Chapter 91: Applying Makeup to Cover It Up
Jiang Xue’s biggest worry had materialized.
Xiao Luo, after a roundabout inquiry, had made the most unexpected choice at the moment when she felt most at ease—although this was within her expectations, the roundabout way it happened still caught her off guard.
She felt as if she was enveloped in a faint, sweet orange fragrance.
The cat, which had been reserved and testing the waters, perhaps seeing that she didn’t react or resist, moved the hand that had been circling her to cup her face, the soft touch slowly and deliberately deepening.
Jiang Xue instinctively struggled, pulling her knees up and curling her toes.
But she quickly gave in, closing her eyes and relaxing her body, letting Xiao Luohan’s black hair fall onto her neck.
…So well-behaved.
Watching her fluttering eyelashes, even with her eyes closed, Xiao Luohan sighed inwardly, genuinely worried for her.
Such unguardedness, such willingness to accommodate, was it truly, as she had said, only towards her? Or would it be the same with anyone else?
If Jiang Xue went to university alone, would she be deceived in a relationship?
This worry, however, couldn’t be voiced for now, so Xiao Luohan added it to her future goals, planning to write it down in the locked note in her notes app tomorrow morning.
Since arriving in this world, she had been diligently supplementing her common knowledge through various channels, either by asking elders like Sister Cheng, Jiang Mei, and Grandma Xie, or by searching for keywords in the apps Jiang Xue had downloaded for her, reading the “shared experiences” of strangers online.
She had also inadvertently learned about her own strong possessiveness towards those she cared about.
Growing up, she had rarely fought for anything, practically drifting through life—after all, she was only supposed to live for eighteen years before dying due to her physical defects.
So she had gradually become accustomed to accepting things passively, even silently agreeing to things that caused her immense pain and suffering.
Willingly taking Jiang Xue’s outstretched hand and escaping the mire of the ancient world was the first thing she had fought for.
Now, wanting to keep Jiang Xue by her side… or being bound to Jiang Xue’s side, was the second.
“How can I go to the same university as you as soon as possible?” Xiao Luohan asked softly, thinking of this.
Jiang Xue felt lightheaded, her body temperature rising as if she had a fever. After hearing this question, she was stunned for a few seconds, then instinctively replied, “We can just rent an apartment together off-campus!”
Academic qualifications did have to be earned according to the regulations, but living together wasn’t difficult, was it?
“The university environment isn’t as strict as elementary, middle, and high school. Even non-students can freely enter and exit the campus. As long as you don’t cause trouble, no one will care,” she added, seeing Xiao Luohan’s puzzled look. “You can come with me to my classes, or you can study at home. The libraries and study rooms in some universities are open to the public, and some people even turn shops in quiet areas on campus into study rooms…”
After Jiang Xue’s rambling explanation, Xiao Luohan finally understood what she meant.
She almost thought she had misheard.
Was Jiang Xue… also planning to keep her by her side?
“Then it’s settled!” Xiao Luohan said immediately, snapping out of her daze. “No matter which city you go to for university, I’ll live with you!”
Jiang Xue was startled by her reaction. Just as she was about to say something, she felt her hand being held tightly—Xiao Luohan’s slender fingers intertwined with hers, her hand clasped firmly.
Their eyes met for a long time. As her emotions calmed, Jiang Xue suddenly realized something.
“…But what about your own future?” she murmured. “Aren’t you going to take the ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage Special Enrollment’ exam? Those masters all have their own studios, mostly in the same city. You can’t just give up your future to live with me.”
Even if she didn’t take the special enrollment exam and took the regular college entrance exam, she still had to fill out eighty choices. No one knew which university they would be admitted to until they received the notification.
“Although I’d love for us to live together during university, I really can’t agree to that.” She also tightened her grip on Xiao Luohan’s hand, her fingertips gently caressing the back of her hand. “Whether as family, or… as your benefactor.”
There was another relationship she didn’t dare voice.
Even if they were lovers, she wouldn’t want Xiao Luo to sacrifice her career for love.
Life wasn’t just about love. Having skills, a career, and the ability to earn enough money was the foundation of everything.
She didn’t mind supporting Xiao Luo for the rest of her life, but she couldn’t, because of her own desires, deprive Xiao Luo of the right to pursue her own path in this world.
Jiang Xue felt the hand holding hers tremble violently, but she didn’t flinch, continuing to look into Xiao Luohan’s eyes.
Having one’s hopeful expectations rejected would naturally evoke strong emotions. She didn’t even mind if Xiao Luo took out her frustration on her.
This was something she had to clarify with Xiao Luo sooner or later. Even if she avoided it now, she would bring it up after the college entrance exam.
After a long while, Xiao Luohan’s soft hair fell again.
Feeling her warm breath on her neck, Jiang Xue felt a sense of danger.
But she suppressed the urge to dodge, closing her eyes, willingly letting the cat nibble on the same spot again.
…It still hurt a little. Would the gentle and well-behaved Ragdoll cat she had rescued eventually turn into a bat?
“I know you’re doing this for my own good, and I accept your refusal,” Xiao Luohan’s warm breath tickled her ear.
“I’m sorry, but I’m still… a little angry.”
This slightly resentful tone actually eased Jiang Xue’s nervousness. She even reached out and patted Xiao Luohan, pulling her into an embrace.
“No need to apologize, it’s normal to be angry about this. You can even use me as a punching bag if you want,” she said softly, comforting her. “We still have a long way to go. Four years of university will fly by. As for work, I can guarantee that I’ll find a job nearby—I’m a homebody.”
This was a promise she could make.
“You can even travel to distant places to see the world. I can’t say for sure about other countries, but it’s very safe domestically. There are so many girls traveling alone all over the country. Wherever you go, I’ll be here, and there will always be a bed and a place at the table for you at home.”
The sounds of fireworks and firecrackers outside gradually subsided, only the rustling of the wind and snow against the window remained.
Xiao Luohan didn’t reply, just buried her face in Jiang Xue’s hair.
The road ahead was indeed long. Although she desperately wanted to bind Jiang Xue with a promise, at this moment, she let go.
She still couldn’t bear to dim the bright sun shining in the sky.
“I’ll remember your words.”
Then she wouldn’t make a promise, just remember.
“Me too.” Jiang Xue’s hand, which had been patting her back, moved to her hair, gently resting on the back of her head. After a while, she asked cautiously, “Um, do you still want to sleep?”
“I can’t sleep,” Xiao Luohan said, her warm breath tickling Jiang Xue’s ear.
Jiang Xue didn’t dare suggest anything else. Feeling guilty, even as she was being “nibbled” by the cat, she didn’t dare resist.
Finally, Xiao Luohan sat up and started getting dressed, as if about to get out of bed.
“Where are you going? It’s still early, right?” Jiang Xue asked, propping herself up.
“…To apply makeup, to cover this up,” Xiao Luohan said, seemingly getting dressed efficiently, but her cheeks and ears were flushed pink. “We should stay up for the New Year countdown together, right?”
Jiang Xue, who had been “nibbled” until now, finally understood and exclaimed, “Ah!” She hurriedly got up, threw on a jacket, and rushed to the bathroom to check the “damage.”
…It was quite noticeable. Although the cat had been gentle, the area was large, and there were even a few teeth marks.
A few minutes later, Jiang Xue sat nervously in front of the vanity mirror, closing her eyes, trusting Xiao Luo’s makeup skills completely.
After all, she had personally taught Xiao Luo how to apply makeup, and her older sister and Ms. Wei had also given her pointers. There shouldn’t be any problems…
“You should also wear a scarf,” Xiao Luohan suggested, patting her face with powder. “I remember you like wearing that white, fluffy short scarf. It looks good with a long, dark wool coat.”
Even though the turtleneck sweater was enough to cover her neck, just in case…
Jiang Xue agreed. After Xiao Luo finished applying her makeup, she found the short scarf and put it on, just to be safe.
It wasn’t convenient to apply makeup to her ears, so she simply let her hair down and even tied two large red ribbons on either side.
“Won’t this be too obvious?” Xiao Luohan asked, worried. “You don’t usually wear them.”
And… they didn’t quite match her outfit.
“It’s okay, it’s New Year’s Eve, it’s not strange for me to wear anything festive,” Jiang Xue gave her a thumbs-up.
Xiao Luohan thought for a moment, then also took out a large ribbon. “Then I’ll wear one too.”
Jiang Xue didn’t want her to actually wear two ribbons, so she quickly picked a plaid one and tied it at the back of Xiao Luohan’s head, then asked, “Do you want to wear makeup too?”
Their positions remained the same, but their roles reversed. Jiang Xue opened the makeup and steadily started applying it.
When it came to the lips, she hesitated between lipstick and lip gloss.
The lipstick would enhance her complexion, but the lip gloss would make her lips look softer and more lustrous.
“What’s wrong?” Xiao Luohan asked.
Jiang Xue hesitated, then explained the effects of both, leaving the choice to Xiao Luohan. “I’ll apply whichever you prefer.”
Xiao Luohan didn’t care much about enhancing her complexion. After hearing Jiang Xue’s explanation, she realized that Jiang Xue wanted to use the lip gloss.
Would the lustrous finish make Jiang Xue want to kiss her more?
So she picked up the lip gloss without hesitation.
Jiang Xue didn’t know what she was thinking. After carefully applying the lip gloss, she watched as Xiao Luohan pursed her lips. She had originally just wanted to check if it was evenly applied, but she couldn’t look away.
…No! Xiao Luo was being proactive to “fill the void” in her heart. Since she knew this, she couldn’t let Xiao Luo misunderstand!
“Will it come off?” Xiao Luohan’s voice brought her back to her senses.
“It usually does,” Jiang Xue coughed lightly and said seriously. “So you have to reapply after eating or drinking…”
Before she could finish, her wrist was gently grasped, and her hand, which wasn’t holding the lip gloss, was lifted.
Before Jiang Xue could react, she heard a soft sound on the back of her hand.
“Yes, it does come off.”
The “culprit” not only didn’t let go of her hand, but also said, looking at the mirror, “Please help me reapply.”
