Chapter 30: The Suit

On his way back from the design department, Lin Ye was in high spirits. In just one morning, thanks to his diligent work attitude, he had earned a solid twenty thousand yuan, plus a very comfortable set of underwear. Ignoring the minor, inconsequential hiccups that occurred along the way, it was hard not to be in a good mood.

As soon as he sat down in his office, his phone chimed with a text notification. Lin Ye paused, scratching his head in confusion. He hadn’t received a text in a long time; who could it be? Lighting up the screen, he saw it was from Manager Su. The content was brief, matching the style of her voice on the phone: "Ten o'clock tomorrow morning, meet at the Encounter Cafe opposite Emerald Manor."

Emerald Manor? That was one of the most upscale villa districts in Luzhou, where Lin Ye lived. It seemed Manager Su must live there, otherwise, she wouldn't have suggested meeting nearby. Lin Ye sat in his chair lost in thought. Facing this superior he had yet to meet, he felt an inexplicable sense of awe. After all, judging by her voice on the phone, she sounded like she was only in her thirties. To run a company so well at that age—it would be a lie to say he wasn't impressed.

Should he be more formal for his first meeting with such a powerhouse woman? Should he buy a suit to prepare for tomorrow? Most female secretaries he knew wore professional attire—blazers and pencil skirts—so perhaps it was the same for men.

Lin Ye had been wearing casual clothes for the past two days. It wasn't that he didn't own a suit; he had one that Li Dehua had prepared for him to wear when he took wedding photos with Su Qing. But he didn't want to wear that one to work; it held a different significance in his heart. He had bought another suit long ago, but it was a cheap two-hundred-yuan item. Because Lin Ye was a regular at the gym, that suit no longer fit him well. Any movement, like raising his arms or legs, felt restrictive. Clearly, that suit wouldn't do for meeting his boss.

Perhaps he should go buy a slightly higher-end one during his lunch break? It seemed likely that, as a secretary, he would often need to accompany the General Manager to important occasions. A high-quality suit was necessary. The catch was that a suit needed to fit perfectly, and to get a perfect fit, it usually had to be tailored—but he didn't have enough time for that. He would have to buy one off the rack, and he needed someone knowledgeable to recommend a good shop.

The first person who came to mind was Zhang Wen. That guy had money to burn; even if he didn't know everything about suits, he could at least recommend a store. Lin Ye pulled out his phone and called him.

"Beep... beep... Hello, the number you have dialed is currently busy, the number..."

"If you have the guts, finish that sentence in English. Stop trying to act like a big shot when you're just a pig with an onion stuck in its nose," Lin Ye laughed, hearing Zhang Wen stumble over the English.

"Tch, cut the chatter. Don't you know I'm busy with a big project lately?" Zhang Wen, face flushed, interrupted him stubbornly.

"I just wanted to ask if you know where to buy a suit," Lin Ye cleared his throat and got to the point.

"Oh, a suit? Let me think." Zhang Wen stroked his chin, pondering for a long moment. After nearly a minute, his voice suddenly jumped several decibels. "You want to buy a suit? Something's fishy. Extremely fishy. Start talking! Are you hiding something from me?"

Lin Ye was speechless. After all that time, that was what he was thinking about? "My boss wants to meet me tomorrow, and I figured I should look professional," Lin Ye sighed.

"That's definitely urgent. You can't get one tailored in time, so you have to buy off the rack. But I'm warning you, it might not fit perfectly."

"I know, but I don't have a choice. I'm in a rush. Just find me a shop, and I'll treat you to dinner later," Lin Ye said with a smile.

"Basement. Get in the car." Along with Zhang Wen's voice came the low, throaty roar of his S4's engine.

Inside the cramped space of the S4, Zhang Wen asked, "What's your budget?"

"Something slightly high-end... I'm worried my wallet can't handle too much," Lin Ye replied.

"Got it."

The S4 sped through the city streets. The ride was quite uncomfortable, with two men over 1.8 meters tall squeezed tightly together for the whole journey. Finally, they pulled up in front of a shop called Gronia. Zhang Wen tossed the keys to a waiter in a white shirt and black vest, then led Lin Ye up to the second floor.

"Uncle Ning! Find a suit for my friend here, he needs it urgently!" Zhang Wen’s voice was loud enough to be heard on the third floor.

Footsteps approached, and a man in his fifties emerged from a room. He wore a grey suit with fluid lines; the shoulders were slightly padded to look broad and powerful, while the waist was tapered just right to showcase a well-maintained physique. The fabric shimmered slightly in the sunlight streaming through the window—high-end, yet understated. His dark blue silk tie was knotted in a neat Windsor, highlighting his attention to detail.

As he stood before Lin Ye, he scanned him with deep, observant eyes, then pulled out a small tape measure. With a voice that was both gentle and elegant, he said, "Come, let me take your measurements first."

Lin Ye waved his hand quickly. "Uncle Ning, I'm not here for a custom suit. I want to buy one off the rack. I'm in a bit of a rush; I need it for tomorrow morning."

Uncle Ning glanced at Zhang Wen, saw him shrug, and frowned slightly. "You might not find one that fits perfectly. A suit that doesn't fit well is quite uncomfortable to wear." He said it as politely as possible.

"Uncle Ning, please, go the extra mile and find the best fit you have for my friend," Zhang Wen said with a grin. It was clear he was very familiar with him.

"You brat... fine. Come here. I need to take your measurements first so I can find you something suitable."