Love's Wild Card

"I actually don't know much about these things, least of all brands. I just say what feels right. For your style..." Alex led Grace and Emma to a display, pointing at a thong. "How about this?"

"Pervert!" Emma shouted, finally seeing Alex's true colors.

"Look who's got a dirty mind now? Besides, I'm advising Grace, not you. I wouldn't even look if you wore it!" Alex retorted, casually selecting a white thong.

"White for the white-collar professional!" he declared shamelessly to Grace.

"Four thousand? Fine, Alex, if you can justify it, I'll buy it," Grace gritted out. She was committed to this battle now.

"With summer's arrival, women are wearing lighter clothing more often. The desire to avoid visible lines has many choosing thongs. Actually, when wearing tailored suits or fitted pants, regular underwear lines show through, creating an unsightly effect that makes others uncomfortable and suggests a lack of attention to detail. Therefore, professional women in fitted business wear, or fashion-forward individuals like Grace who are always ahead of trends, really should wear thongs to eliminate any awkwardness or discomfort.

Plus, with current fashion trends moving toward shorter tops and lower waistlines, there's even an emerging style of deliberately showing thong straps to emphasize youthful energy and casual chic. These statement pieces are designed for display—neon, metallic, animal prints, lace waistbands... They're treated as genuine accessories to showcase individualistic beauty through this lingerie-as-outerwear approach. I won't elaborate—you can easily spot women sporting this look on the streets. If you can't find them, I'm happy to provide observation locations free of charge. Though personally, I don't recommend this exposed style. While undeniably alluring, conservative cultural norms make such display seem provocative. It's enjoyable seeing other women dress this way, but men never want their own women displaying what should be private intimacies. As I said before, in men's hearts, purity always comes first. At least that's my view as a premium specimen of 21st-century manhood."

Alex's eloquent discourse left Grace, Emma, and the surrounding women slack-jawed.

"You... you haven't bought these before, have you?" Emma eyed him suspiciously.

"I wish! But in my wild youth, I hadn't encountered such styles!" Alex explained. Indeed, he hadn't seen such things in high school. Still innocent then!

"Wow, so knowledgeable!"

"Is he a sales associate?"

"If only my boyfriend knew this much..." Several women browsing nearby commented admiringly.

Grace and Emma didn't know whether to be proud or mortified. Who would admire this?

"Sir, may I ask you something?" A woman approached, clearly mistaking Alex for staff.

"Go ahead!" Noting her attractive appearance, Alex agreed readily.

"I read in a magazine that thongs can be... harmful to women's health. What's that about?" she asked uncertainly.

"Thongs, or T-back panties, have just a thin strip of fabric in sensitive areas. This can easily cause friction, leading to skin inflammation, swelling, damage, ulceration, and infection. Some thongs are made from poorly-breathable synthetic materials for better fit, which can trigger allergies. Beyond causing vaginal infections and other gynecological issues, overly tight thongs can compress blood vessels around the anus, increasing the risk of hemorrhoids. Therefore, young women should avoid wearing thongs long-term. If worn during the day, switch to cotton, loose-fitting underwear at night to let the area rest. When wearing thongs, opt for looser outer garments rather than equally tight jeans. Change thongs daily to reduce infection risk. Those with local conditions, menstruating, or ovulating in the two weeks before menstruation should avoid thongs. If experiencing itching, pain, or discomfort, seek medical attention to identify and treat any infections."

"Oh..." The woman nodded thoughtfully.

"S-star... how do you know all this? This is way too professional for just being knowledgeable! No one would believe you!" Even Grace, thick-skinned as she was, blushed at his clinical terminology, especially regarding women's issues. When a man understands women to this degree, "terrifying" is the only appropriate description.

"He's like a gynecologist!" Emma chimed in.

"If you want to know more..." Alex picked up a small booklet from under the thong display. "For more information, check this free brochure!"

"..."

So he'd been glancing at the brochure while speaking, which explained terms like "blood vessels" and "menstruation" flowing so naturally.

"Also, there's a fascinating legend about thongs!" Alex added mysteriously.

"What is it?" a woman asked, thoroughly captivated by his apparent expertise. By now, Alex's demonstrated understanding of women, combined with his deliberately cultivated roguish charm and that knowing half-smile, had proven irresistible. He was like a connoisseur—of women.

*Ah, playing the decadent character really works!* Alex noted with satisfaction how all the women's attention focused on him.

"In the past, men checked women out. Now, they check out women's underwear..."

"Get out!" Grace kicked him forcefully.

"You made me come, now you're kicking me out. I'm going home to sleep..." Alex affected an injured air, enjoying how his last comment had made all the women blush furiously. Was he wrong? It was true!

"Don't you dare leave. Stand over there and wait!" Grace glared at him. He really was impossible. Why had his weekend persona emerged mid-week?

"Fine!" Alex nodded. *Ah, women are so hard to please.*

"Could I get some water?" Alex approached the counter, addressing the owner. All that talking had made him thirsty.

"Of course!" The owner smiled, taking the glass herself when a salesgirl started to move.

"Thank you!" Alex smiled, draining the glass in one gulp. "Let me guess—are you twenty yet?"

This pickup line might be cliché, but it was undeniably effective, especially when a woman was already intrigued.

"You're too kind! I'm thirty-one already!" The owner laughed charmingly at his indirect compliment.

"Really? I never would have guessed!" Alex smiled. Indeed, while not quite as young as his suggested twenty, he'd assumed she was twenty-seven or twenty-eight.

"Ancient history! I envy your two friends—young and beautiful, in their golden years." The owner smiled.

"Not at all! Women's beauty transcends age, and no woman is past her prime. Men who say women are 'expired' at thirty have expired judgment themselves. An eighty-year-old man sees his wife as the most beautiful woman in the world, and a forty-year-old man sees his mother as the most magnificent. Past prime? That's just a matter of perspective!" Alex declared.

"Do you have a girlfriend? She must be very happy," the owner smiled.

"No, currently single," Alex replied.

"No way!" Not just the owner but even the salesgirls were skeptical.

"Hehe, single now, but wasn't always," Alex laughed.

"I knew it! How could someone like you not have relationship experience? But... why single now?" the owner asked curiously.

"Ah, once you've seen the ocean, other waters pale in comparison. Everyone has their wild youth. I used to think I was second only to God, now God is all that's in my heart. Sounds the same, but totally different. Back then it was arrogance, now it's tranquility. Experience changes perspective, and perspective changes everything!" Alex sighed. Damn, those high school days were gone forever. He couldn't even remember how many innocent sweethearts he'd dated back then. Thinking about it now—what a scoundrel he'd been!

"Sir, you seem only in your twenties, yet you speak like someone who's seen it all?" the owner observed.

"Back then..."

Wait? Alex caught himself. Wasn't he here to flirt? How had he gotten drawn into philosophy?

"What happened back then?"

"Back then... I lived in a little house by a lake in Suzhou, with fields nearby, life was sweet. But then..."

"Hehe!" His nonsense made the owner and salesgirls laugh, drawing attention from around the store.

*That damn Alex, flirting again!* Grace shot him a fierce glare, which he completely ignored, continuing his cheerful chat.

"Sister Grace, was he... always like this?" Emma asked uncertainly.

"Usually only on weekends when he's completely bored. Today... he must be having a episode! Just ignore him and let's shop," Grace advised.

"Oh..." Emma nodded thoughtfully, still watching Alex charm his audience with practiced ease.