The Man in the Black Sweater - Chapter 11 – No Need to Feel Inferior

Ever since that day when the basketball hit her nose, Luo Xu had become noticeably quieter.
She spent her days learning gardening from Uncle Cui and cooking from Aunt Chen — her life wasn’t exactly exciting, but it wasn’t dull either.

However, the wound on her nose had forced her to give up a lot of her favorite foods. Aunt Chen kept a strict eye on her, refusing to allow even the tiniest indulgence. It was torture.

Pei Yan remained as busy as ever. Luo Xu rarely saw him — she only knew he was home because she could hear the car engine in the early morning and the faint noises when he came back late at night.

Now that she was in her “pregnant-sleepy” phase, she woke up late and went to bed early, so her chances of running into him were almost zero.

The weather was nice that day. After lunch, Luo Xu went upstairs for a nap.
She pulled open the curtains to let sunlight warm the blanket, then lay down comfortably, enjoying the cozy afternoon.

An hour passed — or maybe longer — when noises from downstairs stirred her half-awake mind.
It felt like being trapped in a dream. She tried to move but couldn’t. Her mind knew she was asleep, yet her body refused to wake.

“Ah!” she suddenly screamed and sat bolt upright.

Her head throbbed painfully, as if she’d caught a chill.
Rubbing her temples, she looked toward the window — it was open just a crack.
Right. She’d forgotten to close it.

Ross, that silly dog, was sprawled on the tatami by the window, sleeping even deeper than she had.

She changed clothes and went downstairs, wondering why Pei Yan would be home at this hour.

But instead of him, she saw Lin Ru chatting with Aunt Chen. Lin Ru was dressed in a beige suit, her smooth hair draped over her shoulders, elegant and dazzling as ever.

“Hi!” Lin Ru greeted her with a bright smile.

“Hello,” Luo Xu replied, waving awkwardly.

Just then, Pei Yan entered through the front door, setting down his car keys. He glanced at the dazed Luo Xu standing on the stairs and said, “Go get her a change of clothes.”

Luo Xu turned to look at Lin Ru and saw a small splash of red wine on her blouse. Against the pale fabric, it stood out vividly.

“Oh, okay! Give me a minute,” Luo Xu said, hurrying upstairs.

Lin Ru smiled politely. “It’s really fine, I can just change when I get home.”

“Don’t you have that dinner party later?” Pei Yan reminded her.

“Oh, right! I almost forgot.” She patted her forehead, laughing lightly.

Yet oddly, though Lin Ru was standing right in front of him, what Pei Yan saw in his mind was Luo Xu — that same careless, natural gesture.

He sighed inwardly. Clearly, that woman had already skewed his sense of what “cute” looked like.

Upstairs, Luo Xu chewed her finger anxiously, staring at her closet full of clothes — none of which were good enough to lend out.

Everything she owned looked too shabby next to Lin Ru’s elegance.
What to do? Maybe she could just say she didn’t have anything suitable.

She swung the closet door open — and froze. Pei Yan was standing right outside.

Without thinking, she blurted out, “I don’t have any clothes!”

“What?”

“I don’t have any clothes I can lend her,” she clarified quickly.

Pei Yan frowned slightly. “Then what are you wearing?”

“You want me to take this one off and give it to her? Isn’t that kind of cruel?” Luo Xu said, looking scandalized.

Pei Yan was already used to her bizarre comments. After all, first she’d accused him of having a paralyzed face, and now she was calling him cruel.
At this point, he figured the day she actually forced him to live up to those labels, his suffering would finally be complete.

At least Mr. Pei wasn’t narrow-minded — his composure never wavered as he said calmly,
“Just pick something you usually wear for her. Something simple is fine.”

“But you said before that my clothes were all too shabby. I’d feel embarrassed lending her any of them.”
Luo Xu scratched her head, looking awkward.

Letting someone used to wearing high-end designer pieces put on her cheap, off-the-rack clothes… even for someone with her thick skin, that was a little mortifying.

They were both women, but the difference between them felt like that of a swan and a mother hippopotamus — two creatures from entirely different species.

Pei Yan understood. He lifted his right hand, hovering it above her head.

Luo Xu rolled her eyes upward, almost showing the whites.

Then his hand shifted slightly and landed on her shoulder. He patted her lightly and said,
“Don’t feel inferior. You’re actually a good person.”

Luo Xu: “…”
She didn’t think this counted as inferiority at all, but okay.

After that, he walked to the end of the hall, made a phone call — probably to have someone bring over some clothes.

Luo Xu was left standing there, utterly bewildered by his sudden, random encouragement.

What was wrong with the “Great Demon King” today?
Was that… the tone of a boss motivating his employee?

This kind of move… she had never encountered before!

When Luo Xu went downstairs again, Lin Ru had already left. Aunt Chen explained it was for a company event — some kind of department dinner.

Luo Xu crossed her legs on the chair and sighed. “People with real jobs are so lucky.”

Aunt Chen chuckled. “Yes, Miss Lin Ru not only has a solid background but is also very capable. What a rare young lady.”

Luo Xu nodded, humoring her.

Aunt Chen leaned in and said in a conspiratorial tone, “And most importantly, she’s devoted to Mr. Pei. They’d make such a perfect couple — a talented man and a beautiful woman.”

Luo Xu peeled an orange and held it up. “Want one?”

“I’ll pass. You eat. You need more vitamins.”

Just then, Pei Yan came down the stairs, neat and refined in a white turtleneck that lent him a scholarly air. His coat draped over one arm, he looked like a model stepping off a runway.

“Going out, sir?” Aunt Chen asked.

“Yes,” he replied. “We won’t be back for dinner. Don’t wait for us.”

Then he lifted his chin slightly toward Luo Xu. “Put on your coat. We’re going out.”

“Me?” She pointed to herself in disbelief.

“Mhm.”

“We’re going out for something delicious?” she asked hopefully, already imagining a lavish meal.

“To buy clothes.”

Luo Xu initially thought “buying clothes” meant she’d be tagging along to give advice — maybe helping him pick something.
But when they stepped into a women’s boutique, she began an inner monologue: Huh? I didn’t peg him for having a cross-dressing hobby…

A sales associate approached eagerly, and Pei Yan pointed at Luo Xu.
“Find a few outfits in her size and have her try them on.”

Jackpot. The saleswoman’s eyes gleamed. She immediately began fussing over Luo Xu, measuring, asking questions, offering service so attentive it practically glowed — clearly motivated by the potential commission.

“Wait, for me? But I don’t have money!” Luo Xu exclaimed, startled, as the saleswoman ushered her into the fitting room.

Luo Xu felt dizzy — really dizzy.
This was straight out of a romance drama: the rich, handsome male lead takes the poor, clumsy heroine shopping for clothes, upgrades her wardrobe, and melts her heart.

It was the kind of scene no woman, regardless of age, could truly resist — intoxicatingly romantic.

But Luo Xu wasn’t an ordinary woman.
She had fought her way up from the very bottom of society, bullied, beaten down, and hardened along the way. Her heart was tougher than most — strong enough to withstand fire and bullets.

Yet sometimes… it was softer, too.

Like right now.

She stood before the giant mirror in a beautiful dress, the lights around her dazzling—yet none of them could outshine her reflection.

The saleswoman beside her showered her with compliments nonstop, and as Luo Xu looked at the woman in the mirror, she didn’t doubt a single word.

Clothes make the person, just as a saddle makes the horse.
How true that saying was.

“I probably can’t afford this,” she said apologetically, turning back to the saleswoman with a small smile.

But the woman’s enthusiasm didn’t wane in the slightest. “That’s okay! The point of clothes is to try them on. You’ll eventually find something you love.”

The dress really was gorgeous. Gritting her teeth, Luo Xu asked, “Could you tell me the price?”

The saleswoman quoted a number—so high that Luo Xu almost collapsed on the spot.

Pei Yan walked over and said evenly, “Try another one.”

“My thoughts exactly!” Luo Xu exclaimed and bolted toward the fitting room.

Oh, dear lord, she panicked, did I damage that dress when I was putting it on?

Five figures! If she ruined it, she’d never be able to pay it back!

She decided, I’ll just pick something less pretty. Less pretty means cheaper, right?

After all, she couldn’t walk out empty-handed now—not after the saleswoman had been so warm and attentive.

But strangely enough, every single outfit in this store looked amazing on her. As if each one had been designed specifically for her body.

“How about this one?” the saleswoman said cheerfully. “It raises the waistline—you can’t even tell you’re pregnant.”

Luo Xu sighed, then walked over to Pei Yan. “You brought me here… because you want something from me, don’t you?”

Pei Yan lowered his magazine slightly, one eyebrow raised, waiting for her to continue her wild theory.

“You must want to lend me money to buy clothes so I’ll owe you a favor and help you with something later.”

In her head, she was already spinning an elaborate drama. Maybe it has to do with Lin Ru… maybe he wants me to help him get rid of her.

Pei Yan’s lips twitched. Then he took out his wallet, pulled out a credit card, and handed it to the saleswoman.
“Pack everything she just tried on. I’ll pay with this card.”

“Yes, of course!” The saleswoman’s face lit up, practically glowing as she rushed to process the sale.

Luo Xu felt like she’d just been struck by lightning—a bolt named “The Overbearing CEO Randomly Spoils Me.”
Her brain fried, her heart sizzled.

She hurriedly grabbed Pei Yan’s arm and pulled him into a corner, away from curious eyes. “Listen, I’m not doing anything like murder or arson! The most I’ll do is a little lying or scaring people, okay?”

“…What?”

“I mean, if you want me to tell Miss Lin Ru that the baby in my belly is yours, you don’t need to buy me this many expensive clothes! One outfit would’ve been enough, really!” Luo Xu said earnestly.

Pei Yan stared at her like he was looking at a patient in the final stage of brain damage.

“What?” she asked nervously.

He reached out and patted her head. “Did the basketball that hit your nose also rattle your brain?”

“Huh?”

“I don’t need you to do anything for me,” he said flatly. “Relax. This isn’t some kind of deal.”

Luo Xu’s eyes darted suspiciously, and she stepped back, clutching her collar. “Wait—don’t tell me you’re trying to start… something beyond friendship with me?”

“Put away those ridiculous fantasies,” Pei Yan snapped. “I just pitied you for having nothing decent to wear. Don’t overthink it.”

His expression hardened as he gave her head a sharp flick and shot her a cold look before turning on his heel and walking away.

Luo Xu stood there rubbing her head, watching him leave in a huff.

So… he really just wanted to do something nice for her?

Everything she’d imagined earlier… suddenly felt so absurd it made her laugh.

Turns out, there really are people in this world whose kindness makes you want to cry.