The next few days flew by in a flash. True to Xue Ning's word, she refused to entertain even the slightest hint of flirtation from Jingwei, making sure all his focus was on preparing for the
for the press conference.
Jingwei had sulked, but seen the wisdom in her words when he found himself more sure of himself. He had run through the given information and even predicted more questions outside the list given, and he had his answers sent to Shengli for vetting.
("So how's this? I thought of some new things they might ask, and here are my answers."
Shengli stared at him over the video call, and then stared at the document. It wasn't filled with nonsense, they were actual valid questions with good supported answers!
"What happened to you? You're being proactive." Shengli asked. "Are you dying?")
Shengli had thought he was dying or possessed, until Jingwei mentioned Xue Ning's ultimatum. Then he merely laughed at Jingwei's plight and hung up the phone.
Such a great friend!
Then on the morning of the press conference, Shengli dropped a minor bomb on Xue Ning.
"You have to show up in a beautiful outfit," he declared with no room for argument when he came over to Jingwei's apartment for one last trial run. "None of your ratty T-shirts and jeans," he continued, casting her outfit a disparaging gaze. "You are Jingwei's fake fiancee, and you have to look the part. Make sure to get your hair and make up done."
"What outfit? I have nothing to wear!" Xue Ning asked, outraged. "And I have no makeup!"
"Then get some with Jingwei's money then," Shengli said, unsympathetic. "His black card is good for something."
"That's not the issue here! I don't even know what the standards are!" Xue Ning squaked. "Even if you gave me the money, I wouldn't know what to buy!" And the last thing she wanted to do was to splurge and end up looking like a cheap hooker, or some desperate social climber.
Even if this engagement was fake, she had some semblance of pride!
"Okay, I'll send you to Su Yan." Jingwei said, after thinking for a moment. "She specialises in makeovers, and she'll get you ready by the time the press conference begins."
"So I'll meet you there at the venue directly?" Xue Ning asked warily. "Will you be safe on the way there?"
Shengli interrupted. "Oh he'll be fine. The trouble only starts when the reporters start opening their mouths."
"If you say so." Xue Ning sighed. The things she did for her job. "Where is this Su Yan located?"
=====
Su Yan was apparently located in the heart of Shanghai, her hybrid boutique studio located right in the middle of several shopping districts. The cab fare Xue Ning paid to get there would have given her a heart attack, thankfully it was from Jingwei's limitless pockets.
'Le Belle Maison' She read, her lips moving wordlessly. Another place with a western name, perhaps French?
Strangely enough, her palms were feeling sweaty. She wasn't even this nervous when facing off Xiumin in the toilet. Possibly because she had no idea what to actually expect. Just as she was about to knock, a sharp voice from inside the boutique interrupted her thoughts.
"Are you going to stand there like a block of wood, or are you going to enter? I don't have all day."
Xue Ning frowned and immediately opened the door, only to be greeted with an effortlessly beautiful woman wearing wire-rim glasses. Her hair was a soft brown, and it curled around her face gently to make her look sweet and sincere.
However, the look in her eyes was nothing short of judgmental as she slowly raked her eyes up and down her figure. Xue Ning fought the urge to cover herself with her hands - she wasn't going to let some stranger intimidate her.
"Are you Su Yan?" She asked. "Jingwei told me to find you."
"Yes he did, and I see why." She pursed her lips. "I have a very tight deadline when it comes to your case, so let's get started."
"What are you going to do?" Xue Ning asked, even as she followed Su Yan to an area full of dressing tables, where several assistants were on duty. There were already women getting ready at other dressing tables, with hair stylists and makeup artists working on them.
"Normally we would start with hair and makeup, but because you're new, I need to conduct an analysis on you first." She led her past the dressing tables to another secluded room, where another assistant waited.
"Now strip, I need to take your measurements."
Xue Ning choked, wondering if she was joking - but no, she was dead serious, and with every second that Xue Ning wasn't moving, her face grew darker.
"Why?" Xue Ning asked.
"So I can get you fitted for your outfit." She said primly. "Mr Sun requested me to make his fiancee presentable for a press conference, and that's what I'm going to do.
"The reputation of my studio depends on this. I will not fail, no matter how reluctant you are, or how difficult you are to work with." She continued determinedly. "My studio does not tolerate spoiled brats."
"I'm not a spoiled brat!" Xue Ning retorted, aghast. Was that why Su Yan was so curt with her? She thought Xue Ning was a pampered bratty heiress deliberately out to make trouble for her!
She had to defend herself.
"I'm telling you now, I work two jobs, and I've never been to a makeover place! I don't even know how to match my foundation! I've never plucked my eyebrows! I buy the cheapest lipstick and use it as blush! I - "
"I get it, I get it, please stop talking," Su Yan pleaded. Her whole body was twitching as she heard about Xue Ning's inexperience with cosmetics. The disregard for makeup and beauty was making her itch!
This wouldn't do.
Meanwhile, the assistant's mouth also fell open in surprise. If this woman was telling the truth, then how could she possibly be Sun Jingwei's type?
Was she a liar?
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel