Chapter 227: Ling Lie’s New Clothes

The Spring Festival was approaching. Compared to the tension at this time last year, the Major Crimes Unit was quite leisurely this year. Without urgent cases to solve, Ji Chenjiao’s attention shifted to Ling Lie. This guy had recently created a fake identity, saying it might be useful for future missions. Ji Chenjiao took one look at the name: Yun Xiaodou.

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Why don’t you just call yourself Kidney Bean?

Even people who like each other a lot will find faults when together every day. Not to mention Ling Lie, this wild cat who asked for trouble at the drop of a hat. Ji Chenjiao found that after two years of aesthetic baptism by him, Ling Lie would still make himself look dowdy when he let his guard down. He immediately got angry, grabbed Ling Lie by the back of his collar, and took him to buy new clothes.

After a shopping spree, Ling Lie had his gear for visiting during the Spring Festival. The dressed-up wild cat, even standing in front of the Ragdoll, would not be inferior.

He could even arrogantly press his paw on the Ragdoll’s head.

Ling Lie, carrying five paper bags in each hand, suddenly “braked.” Ji Chenjiao, holding no fewer bags than him, turned back. “What now?”

Ling Lie: “I remembered the stupid agreement I made with you when I was young and ignorant.”

Ji Chenjiao raised an eyebrow. “Hm?”

Ling Lie: “Just that… fe-female clothing.”

Ji Chenjiao got excited at the mention of this, took all the bags from Ling Lie’s hands, threw them into the car, and the two returned to the mall.

Ling Lie had no psychological barrier to wearing women’s clothes. He stepped into a cheongsam shop ahead of Ji Chenjiao, making Ji Chenjiao a bit embarrassed instead.

There were no women’s clothes in regular malls that Ling Lie could fit into, but Ling Lie still shopped happily—just to hear the flattering compliments from the sales assistants.

“Only custom-made.” Ji Chenjiao said. “Look at styles online?”

Ling Lie: “That works too.”

So after returning home, the two nestled on the sofa watching fashion shows.

Coming toward them was a sparkling wedding dress.

Ji Chenjiao felt at a glance that the wedding dress suited Ling Lie very well.

Ling Lie: “What a coincidence, I think so too.”

The screen paused, entering the basic pricing page. Ling Lie counted the zeros at the end with one finger.

This wedding dress was quite expensive, but Ji Chenjiao thought about it; it wasn’t unaffordable. Back then, when Ling Lie argued with him about buying an expensive wedding dress, he refused. But today was different; he was willing to pay this money.

However, when Ling Lie finished counting the zeros, he screamed and said indignantly, “They could have just robbed me, but they insisted on giving me a wedding dress!”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Ling Lie: “Not buying!”

Ji Chenjiao hugged him. “What about the agreed women’s clothing?”

Ling Lie: “Is there anything your Lie-Lie can’t make?”

Ji Chenjiao: “?”

The next day, Ling Lie got up early and dragged Ji Chenjiao up too. “Xia Honest, I want to go buy fabric.”

Ji Chenjiao thought, Oh, at least you know to buy fabric. I thought you were going to start by planting cotton…

Xiarong City had a quite large fabric market, famous in the surrounding cities, with a dazzling array of silks and satins.

Ji Chenjiao was dazzled as soon as he entered. “How about we just buy ready-made?”

Ling Lie glared. “Xia Honest, do you have too much money and nowhere to spend it? Can you, as a man, be considerate of the family’s difficulties and be less prodigal?”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

What difficulties does their family have? For whom is he being prodigal?

Ling Lie spoke plausibly, “Calculate how many barrels of oil and bags of rice the money for that dress can buy.”

Ji Chenjiao said expressionlessly, “Enough to feed us until we’re in our seventies or eighties.”

Ling Lie nodded vigorously. “Right!”

Ji Chenjiao: “Are you sure you can make it?”

Ling Lie pulled a piece of fabric. “I can even counterfeit soy sauce meat buns.”

Ji Chenjiao muttered, “Is that the same thing?”

Ling Lie finally chose the fabric, colorful and vibrant, leaving Ji Chenjiao dumbfounded. “Wait, wasn’t the wedding dress we looked at yesterday white?”

Ling Lie: “Counterfeits always need improvement, integrating one’s own characteristics.”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Okay, redefining improvement.

Back at the family compound, a retired old man shouted at Ling Lie, “I cleaned up my old woman’s sewing machine for you. When are you moving it?”

Ji Chenjiao heard this—What’s this? Even the sewing machine is arranged?

Ling Lie said enthusiastically, “Going right now!” After speaking, he stuffed the meat pie he just bought by the roadside into the old man’s hand. “Still hot, eat quickly.”

The old man happily took Ling Lie to his home. Ji Chenjiao acted as a coolie, carrying out an ancient sewing machine.

The cozy living room was immediately transformed into Yun Xiaodou’s Tailoring Studio.

Ji Chenjiao: “Should I hang a sign for you?”

Ling Lie looked at the discarded cardboard on the balcony. “Not impossible.”

The clicking sound of the sewing machine floated in the air. Ling Lie wore his fake glasses, pedaling with great concentration, surrounded by piles of fabric as high as a mountain. Ji Chenjiao sat on top of the mountain, cutting flowers out of cardboard.

Shen Qi tagged Ji Chenjiao in the group chat: [Bro, what are you doing today? New Year is coming soon; as leaders, aren’t you giving out red envelopes?]

An Xun: [As leaders, aren’t you giving out red envelopes?]

Xi Wan: [As leaders, aren’t you giving out red envelopes?]

Liang Wenxian: [As leaders, aren’t you giving out red envelopes?]

Ji Chenjiao looked at his crooked handiwork, sighed, and waved his hand to send a few big red envelopes.

Shen Qi: [My bro is generous, my Lie Bro is also generous!]

Lie Bro himself was obsessed with tailoring, turning a deaf ear.

Late at night, Ji Chenjiao hung the crooked sign under the living room ceiling light, dangling over Ling Lie’s head.

“Do it tomorrow,” Ji Chenjiao said.

Ling Lie didn’t even lift his head but pushed up his glasses. “Not sleeping until finished.”

Ji Chenjiao looked at the fabric filling the living room, feeling desolate inside. When will this be finished?

Wanting very much to cuddle with Ling Lie, Ji Chenjiao walked over and hugged Ling Lie from behind. Ling Lie’s foot slipped, and the stitch went crooked.

“You are just inconsiderate,” Ling Lie condemned. “Your Lie-Lie is working hard. How can you willfully hug him and disturb his labor?”

Ji Chenjiao thought, Fine, I’ll go then.

Ling Lie added, “You should kiss him.”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Waiting here!

Ling Lie was very satisfied with this kiss and patted Ji Chenjiao. “Go sleep. You can see my new clothes tomorrow morning.”

How could Ji Chenjiao sleep? He insisted on staying up with Tailor Ling until 3 AM.

Ling Lie shook the clothes open with a whoosh, almost blinding Ji Chenjiao.

It could be seen that it was a dress, vaguely resembling the shape of the wedding dress they fancied, but the colors and accessories had all changed. How to put it… it looked very much like a peacock from the Beggar’s Sect.

Ling Lie frowned deeply, seemingly not very satisfied with the clothes either.

Lie-Lie, who could do anything, seemed to have hit a wall in making women’s clothing.

Ji Chenjiao wanted to mock Ling Lie, but seeing Ling Lie’s expression, he suddenly couldn’t get the mockery out.

Ling Lie stayed up late, eyes red, rubbing them occasionally. Having buried his head pedaling the sewing machine for hours, his back ached, and stretching didn’t help.

Ji Chenjiao’s heart ached. He rarely went against his conscience and said, “It looks pretty good.”

Ling Lie perked up instantly. “Really?”

Ji Chenjiao felt doomed, but words spoken couldn’t be eaten back to strike Ling Lie.

“Mn, our Lie Bro is omnipotent. As a tailor, you are also the best tailor in the world.”

Ling Lie swelled with pride and quickly directed Ji Chenjiao to help him put on the clothes.

The skirt of this dress was too big; a displaying peacock would have to bow down. Ji Chenjiao helped until he was sweating profusely. Looking up, he saw Ling Lie pressing a calculator, calculating how much money this outfit saved compared to buying a wedding dress.

This new outfit was already ugly off the body; wearing it was even more… bizarre. Ling Lie miscalculated his figure. The clothes were a whole size too big. Some stitches weren’t sewn firmly and tore open upon wearing.

Ling Lie sighed.

Ji Chenjiao immediately comforted, “Aren’t holes the trend?”

Ling Lie was comforted instantly and became triumphant again.

Tossing about until morning, Ling Lie was reluctant to take off his new clothes, turning around to let Ji Chenjiao take photos from many angles. Looking at that posture, he was going to send them to certain people to hear flattering compliments.

Ji Chenjiao’s heart went cold. This was doomed. Who would praise Ling Lie’s outfit as good-looking?

During the New Year, Ling Lie couldn’t bear this grievance.

Because they had to go out to buy soy sauce meat buns, Ling Lie finally changed out of the new clothes. Ji Chenjiao glanced at his phone and asked nonchalantly, “Who are you messaging?”

Ling Lie: “Greeting Ragdoll. Isn’t it New Year?”

Ji Chenjiao turned his head and messaged Ming Shu, explaining the situation and begging the Captain of the Major Crimes Unit of Dongye City to praise Ling Lie against his conscience.

A few minutes later, Ming Shu: […Received.]

Ji Chenjiao did the same, sending big red envelopes against his conscience to colleagues in the Major Crimes Unit and the Special Action Team.

It was New Year. Ling Lie walked the runway at home in his new clothes. The photos received unanimous praise from friends and family.

Ming Shu: Ling Dog, you actually have such a unique skill! I fancy this shop’s new style. Can you counterfeit one for me? [New Style 1.jpg] [New Style 2.jpg]

Xiao Yuan: Balance work and rest. Happy New Year.

Shen Qi: Bro! My only bro! Is this something I can watch? From now on, my bro has a new code name: Seven-Colored Peacock! Also known as Invincible Peacock!

Xi Wan: Seeing Mr. Ling’s new clothes, I decided to ask Old Zhou to buy me a new one.

An Xun (Sincere): I think it looks very good, very unique.

Le Ran (Sincere): Better looking than the clothes Brother Zhao Fan bought me last time.

Shen Xun: Zhao Fan bought you clothes again?

Zhao Fan (Confused): Why do I feel you guys are being sarcastic?

Ji Chenjiao angrily spammed red envelopes, pushing Zhao Fan’s message up.

From then on, the Special Action Team had another taboo—besides not criticizing Zhao Fan’s cooking, one couldn’t criticize Ling Lie’s new clothes.

Of course, Zhao Fan and Ling Lie could criticize each other.

Ji Chenjiao: …So tired. Telling one lie requires many lies to cover it.

Maybe… I shouldn’t have been the first person to go against my conscience.