Chapter 23: Makeup

When Jiang Ning returned home after closing the door, she sat on the sofa, lost in thought, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

“Hmm, this art troupe… it sounds familiar.”

The first time the female lead appeared in the drama was outside the theater where the Golden Sail Art Troupe was located, wasn’t it?

She had just finished a confrontation with the male lead and the female supporting character, and now she was somehow connected to the female lead.

To be honest, Jiang Ning admired the female lead in the drama.

The male lead, Meng Yuanbin, had talent and charm, and he encountered noble people all the way, rising steadily. But the female lead was just a rather grassroots character.

She had no education and didn’t understand anything. To make a living, she started by selling things on the street, working hard and persistently, clever and daring. With sheer grit, she gradually expanded her business, enduring countless hardships until she finally reached a certain level, standing on equal footing with the male lead.

This woman, full of ambition yet inspiring pity, made the male lead, who had been through many flowers, choose her in the end, which was something the audience could wholeheartedly accept.

Thinking about this, Jiang Ning felt that even if she had transmigrated, she couldn’t escape the preordained plot and character lines.

The direction of the script was like the laws of heaven in this derivative world, an invisible hand always drawing together people whose fates were closely intertwined.

However, as long as she walked her own path and lived her own comfortable life, that was enough.

As for other things, as long as they didn’t come for her, she didn’t want to interfere with anything.

.

The next morning, the little girl arrived very early.

Carrying a few makeup items, she also politely brought over a plate of dumplings, her almond-shaped eyes slightly shy yet expectant as she looked at her: “Sister Jiang, I’m Cheng Shuangtao. My mom told me to bring you some dumplings to try.”

The aroma of the dumplings filled her nostrils, instantly waking Jiang Ning’s sleepy eyes.

He Fangying’s family were both working, and their living conditions were good, but in this era, they couldn’t eat dumplings every day. Having Shuangtao bring over a full plate, with thin wrappers and generous fillings, twenty or so dumplings just like yesterday, was very thoughtful.

Jiang Ning didn’t feel comfortable letting the little girl wait, so she gave her the radio to listen to and an apple, then quickly washed up and started to devour the dumplings.

Shuangtao smiled shyly: “It’s all my mom’s fault. She’s a bit anxious, afraid of delaying your other things in the morning, so she sent me over so early to bother you.”

Although the little girl looked shy and reserved, she spoke very confidently, without any hesitation.

Jiang Ning smiled gently: “It’s fine, I have to thank your mother for thinking of me and making dumplings so early in the morning. I’m truly blessed.”

As she ate the dumplings, Shuangtao was very perceptive and proactively poured her a glass of plain water, letting it cool.

Jiang Ning thanked her and accepted it, suddenly feeling a bit magical.

If Lu Dingquan came back and saw this scene of her being friendly with her neighbors, what kind of reaction would he have?

Before starting to apply makeup on Shuangtao, Jiang Ning carefully observed her features and face shape.

After a round of eyebrow shaping, washing her face, and skincare, she started applying makeup.

The eyebrow pencil and eyeshadow Shuangtao brought, along with the makeup she had on hand, like pearl powder, Yongfang beauty cream, lipstick, etc., were enough.

Jiang Ning carefully held the little girl’s face and began her work.

Shuangtao only felt that Sister Jiang’s bright, beautiful eyes were staring at her from close range. She sat obediently on the stool, her face flushed, her heart pounding, and she didn’t dare to breathe heavily.

When she was finished, Jiang Ning smiled contentedly, took out a mirror and showed it to her.

Shuangtao’s breathing became lighter, and she nervously looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyelashes flickered, and she first froze, then, as if she was extremely shy, she didn’t dare to look at herself!

Was this really her?

Jiang Ning saw Shuangtao’s reaction and smiled. The little girl was in her prime, with good features, but she had two small pimples on her face and her skin was a bit red and dull.

As long as she used delicate techniques to apply a good base makeup, re-draw eyebrows that were more suitable for her thin face, and add some stage makeup that was suitable for stage performances, the effect of the makeup would be very prominent.

Before Shuangtao could recover from her shock and delight, Jiang Ning continued to ask her in detail about the size of the venue and the lighting arrangement for their exam, and based on this information, she made some minor adjustments, finally completing a look that was most suitable for stage makeup in this era.

After applying makeup, Jiang Ning also styled her hair into a dance bun.

Unlike the ordinary high bun, she used black hair clips to create space inside the bun, making the bun at the back of her head look full and fluffy, just like the hairstyles of those Hong Kong star models in the calendar. It seemed simple, but it actually had design and thoughtfulness, giving it a sense of style.

Shuangtao was completely convinced by this point, her worries completely gone, her eyes sparkling with admiration as she looked at Jiang Ning:

“Sister Jiang, your hands are the hands of a god! You’re even better than my teacher… no, you’re much better! Sister Jiang, you’re my real sister from now on! Whatever you want to eat or drink in the future, I’ll get my mom to get it all for you!”

Jiang Ning thought this little girl was really smart, wasn’t this exactly how to win her over?

But she still had to be polite and humble: “It’s because you have good features that I can do my best.”

Shuangtao continued to look at herself in the mirror happily, then suddenly thought of something.

She remembered that before, Sister Jiang went in and out of the tube building with a face that looked like a ghost drawing, and her mom even joked about it behind her back! Who would have thought that Sister Jiang actually had such amazing skills?

She was a bit curious and wanted to ask, secretly glancing at Jiang Ning, hesitant to speak.

Maybe Sister Jiang had some reason before, she simply didn’t bother to show her true skills!

True masters are always out of the ordinary, their thoughts are in a place that others simply can’t reach.

Yes, that must be it…