As soon as Tao Xinglai entered the makeup room, he got scolded again.

“What on earth was that you posted on Weibo yesterday? Didn’t I already pick out a photo for you?” A small company leader practically poked her nails into his face.

Tao Xinglai put on a cheeky smile, standing there to endure the lecture, occasionally explaining, “I thought that picture wasn’t appropriate. After all, Children’s Day is coming up, and it wouldn’t look good...”

“What does Children’s Day have to do with you!” The leader was furious. “Why didn’t you just wait until Chinese New Year?”

“I wanted to.” Tao Xinglai lowered his eyes, looking down at his nose, muttering, “Isn’t it still a bit early to be sending New Year greetings?”

The leader’s face instantly turned seven shades of red like a rainbow.

Here’s what happened: A few days ago, the company instructed Tao Xinglai to select a topless photo showing off his abs and chest muscles to post on Weibo, aiming to grab some attention.

But when they checked in the morning, he had posted an everyday casual photo of himself wearing a down jacket while admiring snow scenery—no explosive content whatsoever.

The leader had been in a bad mood these past few days because the company lost an endorsement deal, and now Tao Xinglai had walked right into the line of fire.

“The company has worked hard to package and promote you. Once your Weibo photo went live, we were going to immediately buy a trending headline to get you noticed. But no, you go ahead and mess around privately, posting some useless photo!”

Tao Xinglai fiddled with the hem of his shirt, rolling his fingers and then letting them go. “What’s wrong with it? That down jacket is brand new.”

Seeing the leader about to explode again, the nearby agent, Brother Qiang, quickly intervened. “President Xu is right—it’s my fault for not making things clear to him. We’ll post something more sensational later, definitely aligning with the company’s promotional plan.”

After venting, the leader left.

Tao Xinglai let out a scoff.

“Scoff all you want!” Brother Qiang was angry. “Are you asking for trouble? Why didn’t you follow the instructions for the photo?”

“That would’ve been a nude photo,” Tao Xinglai said, wincing at the thought. “That would destroy my pure image.”

Brother Qiang rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry, no one cares if you’re pure or not right now.”

Because Tao Xinglai wasn’t famous.

The company signed him because they were temporarily dazzled by his looks—he was indeed handsome, and his demeanor was presentable. But these days, the young idol market is nearly saturated. Without resources and the company lacking marketing strength, Tao Xinglai was at best a fourth-tier artist—the kind who dies in the first episode of a TV drama.

Brother Qiang pulled out his phone. “I’ll call the photographer to take a picture right away and post it.” The call connected. “Hello? Jiji, this is Ah Qiang. Yes, take a photo of Tao Xinglai. No need for styling—just strip down, make it sexy, flirty, and dreamy.”

In summary, they wanted to create an ambiguous sense of sexual orientation.

Tao Xinglai was annoyed. “Are you trying to ruin me? My abs aren’t even ready yet!”

Brother Qiang cursed under his breath. “You really lack professionalism! What kind of young idol doesn’t have abs? I told you to hit the gym two months ago!”

Tao Xinglai groaned. “Stop yelling; your voice sounds like Niu Niu’s. I just took a vacation at home, eating stewed goose every day. Both my abs have gone to feed the geese.”

From this conversation, Brother Qiang somehow imagined an entire animal kingdom.

He casually asked, “Who’s Niu Niu?”

Tao Xinglai sprayed hair gel in front of the mirror, whistling playfully. “My Golden Retriever at home.”

Brother Qiang really disliked talking to him.

His thoughts always ran wild.

With a somber expression, Brother Qiang said, “Take the photos properly later.”

“Let’s just call it quits. It’s not like I haven’t been scolded already.” Tao Xinglai didn’t feel like putting himself through more.

“Don’t talk nonsense! You haven’t taken any jobs in two months! I’m barely scraping by with a base salary of 1,500 yuan a month!” Brother Qiang was furious—he needed to eat two chicken legs every day.

Hearing this, Tao Xinglai felt a pang of guilt.

“Ten minutes from now, go to Room C to find the makeup artist. They’ll be arriving soon.” After giving instructions, Brother Qiang left to handle other matters.

Tao Xinglai lifted his shirt and looked at his abdomen.

It was flat, but without any definition, which made him feel somewhat sorry for the audience.

________________________________________

In the neighboring rest area:

“Xiao Shu, here are the questions for the upcoming interview. Familiarize yourself with them,” Li Zhaoyao handed the script to Qiao Shu, who was getting her makeup done, and instructed the makeup artist, “Change the lipstick shade; her outfit for the show is white.”

A nearby assistant held up the script so Qiao Shu could read it easily. Her eye makeup was complete, and every blink made her eyes look like fluttering peach blossoms, very enchanting.

She asked while reading, “Who was arguing over there earlier?”

Li Zhaoyao flipped through the schedule without looking up. “One of the company’s artists, I think. Hurry up; we need to head to the fifth-floor studio in forty minutes.”

Qiao Shu smiled faintly. “Talkative, quite amusing.”

It was like listening to a short stand-up comedy routine.

These makeup rooms were separated by wooden panels, so the soundproofing wasn’t great. While getting her makeup done, Qiao Shu clearly heard Tao Xinglai’s conversation next door.

Li Zhaoyao marked important tasks and reminded Qiao Shu, “This Wednesday, there will be a photoshoot for LS’s new sunglasses, with a few male models as extras.”

Qiao Shu nodded slightly, tilting her chin up.

Li Zhaoyao leaned in to carefully inspect her makeup.

Qiao Shu had a solid foundation—her features were delicate yet striking, suitable for both bold and subtle makeup. Though she hadn’t debuted early, she was meticulous in selecting roles, working only on high-quality projects, mostly big-budget action films.

She had beauty and talent, far surpassing her peers.

After finishing Qiao Shu’s makeup, Li Zhaoyao needed to confirm some details with the program producers.

“You can rest for a bit; I’ll call you when I’m done.”

Qiao Shu put on earrings in front of the mirror and replied, “Go ahead.”

Alone in the dressing room, Qiao Shu walked over to the sofa, sat down, and scrolled through Weibo on her phone.

Notifications for comments and retweets were turned off, but her rare posts still garnered thousands of replies.

Qiao Shu tapped into the search bar and typed “Tao Xinglai.”

When the page loaded, she couldn’t help but laugh.

Tao Xinglai’s most popular Weibo post read: [Got drunk tonight and spent the whole night counting the fastest money.]

Though popular, it had fewer than a hundred comments.

Scrolling further up:

[Got drunk again and bought myself twenty years of QQ membership—super VIP.]

Qiao Shu chuckled aloud.

One fan comment he liked read: [Feeling down, thinking of going out for a walk. Where should I go?]

Tao Xinglai replied: [The living room is perfect.]

Qiao Shu thought, this guy is really entertaining.

At that moment, someone knocked on the door—a perfunctory “knock knock knock.” Without waiting for a response, the door opened.

Tao Xinglai stood with his hand on the doorknob, muttering, “No one’s here. Where’s the makeup artist? That big liar Li Xiaoqiang tricked me again.”

His gaze shifted and landed on the figure sitting on the side sofa.

Startled, he exclaimed, “A living thing! Why didn’t you say anything? That’s a bit unsettling.”

Qiao Shu furrowed her brows slightly, recognizing the visitor. She thought, how strange.

She straightened her back casually, folding her arms across her chest.

Tao Xinglai closed the door behind him, walked to the mirror, and pulled up a chair. “So you’re the makeup artist? Come on, give me a quick touch-up.”

Qiao Shu was startled internally. “Is he blind?”

“What’s wrong? Did sitting too long make your legs numb?” Tao Xinglai glanced at the mirror while urging her. “Hurry up; I’m in a rush.”

Tao Xinglai, confident in his own beauty, sighed, “Impersonators like you have it tough.”

Qiao Shu: “???”

“Last time, I met someone impersonating Andy Lau. He looked so much like him, though I could tell his hooked nose was fake.” Tao Xinglai smoothed his mohawk hairstyle. “But you’re talented—you’re both a makeup artist and an impersonator.”

Suppressing laughter, Qiao Shu raised an eyebrow and stood up. “Then who do you think I resemble?”

Tao Xinglai: “Qiao Shu, of course.”

“Do I look like her?”

“Not really.” Tao Xinglai said, “You’re much prettier than her.”

Qiao Shu stifled a laugh, her eyes crinkling slightly. “Thank you for the compliment. Sit down; I’ll do your makeup.”

Honestly, Tao Xinglai had only seen Qiao Shu on TV. His status wasn’t high enough to share a stage with her. Recently, Apple Satellite had launched a celebrity impersonation show, which became wildly popular. Some people bore striking resemblances to celebrities.

The top floor of the building was rented out as a studio, and the impersonation show happened to be filming there.

Tao Xinglai assumed she was impersonating Qiao Shu’s celebrity face.

“Let me tell you what I need,” Tao Xinglai said, settling comfortably into the chair. “No need to touch the eyebrows or eyes…”

“I know.” Qiao Shu interrupted, approaching him, her light fragrance wafting over. “Your agent already told me.”

Tao Xinglai: “Alright.”

Qiao Shu extended her index finger and poked his shoulder. “Stand up.”

“Why?”

“To apply makeup.”

Confused but compliant, Tao Xinglai stood up. At 186 cm, he towered impressively before Qiao Shu.

“Take off your clothes.”

“!!!” Tao Xinglai blinked, thinking he’d misheard.

Qiao Shu, channeling her acting skills, tilted her chin and recalled the name of his agent. “Strong Brother instructed me. He said your abs have been ‘fed to the geese,’ and he’s worried about how the photos will turn out, so we need to enhance them.”

This explanation seemed plausible. Tao Xinglai hesitated, his hands reaching for his shirt buttons. “How are you going to enhance them?”

Qiao Shu didn’t reply.

Tao Xinglai made an “Oh” sound and obediently took off his shirt.

Once he was undressed, Qiao Shu picked up an eyebrow pencil and crouched down.

“Wow, this position is pretty challenging,” Tao Xinglai said nervously. “This feels awkward.”

During her school days at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, Qiao Shu was known for her crying scenes and physical performances, never breaking character.

She said seriously, “It’s simple—just draw abs.”

Tao Xinglai was shocked. Holy cow , it was like stepping into a whole new world…

Qiao Shu removed the cap from her pen and leaned in closer. Her breath unconsciously brushed against Tao Xinglai’s skin, causing a faint, almost imperceptible itch.

Tao Xinglai’s skin was fair, his abdomen flat and clean. Though his abs weren’t defined, there wasn’t an ounce of excess fat. His waistline was sharp and neatly tapered into his hips.

He wore a pair of jeans with a punk-style belt. Qiao Shu thought to herself, He’s quite fashionable.

Her gaze drifted lower. A narrow strip of his underwear peeked out—it was a vivid orange.

Perhaps the brightness of the orange caught her attention for a brief moment.

Tao Xinglai lowered his eyes. “Hey.”

“Hmm?” Qiao Shu snapped back to attention, looking up to meet his gaze.

One high, one low—their eyes met briefly.

Qiao Shu spoke seriously. “Stick your stomach out a bit.”

Tao Xinglai arched his butt slightly, thrusting his body forward.

Qiao Shu: “...”

Without hesitation, she began drawing lines on his abs with great focus. Two lines on the left, two horizontal lines on the right, and a cross in the middle, forming a large square.

“Done.” Qiao Shu capped her pen. “Put your clothes back on.”

Tao Xinglai checked himself in the mirror, deeply skeptical. “Does your family grow rice?”

Qiao Shu paused mid-motion, her lips twitching slightly into a suppressed smile.

Li Zhaoyao’s call came through.

“Little Shu, come upstairs to wait for your turn. Take elevator A; security will be there shortly.”

Qiao Shu lazily responded, “Mm.”

Tao Xinglai was still admiring the “rice paddies” on his body and said without turning around, “Good luck winning first place. I heard the prize money is 5,000 yuan.”

Qiao Shu walked to the door, her earrings swaying gently without any breeze. With her back turned, she allowed herself to laugh freely.

“If you win first place, treat me to dinner.”

Ten minutes later, Tao Xinglai entered the studio for the photoshoot.

The photographer, Jiji, was a big shot who had returned from Laos after participating in countless competitions—always finishing in tenth place.

There was nothing they could do; Li Xiaoqiang could only afford her.

“Lift your arms, that’s it. Hands on your hips. Good. Now touch your butt.” Jiji directed Tao Xinglai in posing.

Everything else was manageable, but this touching-the-butt part was…

Something Tao Xinglai enjoyed far too much.

Click.

Click.

After a hundred rapid-fire shots, Jiji gave a thumbs-up. “Perfect.”

Brother Qiang immediately stepped forward. “Let me take a look.”

“They all fit the sexy and wild vibe well, and the abs effect is noticeable.” Jiji covered the camera screen. “Sorry, I can’t show you the raw images yet.”

Tao Xinglai had been shirtless for half the day and felt quite insecure.

As he put his clothes back on, he said, “Brother Qiang, you’re pretty experienced. You even got the makeup artist to draw abs on me.”

“What nonsense is this?” Brother Qiang replied. “I didn’t tell anyone to draw anything—I thought it was your own dumb idea!”

“Wasn’t this your instruction?” Tao Xinglai paused, his fingers twitching as his brows furrowed deeply.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Brother Qiang waved his hand dismissively. “You’ve got an appointment this afternoon, so don’t wander off too far.”

________________________________________

Night fell.

Jiang Lan Mansion.

A small gathering within their circle—Li Zhaoyao loved organizing these kinds of social events when she had nothing better to do.

The Qiao family belonged to a wealthy conglomerate. East Crown Entertainment, founded by her older brother, boasted over a dozen top-tier artists under its banner, holding up half the entertainment industry’s sky.

When Qiao Shu debuted, she hadn’t relied on her brother at all. Instead, she established her own studio and still soared to success.

A few minor celebrities attending the party, thanks to their connections, didn’t dare to look directly at Qiao Shu.

To them, Qiao Shu was someone at the very top of the pyramid.

“That woman wants your autograph,” Li Zhaoyao said as she sat down, her face flushed after drinking a round of drinks.

Qiao Shu lounged lazily on the sofa, holding a wine glass that swayed slightly with red liquid inside. “Mm, bring it here.”

Li Zhaoyao tilted her head forward. “You’ve been staring at your phone all night. What’s so interesting?”

Qiao Shu didn’t bother hiding it and let her look.

“Scrolling through Weibo, huh? Hmm—Tao Xinglai?” Li Zhaoyao read the name aloud, searching her memory but finding little impression. “We haven’t had any recent projects with him.”

Qiao Shu’s eyes curved like crescent moons. “He’s amusing.”

“What’s so amusing about him?”

Qiao Shu’s eyes slanted upward—authentic peach blossom eyes—and her voice stretched out playfully with a teasing tone. “Everything about him is amusing.”

Li Zhaoyao sensed something was off. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.” Qiao Shu’s gaze lingered on Tao Xinglai’s photo wearing a down jacket and smiled lightly. “In June, posting a picture of winter clothing—don’t you think that’s funny?”

Li Zhaoyao shook her head coldly. “Not really.”

But Qiao Shu seemed to have hit her laughter switch, her mood exceptionally good. “I saw him today.”

“Really? Where?”

“In the makeup room.”

“Oh? Do you think he’s handsome?”

“Just average,” Qiao Shu replied, pursing her lips as she stared at the wine in her glass. “At least he’s not hard on the eyes.”

Li Zhaoyao immediately became wary, scooting closer and asking, “You don’t actually have feelings for him, do you?”

Qiao Shu glanced at her indifferently. “Why so serious? I don’t have any feelings for him. I just think…”

Li Zhaoyao pressed, “Think what?”

When Qiao Shu’s lips curled into a smile, her eyes and eyebrows radiated amusement.

“…his chest looks pretty good.”

Mm-hmm, his pecs.