Chapter 249 Many Women Must Be Thinking about You
What happened next was not what the sales assistant had expected.
Paloma walked over to Bella, looked her up and down, and commented, "This dress suits you."
Paloma had tried it on herself and thought it was okay, but it was clear that Bella wore it better.
It wasn't just about the size; it was more about the overall vibe.
Paloma's demeanor was too rigid, not soft enough.
But Bella was just right.
She had a gentle appearance, a gentle smile, and her eyes were very pleasing.
She had the kind of look that wouldn't make people dislike her.
To be honest, Paloma had never been fond of gentle types of women, like Cynthia, or Camilla from the last tea ceremony class.
However, Bella in front of her unexpectedly made her feel comfortable.
The sales assistant hesitated to speak, but Bella, being observant, quickly pieced together what was happening.
Bella smiled openly at Paloma, "Really? Thank you." She pointed to a dress beside her, "You have a standard figure. I personally think this style of dress would suit you better. You should try it."
Paloma had a full upper body and a slim waist, which was better suited for dresses that highlighted the waistline.
The dress Paloma was wearing was nice in terms of cut and fabric, but it didn't emphasize her waistline, making her look a bit bulky.
The dress Bella pointed out was also black, slimming, and had a cut that highlighted the waistline. The high-waisted mermaid design added a touch of laziness, balancing out the seriousness brought by the dress's color.
Paloma decided to give it a try and was surprised to find that it really suited her.
Standing in front of the full-length mirror, even Paloma was a bit shocked by the effect.
She asked, "You have a good eye. Have you studied fashion styling?"
Bella shook her head, "No, but I like reading fashion magazines."
"Is just reading enough?"
"You can also try styling yourself..."
The two chatted as they walked.
When the sales assistant went to process their payment, Paloma suddenly noticed a novel in Bella's bag.
The cover looked very familiar.
So she asked, "Hey, are you reading 'Seven Days' Discourse' too?"
"Too?" Bella was a bit surprised, "Do you read it as well?"
"Not me, my younger son. He seems to be into mystery and detective novels lately. He was reading 'Seven Days' Discourse' a while ago and recently bought other works by the same author, like 'The Secret Key' and 'Campus Conspiracy.' Oh, and he's even reading the author's young adult fiction. I saw it on his desk when I brought him lunch the other day and flipped through a few pages. It was so cheesy."
Bella was silent.
Her past was unexpectedly brought up.
Besides embarrassment, there was only awkwardness.
Paloma said, "But to be fair, the author may not be great at young adult fiction, but her mystery novels are worth reading. Given their popularity, they must have been market-tested and shouldn't be too bad."
Bella said nothing.
The sales assistant finished the transaction and handed the card and the packed clothes to Paloma with a big smile.
Paloma took them, smiled, and said goodbye to Bella. As she walked to the door, she suddenly bumped into Camilla.
Their eyes met, and they recognized each other, but neither greeted the other.
Camilla thought that she remembered Paloma, but Paloma might not remember her. Approaching her rashly might make Paloma think she had ulterior motives.
Besides, from their few encounters, Camilla could sense that Paloma didn't like her.
So, it was better to pretend not to know each other. After all, they had no other connection besides a few chance meetings.
Paloma, however, frowned instinctively. This Camilla not only didn't appeal to her but also lacked basic manners.
They brushed past each other, and Paloma quickly walked away.
"Camilla, where did you go? Come and see, I've already chosen." Bella called out.
"So quickly? I just went to the restroom and didn't even see you try anything on."
"I'll show you when we get back."
"Okay."
Bella said, "I just met someone and helped her pick out a few dresses. She said her son is reading 'Seven Days' Discourse'..."
Meanwhile, in the lab, Sebastian sneezed several times in a row.
Hector saw this and teased, "Sebastian, with all these sneezes, many women are thinking about you."
Sebastian replied, "You seem to have a lot of free time?"
Hector's scalp tightened, sensing something bad.
Sebastian said, "You can go to the academic exchange meeting tomorrow."
Betty chuckled, "Serves you right!"
After Camilla's family finished shopping, it was already 6 PM.
They decided to have dinner at the mall.
While Camilla and Bella were discussing what to eat, Elmer suddenly called.
He said he had already booked a restaurant and asked them to go directly to the basement level.
Bella said, "How can we let you treat us?"
"I invited you to Imperial City for a book signing. If you think about it, I should cover all your expenses. This is just a meal; I'm still coming out ahead!" Elmer's voice was as cheerful and loud as ever.
Knowing that Bella was from Starlight City and preferred lighter flavors, Elmer chose a private restaurant popular with both locals and visitors.
The restaurant was very busy and required reservations.
Knowing that Camilla's family was out shopping, Elmer had booked a private room in advance.
From the floor-to-ceiling windows, they could see a newly developed trendy spot on the next street.
During the meal, Elmer was very considerate, asking about everyone's preferences, ordering dishes, and urging the kitchen without being overly enthusiastic or making anyone uncomfortable, perfectly fulfilling his role as a host.
Even Camilla had to admit that Elmer was very good at socializing.
Bella, of course, was even more impressed.
The two chatted happily, even discussing the outline of a new book.
Camilla noticed that Bella's current state was completely different from before.
Previously, whenever she talked to her editor, it was either arguing or shouting. Mentioning a new book always made her look tired, but now her eyes were shining with enthusiasm.
Camilla knew that these changes were thanks to Elmer.
And Elmer was introduced to her by Simon.
Perhaps due to a mother-daughter bond, while they were in the restroom, Bella suddenly said, "We really should thank the friend who introduced Elmer to you. Without him, there wouldn't be the current me, nor 'Seven Days' Discourse.' Let's find a time to treat him to a meal, our whole family, and thank him in person."
"Okay." Camilla nodded in agreement.
The next day, the book signing event went as scheduled.
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