’s domineering protection of his wife” when her gaze inadvertently swept over Wen Yan’s entire figure. The details she had temporarily overlooked amid the shock of the trending topic now suddenly crashed into her view.
Her words abruptly stopped, and the excitement on her face was instantly replaced by a look of exasperated disbelief.
She reached out and pinched the sleeve of Wen Yan’s pajamas—a set of soft, pure cotton sleepwear in an off-white color with tiny floral prints, buttoned all the way up to the top, featuring long sleeves and pants, comfortable in texture but utterly shapeless.
“Yan! Bao!” Su Wan’s voice suddenly rose, filled with incredulous accusation, “You… you… you’re wearing this? In your husband’s home? On the morning after he publicly defended you and set the internet ablaze with trending searches?!”
She released the sleeve, placed her hands on her hips, and scrutinized Wen Yan from head to toe, her eyes looking at her as if she were an unenlightened prehistoric creature. “Look at what you’re wearing! This collar, these sleeves, this length… Who are you trying to guard against? Your lawful husband?! Oh my god, do you even realize your status now? You’re Li Yanzhou’s newlywed wife! The Mrs. Li certified by the entire internet’s trending searches!”
Wen Yan was taken aback by her sudden outburst and instinctively tugged at the hem of her pajamas, feeling somewhat embarrassed. “I… I’m in my own home. What’s wrong with dressing comfortably? Besides, the fabric is good—pure cotton, breathable…”
“Breathable?! Is that what you need right now?!” Su Wan nearly jumped up. “What you need right now is charm! Allure! The kind of fatal attraction that will make that iceberg CEO of yours light up, lose control, and turn ‘suspected true love’ into ‘definitely true love’!”
She leaned closer to Wen Yan, lowering her voice but growing even more agitated. “Think about it. Someone like Li Yanzhou—what hasn’t he seen? Those socialites and heiresses, aren’t they all trying every trick in the book to show their most beautiful, most seductive side in front of him? And what happened? He didn’t fancy a single one! What does that tell you? It means either his standards are extremely high, or… he actually prefers your kind of ‘fresh and unconventional’ style?”
Su Wan paused, even she found this speculation a bit far-fetched, and quickly shook her head. “No, no! Even if his taste was unconventional before, now you’re married! You’re husband and wife! If you keep parading around in this ‘conservative battle attire’ in front of him every day, are you afraid he might develop even the slightest bit of ‘worldly desire’ for you?”
Wen Yan’s cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance at her words. “Su Wan! What are you saying?! It’s fine if we just get along peacefully. Why do we have to… to be like that?!”
“Get along peacefully?” Su Wan widened her eyes. “You look at the photo of him holding you on the trending searches, at the tens of thousands of comments shouting ‘true love’ and ‘domineering,’ and you tell me you want to ‘get along peacefully’? Yan Bao, the opportunity is right in front of you! He’s willing to stand up for you, to publicly acknowledge you. Whatever his initial intentions were, this is the perfect chance for you to get closer and build a relationship! How does affection develop? Isn’t it through little by little interaction, attraction, and moments that make the heart flutter?”
She grabbed Wen Yan’s shoulders, her gaze deadly serious. “Dressing like this is actively cutting off any sparks of ‘attraction’ that might ignite! Listen to me, today while shopping, our top priority is to buy you those ‘battle robes’ that highlight your strengths, make you look both elegant and charming, both intellectual and a little sexy!”
As she spoke, Su Wan unceremoniously pushed Wen Yan toward the stairs. “You need to let Li Yanzhou see that you, Wen Yan, are not just that professional, composed host on stage, not just the ‘wife’ he needs to step in and defend, but a vibrant, captivating woman, a woman worthy of his admiration, even his love!”
Half-pushed and half-shoved up the stairs, Wen Yan’s mind was in turmoil.
Su Wan’s words were like a heavy hammer, striking the calm surface of the lake she had been trying so hard to maintain.
Maybe what Su Wan said wasn’t entirely without merit?
In this marriage, making a little change might not be such a bad thing?
“Alright.” Wen Yan heard her own calm voice, carrying a hint of determination. “Wait for me a moment, I’ll change my clothes.”
Su Wan’s eyes lit up, and she immediately stepped aside, making a “please” gesture, her face filled with the satisfaction of “a student who can be taught.”
Wen Yan closed the master bedroom door, shutting out Su Wan’s overly fervent, expectant gaze.
Standing at the entrance of the walk-in closet, she looked at the deep, cool, and rigid tones on Li Yanzhou’s side and the few simple, elegant, professional garments on her own side, taking a deep breath.
Most of what hung inside were various suit dresses, sharply tailored trousers, and a few well-made blouses and plain-colored dresses she needed for the television station.
There were very few casual items, and the colors were mostly black, white, gray, off-white, and navy blue, aiming for professionalism, appropriateness, and avoiding mistakes.
As for pajamas and loungewear… she pulled open a drawer. The few sets folded inside were, without exception, similar in style to the one Su Wan had just criticized—pure cotton, soft, conservative, with no design sense. Their greatest advantage was comfort; their greatest flaw… was probably what Su Wan had said: utterly lacking in feminine charm.
She had never thought this was a problem before. Comfort, ease, and not drawing attention were her requirements for herself when living alone. But now…
Her mind involuntarily flashed back to the glamorously dressed, meticulously made-up socialites at last night’s banquet, the warmth and strength from Li Yanzhou’s arm as he held her, and the photos from this morning’s trending searches—his profile stern, yet his arm protectively encircling her.
Her heartbeat inexplicably quickened by two beats.
In the end, she picked out an off-white V-neck knit top. The fabric was soft and skin-friendly, the neckline not too low but just enough to reveal her collarbone, adding a touch more softness and femininity than a turtleneck or crewneck.
She paired it with a well-tailored pair of light blue jeans that accentuated her straight, slender legs.
This outfit was simple and fresh, adding a lot of youthful energy and everyday sophistication.
She loosely tied her long hair into a low bun, leaving a few stray strands framing her face. She applied only light makeup, yet her complexion looked much better.
Looking at herself in the mirror, Wen Yan felt… not bad.
At the very least, she looked more like a twenty-five-year-old young woman enjoying a leisurely weekend, rather than a tense “tool” solely focused on work.
She opened the door and walked out.
Su Wan heard the movement and immediately looked up, her eyes instantly lighting up as she snapped her fingers. “Beautiful! Having good genes is just unfair—a little touch-up and you look completely different! Come on, let’s go. Today’s goal is to give your wardrobe a complete makeover!”
The two went out, with Su Wan driving straight to the newly opened high-end mall in the city center.
At the mall, Su Wan truly lived up to her “promise,” dragging Wen Yan directly to those brands known for their design, quality, and tailoring, with styles leaning toward simplicity and elegance while hiding subtle details.
“This one! This knitted dress—the color is soft, the cut is perfect. It’ll be so comfortable and pretty to wear at home!”
“And this silk pajama set! Yanbao, feel this fabric! It’s as smooth as anything! The neckline design is just suggestive enough, you know? Guaranteed to keep your Li Yanzhou’s eyes glued to you!”
“This dress! The cut is so figure-flattering! And the color suits you perfectly! Wear this next time you go out to eat with Li Yanzhou!”
Su Wan was like a professional stylist and salesperson rolled into one, with a sharp eye for fashion. She picked up piece after piece, holding them up against Wen Yan while chattering away about their pros, cons, and suitable occasions, leaving Wen Yan no room to refuse.
At first, Wen Yan felt a bit reserved. After all, her previous spending habits had focused more on practicality and value for money, rarely indulging in such “extravagant” purchases of expensive “beautiful but useless” items that might only be worn a few times.
But as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, adorned in different outfits that highlighted her elegance, gentleness, or a hint of sensuality, a strange, feminine sense of pleasure in “beauty” quietly began to grow.
Pleasing oneself was also an important thing.
It wasn’t just about dressing up for Li Yanzhou—it was about making herself feel happy and good about herself.
Encouraged by Su Wan’s coaxing and the teasing remark that “Mrs. Li isn’t short on money now,” Wen Yan eventually bought several sets of loungewear and pajamas that Su Wan highly recommended (including that silk pajama set that made her ears burn), two well-designed everyday dresses, a distinctive blouse, and a few delicate pieces of lingerie for matching—Su Wan insisted this was an “inner revolution” and absolutely essential.
Carrying bags large and small, the two walked out of the mall, both feeling a bit tired. They found a cozy café to sit down and rest.
Sipping her drink through a straw, Su Wan looked at Wen Yan sitting across from her, her cheeks slightly flushed from shopping and the sun, her eyes noticeably brighter than before. Su Wan nodded in satisfaction. “Yanbao, clothes make the man, and a golden robe makes the Buddha. Change starts from the outside—confidence and beauty in appearance will, in turn, affect your mindset. Look at you now—don’t you feel like you’re shining a little brighter?”
Wen Yan stirred the coffee in her cup and softly replied, “Mm.”
There was no denying it—buying those beautiful clothes and imagining herself wearing them had indeed relaxed her mood quite a bit. It even gave her a faint, different kind of anticipation about returning to that cold, empty villa.