“Hey, what does Meng Wange mean by that?”
Su Wanli huffily pulled down the teal dress she’d just picked out from the rack and gave her body a casual once-over in the mirror.
“That jerk! What does she mean she doesn’t want me to see her final look yet? We’re going to be together the whole time anyway, right? What’s there to hide?”
But because of this, Su Wanli’s anticipation to see Meng Wange in costume reached a new peak.
‘What kind of clothes will Meng Wange choose?’
‘Knowing her personality, she might be reluctant to spend money and just pick the cheapest one. But then again, maybe not. I was so insistent; she should have realized I seriously want her to pick a suitable costume.’
Court style, Western Regions style, Jianghu style…
‘Every style seems to suit her, but I really want to see her in the dress I first picked out for her. Although the others should be nice too…’
‘Huh, come to think of it, didn’t Meng Wange also say she wanted to pick clothes that match mine?’
‘…Choosing clothes without even meeting each other? How is that supposed to work? Is this some kind of test of our chemistry?’
‘Anyway, I want to run out right now and see what Meng Wange looks like!!’
But picking out clothes isn’t the end. Meng Wange also said that since we’re doing a whole set, we need to pick masks too.
‘…Masks…’
Just like the costume shops lining the streets, various animal masks are sold everywhere. Even the store Su Wanli is in now has a dazzling array of masks hanging at the entrance.
Su Wanli sighed silently and rubbed her temples.
She walked into the fitting room, slipped on the teal dress she was holding, and looked at herself in the mirror.
Although this was the dress she’d chosen for Meng Wange, the tailoring here was meticulous. With a slight adjustment, it could fit various body types. Even though Su Wanli was a head shorter than Meng Wange, the dress showed no signs of being ill-fitting; instead, it made her look even more petite and cute.
Su Wanli dismissed the strange thought and straightened her back. She strode out of the fitting room and waved to a shop assistant dressed like a waiter.
“Okay, I’ll take this one. And please toss me that mask up there—I can’t reach it.”
So, this was how she ended up.
Wearing an ornate light golden mask with a green snake coiled along its edge, Su Wanli stared at her reflection in the costume shop mirror for a moment before helplessly shrugging.
‘…Well, how should I put this? It feels a bit… average?’
‘Or is it just because I’m used to my own face that I can’t tell?’
Judging from the shop guests and the cashier’s occasional glances of amazement, she probably looked decent.
Feeling uncertain, Su Wanli scratched the tip of her nose gently, then picked up the bag with her original clothes and walked out of the shop.
She remembered that the meeting spot she’d agreed on with Meng Wange was at that ring toss stall in the middle of the street.
‘Huh? Where’s the ring toss vendor that was here? All I can see is a dense crowd…’
“Wow! Can’t we take a photo together? Please, just one!”
“…Sorry, I’m waiting for someone.”
“Want to come to the fireworks display? I’m close with Yunsheng! She can get us a good spot!”
Hearing that calm, familiar voice drifting through the crowd, Su Wanli’s brows tightened, and inexplicable anger surged within her.
“…Send? Then I can wait with you! By the way, later—”
“Meng Wange!”
She clutched her bag tighter and pushed through the crowd without hesitation.
Sure enough, standing in the middle of the crowd was the tall, brown-haired girl.
However, unlike what Su Wanli had imagined, Meng Wange was wearing a sleek black men’s outfit with sharp tailoring. The outfit perfectly outlined her tall, upright figure.
Her only adornment, besides the faint cloud patterns embroidered on the clothes, was a deep purple waistband dotted with a few gold threads, tightly tied around her slender waist, which made her legs look even longer and her presence more striking.
And the black fox mask on her face…
Though it only revealed half of her face, it couldn’t hide the exceptional charm of the Main Heroine’s aura. Instead, it added a touch of mystery and a sense of story to her features.
Besides the gawking crowd, two or three young chattering girls stood next to her.
“Is that your little sister? Can we all go to the fireworks display together?”
“Let me take your photo—look, I’m really good at photography!”
“Oh, is this the person you were waiting for? She looks so cute—”
Meng Wange gave them a slight apologetic bow, then walked forward and smiled gently at Su Wanli.
“Miss Su, you’ve arrived.”
“…”
Although Meng Wange’s attitude seemed impeccable, Su Wanli was inexplicably angry. She silently crossed her arms, looked Meng Wange up and down appraisingly, then snorted.
“Meng Wange, what kind of outfit is this? I told you to buy a costume, and you get this? Are you trying to play a sword-bearing guard or something?”
Hearing this, Meng Wange didn’t get angry.
She simply chuckled, then turned around, casually pulled a wooden prop sword from a nearby stall, and elegantly tucked it into her waistband.
Then, in the clearing formed by the crowd, she gracefully bent one knee and bowed before Su Wanli.
“Indeed, I am your sword-bearing guard, Meng Wange.”
The evening breeze gently blew by, lifting a wisp of hair from Meng Wange’s forehead.
She looked up, and through the black fox mask, she tenderly gazed into Su Wanli’s eyes.
“From now on, your humble servant will go through fire and water for you, sparing no effort to protect the princess’s safety.”
Her voice, amid the noisy festival, reached Su Wanli’s ears clearly and firmly.
“Wow!”
“So cool!”
“Are they filming a drama?”
Amid these exclamations, Su Wanli took a deep breath, grabbed Meng Wange’s hand, and strode away from the crowd, leaving all the chatter behind.
“They must be filming a drama!”
“What drama is this? A fallen princess and her sword-bearing guard?”
“Wait, didn’t I pay for that sword?”