Nonetheless, the scene that followed wasn’t at all what the sales assistant had expected.

Susan walked up to Mindy, looked her up and down, and commented, “This dress suits you very well.”

Susan herself had tried on the dress and thought it looked decent, but it was clear that it suited Mindy even better. It wasn’t just about the size; it was more about the overall vibe. The dress matched Mindy’s softer and more elegant demeanor, whereas Susan’s appearance was a bit too stern and lacked that softness.

Mindy’s features were gentle; she had a kind smile and a pleasant expression, the kind of face that people found approachable and likable. Interestingly, although Susan generally didn’t favor women with a gentle appearance – like her sister-in-law Natalie or that elegant tea instructor from the tea appreciation class – Mindy surprised her. She found herself actually liking Mindy’s demeanor.

The sales assistant stood nearby, looking like she had something to say but didn’t. Being perceptive, Mindy quickly put the pieces together. She gave Susan a warm smile and said, “Is that so? Thank you.” Then she pointed to another dress and said, “With your figure, I think this dress would suit you even better. Why not give it a try?”

Susan’s body had more of an hourglass shape – fuller on top with a slim waist – making her more suited to dresses that emphasized the waistline. The dress she was currently wearing was well-made, but it didn’t highlight her curves, which made her look a bit less defined.

The dress Mindy suggested was also black and slimming, with a cut that accentuated the waist and a mermaid-style design that added a touch of elegance. It balanced the seriousness of the black color with a hint of softness.

With a hint of skepticism, Susan tried it on, only to be pleasantly surprised by how well it suited her. Her reflection in the full-length mirror even stunned her.

“You have a great eye for fashion. Did you study styling?” Susan asked.

Mindy shook her head. “No, I just enjoy reading fashion magazines.”

“Is reading about fashion enough?” Susan asked with genuine curiosity.

“You can also learn a lot by experimenting with your own outfits,” Mindy replied with a smile.

As they continued to chat while walking, the sales assistant went to handle the payment for their purchases. That was when Susan noticed a novel peeking out of Mindy’s bag.

“Wait, are you reading ‘Seven Days’ too?” Susan asked.

Mindy was taken aback. “Do you also read it?”

“Not me, but my younger son,” Susan replied. “Lately, he’s been really into mystery and detective novels. He’s been devouring ‘Seven Days,’ and he recently bought some other books by the same author, like ‘Murder Weapon’ and ‘The Deserted School’…”

She continued, “Oh, and he even reads that author’s young adult fiction. The other day, when I went to drop off his lunch, I saw it on his desk and flipped through it a bit. My goodness, it was so cheesy, I almost couldn’t take it!”

Mindy’s face froze, caught off guard by the sudden mention of her past literary works. Apart from embarrassment, all she felt was the awkward urge to disappear into thin air.

Susan went on, “To be honest, this author isn’t great at writing young adult romance, but their mystery novels are worth a read. Given how popular they are, they must have some market appeal.”

Mindy stood there in silence, wishing she could vanish.

The sales assistant finished processing the payment and happily handed the card and packaged dresses back to Susan.

Smiling, Susan took the items and bid farewell to Mindy. She then headed toward the door.

Just as she reached the entrance, she came face-to-face with Miranda. Their eyes met, and they both recognized each other, but neither spoke.

Miranda hesitated, thinking that although she remembered Susan, the wealthy lady might not recall her. Approaching her directly would only seem presumptuous. It was as if she were trying to gain favor or seek something in return.