Since that's the case, let's go choose a dress!
The Butler, who had stopped not far away, heard the bell ring and immediately smiled.
Subsequently, Li Andy and the others, led by the Butler, arrived at an extremely artistic dressing room.
Dresses and gowns were displayed in dazzling arrays, like exquisite butterfly specimens arranged in rows.
"Wow!"
Sophia's eyes went wide.
If she wore the dresses there in rotation, she wouldn't wear the same one for a year!
"These were prepared by the Madam for the Young Ladies."
The Butler introduced with a smile, completely dropping his disguise.
Jasmine paused slightly, then realized these were gifts from her mother.
"Young Master, Young Ladies, please feel free to choose. If you need any help, please ring the bell to call us."
With that, the Butler discreetly exited the dressing room, leaving the space to the four of them.
"Wow, Godmother is amazing, I love her!"
Sophia jumped up happily and gave Jasmine a big hug.
Li Andy smiled and shook his head, scanning the entire room.
He found that the designs of these dresses were not conservative or rigid, but rather leaned towards the minimalist trend of postmodernism.
Even with thin, translucent fabrics, they were elegant without being vulgar.
He wondered if the surging steam had broken various old-fashioned mindsets, pushing people's aesthetic tastes forward by a large margin.
Li Andy picked up a tuxedo to examine it, finding that the sizes corresponded exactly to him, clearly everything here was prepared for them.
"Andy, we'll see you after we've chosen!"
Sophia smiled brightly and, with the other two, pulled the curtain closed with a "whoosh."
"Tsk, do they need to avoid me even for this?"
Li Andy smiled helplessly, treating it as a surprise in the making.
He slowly turned and began choosing his own formal wear.
As a straight man, he didn't overthink it, choosing a layered formal suit according to his inner preference.
Once changed, it was understated yet noble, like a mysterious Black Count from the East.
When he had everything ready, he found that the girls, like a flock of orioles and swallows, seemed to have barely begun.
"Uh... should I go over and help them hurry up?"
After a few seconds of thought, he decided to read a newspaper and a book on the sofa, waiting patiently.
Time flew by.
Li Andy was almost asleep when the curtain finally opened a crack.
The first thing that appeared was a flowing red.
"Andy, does it look good?"
Sophia tossed her golden hair and excitedly asked him.
Li Andy's sleepiness instantly vanished. He had always known how beautiful Sophia's figure was, but he had never imagined that a red velvet strapless gown could accentuate her advantages so much.
Red, by nature, was eye-catching, and this time, it made the girl's skin appear even more luminous.
The high slit design on the side of the dress, opening and closing with her steps, occasionally revealed a glimpse of white jade that captivated the eye.
Looking further down, a pair of French ruffled open-toe heels, like exquisite containers for a grand gift.
"You... also painted your nails?"
Li Andy noticed that at the open-toe part of the heels, the rounded toenails of her snowy feet were painted with a vibrant color matching the dress, like a delicious cream cake topped with a touch of strawberry red sauce.
"Mm, Youxi painted them for me."
Sophia was quite pleased with Li Andy's reaction. With a happy mood, she twirled lightly, then whispered teasingly,
"I asked, even if you accidentally eat a tiny bit... it won't harm you~"
Li Andy froze for a second, then awkwardly looked away:
"I wasn't asking about that."
The blonde girl giggled, put her hands behind her back, and stepped aside, and Youxi behind her entered his line of sight.
Li Andy's breath hitched, and his heart couldn't help but beat a little faster.
It was a noble black gown. When Youxi wore it, she exuded grace and elegance.
The upper part, with its standing collar and cinched waist, had the modesty of a cheongsam;
The lower part, with the front of the skirt falling flat like an apron, had the purity of a saintess;
The left and right sides were neatly split, allowing glimpses of her legs, and as she walked, they were subtly revealed, like lingering on the edge of a taboo.
The ends of the silken white stockings lightly cinched her thighs, slightly transparent, while the front wrapped her delicate feet, concealing them within a pair of butterfly Mary Jane shoes.
The girl stood there like a preserved oil painting, her mysterious smile with pursed lips giving off a tranquility like the night.
This design, which combined Eastern charm with Western flair, was truly stunning!
"Very beautiful..."
Li Andy felt that praise didn't need too many words.
His dazed yet genuine gaze was enough to explain everything.
Youxi smiled sweetly and slowly stepped aside.
Behind her was a somewhat flustered Jasmine.
Li Andy's eyes lit up again. At first glance, he felt like he was admiring a small white flower about to bloom.
The dress was primarily gray-white, with a ruffled strapless design and a delicate single shoulder strap.
One shoulder was exposed, the other hidden within the sleeve, like a flower in the morning mist, with only one side of its tender white petals illuminated by the sun.
Looking at the lower half, the skirt flowed naturally but gradually tightened at the thighs, then flared out from the knees. This mermaid design made the girl's delicate body seem enveloped in an unopened flower bud.
Looking further down, at the small opening of the flower bud, a pair of slender ankles stood side by side, and a pair of pearl-strapped round-toe small high heels, encasing her snow-white feet, with their adorable, un-faded childishness, made them seem even more like tiny stamens peeking out from inside the flower bud.
This made one wonder, if this shy flower bud were to gently bloom from below, what kind of captivating scenery would be inside?
"Does it look... good?"
Jasmine's voice was timid. As the daughter of a wealthy man, she seemed unaccustomed to such attire.
However, this shy, socially anxious demeanor instantly aroused the protective instincts of the other three.
Li Andy hadn't even had time to say "It looks very good."
Youxi and Sophia immediately hugged the little white flower from left and right, rubbing against her cheek, exclaiming with overflowing maternal love:
"Jasmine looks the bestest~"
Li Andy shrugged helplessly, looking at the beautiful trio, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
After choosing the formal wear, it was almost time for the evening banquet.
As they were about to leave, Sophia suddenly felt that her undergarments were uncomfortable and decided to go back behind the curtain to change a few pieces.
Only a few seconds after she went in, the girl poked her head out from behind the curtain, pleading pitifully:
"Youxi... I can't button it, and it's hard to take off..."
Youxi chuckled, covering her mouth, and readily got up.
So, on the resting sofa, only Jasmine and Li Andy remained.
One disliked speaking, the other didn't initiate conversation, and their interaction became quieter, even their breathing.
But quietness easily led to overthinking.
The only sound source at the moment seemed to be Sophia's incessant chatter from behind the curtain.
"Youxi, at the banquet, can I really just take a plate and eat whatever I want?"
"Mm, of course you can."
"Wow!"
Listening to that happy voice, Jasmine's mind conjured Sophia's pure, uninhibited smile.
Inside... a feeling of envy arose.
She looked at the dress she was wearing, remembering the education that had suppressed her true nature. Nine out of ten sentences were either "Mind your appearance" or "Maintain your demeanor."
Even though no one demanded this of her anymore, the imprint of past memories still affected her thoughts and actions, like an instinctual lashing.
Even if she wanted to be unrestrained, there was always a voice calling out to her not to do this or that.
Fearing that she would make a mistake and be scolded if she wasn't careful.
Those magnificent dresses, in her eyes, were more like restrictive shackles and chains.
"Are you scared?"
A mocking voice sounded in Jasmine's mind.
"Do you want me to dance with Brother instead of you?"
"Is she backing down again? Then let me do it, I can dance!"
"Let me, let me! You all sat comfortably last night, this time it should be my turn first!"
More and more voices, various personalities, began to quarrel.
The harsh noise caused Jasmine waves of pain.
Her breathing was erratic, and her body trembled continuously.
"What's wrong? Are you uncomfortable?"
Just then, Li Andy's concerned voice pierced through the noise.
He noticed the changes in Jasmine's pupils and guessed it was a personality agitation.
"Do you dislike attending banquets? If you don't want to go, you don't have to. You can rest in your room...."
"No..." Jasmine suddenly clutched his sleeve tightly, "I want to go..."
Li Andy was startled, then smiled, and held the girl's hand,
"Alright then. You stay with me later, I'll hold you tight."
Jasmine froze, then smiled, like a rainbow in the mountains after rain, moving people.
'Decided, you'll take the lead?' The question in her mind sounded again.
'Mm.'
'Heh heh, if you really can't hold on... you can still ask Meilin and the others to help me, you know.'
'No need!'
Once her resolve was set, the girl hugged her brother tightly, like protecting a cherished treasure she didn't want to share.
Li Andy paused. Although he still didn't quite understand the thought patterns of a person with a mental illness, he gently stroked the girl's hair.