Chapter 249 : FFF
“These are all your costumes?” Ling Ning asked in disbelief as she looked around the room, filled with racks of cosplay outfits in various styles and sizes. It wasn’t quite as packed as Qin Qing’s room, but it came close.
“Of course! I’ve been collecting these since I was little. Most of my allowance went toward having these custom-made,” Zhou Xiaoxiao replied proudly.
“Can I ask when you first got into otaku culture?” Ling Ning asked, noticing one costume from an anime character that must have been popular over a decade ago. She hadn’t expected Zhou Xiaoxiao to have that one, too.
“I was five. Why?”
“No reason. I just think it’s really impressive~”
Even Bai Yiyue looked amazed at the collection. She had never seen so many eccentric outfits in one place. How could anyone wear these in public without feeling embarrassed?
“Feel free to look around and pick something you like. Don’t worry about the size—we can have them adjusted to fit perfectly. You can change right here; nobody else is around,” Zhou Xiaoxiao said.
Ling Ye turned to her mom, her eyes sparkling, and when Ling Ning nodded, she cheered and ran into the cosplay paradise. She could barely contain her excitement over the pretty and cool costumes.
Ling Ning looked down at little Dong Xue, who was still clinging to her skirt, and gave her a gentle pat on the head. “You can join in too, Xiao Xue~”
But Dong Xue shook her head and said, “Ling Ning, same.”
“Ling Ning, what about this one for you?” Bai Yiyue teased, pointing to a rather revealing dress.
Ling Ning glanced at it and shot her a look. “If you like it so much, why don’t you wear it? I’m sure your fans would love it.”
“Hehe…” Bai Yiyue chuckled awkwardly. Wearing that dress in public was out of the question. Even here, she couldn’t bring herself to put it on; it was so skimpy it was barely more than underwear. If she got recognized in that outfit, it would be headline news for sure.
“Mom, how about this one?” Ling Ye asked excitedly, holding up a pink magical girl outfit.
Ling Ning gave it a quick look and nodded. “It’s cute~”
“Then you should wear it to the convention, Mom.”
“Eh?!” Ling Ning blinked, caught off guard. “Wasn’t it you who wanted to wear it?” She couldn’t imagine herself, an adult, dressing up as a magical girl. The thought alone was embarrassing. It would suit her daughter much better.
“No way! I’m not wearing something that embarrassing in public,” Ling Ye declared matter-of-factly.
“…”
Ling Ning was at a loss for words.
“Actually, skintight outfits would look great on you, Ling Ning,” Zhou Xiaoxiao chimed in, holding up a red bodysuit.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Ling Ning firmly declined. A skintight outfit would reveal every curve, which felt far too… provocative. She could enjoy the look of other girls wearing bodysuits in anime, but she certainly didn’t want that attention for herself.
“Xiaoxiao, do you have anything more… normal?” Ling Ning asked, scanning the room in search of something simpler.
“Something normal?” Zhou Xiaoxiao mused, looking Ling Ning up and down. Her gaze settled on Ling Ning’s long legs, which were captivating, especially when she wore black stockings that highlighted their allure.
Images of various anime characters with long legs flashed through Zhou Xiaoxiao’s mind, and after eliminating the ones with unconventional outfits, she had her answer.
“How about you cosplay Kasumigaoka Utaha? Or maybe Kato Megumi—that would be great too!”
Hearing the name “Kasumigaoka Utaha” immediately brought to Ling Ning’s mind the image of those long legs wrapped in black stockings. Back in her previous life, she had enjoyed Saekano and admired Utaha-senpai, especially for those unforgettable legs. Plus, Kasumigaoka’s outfit was just a standard Japanese school uniform—perfect.
Kato Megumi was also a tempting option, a character she had liked a lot as well. Though she wasn’t originally interested in cosplay, Ling Ning now found herself a bit torn.
After mulling it over for a moment, Ling Ning finally said, “I’ll go with Kasumigaoka Utaha!”
“If you’re going as Utaha-senpai, I’ll cosplay as Eriri then!” Zhou Xiaoxiao replied with a grin.
Hearing that Zhou Xiaoxiao planned to go as Eriri, Ling Ning thought it was a great match. But… her eyes drifted to Zhou Xiaoxiao’s chest. If she remembered correctly, Eriri was at least a B-cup, and it seemed Zhou Xiaoxiao was… a bit short of that.
Noticing Ling Ning’s gaze, Zhou Xiaoxiao puffed up in indignation. “That’s rude! Don’t underestimate me! Just wait, I’ll outgrow you someday, you…you busty giant!”
Ling Ning chuckled, letting it go.
“So, what should these two little ones wear?” Zhou Xiaoxiao asked.
“They’d make adorable Rem and Ram! Two little girls cosplaying as them would definitely attract attention. If you cosplayed as Emilia and had them with you as Rem and Ram, you’d be turning heads for sure~” Zhou Xiaoxiao suggested enthusiastically.
Just then, Bai Yiyue came over, holding a glamorous white dress with excitement. “Ling Ning, Ling Ning, I’m wearing this to the convention!”
Ling Ning shot her a look and flatly refused. If Bai Yiyue were just any ordinary person, there wouldn’t be a problem, but she was a famous celebrity. If she got photographed in something so flashy, it would be all over the news.
After a quick scan of the room, Ling Ning pulled a black cloak from a corner, complete with a blood-red “F” on the hood, and tossed it to Bai Yiyue. “If you’re coming to the convention, wear this cloak. And make sure to add a mask—a gas mask would be perfect!”
“I…”
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Author’s Note:
This is a purely platonic friend-sharing moment. A shout-out to Brother Xiao Si’s novel Online Game: Shield-Bearing Moe Wolf—a story about a protagonist who transforms into a wolf-girl, grinding dungeons, battling monsters, and gathering a circle of “girl friends” in a fantastical game world.
It’s a yuri story~