Chapter 53: Huo Changliu

The more she thought about it, the more refreshed she felt. She decided to take out her phone and play some white noise.
She still had work tomorrow and couldn’t afford to be distracted by romantic entanglements!
She slept through the night without a single dream.

Yu Youchu smoothly got through the remaining work hours. By Wednesday, she received her internship evaluation form. After reading it over and over, she realized all she needed now was to wait for the official employment notice.
Once she completed her graduation thesis and defense in June, she would smoothly transition to a full-time position.

Stretching contentedly at her desk, Yu Youchu opened her phone and saw a message from Mu Chuan.
“Congratulations on your internship coming to an end. What are your plans next?”
“Same to you.”

Yu Youchu knew Mu Chuan was asking whether she planned to stay at the company or return to focus on graduation.
But she had no real hesitation.
Her thesis and defense had been prepared long ago.
All that remained was revising and graduating smoothly. Staying at school now would just be a waste of time; better to save up some money.

“I will probably continue at the company. What about you?”
“I’m not a fresh graduate. I graduated last year and took a gap year. This year, I naturally transitioned straight to full-time.”

Yu Youchu shed a tear of envy.
“It must be so nice to get a full-time salary early...”
“Call me senior, and I’ll treat you to a latte.”

Yu Youchu sent a speechless emoji, then put down her phone and began organizing the documents and materials needed for school after the internship ended.

After work, Pei Jiayin took Yu Youchu straight home.
“Didn't you promise to attend a dinner party tonight?” Yu Youchu took a cushion compact out of her bag, ready to apply a base layer of makeup. “Why are we going home? Is there enough time?”

Pei Jiayin stopped her hand. “You don’t need to do it yourself.”

Yu Youchu blinked in confusion. At this hour, there wouldn’t be enough time to go somewhere for styling.

Pei Jiayin saw the doubt in her eyes. “You’ll know as soon as you walk inside.”

With one hand, he pushed open the door, and with the other, led Yu Youchu into the house.

What had been an empty living room was now almost overflowing. Yet, the actual number of people was few. Various unevenly stacked packages filled the space.

The entire room was chaotic yet orderly. Someone was efficiently directing the remaining assistants. Amid the flickering movement of figures, everyone seemed to revolve like stars around the model in the upper-left corner, showcasing the gown before Yu Youchu and Pei Jiayin.

Yu Youchu had never seen such a vibrant, lush green on a dress before.
It was impossible to look away.

“Mr. Pei, Miss, hello.”

The woman who had been directing the assistants was now standing before Yu Youchu and Pei Jiayin, though Yu Youchu hadn’t noticed when she appeared.

“This is our first collaboration. I hope we’ll have many more opportunities in the future.”

She was the first to extend her hand.

Pei Jiayin responded with a firm handshake.

“No need for formalities.”

Yu Youchu blinked, clearly still not quite back to herself.

If one word could best describe the woman, it would be serene.

Seeing her, the surrounding noise seemed to fade. When she spoke, her voice wrapped around like water, calming the restless heart.

Her features were gentle and soft, like willow leaves lightly floating on her face. Her cheeks were pale and cool, her lips translucent, and her dark hair fell heavily, blending into the deep black of her tailored suit.

“I suppose this must be today’s client.”

When she smiled, it was like spring breezes stirring the willows. She reached out to shake Yu Youchu’s hand.

“Hello, my surname is Yu.”

“Miss Yu, nice to meet you. I’m your stylist for today. My surname is Huo, but you can call me Changliu.”

Yu Youchu nodded.

Her name suited her perfectly.

“Let’s not waste time; we’ll start right away.”

Huo Changliu put on her half-rim glasses, her aura becoming sharper. Although she was at the forefront of fashion, her attire was very understated—a basic dark suit that could easily be overlooked in a crowd.

Yu Youchu noticed that under her nimble hands, every fine detail of the makeup was perfectly handled. Her hairstyling was effortless—shapes emerged instantly without dragging on, and no unnecessary time was wasted where it wasn’t needed.

She embodied efficiency.

Perhaps because of her gentle temperament, Yu Youchu began to feel drowsy beside her, her eyelids drooping intermittently.

“Sorry, I’m a bit boring,” Yu Youchu said sheepishly.

Her head bowed more noticeably, prompting Huo Changliu to softly call her back to attention.

Her voice was like silk, and it jolted Yu Youchu awake.

“You’re too kind. I’ve just been a bit tired these days.”

Huo Changliu smiled lightly. “Only one step left.” She raised her hand, dipping the black lipstick brush into shades of deep and light red, delicately tracing Yu Youchu’s lower lip.

Yu Youchu felt a flush rise to her cheeks and had to look into the mirror.

What she saw surprised her pleasantly.

Her eyes, like distant mountains cloaked in mist, conveyed the warmth of spring. The layered eyeshadow accented her striking dark eyes with a blend of deep and soft greens, interwoven with deliberate calmness. At a glance, it seemed natural and effortless, leaving no trace of artifice.

Instead of overshadowing her original temperament, the makeup enhanced it, leaving an unforgettable impression.

“Marvelous... like a miracle,” Yu Youchu whispered, afraid that any sudden movement might ruin the makeup.

“What?”

“Miss Huo, I mean you have the touch of a miracle worker!” Yu Youchu raised her right hand, giving Huo Changliu a thumbs-up.

Huo Changliu didn’t expect such praise and smiled shyly on the spot.

“You are naturally beautiful; I really like your look.”

She sent someone to retrieve the gown from downstairs.

“The moment I saw your photo, I knew this dress belonged to you.” The fabric was soft and smooth, almost weightless in her hands.

When Yu Youchu looked closely, the lush green layers seemed to ripple and shimmer like water waves on the flowing silk.

She carefully took the dress.

It felt unexpectedly substantial—denser, heavier, with an undeniable drape.

When worn, the gown cascaded like a mountain stream.

“It suits you perfectly.” When Yu Youchu stepped out, Huo Changliu couldn’t help but exclaim.

Now, Yu Youchu looked like a flawless piece of white jade—pure, smooth, and naturally radiant.

Huo Changliu took the accessories from her assistant and added the final touches.

Crimson jade earrings peeked through Yu Youchu’s hair, and a delicate bracelet shimmered over dark silk gloves. With each step, she was impossible to overlook.

Pei Jiayin had already changed into suitable attire and waited downstairs for Yu Youchu.

His deep gaze precisely found her location.