It wasn't an apple that hit Newton.

Seeing that neither of them spoke, Li Cheng smiled and took the initiative to ask.

"No, I'm very satisfied. The dress is wonderful. You are truly an outstanding designer."

Sofia said repeatedly.

"Since there are no problems, let's talk about the final payment." Having completed a commission, Li Cheng was in a pretty good mood.

"No problem, of course no problem. How much do you need?"

Unable to contain her excitement, Sophia paid the final payment—an amount that seemed incredibly cheap compared to the fashionable attire worn by the nobility—before bidding farewell to Li Cheng with her friend and hurriedly returning home.

As soon as she returned to her room, she couldn't wait to call her maid, who helped her change out of her old long dress and into the brand-new light pink long dress she had just received.

"Isn't it pretty?" Sofia turned from side to side to show off her new dress to her friend.

"Beautiful," her friend nodded.

"Is it suitable for me?" Sofia continued to ask.

"This is much more suitable for you than the previous one," her friend wholeheartedly agreed.

Everyone has their own unique style, and this delicate light pink dress is clearly more suitable for Sofia's temperament.

Sophia was very pleased with her friend's answer. She clapped her hands happily and made a decision: "Okay, then I'll wear this dress to the afternoon salon today!"

Besides ordering a dress from Li Cheng, Sophia had also bought a spare dress in case of any unforeseen circumstances—but it seemed unnecessary for now, as she was very satisfied with the new dress.

"Huh?"

The friend was taken aback and hesitated before saying, "Wouldn't that be a little inappropriate?"

Although the dress did suit Sophia very well and looked really good, she felt something was off, but couldn't find a good reason for it, so she could only ask this question.

"why?"

Sure enough, Sofia raised this question.

"I am not sure as well."

My friend had a vague feeling that he had grasped something, but couldn't quite put his finger on it, so he had to give up: "But I always feel like something's not quite right... Never mind, never mind."

“You’re being a bit too sensitive today. You suspected Mr. Orenki was a fraud before, and now you’re suddenly worried that there’s something wrong with this dress.”

Sofia chuckled upon seeing this.

This argument clearly couldn't deter her. Having just received her new and beautiful dress, she couldn't wait to show it off at the salon and draw everyone's attention to her.

'This time I'll be the most dazzling one at the salon.'

Looking at the beautiful girl in the pink dress in the mirror, Sofia thought to herself.

Chapter 262 Two Foreigners Arguing.jpg

An unassuming villa on Narcissus Street, which is right next to Tulip Street.

This week's salon was held as usual. After all, in the 17th century, the concept of gender equality simply did not exist (or rather, the concept of equality did not exist at all), and the salon was one of the few places where they could freely express their opinions.

On previous occasions, Sofia would arrive as early as possible, occupy a small corner without attracting attention, and quietly listen to other people's conversations.

But today she waited a little longer, making sure most people were there, before trying to maintain a calm expression as she stepped into the living room, hoping to attract as much attention as possible.

The first step went smoothly; the sound of the door opening briefly attracted the guest's attention, and her attire ensured that this brief glance would be converted into focus.

The use of various ribbons, lace, and pleats on that exquisite light pink dress was dazzling, while the small skirt, which had been partially removed to reduce costs, was so cute and delicate.

Among the ladies and mistresses who were striving to outdo each other in terms of budget and grandeur, this petite and exquisite outfit was so unique. Coupled with Sofia's own stunning beauty, it made her even more charming and quickly attracted the attention of all the guests present.

Gradually, all the guests stopped talking and stared in surprise at where she was.

In the past, only the salon's organizer, Miss Phillips, received such treatment.

Sofia's smile grew even sweeter as she fully enjoyed the positive and surprised gaze, eagerly anticipating what would happen next—being complimented, approached, and praised.

"Is this Sophia?"

However, what she ultimately received was not what she expected, but rather several unexpected conversations.

"It seems so. I've heard her self-introduction. Her name seems to be Sofia Scott."

"The Scott family? That's unbelievable. Have the Scott family become so poor that they can only afford dresses like this?"

"I was surprised too. I almost thought some civilians had sneaked in."

"I bet she just bought a random piece of rag and had her maid sew it at home... Oh, or maybe she sewed it herself at home. She's really skillful."

"......"

The conversation was conducted at a low volume, just enough for everyone to barely hear. This led everyone to assume from the outset that Sofia's attire was that of someone who was poor.

correct.

After overhearing this conversation, the friend standing quietly nearby suddenly realized where her previous unease had come from.

—This new dress is so cheap.

The dress being cheap is not a fault; the fault lies with Sofia Scott. She shouldn't have garnered so much attention with this inexpensive yet beautiful dress.

The jealous and belittling words she heard were the best proof. If Sofia had been wearing a trendy and expensive dress, perhaps some people would have muttered something sour, but she wouldn't have suffered such malicious slander.

No one would look down on Bill Gates for wearing a plaid shirt at an upscale banquet, or Trump for not wearing a bow tie (okay, maybe). But if a relatively ordinary person dares to attract attention with unusual clothing, they will definitely be criticized by others.

While this example is not entirely appropriate, Sofia did indeed arouse jealousy in others, who then exploited her family background.

"True nobles would never wear such cheap and low-class clothes; that would only make others look down on them," an arrogant noblewoman, adorned with gold and silver in a haphazard and extremely vulgar manner, commented.

Hearing the various comments around her, Sofia's face first turned red with embarrassment, then turned pale. She wanted to refute them, but couldn't find a suitable way to put it.

Who would listen to her explanation?

Given her family background, all explanations are weak and ineffective unless she can prove that she is not poor—it's a vicious cycle, isn't it?

[Two foreigners arguing.jpg]

The wealthy woman (questioning): Why do you wear cheap dresses instead of expensive ones? Is it because you can't afford them?

Sofia (trying to explain): I wear this cheap dress because it suits me better, not because I can only afford cheap dresses. Even if I bought an expensive dress, I would still choose to wear this cheap one, blah blah blah...

The wealthy woman (mockingly): Then go buy an expensive dress to prove you can afford it!

Sofia (seriously explaining): I can't do it, I don't have enough money.

The wealthy woman (sneers): So you're wearing cheap dresses because you can't afford them?

Sofia (angrily): I said even if I bought an expensive dress, I would still choose to wear this cheap one!

Lady (angrily): Then go buy me an expensive dress to prove it!

In short, just as Sophia was stuck there, unable to go up or down, in an extremely awkward situation, someone whispered, "Miss Phillips has arrived."

All the chatter stopped abruptly, and the living room fell silent.

As usual, Phillips arrived last. Today, she (or 'he'? But I think 'she' is more evocative, so I'll stick with 'she' for now) wore a different style of gown, but still luxurious. Gold, agate, and gemstones glittered on the enormous skirt supported by whalebone, almost dazzling the eyes, making her the complete opposite of Sofia.

Finding everyone in the living room gathered in the center, Phillips, puzzled, carefully controlled his vocal cords and surprisingly produced a soft, feminine tone: "What happened?"

This is what is known as voice imitation, which involves altering the vocal cavities and resonance positions, as well as changing the wavelength, to achieve voice imitation that can be transgender or even transspecies.

While cross-dressing largely depends on talent, voice imitation requires diligent practice, and it usually takes about 3 to 6 months for the average person to master it.

Phillips, who recently became a cross-dresser, has been working hard to improve her voice imitation skills. She was only able to use it fluently last week, which is why she didn't speak much at the previous salons.

“You’ve come at the perfect time, Miss Phillips.”

When Phillips asked the question, the vulgar lady replied respectfully, "We were discussing Miss Sophia Scott's attire today, which is not in accordance with aristocratic decorum."

In the imagination of the tacky socialite, Miss Phillips, dressed in the most luxurious way, would probably support them, since no one wants another woman to steal the attention they deserve in the eyes of men.

Phillips then turned his puzzled gaze to the center of the crowd and saw Sophia, whose lips were somewhat pale.

The romantic pale pink dress, the flowing delicate ribbons, the layered wavy ruffles and lace trim, the intricate patterns... Sofia's youthful image struck Phillips' heart directly.

This is... the feeling of being smitten.

So Phillips ignored the unspoken implication of the tacky lady and couldn't help but exclaim, "It's so beautiful!"

Chapter 263 Yearning

want to.

want to.

I want it, I want it, I want it.

Like a model kit enthusiast seeing the latest model, or a hidden masochist meeting a real sadist, Sofia's light pink dress designed by Li Cheng perfectly captured Phillips' aesthetic with its strong girlish and romantic style.

I've never seen it before.

But I like this kind of thing now.

“But Miss Phillips.”

The vulgar noblewoman couldn't understand why Phillips would speak up for Sophia: "As a noblewoman, Miss Sophia should be mindful of her manners. How can such shabby attire be appropriate?"

She certainly didn't understand, because Phillips didn't care at all about women competing with her for men's attention.

"Really? But I think it looks really nice."

Phillips retorted directly.

As the organizer of the salon, and the most mysterious person there, she didn't need to care about the opinions of these people. The rejection of what she truly desired was far more important to her.

"But......"

The vulgar lady wanted to say something more, but just as someone had echoed her remarks to belittle Sophia earlier, now someone else echoed Phillips's remarks to elevate Sophia.

"Actually, I think it looks really good too."

“It suits Miss Sophia very well; it’s more suitable and more original than the previous one.”

"..."

The winds shifted, and Sofia's pale pink dress instantly transformed from a symbol of poverty and clothing only commoners would wear into an expression of individuality and a completely new creative idea.

But Phillips didn't care about the whispers of agreement. After expressing her opinion, she forced herself to step forward slowly and reached out a clean, white hand that was completely unrecognizable as a man's. She gently grasped Sophia's equally clean hand, which was hanging helplessly in mid-air as she was surrounded.

What's your name?

Despite his deep longing, Phillips maintained his basic rationality and began with a simple greeting.