Chapter 173: Shopping

“This green autumn dress suits your girlfriend’s skin tone perfectly, she’s so fair!”

At the department store counter, the saleswoman was enthusiastically promoting the dress. In fact, she thought all the clothes here were very suitable for the beautiful woman in front of her. It was like she was a living mannequin. Even if she wore beggar’s clothes, she would probably start a trend.

“The color does look quite flattering.” Chu Ge compared the dress in front of Qiu Wuji and felt that the combination made her look more youthful.

Qiu Wuji hesitated, “They say green is not good. They criticize green every day in the chat group.”

Chu Ge: “?”

Saleswoman: “???”

Qiu Wuji whispered, “What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?”

“The bad green they’re talking about refers to green hats, not clothes!” Chu Ge finally realized what Qiu Wuji meant after a while and lamented, “I always tell you not to focus on the wrong things. Why are you only attentive to these matters?”

The saleswoman stifled her laughter, covering her mouth.

Qiu Wuji snorted, “It’s all the same, just pick another one.”

“How about this light yellow one?” Chu Ge suggested, “Imagine standing by the autumn water, the setting sun in the west, the shimmering light on the river’s surface. If you wear this color and gaze out at the water… wouldn’t it be a perfect match?”

Saleswoman: “…”

Why does this guy seem a bit abnormal?

Such a literary person. It feels like he could sing while speaking.

Surprisingly, the woman is just as unusual. She listened and became delighted, “It resonates with my heart. I’ll take this one.”

Chu Ge, “Shouldn’t you try it on in the fitting room?”

“No need. I can tell at a glance if it fits or not.”

“But you should still try it on to see if it looks good or not.”

“No need. Anything I wear looks good on me!”

The saleswoman couldn’t help but say, “You two should consider buying traditional Han clothing.”

Chu Ge was stunned, “Do you sell Hanfu too?”

“We do.” The saleswoman led them to another section, saying, “The weather is neither hot nor cold, perfect for wearing this kind of Hanfu. The scenery is also great for taking photos. Many young girls have been buying them lately.”

Qiu Wuji stood by the door, staring at the dazzling array of ancient costumes, feeling a sense of nostalgia.

Back then, when she wore her cultivator robes, Chu Ge said it was wearable. But she received strange looks from people at the beef noodle shop, and she rarely saw anyone wearing it in all this time. Perhaps the weather wasn’t quite right.

But now it seems different… Looking at the room full of ancient costumes, with many young girls trying on clothes, there was nothing particularly remarkable about it. Chu Ge didn’t lie. Hanfu has become quite normal these days.

Perhaps for professionals, there are strict distinctions between different dynasties’ costume styles, and there are even arguments and debates over it… But for Qiu Wuji, it made no difference. Their world had remained unchanged for thousands of years, closer to the costumes in various game CGs, where beauty was all that mattered.

She gently touched each piece of clothing, and in a low voice, she asked Chu Ge, “Should I purposely wear modern clothes to show that I blend in with the times, or should I wear the clothes I like, following my heart’s desire?”

Chu Ge ruffled her hair and replied, “Wear what you like.”

Qiu Wuji turned to look at him, “Don’t you think I appear out of place, detached from this world?”

“What matters most is what you like. Don’t worry about what others think.”

Qiu Wuji revealed a sweet smile, “Hmm.”

Chu Ge continued, “In fact, a significant aspect of modern times is inclusivity. There isn’t just one particular style that represents this era. Young people are more willing to try new things and don’t need to care about how others perceive them.”

The ten thousand year old ancient lady, full of enthusiasm, picked out several ancient costumes after saying she didn’t need to try them on. However, this time, she seriously went to the fitting room and tried on several pieces before coming out, saying, “How about this one?”

“Looks good.”

“And this one?”

“Also looks good…”

“And this one?”

“Very good…”

“That’s very perfunctory!”

Chu Ge burst into tears. Can I take it back? Can we just buy a few randomly and leave? My feet are numb from standing…

“I’m not humoring you. My Qiuqiu looks like a celestial being no matter what she wears. If you don’t believe me, just look at their eyes…”

Qiu Wuji turned her head and saw the young girls stealing glances at her, their eyes flickering. Many of them discreetly held their phones, seemingly wanting to take secret photos.

Qiu Wuji couldn’t help but laugh and cry. This was also one of the typical differences that kept her from fully integrating into the modern world. Why do these people always want to take photos of everything? Is it so interesting?

Like Zhu Mengmeng’s moments on social media, constantly posting pictures of food. Are those foods really so beautiful? They’re not even as delicious as what I can cook. Qiu Wuji’s own social media feed was clean and empty… Oh well, she only had two friends anyway, Chu Ge and Zhu Mengmeng. Who would she send it to?

The girls’ desire to take photos finally interrupted Qiu Wuji’s thought of changing clothes. She decided to just wear the one she had on and packed the short-sleeved shirt she originally wore. “Just buying one will do.”

Chu Ge took a look. She was still wearing the light yellow one, the one he described in his earlier artistic description… He couldn’t help but smile, “Let’s buy the other few as well. Let’s not be stingy.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“They’re so expensive. Don’t just spend money left and right once you’ve made some.”

Chu Ge felt helpless. “It’s not me who spends recklessly… Instead of you buying one every now and then, it’s better to buy a few more at once.”

Qiu Wuji pouted and fell silent. Is shopping for clothes such a big deal for girls? Changing into something nice is all for your sake…

At this moment, the saleswoman asked, “Sir, why don’t you try it on?”

Chu Ge was taken aback, “Me? Hanfu? Doesn’t it look strange with short hair?”

“Even guys with short hair can look good in Hanfu. And if it’s really not suitable, you can always wear a wig.”

Qiu Wuji’s eyes lit up as she examined Chu Ge from head to toe.

If he wore Hanfu…

The two of them would walk hand in hand, wielding swords, through the misty streets.

Chu Ge could tell from her expression what she was thinking and reluctantly smiled, “Alright, I’ll give it a try.”

“This one, this one.” Qiu Wuji pointed to a set of blue and white swordsman attire. “This one has a martial arts vibe.”

Chu Ge took a look. “Isn’t this a costume from the game Swordsmen?”

The saleswoman praised, “Sir, you really know your stuff.”

Chu Ge chuckled, “It seems… it does suit me well.”

The photos of modern Hanfu girls were becoming more beautiful with each one, but there were only a few pictures of handsome guys in Hanfu. The main reason for this was hairstyle, as it didn’t match the overall temperament and looked strange.

However, there were some people who looked great in it. As long as you’re handsome enough, even a bald head can be like the character Miàosēng from Journey to the West, not to mention short hair.

Chu Ge was indeed handsome.

When he changed into the swordsman attire and stood there, he looked exactly like the character Chu Yang from the game, and the surrounding girls couldn’t contain themselves any longer. The sound of phone cameras clicking filled the air.

Qiu Wuji was beautiful, no doubt about it. But she was female. Handsome guys in Hanfu were so rare! And this wasn’t even an actor, just an ordinary good-looking guy. People could post about this on Weibo and boast about it for a year!

Wait, this couple seems familiar.

…You guys, starting a romance in early autumn and still coming out hand in hand to melt hearts in mid-autumn? When will it end…

The girls ran off in tears.

Qiu Wuji gazed at Chu Ge with shining eyes, gradually showing a hint of tenderness. He looks so handsome… I want to see him even more, when he steps into the world of book.

On that day, when I hold his hand and announce it to the whole sect, what expression will the Nine Provinces show?

“Sir, this is a complimentary gift from our store…” The saleswoman’s eyes had turned into heart shapes, and she was about to ask for Chu Ge’s WeChat when she handed him the gift. She even playfully scratched his pinky finger.

But Chu Ge didn’t notice. He was staring blankly at the gift, the Dragon Spring Sword. “Isn’t this more expensive than the clothes?”

“This one isn’t a real sword. It’s just a plastic prop, and the scabbard isn’t made of real wood either. It’s very lightweight. When you’re holding it in this swordsman attire, it looks especially cool.”

“What about hers?” Chu Ge asked on behalf of Qiu Wuji, wanting a sword for her too.

“…Oh.” The saleswoman reluctantly handed another one to Qiu Wuji.

Qiu Wuji didn’t mind and smiled as she accepted it. Looking at the wood grain on the scabbard, her eyes were filled with laughter and nostalgia.

“Shall we go?” She tugged at Chu Ge.

“Yeah, let’s go.” The two of them carried their swords, dressed in Hanfu, and left the department store together.

Several young girls followed behind them, whispering enviously, “I bet they’re professional cosplayers.”

One of their companions disagreed, “You’re thinking too much. We’ve at least heard of famous Hanfu cosplayers, but who are they?”

“Well, where on earth did such a good-looking guy and beautiful girl come from? Ahhh, my heart is melting!”

Another person hesitated, “Is it possible, just possible, that they’re really time travelers from ancient times…”

Their companions burst into laughter, bending over in amusement. “Wake up! Look at their shoes, that handsome guy is wearing sneakers…”

The laughter of the young girls seemed to fade into the distance, as the horizon was bathed in the colors of the setting sun. Qiu Wuji held a sword in one hand and linked her other arm with Chu Ge’s. Step by step, the two of them slowly walked toward the sunset.

I merge with the present world for you.

You accompany me in wearing Hanfu.

You and I, hand in hand, walking in each other’s worlds, traversing both inside and outside the books, throughout history, along rivers and mountains, in the morning rain and evening glow.