Transmigrating as the Female Supporting Character: Dumb with Deep Pockets - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: I Don’t Even Like You

The sales assistant’s gaze shifted to Chen Jia, her expression tinged with hesitation. “Is she your friend? She… might not be a good fit for the clothes in our store.”

The words were tactful, but the subtext was loud and clear: these clothes are expensive, and she looks like she can’t afford them.

Unlike Su Su, who was decked out in designer labels, Chen Jia’s clothes were plain—the kind where you could find three identical outfits just by walking down any busy street.

Su Su, oblivious to the clerk’s elitism, was brimming with confidence in her own taste. “Why wouldn’t they fit? I think they’re perfect. This one, this one, and that one are all gorgeous.”

She had never been this excited to shop for herself; today, she wanted to take everything home for Chen Jia. She grabbed several items and thrust them toward her. “Go on, try them on!”

Chen Jia had anticipated this before coming to the mall, so she wasn’t surprised. She actually liked the style of the clothes, but the clerk’s cautious, worried eyes made her almost hesitate—as if putting them on would give the poor woman a heart attack. She knew the clerk wasn’t necessarily looking down on her, just worrying that she’d fall in love with something she couldn’t buy.

We’re all just ordinary people, Chen Jia thought. Who has the right to look down on whom?

“It’s okay,” Chen Jia said to the clerk. “If I like them, I will buy them.”

Those words surprised even Su Su. Before leaving the dorm, she had been racking her brain for ways to convince Chen Jia to accept the gifts; she hadn’t expected her to be so straightforward.

Perhaps because Chen Jia’s gaze was so sincere, the assistant stopped hovering and let them be.

Chen Jia was efficient. Soon, the fitting room door pushed open.

“Wow!” Su Su gasped.

A black off-the-shoulder crop top paired with a white mini-skirt perfectly traced Chen Jia’s slender waist. On her, the outfit looked even better than Su Su had imagined. Chen Jia wasn’t just “skinny”; she had a healthy, toned build that made the outfit look sexy and captivating rather than fragile.

Su Su couldn’t resist reaching out and poking Chen Jia’s waist. It was just as soft as she expected.

“Hmm?” Chen Jia flinched slightly at the touch and turned to Su Su with a look of confusion, as if asking what was wrong.

Su Su didn’t know why she did it. Her ears turned slightly pink as she shook her head. “Nothing. You look really good.” She suddenly felt that dieting was unnecessary—healthy beauty was much better.

Once the assistant realized Su Su was the one paying, her face practically split from grinning so hard. “This young lady looks stunning! We have other styles too, would you like to try them?”

Before Chen Jia could protest, Su Su agreed. “Yes, let me see.”

The assistant followed them like a shadow, eager for Su Su to look at every single piece. The over-enthusiastic service made Su Su uncomfortable. “Uh… I’ll look around myself. You can go attend to other things.”

The experienced assistant took the hint and retreated, leaving them to mix and match. Su Su expertly picked out a pile.

“Wait on those,” Chen Jia intervened. “I only have one body. Buying this many is a waste.”

Su Su disagreed. “Who says one person can’t have many clothes? Wearing something different every day changes your mood! And you’re not paying, so just wear them!”

Chen Jia did intend to buy a few sets—she needed to look the part if she was going to be networking outside—but she viewed this as a loan. She planned to write an IOU because the pressure of debt would fuel her motivation to earn. However, Su Su’s pace was going to make her bankrupt before she even started.

“If you like shopping, we can come back next time,” Chen Jia suggested.

Su Su grumbled, still holding a pile of clothes. “Next time is next time. Just fulfill this one little wish of mine today, okay?” She knew how to pull Chen Jia’s heartstrings, but this time, it didn’t work.

Chen Jia knew exactly how to handle her too. “That won’t do. If we buy everything now, it won’t be so easy to get me out of the dorm next time.”

Sure enough, Su Su compromised, though reluctantly. “Fine…” She put back most of the clothes, her brow furrowed in deep thought. “Two sets. At least two sets, right?”

In the art of coaxing Su Su, Chen Jia was a master. “Sure. Why don’t you pick them for me? You have the best taste.”

Su Su beamed at the compliment and selected her absolute favorite: a sage-green bodycon knee-length dress paired with a black leg garter.

Simple, yet incredibly sexy.

Su Su suddenly understood why her aunt was so devoted to women. At this moment, she thought Chen Jia was breathtaking. But…

While it was beautiful, she didn’t want anyone else to see it. Even as a “country bumpkin,” Chen Jia had plenty of pursuers. If she dressed up like this, it would be over. If Chen Jia started dating, Su Su would be all alone again.

She had to nip this in the bud.

“Ugly! Too ugly! This one’s no good,” Su Su lied, snatching the dress back. “Change it. This long skirt is much better.”

Chen Jia agreed. For school, she needed to look steady and reliable to build relationships with professors and secure resources.

Ultimately, the “pure desire” style dress was put back on the rack… only to be secretly bought by a certain someone who couldn’t bear to let it go.

…

After shopping, they weren’t in a rush and sat down at a milk tea shop. Suddenly, a shadow fell over them.

Chen Jia looked up to see Jiang Hanting standing there, looking gloomily at them. Su Su was intimidated by his aura. They weren’t close, and there were empty seats nearby—what was he doing here?

“What do you want?” Su Su asked.

“You’re Su Su?” His tone was so aggressive it sounded like he was there for a duel.

Su Su stammered, “Y-yes, that’s me. What’s… what’s wrong?”

“My mom told me to go to your house for dinner during National Day.”

As soon as he said that, she understood. The world was small; a random guy she bumped into at the cafeteria was part of her social circle. “If you don’t want to go, then don’t. No one’s tying you up. I don’t want you coming to our house either!”

Jiang Hanting saw her dazed expression and realized she thought it was just a meal. He looked her in the eye and said firmly, “I’m not interested in you.”

Huh?

If Su Su didn’t understand after that, she’d be a fool. She had never met someone so incredibly arrogant. She was fuming.

“As if I’m interested in you! You’re really like a lamp on a high pole—you can see everyone else, but you can’t see yourself!”