Chapter 212: Ordering a suit
The Bentley dropped Huang Yaming down at the road that led into the city before zooming off into the distance.
Xu Tingsheng was rather surprised by this. He stopped the car by the roadside and waited.
As Huang Yaming came over and found the car door locked, he could only knock on a window, "Open up! I'm coming in."
Xu Tingsheng and Tan Yao simultaneously turned to look at him, revealing 'worshipful' faces, "What? Boss Huang? A major figure of the reputability parade like you would actually sit in a vehicle as decrepit as ours? Where's your Bentley?"
"That car…was borrowed in order to show off, and also to give you a impact. The guy has to use it for himself now; that's why he's leaving first. Laugh all you want, just open the car door first."
After getting on, Huang Yaming began persuading Xu Tingsheng to buy a good car. In truth, be it in terms of economics or practicality, it was indeed high time Xu Tingsheng bought a car now.
The problem was that Xu Tingsheng really didn't want to buy one, especially not some branded car. He still yearned always to live out a peaceful university life again as just the typical student. A luxurious car would make him a minority amongst university students of this era, even though he had actually already long since become the minority of the minority, in actual fact.
Xu Tingsheng was just personally unwilling to accept such a state of affairs, irrational though it might seem.
He still wished that after Hucheng had developed sufficiently with Mr Xu having planned for their expansion into other areas, he would be able to separate career and life more cleanly, returning more thoroughly to a university lifestyle.
For example, the reason for skipping lessons should best be having played games overnight or overslept, or even just because this particular professor didn't take attendance, and it could be escaped from. This was as opposed to having to miss out because of work and business trips.
For example, dates should best come in sports fields, libraries, a little grove or squeezed into a tiny stall at the night market, rather than driving leisurely around and then eating Western food…
Xu Tingsheng explained his reasons to Huang Yaming.
Huang Yaming said forthrightly, "That's easy! You buy it, and I'll drive it. I'm different from you. I can't wait to to get rid of all those things that you want, and live all that you're terrified of living."
"How did I become bros with you?!" Xu Tingsheng exclaimed emotionally.
This was indeed how Huang Yaming was. While they were different in just so many ways, they were still just the best of bros somehow.
Xu Tingsheng said, "I'll think about it later then."
Huang Yaming said, "Fine, I'll remember that. I'll bug you to death if you don't buy one. Left turn ahead…another left. Turn right two streets down from here, and then 500m on before stopping."
Xu Tingsheng rounded two bends as instructed, stopping before a building with Western-style architecture whereupon he looked up at it, "This…where's this? It isn't a hotel, nor is it Tianyi."
Huang Yaming explained excitedly, "There's a store run by an Italian tailor upstairs, high quality and personally tailor-made by hand. The old man comes here for just three months every year; there's not many who know about him. I only know this from having come here with a Tianyi VP just a few days back."
Xu Tingsheng nodded, "Cool. But what's this got to do with me?"
Huang Yaming yelled, "Get a suit! Get a suit for yourself, and one each for the of us as well! Don't tell me that you intend for the three of us to go for a cocktail party in such casual attire?"
"Is it expensive?" Xu Tingsheng considered it as he asked.
"Relax, we'll choose the cheaper ones," Huang Yaming said.
"It'll only cost like twenty to thirty thousand each," Huang Yaming added.
Xu Tingsheng revved the engine, stepping on the accelerator.
Huang Yaming threw himself on the back of Xu Tingsheng's seat, begging mournfully, "Bro, I beg you! These two months in Shenghai, I've been stopped by people for wearing just some crappy T-shirt so many times. In venues that're just a little high-class, I dare not even take a single step away from the Tianyi guys. I was taken for a parking valet, even the garbage guy…"
He finished pleading. Xu Tingsheng stepped on the brakes and made a straight U-turn.
It was he who had asked Huang Yaming to go to Tianyi. Yet, he had not made considerations for him at all in this area. Meanwhile, Huang Yaming would definitely not have asked those of Tianyi for help, lest he end up embarrassing Xu Tingsheng.
Therefore, it could only be imagined how much scorn and disdain he might had suffered. Yet, he had cheerily kept this from Xu Tingsheng, instead continuing to do as asked as he had looked for all possible opportunities to participate in and interact with this social circle, these people.
"Let's get more expensive ones today," Xu Tingsheng told Huang Yaming as they went upstairs.
"It actually doesn't have to be too expensive. There won't be too many chances to wear it next time," Huang Yaming said.
"You'll surely have many chances," Xu Tingsheng said.
"I should still get something on the cheaper side."
"Don't stand on ceremony with m…"
"A seventy, eighty thousand one should be good enough."
"…"
……
The old Italian tailor that Huang Yaming spoke of was an old man with short, silvery hair and round antique spectacles who looked around seventy. A composed, unharried aura naturally emanated from him amidst his movements.
Such an atmosphere might come not from wealth but from his self-confidence and focus in his profession, his heart being free of scattered thoughts.
The trio stood there for a while. The old man was focusedly sewing on a button, not showing the least bit of enthusiasm in welcoming his esteemed customers.
Aside from the old man, there were another three middle-aged Italian men who were just as absorbed in their work as well as a beautiful woman, a fellow Chinese, who looked around thirty. There was only her who nodded slightly towards the trio in acknowledgment, smiling at them.
With just this, Huang Yaming and Tan Yao both secretly elbowed Xu Tingsheng from the side.
This was a very beautiful mature woman.
Xu Tingsheng had encountered a mature-type seductive creature not long before this, Yu Xinlan of Dexin Training Institute. That was a 'provoking one to commit crimes' type of woman, the type that could easily cause men to lose their rationality, only their bestiality remaining. Also, she had been very proficient in making use of those assets of hers, also not having much reservations in doing so.
This woman before them was different.
With a similarly hot figure, she was much more beautiful than Yu Xinlan, also possessing better, smoother skin as well as more intricate, attractive features.
Of course, all of this was of secondary importance. The most enchanting part of her was the bearing she possessed. This surpassed the feeling of a young woman of Republican China, additionally possessing an elegant, comfortable air.
Yu Xinlan caused one to want to commit a crime. As opposed to that, this woman before them would cause one to want to commit a crime, then feel like slapping themselves, like that would be a form of defilement, before…continuing to want to commit a crime.
Finally, the old tailor finished sewing the button. He looked up at the three youths before him, next spewing out a whole bunch of Italian words.
Xu Tingsheng, Huang Yaming and Tan Yao all just looked at one another uncomprehendingly.
"There was someone who could speak English last time," Huang Yaming explained.
"Sorry, but when Mister Angelo is is sewing or cutting, he demands absolute silence. Just now, Mister Angelo was saying that he is very happy to meet you young men."
The woman walked over, helping to translate. Her voice and her intonations were such that the two youngsters, Huang Yaming and Tan Yao, immediately lost it as they plopped straight down.
The 31-year-old Uncle barely managed to hold on.
"He was going at it for so long, and it was just that one sentence?" Xu Tingsheng asked.
"Yeah," The woman nodded, smiling a little as her clean white neat rows of teeth were revealed.
The old man, Mister Angelo, continued jabbering away. While he was unable to understand a single word he said, Xu Tingsheng still listened to him very intently, gazing towards him. After the old man had finished jabbering away, he turned to look at the woman.
She translated, "Mister Angelo says that in his hometown, the growth of a boy to a man begins with his first suit. Men must know to be fastidious with themselves. That is the greatest show of respect by a gentleman to the ladies. So, he is very happy to see you three young men."
The old man continued jabbering away. Xu Tingsheng looked over, then looked back.
The woman had already gotten accustomed to the rhythm of translating as she said, "Think of even after you have accomplished your fame one day. Your first suit is still carefully preserved by you, and you are still wearing it. Mister Angelo's meaning is that he doesn't like those people who let their figures run amok."
Xu Tingsheng nodded to show that he understood.
"Then, as you wear it again, there will be a beautiful lady beside you. She will put on your tie and button your coat for you with familiarity and ease before kissing your face. In life, we call this success."
Xu Tingsheng smiled in acknowledgment, "Thank you, thank you for your translation. Please also help me to tell Mister Angelo that this is the best definition of success I have ever heard."