Liuxian and Zhang Wei arrived at the mall at five in the evening.
They started on the third floor with menswear.
Zhang Wei had flagged three stores the night before.
Young man, slim build, 179cm, evening event, something with presence.
The first store produced nothing worth keeping.
The attendant brought out a black silk shirt with charcoal trousers and a structured blazer, Liuxian looked at it and moved on without a word.
The second store was better.
A burgundy mandarin collar shirt with subtle embroidery along the cuffs paired with wide leg trousers in the same shade.
Liuxian considered it briefly. "Set it aside."
Two more stores came and went. One outfit had the right silhouette but the wrong color, one was close but the fabric looked cheap up close.
Zhang Wei's lips began to twitch after they left the fourth store, he suspected, no, knew, the afternoon was going to run significantly longer than planned.
The fifth store was where things changed.
