Super Zoo

It's true what they say: clothes make the man, just as saddles make the horse. In the end, Nangong Huang chose to make a change. Suming drove him to a beauty salon for a major overhauling... ah no, for a full set...

That's not quite right either. In a nutshell, he got a makeover, dyed his hair back to its natural color, got a buzz cut, threw all those garish and tacky big earrings in the bin, and removed most of the rings from his fingers.

There was one plain-looking ring that seemed like nothing more than a loop of wire, but Nangong Huang insisted on wearing it; apparently, it was a gift from his first girlfriend.

After this transformation, a non-mainstream rebellious teen was reborn as a youthful, sunny, yet slightly wicked-looking big boy.

"Kid, you're quite sentimental, huh? When you bring your girl over, your brother-in-law will treat you to a meal," Suming said, patting Nangong Huang on the shoulder.

"We broke up during ninth grade, and I heard she went back to the countryside to get engaged. Alas, graduation really is a season for parting," Nangong Huang said with a deep sigh.

Suming: "..."

Touching the prickly stubble on his head, Nangong Huang said sheepishly, "It feels so strange! Brother-in-law, I always feel like people on the street are looking at me weirdly."

"Nonsense! When you used to walk down the street looking like before, that's when people really gave you weird looks."

People were indeed looking at him, all of them young girls in short skirts, tight pants, and thin clothes, their eyes brimming with amorous feelings.

Suming felt a bit downcast, wondering why is it that when a Nangong Family member walks down the street, there immediately are girls making eyes at him, yet I stroll around all day and no one bats an eyelash at me?

Unfair, just unfair!

Just visiting a beauty salon wasn't enough. Since he's getting a makeover, it has to be from top to bottom; those clothes covered in countless little plastic shiny pieces and broken studs had to go. They went straight to the pedestrian street to look for a men's clothing store that seemed decent enough.

Upon entering, they saw a poster of Wu Yifan in the men's clothing store, probably the store's spokesperson.

"Sir, what can I assist you with?" An attendant came forward and asked politely with a slight bow.

"Look, this is my little brother-in-law," Suming said, pointing to Nangong Huang following behind.

"Wow, this gentleman is really handsome," the attendant's gaze instantly shifted to Nangong Huang in the back.

"Is he as handsome as Wu Yifan?" Suming asked, feeling unfairly treated.

The attendant giggled and lowered her head.

Suming pointed to Wu Yifan's poster on the wall and fiercely said to the attendant, "I'm leaving my brother-in-law to you. Jackets, trousers, shirts, sportswear, plus socks, underwear, shoes, belts – get him one of any men's clothing you think is appropriate. In short, aim for the poster as the goal and turn him into a handsome guy. Can you do it?!"

Knowing she had a big customer, the attendant's eyes immediately lit up and she nodded vigorously, "Yes, sir, rest assured. You can leave everything to me. I guarantee you won't be disappointed." Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire

Afterward, the attendant gave Suming a wink, "Would you like to purchase some clothes as well?"

Suming shrugged, "Forget it. He might have what it takes to compete with Wu Yifan but with my basic appearance, even at my best, I'd only be Zhang Guoli."

"Sir, you're really humorous! Zhang Guoli also has a mature charm, and I think you look especially like a young Cheng Daoming," the attendant chuckled behind her hand.

"You've got good taste! If you ever switch to a store endorsed by Cheng Daoming, count on me to buy clothes from you!" Suming laughed heartily.

The attendant took Nangong Huang to choose clothes, leaving Suming with nothing to do but sit around in the lobby for over half an hour until finally, the attendant reappeared with Nangong Huang, carrying bags big and small.

Taking a quick glance at Nangong Huang then back at the poster on the wall, Suming had to admit, they did bear a resemblance.

Now this was a true transformation.

"Sir, your expectations have been met," the attendant said with a cheery smile.

When a woman smiles sweetly, a man has to pay up. Suming handed over his freshly replaced Peony Platinum Card, "Swipe the card!"

"Just a moment, sir," the attendant said, having seen her share of the world. Noticing the platinum card, she clearly paused, her smile growing even sweeter towards Suming.

"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law..." As soon as the attendant left, Nangong Huang put down his bags, pulled Suming aside, and whispered seriously, "I have to tell you, that attendant picked out all the expensive stuff. Altogether, it's over forty thousand, almost fifty thousand! It's too expensive, let's not buy it."

Nangong Huang's father was a deputy squadron leader of the traffic police, not lacking in income, but spending tens of thousands on clothes in one go was quite shocking to him too.

"Do you know how much your sister spent on a black dress for the trip to Xiangjiang?" Suming asked, winking.

"I know, I know. She even flaunted it at home last time, and when I asked her the price, she didn't tell me. I estimate it must've been at least forty to fifty thousand, right? Brother-in-law, you're really great to my sister!" Nangong Huang said.

"Forty to fifty thousand? Add a zero at the end, then double it; that's more like it," Suming said.

"How much is that?"

Nangong Huang's grasp on mathematics was basically beyond redemption; such a simple question, and he spent several seconds tilting his head before he finally came up with an answer.

"Holy moly, brother-in-law, you are so rich, I'm going to follow you with unwavering loyalty from now on!" Nangong Huang suddenly bellowed, clinging onto Suming's arm and shamelessly rubbing his face against it.

The waitress bringing over the POS machine was dumbfounded, standing there with her little heart beginning to ache. Such a handsome guy, a successful businessman, and they turned out to be gay! What a waste!

...

...

Suming drove Nangong Huang home, and along the way, Nangong Huang got interested in the Wrangler again, saying things like, a good horse deserves a good saddle, my sister, that fierce woman, just lacks a man to control her, and only a man like you, brother-in-law, could handle my sister...

Suming was speechless by turns, what kind of logic was this, and how did it even connect? And this kid's speed of changing sides in the revolution was too fast, wasn't it? Without any psychological struggle, he had already sided with him?

When they arrived downstairs, Suming didn't go up but advised him a few words.

The bar and restaurant were merely plans at the moment, and it would take some time to transform Whisperwind Pavilion. He wouldn't be able to start the job for another ten days or half a month. However, he shouldn't wander around either, and he should join him next week to attend the fishing festival in Huayin County.

Although Nangong Huang wasn't that great at cooking, he was, after all, trained in a formal culinary school and had undergone systematic training. He had a much more discerning eye for ingredient selection than Suming, a pure food lover, and knew a lot of anecdotes and rules from the culinary world. Taking him along would serve two purposes: for one, it would give Nangong Huang exposure and something productive to do; and for another, he would serve as his consultant.

"Don't worry, brother-in-law! From tomorrow on, I won't go anywhere and will report to you every day, I'll follow your lead!" he said, shaking the big and small bags he was carrying, "Thank you, brother-in-law!"

"Alright, then I'm off. Call me if you need anything. Go easy on your parents at home, and I'll be thankful to you," said Suming with a smile, releasing the handbrake, pressing the accelerator, and steering to leave.

This kid had started off looking so non-mainstream, annoying to the eyes, and just a few words from him made one want to kick him to death. But after spending half a day with him, Suming felt his nature was actually not bad, he was just going through a rebellious phase. Perhaps the education he had received at home was not quite appropriate, which had led to him becoming like that.

Nangong Huang, carrying his big and small bags, took the elevator upstairs and arrived at the door to his home. With his hands full, he used his head to press the doorbell.

Soon, the lock clicked, and a woman in her forties or fifties opened the door.

Seeing Nangong Huang in front of her, the woman's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Mom, why are you staring at me like that? Don't you recognize your own son? Make way, I'm coming in." Nangong Huang sidled past his mother into the house.

Nangong Huang's mother grabbed his arm, "You... you..." then turned her head and called incoherently into the house, "Come out and take a look at your son!"

"Dad's at home too." Nangong Huang shrank back, a bit scared.

A dignified, slightly graying man came out of a room, saying as he walked, "What's wrong now? This rascal son of mine, only knows how to cause trouble and hang out all day, dressed up like neither human nor ghost, what trouble has he gotten into this time..."

Before he finished speaking, upon seeing the freshly made-over Nangong Huang, the middle-aged man paused, and the rest of his words were stuck in his throat, unable to come out.

He came over, eyes wide, and examined Nangong Huang from head to toe for a while, surprised, "Huh? You, boy, willing to shave off that bird's nest on your head? Have you finally seen the light? Not bad, not bad. Hold on, where did all these big and small bags come from? You didn't steal them, did you?!"

"What are you talking about!" Nangong Huang's mother pushed his father, pulling Nangong Huang to sit on the couch, "Tell mom, are you struggling with something? Don't scare me! If you like, you can dress up like you used to, and I won't say another word."

Nangong Huang had always done as he pleased, regardless of his family's scolding, but now that he had suddenly changed his entire look from head to toe, his mother was quite frightened.

"What's there to struggle with, isn't this fine? You're always talking nonsense, Mom."

Nangong Huang rolled his eyes and said with his head held high, "I have something to tell you, starting tomorrow, I'm officially starting my job, managing a bar, all these things, my brother-in-law bought them for me! Also, I have a work trip next week, so don't bother calling me and interrupting my work!"

"What nonsense, where do you have the money to open a bar? And where have I suddenly gotten a daughter, what brother-in-law?!" Nangong Huang's father asked gruffly.

"Dad, are you confused? When did I not have a sister?"

"Hm?" Nangong Huang's mother looked at her husband, puzzled.

"I'll slap you to death!"

"Wait a minute!" Nangong Huang quickly dodged out of the way and called out indignantly, "My cousin, Nangong Yan's boyfriend, isn't he my brother-in-law."

After a lot of confused chatter, Nangong Huang finally managed to explain what had happened that day, then proudly said, "You always look down on me, but look at my brother-in-law, his discernment, his magnanimity, that's a man who can accomplish great things!"

"That's all because of your sister's face! You really think it's your own capability!" Nangong Huang's father said irritably.

His mother pushed him and complained, "Everybody in the Nangong Family acts like they're disciplining a criminal! Anyway, how good is it that our son is now like this."

Nangong Huang's father glanced sideways at Nangong Huang, grunted in agreement, then said, "Nangong Yan's boyfriend has really helped our family a lot. Let's go downstairs and buy some things. Tonight we'll go to your uncle's house to thank Nangong Yan."