Dragon Raja 3; Chapter 313: Kojiki (1)

Dragon Raja 3

Mai, dressed in a black suit, stockings, and high heels—a complete “black widow” look—stood by the window, listening to the reports from the front line through her headset. Love expert Takeomi Kenji had been quickly promoted to assistant director and was now at the central office table, discussing strategies with the other experts. Romantic, pink-hued plans flowed from their pens, and the fashion stylist instantly sketched out drafts of outfits. As for the original assistant director, Su Enxi, who had no experience with love, she was left out of the action. Sitting in the corner, she ate instant noodles while checking her iPad and monitoring her stocks.

Su Enxi was the type who made millions of dollars per minute and wouldn’t even bother picking up a dropped Maybach key when she was busy. But as she occasionally glanced at the bustling scene in the hall, she felt a twinge of regret, wishing she could be a part of it.

“The shopping phase is complete. They received VIP discount tickets to Disneyland and are now in a taxi heading there,” Kenji handed a stack of photos to Mai.

All were dressing room photos taken by the staff, showing the same girl in countless different looks.

When Lu Mingfei entered the shopping center, he found it strangely quiet—no customers in sight. He thought the store might be closed for renovation and was about to leave when black-clad staff appeared, forming a line and bowing.

The reception wasn’t just enthusiastic; it was like “serving a queen.” The manager explained that the beauty salon owner was a regular at this shopping center, often spending large amounts on clothes, so any guest referred by him would receive top-tier VIP service.

A six-to-seven-meter-long rolling rack was pushed to Erii’s side, displaying Chanel’s classic little black dress, Burberry’s new trench coat, MaxMara’s leopard-print skirt, and Dior’s evening gown. Lu Mingfei nervously squeezed his wallet, wondering if the several hundred thousand yen he had would be enough.

He was also treated well—sipping mint-flavored ice water while seated on a leather sofa, watching models parade clothes before him on a makeshift runway. Staff members tried various outfits on Erii, and he just needed to nod for approval or wave for a no. The selected outfits were then taken into the fitting room for Erii to try on. Every few minutes, Erii emerged completely transformed—one moment she looked like Audrey Hepburn from Roman Holiday, the next, Megan Fox from Transformers, then Gabrielle Anwar from Scent of a Woman, Natalie Portman from Black Swan, and Emma Watson from Harry Potter.

Encouraged by the staff, Erii even tried walking in high-heeled boots, and they applauded, saying that the outfit seemed custom-made for her. The manager explained that with such a perfect figure, all of the store’s clothes fit her standard size, as if tailored just for her.

When the staff brought a full-length mirror in front of Erii, her eyes sparkled with a deer-like joy. It was the second time Lu Mingfei had seen this expression of “joy” in her eyes—the first was in the sea, when she watched him clumsily swim and smiled for no reason. This was likely the first time she realized how beautiful she was. The inherent love of beauty began to show in her, and seeing her twirl in her dress with a hint of pride, Lu Mingfei finally felt a sense of relief—Erii was beginning to resemble an ordinary girl.

If he had enough money, Lu Mingfei wouldn’t have minded buying all the selected clothes. Such an investment seemed worthwhile if it meant keeping this human-weapon girl’s mood stable. However, with only a few hundred thousand yen—less than ten thousand dollars in total—he still felt short on cash in such a high-end store. The manager, noticing his concern, generously mentioned that most of the clothes were on sale, and with various discounts, the total cost would be a mere 680,000 yen. Underwear, stockings, and accessories were included as gifts. After paying in full, Lu Mingfei received a pile of boxes of all sizes. Erii selected a white off-the-shoulder dress to wear, made of slightly glossy taffeta with a bow tied at the waist. After putting on white leather ankle boots, she was about as tall as Lu Mingfei.

The manager also gifted them VIP tickets to Disneyland, explaining that a cherry blossom festival was taking place, and it was the perfect time to visit.

As luck would have it, a taxi was waiting at the curb. With no reason to refuse this flawless suggestion, Lu Mingfei took Erii and their stack of boxes, boarded the taxi, and the driver praised them as the most beautiful couple he had ever seen.

Mai flipped through the photos one by one. Even someone like her, accustomed to dazzling everyone, had to admire that Erii was in the prime of her youth, glowing with beauty. Her radiance had been hidden under the humble shrine maiden attire, but now, in fashionable clothes, her skin gleamed, and her eyes sparkled. She looked every bit a princess. Though clumsy in high heels, with store staff hovering around her to prevent her from falling, the tight curve of her calves was heart-stirring, and her awkward expressions only added to her charm.

Mai gathered the photos and tossed them back to Takezumi Kenji, then turned to look out the window.

“I’ll take a look.” Su Enxi took the photos and glanced at them. “She wasn’t an ugly duckling to begin with, but now she’s truly turned into a swan. The expert team did a good job. I want the clothes she bought too!”

“The original price was 1.78 million yen. For someone as rich as you, that’s nothing,” Mai sighed softly.

“What are you sighing about? Feeling old and worried that you’re past your prime? Don’t worry, to real men, you’re the true sexy beauty. The allure of young girls can’t compare to yours,” Su Enxi said.

“Do I really need to compete with some young girl for charm? But don’t you think this girl is starting to look more and more like Chen Motong? Whether intentionally or not, Lu Mingfei is turning her into another Chen Motong. If this continues, even if he falls in love with her, what he’ll be in love with is just a shadow of Chen Motong.”

Su Enxi was startled. “Did the boss also choose the makeup and clothing?”

“Yes, the boss is turning Erii into another Chen Motong and giving this version of Chen Motong to Lu Mingfei. But this Chen Motong only has a few days left to live,” Mai murmured and began to sing a melancholic song. “Perhaps because we do not know dreams, the wandering ones chase after illusions…”

Her voice soared like a white bird under the gloomy sky. Rain clouds were gathering, piling up like towering black mountains.

Ginza, Kabuki-za.

This Kabuki theater, over a hundred years old, is considered the king of Kabuki theaters. It had been burned down several times and rebuilt each time. The current structure has a distinct Momoyama-era style, with purple drapes hanging at the entrance.

Many national treasure-level Kabuki actors had performed here, and for newcomers, performing on this stage was the highest honor. Today’s performance featured a newcomer, and although newcomer performances usually don’t have high attendance, the tickets were sold out early. A banner reading “Thank You” was hung at the ticket window. The buyers were young women, dressed fashionably and provocatively, very unlike the traditional Kabuki audience, packing the ticket booth in a frenzy. The theater manager, who hadn’t seen such a turnout in over ten years, was excited, thanking the heavens for what seemed to be a revival of the ancient art, attracting so many young spectators. A more realistic employee, however, bitterly smiled and said the manager misunderstood. These women weren’t here for traditional art; they just wanted to see the man who was stunningly beautiful.

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