Oops! I Became a Fan of My Rival Idol! - Chapter 13

A group of trainees were called into the makeup room to prepare for their public debut the next day. Before that, they needed to take promotional photos first.

 

With so many people gathered in one place, it was inevitably noisy—the clamor was no less than a hundred ducks quacking at once.

 

However, Class A always had certain privileges. Qiao Huihui and her group were assigned a private makeup room, each with their own dedicated makeup artist.

 

The woman assigned to Qiao Huihui was a mature-looking elder sister. The moment she saw Qiao Huihui’s face, her eyes lit up, and she couldn’t resist touching it a couple of times, sighing enviously, “Ah, young girls—your skin is just so good.”

 

This was the first time Qiao Huihui had been touched so closely by someone, and she felt a bit shy, tilting her head back slightly.

 

The woman laughed and said, “Call me Sister Qiu. We might be working together often from now on.”

 

Sister Qiu picked up a makeup brush and patiently applied the cosmetics bit by bit, murmuring to herself, “Your skin is especially delicate, so the base must be done properly. Don’t mess around with it, or you’ll regret ruining such a good complexion.”

 

Having worked in the entertainment industry for a long time, she had handled the faces of many celebrities and knew their bare-faced conditions all too well. Some might appear glamorous on the surface, but once the makeup came off, their skin would be pockmarked or rough beyond recognition, relying entirely on thick layers of cosmetics to cover it up.

 

Someone like Qiao Huihui, with naturally flawless skin, was truly rare. Driven by a makeup artist’s instincts, Sister Qiu couldn’t help but offer extra advice.

 

“Make sure to stick to a skincare routine. No matter how tired you are before bed, always remove your makeup properly before sleeping.”

 

Qiao Huihui didn’t know much about makeup, but she could tell Sister Qiu meant well, so she nodded obediently the whole time.

 

Since Qiao Huihui’s natural complexion was already excellent, Sister Qiu skipped foundation, only shaping her eyebrows, brushing on a light pink eyeshadow, and finishing with a grapefruit-colored lipstick.

 

They finished so early that everyone else was still getting their makeup done. Sitting around waiting was boring, so Sister Qiu studied Qiao Huihui’s face shape again, her eyes lighting up as she said, “How about I give you a new hairstyle?”

 

“A new hairstyle?”

 

“Mm, cutting it shorter will accentuate your face shape and jawline, making you stand out even more.”

 

Qiao Huihui thought it over and decided a hairstyle change wasn’t too bad. She had never been conscious about styling before, and since she was still in school, she had always let her hair grow freely—resulting in long, straight black hair.

 

She nodded in agreement.

 

Sister Qiu immediately prepared her tools. After some trimming, Qiao Huihui’s long hair was reduced to less than a third of its original length, stopping just below her chin, and was curled into soft waves.

 

“Not bad.” Still, Sister Qiu felt something was missing. She stared at the transformed hair, frowning intently.

 

“Ah, I know!” Sister Qiu suddenly exclaimed, struck by inspiration. Excitedly, she said, “Let me dye it for you too.”

 

Dye her hair?

 

Qiao Huihui hesitated.

 

Sister Qiu noticed her reluctance and laughed heartily, reassuring her, “Don’t worry, my taste is perfectly normal. I’ll give you a lighter shade—nothing garish like those neon reds and greens you see in salons.”

 

After several dozen minutes, Qiao Huihui touched her freshly styled head and blinked at the somewhat unfamiliar reflection in the mirror.

 

The light chestnut short hair curled gently, with a few stray strands standing up unintentionally at the crown, adding a touch of playfulness to her look.

 

She couldn’t help but find herself utterly adorable.

 

Others would surely agree—like Shen Nanqing, who was sitting nearby and had now turned to stare intently at Qiao Huihui.

 

Sister Qiu noticed and teased, “My skills aren’t bad, huh? Even the beauty next to you is mesmerized.”

 

Shen Nanqing’s expression faltered for a moment, while Qiao Huihui pursed her lips in a shy smile.

 

“Come, let me braid your hair,” Sister Qiu suddenly said, moving closer. With swift hands, she gathered a small section of hair from the right side and quickly braided it, securing it with a strawberry hairpin at the back. Just like that, it was done.

 

Though it was just a simple braid, it undoubtedly made her look even cuter.

 

Sister Qiu said, “This is pretty easy. I’ll teach you a few times, and you can do it yourself every day from now on.”

 

Qiao Huihui replied cheerfully, “Okay!”

 

However, she underestimated her own clumsiness. Even after being taught over a dozen times, she still couldn’t get it right. The most successful attempt was so crooked it was barely recognizable.

 

Sister Qiu: “…”

 

Qiao Huihui: “…”

 

Just as the two were beginning to despair, Shen Nanqing, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up. “I can braid it.”

 

Qiao Huihui looked at her in surprise. “Huh?”

 

Shen Nanqing pressed her lips together and lied without batting an eye, “I learned a little before.”

 

In truth, she had just picked it up from watching Sister Qiu.

 

To prove she really could do it, she immediately braided Qiao Huihui’s hair right then and there.

 

As she ran her fingers through the soft, smooth strands, an unreadable emotion flickered in Shen Nanqing’s eyes. She secured the strawberry hairpin and said, “I’ll braid it for you from now on.”

 

Her braiding was impeccable—almost as neat as Sister Qiu’s.

 

Qiao Huihui hesitated, whispering, “Won’t that be too much trouble for you?”

 

Shen Nanqing replied, “It’s fine. It’s quick to do.”

 

Having her idol personally braid her hair—and promising to do so every day—fulfilled Qiao Huihui’s fangirl heart in the most delightful way. She gleefully touched the little braid and showered Shen Nanqing with endless praise.

 

“Thank you so much! My Qingqing-jie isn’t just beautiful but also so talented! You’re absolutely essential for home and travel—I love Qingqing-jie the most!”

 

Shen Nanqing’s ears grew slightly warm at the words.

 

Once everyone had finished with makeup, they lined up to take individual photos in front of the backdrop, starting from Class A down to Class F.

 

Qiao Huihui was fifth in line. Still unaccustomed to the flash and lacking camera presence, she appeared somewhat stiff.

 

Shen Nanqing, who was right behind her for photos, frowned at the sight. She signaled the photographer to pause and stepped forward to coach Qiao Huihui on how to work the camera.

 

“Your body should follow the lens. Highlight your strengths and hide your flaws.”

 

“Don’t make strange expressions—just smile naturally like you usually do.”

 

When she finished, she noticed Qiao Huihui gazing at her with sparkling eyes, admiration clear in her voice. “Teacher Shen, you’re amazing!”

 

Shen Nanqing struggled to suppress the upward curve of her lips, her mood lifting even further.

 

“Alright, you can continue shooting.” Retreating back to the original waiting area, she kept her eyes fixed unblinkingly on Qiao Huihui as she posed for the camera.

 

This shoot was a great success. With Shen Nanqing’s guidance on posing techniques, even the photographer couldn’t help but praise: “Excellent, you look very photogenic.”

 

The girl’s fair and delicate skin, paired with large cat-like eyes that seemed to speak directly to the camera, along with a sweet smile at the corners of her lips, would melt anyone’s heart into a puddle.

 

For the final group photo, the A-class trainees stood in the center while the others surrounded them.

 

Xia Niao excitedly pulled Qiao Huihui to stand beside her: “Let’s stand together!”

 

Qiao Huihui turned to call Shen Nanqing over, but unexpectedly, Le Xingshan suddenly appeared on her other side. Overwhelmed by the happiness of standing so close to her idol, she immediately became dizzy with excitement and forgot what she had intended to do.

 

Shen Nanqing’s eyes seemed to freeze over with a layer of ice as she deliberately changed direction, walking nonchalantly toward another spot.

 

The promotional photos were released that same evening, sparking a frenzy among fans.

 

Azure Canvas: Ahhhh! Such a pretty girl, I’m totally smitten!

 

Cream Pudding: Oh my god, this new hairstyle is adorable! The stylist deserves a bonus tonight!

 

Protecting Huihui Worldwide: One vote from you, one vote from me, and our girl debuts tomorrow! If we don’t vote, when will she ever get her chance?

 

The shippers were even more ecstatic—

 

Star Bridge True Path: Look at the group photo! Huihui is standing right next to Xingshan!

 

White Tea Serenity: Aaaah, I’ve brought the marriage registration office here! Please, big sis and little sis, get married already!

 

It’s Xiao Qi: Even if I die, I’ll use my decaying voice to shout—Peach is REAL!!!

 

Qiqi Darling: Hey, open your eyes, sisters! Xia Niao and Huihui are even holding hands—clearly much closer, right?

 

Little Creek Beyond Mountains: Agree with above. Summer with Qiao is obviously the real deal.

 

…………

 

“Knock, knock, knock—”

 

Hearing the knocking, Qiao Huihui slipped on her slippers and hurried to the door.

 

“Huh?”

 

The person outside revealed herself—it was the short-haired girl who had escorted Shu Bailian back to the dorm last time.

 

Qiao Huihui paused in surprise before asking politely, “Are you here to see Shu Bailian?”

 

Jian Luobai nodded courteously.

 

“But…” Qiao Huihui scratched her head and said, “She’s not in the dorm right now.”

 

Xia Niao had gone downstairs to raid the convenience store for snacks, Shen Nanqing was in the shower, and Shu Bailian hadn’t returned to the dorm at all that evening.

 

Hearing this, Jian Luobai seemed hesitant. She took out a small bag and handed it to Qiao Huihui, requesting, “Could you give this medicine to her for me?”

 

Qiao Huihui quickly accepted it. “Of course.” But she couldn’t help asking curiously, “Is Shu Bailian sick today?”

 

Jian Luobai shook her head. “No, it’s her period.”

 

Qiao Huihui’s eyes widened in shock, nearly choking on her own breath.

 

Their friendship had progressed at lightning speed—they’d only known each other for a little over a week, yet they were already sharing such private matters.

 

Strangely, Jian Luobai’s expression remained completely neutral, as if this were perfectly normal. Asking further would only make things awkward, so Qiao Huihui suppressed her confusion and promised, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she gets it.”

 

“Mm, thank you.” With that, Jian Luobai turned and left.

 

Qiao Huihui watched her retreating figure and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Who would have thought that beneath that cool exterior, she was just as gentle as Professor Shen?

 

Speak of the devil—the moment she closed the door and turned around, she bumped right into Shen Nanqing emerging from the bathroom. His hair was still damp, droplets trickling down, and his jade-like cheeks were flushed from the steam, giving Qiao Huihui a peculiar feeling.

 

Suddenly… she wanted to paint Shen Nanqing just like this.