DM Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Worlds Apart, Like Heaven and Earth

 

Jiang Xiaoyuan felt an unprecedented sense of frustration.

Becoming a trainee hairstylist was a small matter, but for Jiang Xiaoyuan at this moment, it felt like purchasing a big-ticket item.

First, she had to make a down payment—courage and determination. Courage came easily; it swelled up automatically when someone provoked her. Determination was harder to muster—it was a mix of the debt she owed Qi Lian, her grandmother’s phone calls, and the constant ridicule from those gossipy colleagues at the shop.

Having finally gathered both, she now faced a long and difficult repayment period.

Before she started learning, Jiang Xiaoyuan had no idea what it took to become a hairstylist. She thought that as long as she had the willpower, nothing would be impossible. But as she began to dip her toes in the water, she despairingly realized that it was too deep to swim across.

If she retreated, Jiang Xiaoyuan could not retreat. If she advanced, she was stuck in the middle of the water, dying. All she saw was an endless expanse of water with no shore in sight, and no one kind enough to point her in the right direction. She wanted to throw her arms and paddle hard, but she didn’t know where to swim.

That night, for the first time, Jiang Xiaoyuan suffered from insomnia. She hated and despised the job of a hairstylist from the bottom of her heart. So when she found out she couldn’t learn it, she was finally forced to confront the fact that she was utterly useless.

The pride and self-esteem that had always supported her were nothing but a house of cards, full of holes and unable to withstand any scrutiny—one touch, and it collapsed.

This feeling was excruciating, worse than being sick and alone in a foreign place. Because for someone as weak-willed as Jiang Xiaoyuan, who was not very determined, her self-confidence fluctuated with external circumstances. A prolonged period of smooth sailing and others’ flattery would inflate her confidence like a bubble—though she subconsciously knew it was hollow—until the bubble met a pin and “pop,” it burst.

The moment that inflated self-confidence shattered was truly overwhelming, like downing a glass of Laobaigan[mfn]Laobaigan is a type of Chinese liquor, specifically a baijiu. It’s known for its distinct flavor profile and rich history. [/mfn] mixed with oil, salt, vinegar, scallions, mustard, and cooling oil[mfn]Cooling oil – A topical medicinal oil in China used for various ailments, known for its strong scent.[/mfn] all at once. The sourness, bitterness, and pain were indescribable.

The next day, Jiang Xiaoyuan dragged her intact body and broken spirit to the shop, barely hanging on.

She thought she was completely disheartened, so she didn’t shamelessly follow Chen Fangzhou around to learn by watching anymore, nor did she bring her sketchbook. She half-heartedly washed a few customers’ hair, then idly picked up a long-neglected travel magazine. She couldn’t get into it and didn’t turn a page for over half an hour.

While she was wasting time like this, Chen Fangzhou walked over.

Boss Chen reached out and pulled her: “Hey, stop being lazy here.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan gave him a blank look.

Chen Fangzhou seemed entirely unaware of her dejected state and asked, “Do you know how to blow-dry hair?”

Jiang Xiaoyuan: “Who doesn’t know how to blow-dry hair?”

Chen Fangzhou grabbed her shoulder and lifted her from her seat. “You boast shamelessly! Who are you kidding? You’re just idle anyway, so come watch how I do it!”

Jiang Xiaoyuan, utterly uninterested, followed behind him with her head down and shoulders slumped. Just as a customer finished washing their hair, Chen Fangzhou shot her a warning glance, signaling her to straighten up her attitude. He then dismissed the technician who was about to take the blow-dryer and personally started blow-drying the customer’s hair.

Chen Fangzhou didn’t say a word and didn’t explain anything to her; he just quietly did his work.

At first, Jiang Xiaoyuan paid no attention, but after a while, she was surprised to find that every aspect of Chen Fangzhou’s blow-drying process—his order of operations, techniques, and how he switched between hot and cold air—was meticulously executed. Blow-drying wasn’t just about getting the hair dry; the result had to be stylish and presentable.

For ordinary technicians, it’s common to blow-dry the hair they cut themselves, but top-level technicians don’t bother with that—they’re too busy and usually leave this non-technical work to interns.

From the start, Jiang Xiaoyuan had only followed Chen Fangzhou, never paying attention to these basic techniques. It was only now that she realized that it was not that she was not good enough, but that she had misjudged the goal and tried to reach the sky in one step.

Chen Fangzhou, all smiles, sent the customer off and called Jiang Xiaoyuan over like one would call a dog: “Did you get it?”

Jiang Xiaoyuan nodded instinctively, and Boss Chen glared at her, and she shook her head quickly.

Chen Fangzhou shoved a broom into her hand. “Today, you’re on duty. If there are no customers, sweep the floor and pour water. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask me before closing time.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan’s rusty brain became smart for once in a century. She realized that Chen Fangzhou was hinting for her to learn from others around the shop. So, she eagerly grabbed the broom and happily set to work.

Usually aloof, Princess Jiang suddenly had a change of heart. She typically only did her assigned tasks and never chatted with her colleagues, let alone struck up conversations with customers. But that day, it was as if she were possessed by the flea spirit[mfn]Flea spirit – A term used in some Chinese stories to describe someone who’s hyperactive or restless.[/mfn]. She washed two or three heads in total, and the rest of the time, she was busy running around—pouring water for customers, handing out magazines, and even preparing and distributing buckets of popcorn.

She was especially enthusiastic about sweeping, leaving the floor cleaner than her face.

Every day Jiang Xiaoyuan ran faster than anyone else after work, but on this day she took the initiative to stay and pack up her smocks. She kept dawdling until everyone else had left, and then she ran to Chen Fangzhou.

Chen Fangzhou asked again: “Do you know how to blow-dry hair?”

Jiang Xiaoyuan quickly and humbly shook her head.

Chen Fangzhou shook his head and said: “If you don’t even know how to blow-dry hair, why do you keep following me? Do you know what the difference is between you and me?”

Jiang Xiaoyuan, aware that she needed his help, wisely flattered him: “We’re worlds apart.”

Chen Fangzhou: “No need for such fancy words, say it plainly.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan: “…A rookie and a master?”

Chen Fangzhou sighed and looked at her like she was hopeless. He said earnestly, “The difference is that I own a house, and you can only live in the shop’s storage room—you’re not even a tenant. There’s a two-class gap between us. Do you understand?”

Jiang Xiaoyuan: “…”

Chen Fangzhou: “Come here, let me explain.”

He pulled over a plastic mannequin, still plugged into the blow-dryer. “First of all, you have to know why hair dryers have hot and cold air. Hot air is used for drying, and cold air is used for shaping, right?…Okay, you still have some common sense. Yes, cold air is usually used for shaping…”

Chen Fangzhou’s lesson didn’t take long. Since realizing she wasn’t entirely incompetent, Jiang Xiaoyuan had been as motivated as if she were on a stimulant. She had spent the whole day observing around the shop and had learned quite a bit, making her a quick study.

She was excited to discover that she wasn’t entirely without talent, and she painstakingly began to piece back together her shattered self-confidence.

“You can practice on your own hair at home, or use this mannequin,” Chen Fangzhou said, then suddenly turned around, eerily extending a finger that nearly poked Jiang Xiaoyuan’s chin. “But remember, after you secretly practice, you must return it exactly as it was. Don’t you dare cut it or damage it. Got it?”

Jiang Xiaoyuan, thinking he had found out about her earlier mistreatment of the mannequin, felt a bit guilty.

Before her guilt could fully settle in, Chen Fangzhou lowered his voice and said in a conspiratorial tone, “I’m telling you, these heads are actually part of a plum blossom formation[mfn]Plum blossom formation – A traditional Chinese term referring to a specific strategic formation, often related to luck or martial arts.[/mfn] that stabilizes the shop’s luck. When you take one home, you must treat it with respect. The Ancestor[mfn]The Ancestor – A figurative reference, possibly implying a protective spirit or entity.[/mfn] is watching over you, so be careful, he will not give you this bowl of rice.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan: “…”

The Ancestor must be working overtime with that faceless white head.

Jiang Xiaoyuan respectfully cradled the plastic mannequin and subtly hinted at Boss Chen to leave: “Mr. Chen, you should go first. I’ll turn off the lights and lock up.”

Chen Fangzhou responded with a simple acknowledgment. As he was tying a cotton knee brace around his leg, he casually said to Jiang Xiaoyuan, “You write so well, and you’re somewhat educated. It’s a shame to spend your whole life doing this job. Have you ever thought about what you want to do in the future?”

Jiang Xiaoyuan’s hand, which was stroking the “Ancestor’s” head, paused. “I’ve thought about it, but I can’t figure it out.”

Chen Fangzhou didn’t laugh at her; instead, he nodded empathetically. “That’s normal. When I was your age, I couldn’t figure it out either. Just focus on doing a good job now and take things slowly—Oh, by the way, where did you learn to draw? Your drawings are really good.”

This comment reminded Jiang Xiaoyuan of her childhood. Back in first grade, there was a time when teachers especially liked to have children stand up one by one and talk about their dreams. The children didn’t really understand, so they would say all sorts of things. When it was her turn, Jiang Xiaoyuan said she wanted to be an artist.

She didn’t actually understand what being an “artist” meant. She had just seen a particularly beautiful woman in one of her mother’s magazines. Like all little girls, she admired beauty, so she went and asked her mother who that person was. The answer she got from the adults was “artist.” From then on, in her young mind, “artist” became synonymous with “great beauty.”

When her parents found out about this career aspiration of hers, it wasn’t long before they arranged for an art teacher to come to their home to teach her. She studied children’s painting for a year and even took some exams. Later, she learned sketching, coloring, and other techniques… Jiang Xiaoyuan’s foundational skills in drawing were developed during that time. Unfortunately, she later realized that picking up a paintbrush didn’t immediately turn her into a great beauty, so her passion for pursuing art faded, and she turned her attention to the pleasures of food, fun, and entertainment.

Many years later, when she was about to go abroad for university and had to choose a major, that little hobby from her past made a faint reappearance, ultimately leading her to pursue a useless art degree.

Looking back now, all of that seems like something from a past life.

Jiang Xiaoyuan: “When I was a kid, I wanted to be an artist.”

Chen Fangzhou, listening to this, nodded with deep feeling: “Same here. When I was a kid, it was about the same.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan was quite surprised: “What? Mr. Chen, did you want to be an artist too when you were a kid?”

Chen Fangzhou: “Not really. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a savior.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan: “…”

The boss’s chūnibyō syndrome[mfn]Chūnibyō syndrome – A Japanese term often translated as “middle school syndrome,” referring to adolescents who have delusions of grandeur, believing they have special powers or are destined for something greater.[/mfn] is beyond cure.

Chen Fangzhou shamelessly revealed his ridiculous side, then nonchalantly stood up, stretched his limbs, put on his gloves, and said to Jiang Xiaoyuan, “The beginning of any task is always the hardest, especially since they’re all reluctant to teach you—I’ll give you a tip. If you don’t know where to start, just pretend you know nothing and start from the basics.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan: “I really don’t know anything. I haven’t even mastered blow-drying hair yet…”

“I mean the very basics,” Chen Fangzhou interrupted her. “The basics aren’t about technique. They’re about paying attention to how others adjust the blow-dryer’s settings, how much distance they keep between the nozzle and the head, and how they move their hands—once you understand these, then you can start observing whether they’re drying curly hair or textured hair. Learning anything is like this. When you can’t speed up, the only option is to slow down.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan: “But I’m afraid I won’t be able to pass the exam…”

“And being afraid is going to help you pass?” Chen Fangzhou walked out without looking back. “Ridiculous—just learn as much as you can. Or are you planning to overthrow me and take over as the store manager? You are really rebellious.”

 

 

 

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