201: Chapter 201 Clothes Hanger

"Eh?... Commander? Why are you dressed like this?"

"Uh... if I said I didn't have any other clothes, would you believe me?" Li Ming looked down at his attire. While it was decent enough, it really wasn't suitable for... well, a date.

"I really don't know what to do with you..." Dunkerque gave a troubled smile as she took his hand. "It's just as well. I'll pick out some clothes for you. If a Commander doesn't have the right clothes, even going on a date with a girl becomes quite a hassle."

Today, Dunkerque was wearing her signature short V-neck shirt dress and a light gray striped cardigan. A black wide-brimmed dress hat and pink-framed glasses sat above her vermillion eyes and silver-white bangs.

"Ahahaha..." Li Ming immediately felt embarrassed. His current appearance was indeed a bit overly formal.

As for the question of "if I really did go looking for other girls," Li Ming was smart enough not to ask.

He followed Dunkerque along the city canal all the way to the heart of the city: the Commercial Street.

"Commander, are there any clothes you like?"

After working hard to pull Li Ming's gaze away from several plaid shirts that looked suspiciously like "old man shirts," Dunkerque looked toward the more youthful clothing—jeans, sportswear... Li Ming didn't really understand much about these things.

However, the gazes of the passing crowd kept sweeping over him. It was clear that his current outfit was far too conspicuous.

"Um... do you have any recommendations?"

"No rush. Commander, come inside with me first."

Dunkerque pulled her Commander into the shop. Li Ming's eyes fell on her legs as she walked, and then he abruptly snapped his gaze back.

"Welcome~"

The orange-haired proprietress bowed. "Oh, if it isn't Miss Dunkerque? My, and who might this be?"

"This is my Commander. I've come to pick out some clothes for him."

So she's a Ship Girl too? Li Ming thought to himself.

"He's actually your Commander? Congratulations." The Orange-haired Ship Girl took out a tape measure and a height rod from the side. "In that case, would the Commander please take off his clothes? Miss Dunkerque, you won't be jealous, will you?"

"Not to that extent."

"That's good then~ Commander? You won't be shy, right? You can just leave your clothes over here."

"Alright..."

He unbuckled his belt and took off his coat, revealing a slightly wrinkled white shirt underneath. Beneath that was a loose, black, quick-dry short-sleeved shirt.

The Orange-haired Ship Girl moved the tape measure around him several times, touching him as she went. "Miss Dunkerque, your Commander is quite well-built, isn't he?"

"Hey, hey, hey! Where are you touching?" Li Ming quickly took a step back, dodging the Orange-haired Ship Girl's hand. "I'm seriously going to report you for sexual harassment, hey!"

"Oh my, it's just normal measurement," the Orange-haired Ship Girl said, spreading her hands. "Since Miss Dunkerque came to our shop, it certainly won't be as simple as just buying a few sets of clothes, right?"

"Sister, this..." Li Ming looked toward Dunkerque.

Dunkerque gave a rare, narrow-eyed smile, indicating that there was no room for negotiation.

Fine. Li Ming had no choice but to accept his fate. "Then, Boss, give me a discount? I'm a new customer, after all."

"Of course... not! My prices are already very reasonable, you know?"

"If you give me a discount, I'll come back to you for the next order."

"Heh, you're quite the businessman, aren't you? Unfortunately, I'm not exactly short on cash," the Orange-haired Ship Girl replied with a smile.

"I see..."

"Hehe, I'm actually quite curious. The 'incredibly powerful, glorious, and towering' Commander that Miss Dunkerque talks about is actually a fledgling who looks a bit stiff. Why don't you tell big sister how you two met?"

"That's a bit complicated..."

"Sigh, you won't say? I thought I'd get to hear a story." The Orange-haired Ship Girl put away the tape measure and began recording the details. "Height 179... though not tall compared to the wealthy people I've seen, it's definitely considered quite tall."

After finishing the form, she said, "Mhm~ Miss Dunkerque, come with me to pick out the clothes."

"...What about me?"

"You just wait to become your little girlfriend's clothes rack~"

"Huh?"

"Commander, wait for me to come back, okay?" Dunkerque winked at him and then followed the Orange-haired Ship Girl to the wardrobe behind the main hall.

Li Ming sat in the clothing store. In the window, there were outfits for both men and women.

To be fair, although his taste was average, he could tell that the clothes made by this Ship Girl were quite good, but...

He looked around the shop; he was currently the only one there.

But why were there no customers? Could it be the cost...

He glanced at the prices. From the perspective of purely handmade items, these prices could be considered cheap.

He couldn't figure it out.

The voices of the two girls chatting came from the inner room. Li Ming took out his phone and checked his messages—aside from some public affairs posted in the class group chat, no one would be looking for him at this hour.

That made sense. A Commander should be with their Ship Girls; running off to play with other Commanders would be considered neglecting one's duties...

He turned off his phone screen and pulled out his earphone case, preparing to put them on.

"Commander, come with me."

Dunkerque poked her head out, holding over a dozen sets of clothes in her hands.

Li Ming's face turned pale, but he still said, "Coming."

Led by Dunkerque into the fitting room, Li Ming took the clothes and stepped inside.

The clothes didn't look particularly expensive; they were just normal casual wear and work clothes.

Li Ming breathed a sigh of relief and finally felt at ease while changing.

——————

"Mhm, this set fits very well."

"...Great, it looks very good!"

"Commander, this set should be worn like this... yes, very nice..."

"Wow... very handsome."

"Mhm, mhm, I'll take this one too!"

Dunkerque's taste in fashion was impeccable, but she still decided to have her Commander try on every single piece.

Then, piece by piece, they were wrapped up. Dunkerque, whose excitement was soaring, placed them into a box waiting to be paid for, making Li Ming's eyelids twitch.

"Next, we have these. Commander, why don't you try them on?"

Looking at these clearly more exquisite garments, Li Ming's expression turned even paler.

Just that last session had already taken over half an hour, and now these were...

Ah, it turned out to be ceremonial clothing and non-professional attire for formal occasions. There were also tracksuits, suits, work uniforms...

The Orange-haired Ship Girl was snickering. She was making a killing this time. Of course, this little fledgling's reaction was also predictably interesting.

He didn't dare to resist at all; even when he wanted to refuse, he could only hold it in.

Big sister types were the best at handling this kind.

Being displayed as a clothes rack by Dunkerque, by the end, Dunkerque was even personally helping him straighten his clothes...

...

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