Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 140
Prima spun around in front of the full-length mirror, the flowing skirt blooming around her like a white wave.
“So beautiful!” her friend exclaimed sincerely from the side. Spring had arrived, and in White Bridge, spring and autumn were particularly short. Light summer dresses would soon be hitting the shelves, and they always liked to prepare a few of the trendiest new dresses in advance.
Prima had her own tailor, but they mainly made various handmade dresses that required more time. Prima also enjoyed shopping for ready-to-wear clothes, which was one of her most time-consuming daily pastimes.
After all, no girl ever thought she had too many clothes in her wardrobe.
“Is this white too bright? It makes my skin look a bit dark,” she said uncertainly to the mirror. “And I can only wear it indoors. If I go onto the lawn, the hem will be stained with grass juice within three minutes, which would be too conspicuous.”
“This dress is more suitable for informal occasions, like a relaxed afternoon tea with friends or discussing music and poetry with gentlemen,” the shop assistant said with a charming smile.
Gentlemen…
Prima naturally thought of Louis, her expression noticeably dimming.
She felt somewhat insecure about herself, and this feeling was magnified during the annual auction because Prima thought she wasn’t beautiful enough.
Many people always praised her for being pretty and cute, but she knew a large part of that was because she was Khalif’s daughter.
She wasn’t ugly, but she wasn’t a great beauty either. She had always been very clear about this. Besides Louis’s indifferent and distant attitude towards her, Prima had seen truly beautiful people.
In terms of appearance (regardless of gender), the Fox Family was hard to surpass. Each representative sent to White Bridge for the auction was stunning and captivating. Even below them, neither Wolf nor Monkey could compare. The Lion family, with their height, long legs, and impressive aura, were like queens of the icy tundra, while the Foxes were like mesmerizing mermaids of the deep sea.
Added to this were the outstanding-looking and eloquent women from all over the world who visited. Prima often worried that Louis would be attracted to so many excellent people, and she couldn’t help but despise herself for having such thoughts. So, while the auction was a grand event for White Bridge, it was a time of great anxiety for her.
“Prima, how about this light lavender dress?” Her friend found another dress. “Oh, this style is rare, as expected from Velvet Butterfly. Your dresses are always the latest fashion.”
Velvet Butterfly, a ready-to-wear store at the crossroads, was the largest in White Bridge, with four floors. The ground floor had various accessories and knick-knacks, the second and third floors had the trendiest clothes, and the fourth floor sold dresses for special occasions. Prima had browsed the third floor but hadn’t found anything she particularly liked. She didn’t want to leave empty-handed, so she walked over to take a look and found that it was indeed a unique style. The waistline was rather daring, and the neckline revealed a lot. For some reason, it reminded her of her father’s recent lover, Xanye.
It looked like something that woman would wear, full of femininity and a hint of teasing.
However, her friend and the shop assistant both highly recommended it, and Prima couldn’t refuse. She agreed to try it on in the fitting room—ten minutes later, she emerged to see her friend looking worried.
“Ellie, what’s wrong?” Prima asked.
Ellie leaned in, whispering, “Shh… Xanye is here, just over there.”
Prima was stunned and walked a few steps forward. Sure enough, she saw the alluring woman standing between two rows of dresses, accompanied by a solemn-looking female attendant—someone Prima recognized. Before coming of age, Khalif had arranged for her to be Prima’s bodyguard.
Xanye didn’t recognize Ellie, but she quickly noticed Prima and walked over with a smile to greet her.
Prima disliked Xanye, but she wasn’t used to causing a scene in public—there were other customers in the store.
“What a surprise to see you here, Prima,” Xanye said sweetly, her voice and gaze equally sugary, but Prima always felt she had ulterior motives.
“So am I,” Prima replied softly.
Xanye’s gaze swept over her, and she said as if she had just noticed, “I see you’ve changed your style. This is unlike you. Did something happen?”
“Nothing. Just trying it out,” Prima said dismissively. “But it doesn’t suit me.”
“I’m glad you’re still clear-headed. I thought you might have decided to change your image because of someone’s influence… But then again, Louis has never shown any interest in sexy women,” Xanye said softly, her tone sweet but her malicious mockery barely concealed.
Prima’s face immediately turned red—half with embarrassment, half with anger.
Ellie bravely stepped forward to refute, “I encouraged Prima to try it. It has nothing to do with anyone else.”
“Oh.” Xanye widened her eyes. “If that’s the case, I suggest asking ‘him’ what style he likes before shopping. That would be more efficient. Otherwise, all this time is wasted.”
Both girls realized Xanye was mocking Prima for wasting years pursuing Louis without success. But as unmarried young women, they didn’t know how to respond to such malice, especially Prima, who was mostly used to polite and kind people. She rarely interacted with Xanye in the presence of Khalif.
Xanye’s words hit her biggest insecurity, making her face turn beet red. She felt tears welling up, but she swore she didn’t want to cry!
“Excuse me.” A soft voice interrupted them. The girls turned to see a young woman standing nearby. She had gentle curls of light blonde hair falling behind her and bright eyes looking at them.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she continued softly. “I just couldn’t help noticing this young lady’s dress as soon as I came upstairs. It’s absolutely beautiful.”
Xanye lightly exclaimed, “You think so?”
Prima and Ellie noticed the woman’s prominently pregnant belly and immediately asked the shop assistant to fetch a soft stool.
They collectively ignored Xanye’s comment.
“Yes,” the woman responded straightforwardly. “I have a sister about her size, and I wanted to ask where I could get a dress like this for her.”
She turned to the shop assistant. “Do you have any ribbons? Ivory or green would be perfect.”
Sensing the tense atmosphere, the assistant hurriedly fetched a white ribbon, likely taken from another dress or hat.
“If you don’t mind.” The woman’s gentle tone made Prima unconsciously soften her breathing, afraid of disturbing her.
“Not at all. You…?” Prima watched as the woman tied the ribbon around her waist into a beautiful bow—so stunning that even the shop assistant gasped.
The overly tight waistline was instantly transformed, blending sexiness with a touch of pure, adorable charm.
“So pretty, Prima,” Ellie exclaimed.
“You chose well.” The woman smiled. “Young girls look good in anything. If someone doesn’t think it looks nice, they must have poor taste.”
The remark seemed subtle. Prima and Ellie exchanged glances, unsure how much the woman had overheard.
Even Xanye found it hard to maintain her sarcastic tone. With the clever addition, the dress indeed suited Prima better. The shop assistants crowded around, showering compliments.
“Yes, let’s go.” Ellie made a disgusted face at Xanye’s retreating figure.
“Thank you,” Prima said sincerely.
“Oh, did I do something?” the woman replied. “I should thank you. This stool is very comfortable.”
“Your comfort is the most important thing, especially now,” Prima said. “Even with someone accompanying you, please be extra careful.”
“You talk just like someone close to me,” the woman said. Though she appeared the same age as Prima, her mature demeanor likely came from being pregnant.
“There’s still some time before the due date. The doctor advised me to walk around and get some sun, but when I saw the sign for this store, I couldn’t resist coming in,” she said warmly. “Regarding the dress, don’t mind what others say—I truly think it looks beautiful on you.”
She had noticed Xanye’s hostility, Prima thought, feeling even more grateful. “I’m Prima. Are you here for the auction?”
“You must be a local.” The woman smiled and nodded. “I’m Priscilla.”
Priscilla’s outside name was Lady Lestrop, so Prima didn’t realize she was one of the distinguished guests the family was focusing on this year. She just thought Priscilla was one of those outstanding visitors to White Bridge, carrying herself with grace and treating others warmly, making it hard not to like her.
“I have a few stores on the next street, selling drinks and handmade snacks,” Prima eagerly shared. “You’re always welcome. Just tell the staff, and I’ll come to prepare the best tea for you.”
For some reason, Priscilla looked slightly surprised upon hearing the store names, but then she smiled, glanced at the young man standing behind her, and turned back to Prima. “If I said I have time now, would you entertain me?”
Prima was thrilled, and Ellie felt the same. They both liked this elegant woman and wanted to chat with her more.
More importantly, Priscilla was a guest and not from the Wolf or Monkey Families. Prima thought she might be able to ask her for advice on her many troubles, like dealing with Xanye or Louis.
Earlier, Priscilla had effortlessly helped her, and Xanye rarely got the short end of the stick like that. Prima felt she needed to talk to such a wise and understanding woman—of course, without discussing family secrets.
The author has something to say:
Priscilla: What counts as a secret is up to me.
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