Chapter Eighty-Four (Please Subscribe!)

"Arthur, where are we going?" Shadowmoon turned her little head, glanced around at the surrounding shops, and then looked up at Arthur.

Arthur's rose-colored lips curved into a charming smile. Without replying, he took Shadowmoon's small hand and led her into a clothing boutique decorated in a style of understated luxury.

Inside the boutique, Shadowmoon gazed at the beautiful, extravagant evening gowns displayed all around, then turned to Arthur.
"Arthur, what is this?"

"Hehe, silly, of course I brought you to pick out the evening dress you'll wear at tomorrow's banquet!" Arthur reached out with his right hand, pinching her little nose gently, smiling softly.

"But, in Lilith, you've already prepared so many outfits for me, and I still haven't worn half of them. If we buy more now, isn't that wasteful?" Shadowmoon swatted away Arthur's hand from her nose, frowning.

"You haven't even married me yet and you're already saving money for me, little housekeeper," Arthur teased joyfully.

"Poof," Shadowmoon's ears flushed red, her cheeks tinged with pink, and she stammered shyly, "Who's... who's saving money for you? Don't flatter yourself!" She huffed and turned away.

Arthur chuckled, making no effort to argue.

"Excuse me, sir, miss, may I offer you any assistance?" A shop assistant approached politely, her voice attentive.

Heavens, who is this man? So handsome! Even with sunglasses on, his high, straight nose, chiseled jaw, and those most alluring rose-hued lips—truly God's most beautiful masterpiece!

"No, thank you. I'll look around myself."

Arthur declined the clerk's offer, stepping to a nearby rack and beginning to peruse the dresses. Seeing Arthur ignore her, Shadowmoon wandered over to another rack, absently picking through the gowns.

Arthur was meticulous, examining each garment with a discerning eye, scrutinizing them from top to bottom, front and back.

Too revealing—no good. Too conservative—no good. Too long—no good. Too short—no good. With sleeves—not right. Without sleeves—also wrong.

He shook his head at each choice, putting the dress back before selecting another.

Watching Arthur's actions, the clerk couldn't help her facial muscles twitching. Indeed, perfect people have perfect standards.

Secretly, she wanted to call him picky, but felt that word would tarnish Arthur's godlike image.

Shadowmoon, meanwhile, half-heartedly browsed the dresses, her gaze flickering frequently toward Arthur. Seeing his fastidious manner, her lips twitched—what a picky man! she muttered internally.

The clerk noticed Arthur quickly examined all the displayed dresses without finding what he wanted and began to grow anxious.

Arthur, disappointed, walked over to Shadowmoon, put his right arm around her shoulders, and said in a low voice, "Let's go. There's nothing here that suits you. We'll look elsewhere."

In truth, Arthur was quite helpless. Normally, if time allowed, he would never shop off the rack. Their clothing was always custom-made. But this time, things had been so rushed that custom tailoring was impossible, so he'd hoped to find something suitable ready-made. Alas, he should have known better.

"Couldn't find anything appropriate?"

"No, nothing fits you. Let's try another shop."

Seeing them about to leave, the clerk's mind raced. Just as Arthur placed his hand on the door handle, she called out, "Sir, please wait!"

Her shout startled everyone in the store, who turned to look. Realizing her lapse in composure, the clerk blushed furiously, lowered her head, wrung her hands nervously in front of her, and walked toward them with ladylike steps.

Arthur paused, and he and Shadowmoon turned to face the clerk.

She stopped before them, head bowed, and spoke softly, "Sir, there is one more gown, just delivered today. It's upstairs in the VIP suite. Please, allow me to show you."

She bowed, extending her right arm in invitation, her left hand at her waist.

"Very well, let's go," Arthur said calmly, following her upstairs.

"This dress is Mr. York's latest creation. He is renowned for his pursuit of high quality and standards, producing only one piece each year. You are just in time—he finished this gown last night and had it sent over this morning. We haven't even had a chance to promote it yet," the clerk explained excitedly, to which Arthur nodded courteously.

At the door of a room upstairs, the clerk unlocked it. "Sir, Miss, please come in."

They entered first, the clerk following, leading them to a mannequin draped from head to toe in heavy white lace. Clearly, the designer cherished this piece, guarding and protecting it diligently.

Approaching the mannequin, the clerk lifted a corner of the lace and slowly drew it down.

As the lace slipped away, the gown gradually revealed itself.

It was an evening gown inspired by Chinese design elements.

No, more precisely, it was a gown that masterfully blended Eastern motifs with Western form.

It looked at once like a classic Western evening dress and an Eastern cheongsam.

The gown featured luxurious Chinese silk as its primary fabric. At the top was a small, deep purple teardrop collar. At the collarbone, a violet flower-shaped knot served as a fastening. The bodice was adorned with delicate openwork in pale purple silk, forming a half-bloomed violet bud. Lower down, to mid-thigh, the fabric shifted to a shimmering white silk with a hint of lavender. Across the bust and abdomen was a grand ink-painted violet in full bloom, lending the dress an air of classical elegance.

The bodice was fitted closely, accentuating the curves from chest to hips. Any slight imperfection—a small belly or disproportionate chest—would make the gown ill-fitting, either too tight or too loose. The graceful lines flowed down to the hips, showcasing their roundness.

Then, a side slit appeared—not too bold—beginning at mid-thigh on the left leg, secured by a larger violet flower-shaped knot, mirroring the one at the collarbone. Below this, the slit opened, while the right side blossomed into a wide, undulating deep purple skirt that trailed to the floor.

Staring at the gown, Shadowmoon couldn't help but gape in awe and admiration.

Arthur studied the design, nodded in satisfaction, and said, "Lanlan, go try it on." He then signaled for the clerk to take down the gown.

"Of course, sir," the clerk replied, delighted, and carefully removed the dress. She approached Shadowmoon, "Miss, please come with me."

"Arthur—" Shadowmoon hesitated, a hint of worry in her eyes.

Arthur, seeing her concern, smiled and bent down to whisper in her ear, "Go on. Trust my judgment—there's no one more suited to this gown than you." He raised his head, looking at her warmly.

Encouraged by Arthur's confidence, Shadowmoon summoned her courage and followed the clerk into the fitting room.

Only after she disappeared inside did Arthur turn to the sofa in the VIP lounge, pick up a fashion magazine from the coffee table, and idly flip through it.

At last, after a long wait, Shadowmoon emerged from the fitting room.

Hearing footsteps, Arthur set the magazine aside and slowly lifted his gaze toward her.

Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum—Arthur's heart thundered as he watched her approach, as if his very heart might leap from his chest. His eyes were fixed on her every step.

She appeared before him, her face like the first blush of spring, skin as creamy as jade, cheeks tinted like peach blossoms, lips stained with rose. Her figure was elegantly curved, the gown's shoulder design displaying their graceful arc, her chest pert and proud, her waist slender, every movement exuding irresistible allure. Her legs, glimpsed beneath the flowing skirt, appeared all the longer and more enchanting.

Arthur gazed at those captivating legs approaching, feeling a sudden rush of heat to his nose. He hurriedly rose, walking away as he called out, "I'll make a call to have Hill bring over the matching jewelry and shoes." And with that, he fled.

Stunned, Shadowmoon stared after him, then turned to the clerk. "Was it because I didn't look good? He left without even a glance."

Receiving no answer, Shadowmoon looked at the clerk, only to find her gazing in awe and admiration.

"It's beautiful!" the clerk sighed.

Feeling bashful, Shadowmoon lowered her head. Suddenly, she remembered something and looked up, puzzled. "Then why did he rush out without even looking?"

The clerk paused, then smiled mysteriously. "Don't worry, Miss. The gentleman must be very pleased. Didn't he just say he was fetching the matching jewelry for you?"

"Really?" Shadowmoon eyed the clerk's smile, still uncertain.

Seeing Arthur's prolonged absence, she walked over to the full-length mirror.

Wow, it truly is beautiful. The designer's skill is remarkable—this dress brings out all my best features. The wide, asymmetrical skirt even makes my petite figure look taller. Delighted, Shadowmoon twirled left and right, her joy plain to see.

But why hasn't Arthur come back yet?

—Endnote—

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