Chapter 467: Chapter 467: Eccentric People Do Eccentric Things
Lu Yujing temporarily didn’t want to quarrel with Sang Ning, pursed her lips, and reluctantly said, "Fine."
The shopkeeper was quick. In less than an hour, he brought the completely made-over Song Shiye and Qin Feng out of the dressing room.
They had tall builds and great figures, and the warlord uniforms they donned made them appear even more upright. The enhanced makeup amplified their facial features, completely unrecognizable from their original selves. Paired with deep blue contact lenses, they looked like dashing figures who had stepped out of another dimension.
It was the first time Qin Feng and Song Shiye had undergone such a dramatic transformation. They stared at their reflections in the mirror, feeling a little awkward.
Sang Ning was very satisfied. The two of them had essentially been given new faces, fully complying with the production team’s requirement not to reveal their real appearances.
The shopkeeper was also pleased with his craftsmanship. Unable to resist, he took another couple of glances at Qin Feng and Song Shiye, then asked Sang Ning eagerly for praise, "Sister Sang, what do you think? Happy with my skills?"
"Thrilled, very thrilled!" Sang Ning responded enthusiastically. She simultaneously gestured for the PD to come over. When the PD, puzzled, approached, she pointed at him and said to the shopkeeper, "I want to rent the clothes for one night. Charge whatever you see fit for makeup and clothing rental, and just get the money from him."
The shopkeeper quickly shook his head, "No, no, I can’t accept the money. You’re shopping in my store, which is essentially free advertising for me. How could I possibly charge you?"
"Business is business. We’re your customers, you should charge us," Sang Ning said as she leaned closer to whisper in the girl’s ear, her voice low, "Besides, the production team is paying. Don’t bother feeling bad for me."
The girl smiled and nodded, "Alright then."
"The production team’s budget for today doesn’t include makeup and styling!" The PD looked at Sang Ning in shock; he had assumed the guests would cover the costs themselves.
"Can’t you just add it on temporarily?" Sang Ning said as if it were the most natural thing. "We still have to help the production team earn back seven ticket fees. What’s wrong with you investing a bit more? Didn’t you say you wanted us to have fun and enjoy ourselves? Show some sincerity."
"Cash or transfer?" The shopkeeper cheerfully extended his hand, asking for payment. The embarrassed PD used his walkie-talkie to inform the director, and before long, staff arrived to settle the bill.
Just when they thought that was the end of it, Sang Ning led the guests out of the studio and walked into a quiet bar nearby. She spent more of the production team’s money to borrow violins, cellos, and saxophones.
After gathering the instruments, Sang Ning had everyone except Qin Feng and Song Shiye put on headgear. They then headed to the free ice sculpture exhibition area.
The photographer and PD followed behind stealthily. The PD sighed into the walkie-talkie and said to the director, "Director Zhou, was all this really necessary? Wouldn’t it have been much simpler to just pay the ticket fees right from the start?"
Zhou Rui hadn’t anticipated that Sang Ning would always find new ways to put him in a bind. Although frustrated to have been outmaneuvered once again, he didn’t show his true emotions and instead scolded the PD, "You don’t know a thing! What’s a little money compared to ratings? Those eccentrics pulling off eccentric stunts are exactly what we want!"
As night deepened, the amusement park was illuminated by vibrant lights, and fast-paced, catchy music buzzed everywhere. It was now the park’s liveliest time.
After asking the park staff, Sang Ning confirmed that the free ice sculpture exhibition area was located where they had worked on ice sculptures earlier in the day. She quickly led everyone over.
Upon arrival, Sang Ning found that both the ice sculpting display stands and the nearby heated shelters for visitors were crowded with people. The allure of "free" was undeniably strong!
Sang Ning thickened her skin as she pulled a stool from in front of the display stands to let Jiang Xiaoti sit, assigning her to play the cello. She then had Li Haidong and Wei Lan stand beside Jiang Xiaoti and dragged Lu Yujing to the front. Finally, she positioned Qin Feng and Song Shiye off to the side, one on each end, like imposing gatekeepers.
"Watch my hand gestures. When I signal to start, you three begin playing, and you’re responsible for dancing," Sang Ning assigned tasks to the music and dance group. Then, she glanced at Qin Feng and Song Shiye, "As for you two, smiling and looking handsome will suffice."
"Ready?" Sang Ning made a final confirmation.
Sensing that embarrassment would be collective anyway—especially since their faces were covered—everyone was relaxed. They nodded in agreement.
Sang Ning stood at the front as the conductor. With a raise of her hand, Jiang Xiaoti drew her bow across the strings to set the tone. Wei Lan followed closely with her violin, allowing the melodious harmony to form. When Li Haidong’s saxophone joined in, the volume soared.
Tourists sculpting ice figurines nearby heard the commotion and looked up to see what was going on.
Still wearing her mask, Sang Ning tilted her chin subtly to signal Lu Yujing. After a brief hesitation, Lu Yujing rose gracefully and began dancing to the rhythm of Swan Lake.
Lu Yujing took her craft seriously. Even though she was essentially performing to humor Sang Ning, her dance moves were executed flawlessly—it was her reputation on the line, after all. Sloppy moves could risk others mocking the credibility of her "principal dancer" status.
The guests’ ensemble was undeniably peculiar. They performed elegant music and graceful choreography, but their outfits were simply informal down jackets, topped with quirky animal masks. The striking contrast was thoroughly attention-grabbing.
Visitors put down their ice sculpting tools and ran over to see what the fuss was all about.
A few young women were enchanted by this unusual form of artistic performance. When they noticed Qin Feng and Song Shiye nearby, they were so overwhelmed by excitement that they clenched their fists, covered their faces, and began squealing: "Ahhhhhh! I’m going to faint from their handsomeness—can such beauty even exist in real life?"
Sang Ning seized the moment, stepping forward in her deer mask and asking, "Good evening, princesses. Do you find these two staff members handsome?"
The young women, utterly mesmerized, nodded without hesitation, "Handsome! So, so handsome! Way more attractive than celebrities! I’ve never seen anyone this good-looking before!"
Flattered by the recognition of their looks, Qin Feng and Song Shiye were delighted. However, they didn’t forget their promotional duties. They exchanged glances, then simultaneously opened gift boxes in their hands, offering them to the young women: "Would you be interested in purchasing a handcrafted ice sculpture for 280 yuan apiece?"
The young women were all students vacationing during winter break. Their travel budgets were already tight. As soon as they heard the price, they snapped back to reality, with even the temptation of good looks fading away. Backing away in unison, one of them awkwardly waved her hand and chuckled, "No, no thanks! That’s way too expensive for us to afford!"
The group immediately fled, though not very far—just a few steps back—before whipping out their phones to take pictures and admire the handsome men from a safe distance.
"Can you all hold your composure for a bit?" Sang Ning said, exasperated but understanding. The young women clearly were students still dependent on their families financially. They weren’t her target customers anyway. Even if they had been willing to spend, she wouldn’t have taken their money—she was merely trying to draw a larger crowd.
