DM Chapter 39

Chapter 39: His Period is Here, Don’t Bother Him

 

Every industry’s charm and appeal might just be a way to lure outsiders in.

By the third afternoon of being makeup artist Teacher Jiang’s assistant in name but actually his maid, Jiang Xiaoyuan had already recognized the true nature of the industry: vibrant on the outside, tedious and dull on the inside.

At the same time, she managed to catch a break during a lull in Empress Dowager’s interview session, gaining an entire afternoon to herself, free to do nothing at the hotel.

But Jiang Xiaoyuan didn’t do anything.

She didn’t like watching TV, the computer belonged to Boss Jiang, so she didn’t dare mess with it, and none of her favorite pastimes were things she could afford at this stage. So, she used the afternoon break to go to the large city bookstore and pick up two professional books along with a multi-grain pancake, which she brought back to read earnestly while eating.

Oddly enough, no matter how fun or interesting something is, once presented in a professional textbook, it all becomes boring. The more professional, the more boring—almost as if it’s embarrassing to call it “professional” unless it’s dull, abstract, and complicated.

The most maddening thing was even the model in the textbook had a dull face—ugly and completely lacking in distinction. It seemed like the author was determined to strip away the reader’s last shred of enjoyment.

This time, even the spirit of the top scholar waned. After finishing the pancake, the blood rich in oxygen happily rushed to her digestive system, and her brain, seeing the tide had turned, went on strike. After reading less than twenty pages, she fell sound asleep on the couch.

If it weren’t for her phone’s text notification waking her up around four, she might’ve been kicked out that evening for “missing her boss’s job.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan shot up in an instant, dove into cold water, ran around the room like a madwoman, repeatedly checked the things Boss Jiang needed her to bring, and finally dashed out the door.

There wasn’t enough time to check the route, and public transportation was out of the question. Gritting her teeth, Jiang Xiaoyuan called for a cab, glaring hatefully at the meter the entire ride. Every time the fare increased, her eyes burned with flames of deep-seated resentment.

It was her second time taking a taxi in just a few days—the first ride to the airport had cost her almost 150 yuan. At this rate, Jiang Xiaoyuan thought she might soon need to beg on the streets for food.

Once again, she silently entertained the idea of quitting.

When she had claimed to be prepared for “suffering”, she hadn’t imagined it would be this hard. She also hadn’t thought it would take less than two days for her to start losing her love for makeup.

How could she endure hardship if she no longer loved it?

Feeling mentally overwhelmed, Jiang Xiaoyuan glanced out the window at the trees and road signs passing by. Finally, she had a moment to check the text message that had saved her. It wasn’t hard to guess—it was either a phone bill reminder from her service provider or a greeting from her “temporary guardian,” Qi Lian.

Qi Lian: “Did you finish the slides later?”

Jiang Xiaoyuan: “I’m tired.”

That nap on the couch had left her with aches all over—her back was sore, her neck felt pinched, and she felt like a rusted suit of armor, with every joint needing oil.

Just a few seconds after replying, Qi Lian called. His background noise was chaotic, as if he were in a public place.

“Chen Fangzhou asked about you again today,” Qi Lian said. “How are things going?”

Last time, Jiang Xiaoyuan had managed to squeeze out a few upbeat words from the depths of her being, but this time, she didn’t even have the strength to fake it.

She replied half-dead: “Same as always.”

Qi Lian wasn’t surprised, chuckling lightly, “Whenever someone really wants to do something, the beginning is always hard.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan didn’t believe a word of it. “Are you saying it’ll get better later?”

Qi Lian: “That’s not the case. You’ll just get used to the bad luck  in the future.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan: “…”

He truly was her soulmate. His words pierced into Jiang Xiaoyuan’s chest, piercing her heart, liver and lungs.

With her ear pressed against the old-fashioned phone receiver, she could hear a “rustling” noise—like white noise that slowly lulled her thoughts. For the first time, her eyes relaxed from the taxi meter and gazed outside at the evening city, where the twilight had settled, and the streetlights were starting to glow.

In this unfamiliar city, she felt like a tiny piece of drifting fluff, tossed by the wind, desperately trying to find a patch of soil to settle on. But all around her, there was only impenetrable concrete and steel.

In a daze, Jiang Xiaoyuan asked, “If I quit now and go back to washing hair at Boss Chen’s salon, do you think he’d still want me?”

There was a long silence on the other end of the line, so long that Jiang Xiaoyuan thought she’d said something wrong.

Distant sounds of conversation and clinking plates could be heard from Qi Lian’s side of the phone.

Jiang Xiaoyuan couldn’t help but clear her throat. “I didn’t mean—”

“It doesn’t matter.” Qi Lian calmly interrupted. “The fund Xu Jingyang left for you guys—I haven’t touched a cent of it all these years. Even if you don’t want to do anything, it’s not a problem.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan had been prepared to climb the ladder after hearing the first part of the sentence, but after listening to the whole thing, she fell silent again.

Right, in this timeline, as long as she existed, the virus couldn’t push someone else through. She was like a human-shaped plug. Even if she had no value, Qi Lian would still maintain her as if she were a piece of equipment.

And then what?

If one day there was a way to be certain that the virus had been exhausted, no one would care about her anymore.

With that thought, the better Qi Lian treated her, the colder she felt inside.

If she were the legendary beauty capable of toppling nations, she might believe people would treat her kindly without expecting anything in return. True beauty is priceless; the world wouldn’t betray it. Unfortunately, Jiang Xiaoyuan was only “pretty” in an ordinary way—at most, she might turn a few heads while walking down the street. Not worth that much.

Of course, compared to her looks, her other qualities were even less valuable. So, she didn’t dare indulge in wishful thinking, as it would only hurt her pride. From spirit to flesh, she could withstand injury, but her fragile self-respect couldn’t afford to take a hit.

Jiang Xiaoyuan: “Alright, thanks. I get it—I’m here. Goodbye.”

After saying that, she hung up, gritted her teeth as she paid the fare, then hoisted Boss Jiang’s tool kit and jogged into the hotel.

Jiang Xiaoyuan thought, since coming into this world was all part of a conspiracy, her enemies should be her own enemies, her hardships should be her own hardships. They had nothing to do with anyone else—there was no need for someone else’s fund or inheritance.

Her exhaustion vanished, and she appeared before her cold and indifferent boss, energized and ready for action.

That night, there was a runway show for which Jiang Bo had been hired. Jiang Xiaoyuan stuck close by as he scurried around like he was at war amidst the chaos of the backstage.

After Jiang Bo finished with one model, he stood up and heard a crack from his back.

“Getting old,” Jiang Bo thought with some melancholy. He stretched slightly, then turned around and saw Jiang Xiaoyuan standing nearby like a wallflower.

Jiang Xiaoyuan hadn’t made a sound; he had almost forgotten she was there. Her eyes were fixed on his hands and the model’s face, unblinking, intensely focused.

Rubbing his back, Jiang Bo suddenly had an idea and asked: “The makeup and cosmetics used for film and stage are different from ordinary ones. Today’s event is far more professional than the casual stuff you did for those kids last time. You’ve been watching for a while—think you can handle it?”

Jiang Xiaoyuan’s first instinct was “Handle it? No way,” but when she met Empress Dowager Jiang’s cold, scrutinizing gaze, she quickly swallowed her words—if she shrank back any further, Empress Dowager Jiang might actually kick her out.

Putting on a brave face, she said, “What’s so hard about that?”

Jiang Bo set aside his tools, signaling for her to take over the next model while he took a quick break.

Jiang Xiaoyuan swallowed hard, her face expressionless as she stepped forward—Empress Dowager Jiang hadn’t taught her anything. She had only been observing, trying to figure out the sequence of steps he took and why he did each one. Whether she had interpreted them correctly, she didn’t know.

Summoning all her focus, Jiang Xiaoyuan studied the model’s face. But at that moment, the model, for reasons unknown, suddenly smiled at her.

The model had a tall, elegant figure and a face that was cold and aloof. But when she smiled, her eyes disappeared, a few freckles on her cheeks peeked out playfully, and her slightly uneven bunny teeth emerged, giving her an innocent, down-to-earth charm.

This smile from a stranger was like the legendary Dinghai Shenzhen[mfn]”Dinghai Shenzhen” is a Chinese term that refers to a mythical anchor said to be capable of calming the sea.[/mfn]. Jiang Xiaoyuan’s heart suddenly fell back into her stomach.

It’s easy to tell if someone is earnestly learning or just standing around halfheartedly. As Jiang Xiaoyuan mimicked Jiang Bo’s work, she couldn’t help but add her own touch. Her shaky skills in painting, photography, pottery, and sculpture all sneaked into the makeup design, albeit clumsily, yet with a strangely captivating charm. Some parts were amateurish, but intriguing nonetheless.

After finishing the model’s makeup, Jiang Xiaoyuan nervously awaited Jiang Bo’s critique, fully expecting a harsh rebuke.

“The color around the eyes is way too stingy, and the facial shading is almost invisible. With stage lights, it’ll completely vanish, understand?” Empress Dowager Jiang lived up to her reputation, mercilessly berating her with a deadpan expression. “Do you even know what runway makeup is? Why add all these pointless frills? Can’t you be more practical? Focus on the overall effect and color harmony! Do you think you are giving the bride a ‘plastic surgery’ in a photo studio?  You’re throwing away the watermelon and picking up the sesame seeds! And another thing—”

Jiang Xiaoyuan’s breath was hanging in her throat.

Empress Dowager Jiang coldly declared, “You’re too slow. Like an old lady doing embroidery. Your hands and feet are so clumsy—it’s obvious you’re not cut out for this job.”

Jiang Xiaoyuan was speechless after being judged.

Jiang Bo snapped, “What are you standing there for? Fix her makeup already!”

Feeling dejected, Jiang Xiaoyuan followed Empress Dowager Jiang’s instructions to make adjustments. She whispered, “Is it okay now?”

She had already braced herself for the worst—being dismissed and the model being sent to wash her face.

After all that fuss, the model must be dissatisfied by now too, right?

Jiang Bo grunted through his nose, “Fine, just leave it. I don’t expect you to do anything great. For the next one, coordinate the colors with the full outfit. Can you manage that?”

Wait! The underlying meaning of that sentence seemed to be…

Jiang Xiaoyuan looked up in disbelief.

Just as Jiang Bo’s back pain was starting to ease, he noticed Jiang Xiaoyuan’s dumbfounded expression and got annoyed again. He yelled at her, “What are you looking at? Do you think you can find inspiration by staring at me? Grab your tools and get to work! Stop hanging around in my way!”

He really was letting her continue!

Jiang Xiaoyuan was so overjoyed that she stood at attention without thinking, respectfully seeing off the grumbling Empress Dowager.

As Jiang Bo walked away, the model whispered: “Oh my God, is Teacher Jiang always that harsh with you?”

“Shh,” Jiang Xiaoyuan replied almost inaudibly, “He’s on his period. Don’t provoke him.”

After that day, Jiang Xiaoyuan learned her lesson. She started inquiring about Empress Dowager Jiang’s schedule for the week, knowing it inside out. Every night, after finishing her day’s work, she would head back to the hotel and cram. Becoming proficient or mastering everything wasn’t realistic, but at least next time when the boss spoke, she wouldn’t be left completely baffled.

For a whole week, Jiang Xiaoyuan didn’t get a full night’s sleep. She woke up at dawn and stayed up late, battling through each day like a soldier at war. The ugly models in the professional books and references almost made her sick. She feared that soon, she might develop a face-blindness disorder from sheer overexposure.

By the end of the business trip, Jiang Xiaoyuan’s pants waistband had loosened by a finger’s width, and they kept slipping down as she walked.

She had no choice but to buy the cheapest belt from a street vendor to make do. But that belt stirred up even more trouble—on the way back to the airport, the corner of the belt accidentally showed, catching the eye of Empress Dowager Jiang.

For some reason, his fragile sense of aesthetics was triggered again. Empress Dowager Jiang, with a face like a debt collector, scolded Jiang Xiaoyuan from head to toe, as if he wished he could banish her from his sight entirely.

“If you’re going to do something, at least look the part. That’s called professionalism, do you understand?” Empress Dowager Jiang barked, “Does styling not include your hair and clothes? With you looking like this, how do you expect clients to trust you? Are you going to tell them you have a ‘fetish for ugliness’ and can’t tolerate looking good?”

Maybe it was the low blood sugar from exhaustion, but Jiang Xiaoyuan suddenly felt light-headed and nauseous. She stared blankly out the car window.

They were stopped at a red light, and through the window, she saw a familiar storefront. Jiang Xiaoyuan blinked in confusion before recognizing it—a dessert shop offering online orders and delivery, specializing in pies and cupcakes. She didn’t expect it to have a physical store as well.

Back home, she used to buy their products for breakfast, out of convenience. But as the menu barely changed, she grew sick of them and never wanted to see their food again.

Yet now, she found herself missing that unique cream cheese frosting, the slight bitterness of the matcha, and even the strange blend of cinnamon and cardamom in the pumpkin pie.

But those were luxuries she could no longer afford.

For the first time in her life, Jiang Xiaoyuan had her appearance criticized, and her long-repressed temper couldn’t stay hidden any longer. Finally fed up, she defiantly interrupted Jiang Bo, “Boss, if I had money to spend, princesses and duchesses from those tiny countries would be bowing down to me, you hear?”

If she revealed how many luxury brands counted her as a premium member, would it be enough to shock Jiang Bo to death?  He, a half-famous, half-forgotten makeup artist, wouldn’t even have the right to criticize her belt!

Ridiculous.

Jiang Bo: “…”

Tears began to well up in Jiang Xiaoyuan’s eyes, but remembering the princess who had just bowed before her, she refused to let them fall.

 

 

 

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