Chapter 9: You Really Know What to Say

Fan Shengmei hesitated for a moment, then decided to just tell them. They would find out sooner or later anyway, and neither Andy nor Guan Ju’er were the type to gossip with bad intentions.

“Alright, I’ll be honest. I’ve been trying a side hustle. Right now, video platforms online are really taking off. There are all kinds of entertainment videos, and the numbers look good. People love this kind of content, so I thought I’d give it a try. Even if I just make a little pocket money for afternoon tea, that’d be fine.”

“I’m focusing on beauty and makeup.”

Andy’s eyes lit up. The internet was developing at breakneck speed, and even Sheng Xuan’s business ventures were branching into related areas, though in a slightly different direction.

“So when you mentioned foundation, that’s what you meant?”

While they waited for their dishes, the three of them opened up the conversation fully.

Shengmei explained directly:

“My channel is mainly about teaching makeup. I want to cover the steps one by one. I noticed short-video platforms still have a big gap in this area. So I’ll start with foundation—record a detailed review video, introduce different brands and types, and explain how they perform. More of a professional approach. Andy, Guan Guan—what do you think? Does it sound reliable?”

She had her own expectations, but she wasn’t sure how it would actually come across.

Andy nodded.

“I think it sounds good. You already have a clear direction, and your planning is professional. Having a solid plan is half the battle. That’s promising.”

In any endeavor, jumping randomly from one thing to another was the biggest mistake. Clearly, Shengmei already had a roadmap. As long as execution was decent, her prospects didn’t look bad.

Guan Ju’er nodded eagerly, her eyes wide with approval.

“Sister Fan, I think it’s great! A lot of new graduates like me, just entering the workplace, are required to wear makeup. But when I first started, I knew nothing. My mom bought me some lipstick and foundation, but it was you who taught me how to actually apply makeup.”

“Honestly, if not for you, I would’ve been lost. Back at school, I had classmates who wanted to try makeup, but since they didn’t know how and had no guidance, they could only fumble around on their own. So yes, lots of people need tutorials like this.”

Once she got started, Guan Ju’er couldn’t stop talking. She wasn’t used to wearing much makeup herself, but she clearly had a lot to say on the topic.

Andy thought back to her own early days on Wall Street—she had been much the same way.

Shengmei curved her lips into a smile and nodded.

This was exactly why she had chosen this path in the first place.

Most women, sooner or later—especially once they entered adulthood—wanted to experiment with makeup.

Guan Ju’er went on:

“And besides, Sister Fan, you’re so beautiful. On top of that, you’re amazing at makeup! Even if it was just for your face, if I scrolled past your video, I’d stop to watch.”

Nobody disliked a pretty face.

Andy nodded in agreement.

“That’s true.”

She would have done the same.

The two of them were so earnest that Shengmei actually felt a little embarrassed.

“Come on, I’m already thirty. Age is catching up with me.”

She tried to downplay it with modesty.

“Sister Fan, haven’t you heard the saying? Time never defeats true beauty!”

Shengmei reached out and pinched Guan Ju’er’s cheek with a laugh.

“You really know what to say.”

Then, thinking ahead to her plans, she added:

“Oh right, Guan Guan—later on, I might need you to be my model for makeup demos. Sister Fan will be counting on you. Would you be willing?”

“A makeup demo? What’s that exactly?”

Andy still didn’t quite understand, so Fan Shengmei explained patiently:

“Makeup is best shown on the face. If it’s just me, the effect might not be obvious—people could think I only know how to do my own look. But if I put makeup on you or Guan Guan, something that suits your features, then it’s different. The contrast will surprise people, and it’s good for attracting followers.”

She turned to Guan Ju’er.

“Guan Guan, don’t feel pressured. I’m only bringing it up because you’re around me the most. If you don’t want to, that’s totally fine. It’s normal—some people don’t want to be on camera, it’s just stronger self-protection. Nothing wrong with that. I can always find someone else.”

Guan Ju’er hesitated, then spoke softly:

“Actually, I’d like to… I want to try out different styles.”

She adjusted her glasses and admitted shyly:

“I feel like the way I dress now is still too childish—like a student. I don’t look at all like a professional woman in a busy office building.”

In truth, she longed to be more like Andy, decisive and capable, or like Sister Fan, graceful and feminine. Saying it aloud made her blush.

Shengmei smiled warmly.

“That’s perfectly normal, Guan Guan. It just means you’re growing, finding your own ideas—that’s a good thing! Trying new styles is also a way of creating a new version of yourself, giving yourself new possibilities.”

Guan Ju’er’s eyes sparkled as she gazed at her, admiration clear.

Andy looked at Shengmei too, her expression shifting with a new kind of respect.

“Shengmei, what you just said… that was really good.”

She sounded almost moved.

Seeing their reactions, Shengmei playfully flipped her hair.

“So what you’re saying is, I might have potential as a big sisterly life coach? Another new career path!”

The three of them laughed together.

Soon, the dishes arrived. Andy had ordered pasta and salad, Guan Ju’er pasta and mushroom soup. Only Shengmei had chosen a plain green salad—so bare it looked almost pitiful.

Andy frowned.

“Shengmei, will that really fill you up?”

Shengmei speared a cherry tomato and popped it into her mouth, shaking her head.

“Of course not. But I have to manage my figure. My weight’s crept up lately, so I need to push through this phase.”

Thinking back to the diet trends she remembered from the future, Shengmei had an idea: she could run two accounts—one for beauty tutorials, another for low-fat dieting.

She quickly jotted it down on her phone, then stuck a note on the back of her case to make sure she wouldn’t forget.

Andy hadn’t expected her casual remark to spark yet another flurry of planning. Watching Shengmei, she couldn’t help but praise her.

“Shengmei, I really have to say—you’re different now.”

Guan Ju’er nodded in agreement.

Shengmei smiled knowingly.

“Of course. I’m stepping toward a better version of myself.”

She was already beautiful, but with that radiant smile she seemed even brighter—like a rose in full bloom under sunlight, its petals glistening with fresh dew.