Chapter 84: The art of dressing for a banquet

Their group walked down the aisle of the luxuriously furnished store. Exquisite chandeliers and lighting fixtures adorned the ceiling, while elegant couches and coffee tables were arranged throughout the space. Rows of clothing were neatly displayed in different sections.

Since this was a men’s clothing store, the shop assistants immediately turned their attention to the only man in the group, assuming he was the main customer they were about to dress up.

What a beautiful person! But he looked quite familiar...

Wei Ranmiao waved them away and pointed at the magazines displaying men in avant-garde suits and fashionable outfits.

"A birthday banquet isn’t a fashion show. It’s not a place for you to flaunt every expensive thing you own. Relying solely on that standard is vulgar. In our circles, banquets are battlefields disguised in silk and perfume." Wei Ranmiao paused and glanced at the boy.

"Well, this is especially true for women in high society. Every woman has her own intentions, and every outfit tells a story, whether you mean it to or not."

She then led the two teenagers, who were absorbing her wise words, to another row of clothing.

"First, remember this. When choosing an outfit for a banquet, never think only about what looks beautiful on you. Think about where you’re going, who’s going to be there, and what you want people to think when they see you."

Lin Feng nodded quietly as he listened. In fact, he was already aware of these things from his previous life, but this was a new world, after all, and the perspective might differ a bit.

"Xiao Feng, you’re attending the birthday banquet of the eldest son of the Wei family. Wei Yue is the heiress chosen by the Wei patriarch to take over the company and eventually become the head of the family. Her eldest son is also being groomed as a future heir."

"A female heir?" Lin Feng was a little surprised. Given how conservative the elders in high society were when it came to patriarchy, this was a little surprising.

Bai Jianning replied, "Wei Yue is very capable! She actually built her own company overseas, and then she leveraged that success to help the Wei family’s company expand further into overseas markets. She’s so impressive that the Wei family head decisively chose her as the heir."

Wei Ranmiao nodded. "Since Wei Yue invited you as her friend’s son, almost like a nephew, you need to strike a balance between understated elegance and extravagance. You don’t want to come across as merely a business partner, but you shouldn’t dress as though you’re already a member of the family, either..."

Wei Ranmiao pulled out several pieces of clothing one after another. Using Lin Feng as a mannequin, she held different outfits against his chest, narrowing her eyes as she meticulously compared how each one looked on him.

"If you dress too plainly, people might overlook you. But if you dress too extravagantly, you could become the subject of conversation for all the wrong reasons. Worse, you might accidentally steal the spotlight from someone you shouldn’t offend. In this case, that’s the birthday boy. That boy, Wei Tianyu, is also very capable. He even dared to make friends with people in the military and others with rather sensitive backgrounds."

"Ah, the Hou family."

Lin Feng’s hand paused as he touched the clothes. "...The Hou family?"

A tall, bronze-skinned, muscular man oozing with male hormones appeared in his mind, and his hands tightened around the clothes.

"Yes, that Hou family. Their circle of friends includes the other heirs from the most prominent families in the capital, whose influence far surpasses that of our Bai family. All right, now, regarding the outfits..."

Lin Feng’s mouth opened slightly, as though he wanted to ask more, but he realized that it would be too suspicious, so he closed his mouth and continued listening, albeit a little distractedly.

Wei Ranmiao continued explaining as she selected several outfits that looked elegant without being avant-garde, focusing on understated luxury through their materials and designs.

"You must understand the power of restraint. A truly expensive outfit doesn’t need to stand out to attract attention. What matters is its essence. Look here."

She held a light camel-colored suit against Lin Feng’s body.

"The cut, the fabric, the fit, and, later, the way you carry yourself will tell those shrewd people a great deal about your status and upbringing." Wei Ranmiao sighed and glanced around.

Seeing that no one was nearby, she turned to Lin Feng and Bai Jianning and lowered her voice. "Don’t end up like Mrs. Jiang from the Jiang family. The Jiang family is a reputable family in the capital, yet because of Mrs. Jiang’s behavior, they’ve become a laughingstock."

Mrs. Jiang?

Lin Feng tried to recall what he knew about this person.

Mrs. Jiang was the third wife of the current Jiang family head, Mr. Jiang. She was more than thirty years younger than him, and he pampered her despite her humble background as a socialite.

Mrs. Jiang loved showing off her extravagance. She favored eye-catching outfits featured in magazines and on fashion runways, especially avant-garde styles. However, because she liked piling every kind of luxury item onto herself, she always gave people in high society the impression of a walking Christmas tree.

Wei Ranmiao continued, "Once people have formed a prejudice against you, most won’t bother getting to know you on a deeper level."

Lin Feng thought, ’People in these circles must already be prejudiced against me. They probably won’t bother getting to know me on a deeper level, either.’

Bai Jianning nodded. "I know her. She’s the one who likes to pick a fight with Mother every time she sees us."

Wei Ranmiao pushed Lin Feng toward the changing rooms.

"Go and try these on."

Lin Feng obediently followed her instructions, changing from one outfit into another.

Eventually, he grew numb to the ladies’ sighs of admiration every time he emerged in a new set of clothes.

He realized that his aunt, Wei Ranmiao, was terrifying!

She had actually made him change more than twenty times before finally settling on an outfit she considered suitable.

Bai Jianning stared at what Lin Feng was wearing, a question mark practically floating above her head.

"Isn’t this almost the same as the first outfit you asked Third Brother to try?"

"It’s different."

Wei Ranmiao gestured to the nearby shop assistant to pack the several outfits she had selected.

Lin Feng changed back into his original clothes, feeling his heart tremble slightly in trepidation as he glanced at the time. He had been trying on clothes for more than two hours. He was afraid that Bai Jianning’s remark might provoke his aunt into starting another round.

So, taking the initiative, he explained, "The lapel design is different. This one has a sharper cut, but the slightly cinched waist balances that sharpness with a touch of softness. The camel shade is darker and more muted, with a gray undertone. The white shirt underneath is closer to a cool white, while the gray silk necktie has silver embroidery..."

Bai Jianning exclaimed, "Wow, you actually noticed all those little details!"

Wei Ranmiao was also a little surprised. "You have a good eye."

But why did she remember her nephew as someone who always dressed plainly and didn’t seem to have much fashion sense?

Lin Feng also realized he had let something slip. He pursed his lips into a small smile.

"I’ve recently developed an interest in flowers and colors. I didn’t have much to do while recuperating, so I picked up a new hobby, which is matching clothes."

After saying this, Lin Feng stilled.

Since when had it become so easy for him to keep a straight face while telling a lie?

Lin Feng had no time to dwell on the question, as he was soon dragged off to choose shoes and accessories to go with the outfits. That took another considerable amount of time.

Wei Ranmiao and Bai Jianning remained energetic throughout, treating the exquisitely beautiful boy like a doll they could dress up as they pleased.

By the time the listless Lin Feng was finally dragged to a restaurant for dinner, he realized it was already eight in the evening.