IDEI Ch4

Qi Yanning’s gaze carefully swept over Ling Cangzhou’s body, as if he could see every inch of muscle beneath his clothes.

This made Ling Cangzhou, who had originally been standing relaxed, suddenly tense up. His thin lips pressed slightly together, and the tips of his ears turned red, as if they were about to drip blood.

“Relax.” Qi Yanning’s cold fingertips fell on Ling Cangzhou’s bare arm, exposed by his rolled-up sleeves. He felt the solid muscles tense for a moment before they finally relaxed.

Qi Yanning curled his lips into a smile, his eyes flashing with a teasing glint as they swept over Ling Cangzhou’s slightly flushed cheeks before meeting his gaze directly.

Ling Cangzhou didn’t avoid the look, meeting Qi Yanning’s eyes head-on.

His expression revealed a trace of embarrassment, but his eyes held a restrained yet undeniable sense of aggression beneath their gentle surface.

Qi Yanning raised an eyebrow.

Interesting.

He shifted his gaze and turned around, looking at the director. “Where are the clothes and props?”

The director, who had been too intimidated by the strange atmosphere between the two to speak earlier, was now relieved and eagerly pointed out, “Over there is the first batch of clothes the show bought, and on the other side are accessories and makeup products.”

Qi Yanning followed the director’s gesture.

The clothes were densely packed on racks, looking unimpressive and even somewhat cheap. But with just one glance, he spotted several pieces that had appeared in fashion shows he had watched recently.

The situation with the accessories was better—at least they were neatly arranged. However, the high-end brand accessories were crammed into tiny compartments, looking rather cramped.

Qi Yanning frowned.

The previous makeup artist…

How did they manage to use such good items to create such disastrous results on the show?

The director stood by, smiling bitterly as he explained.

Because this show had a generous budget, he had also allocated a large portion to the makeup team. The previous makeup artist had spent all of this money purchasing a large number of high-end clothes and accessories, using up the entire budget.

As a result, by the time they reached the theme song performance, the makeup team, nearly out of funds, could only provide cheap, poorly fitted clothes, leading to the infamous disaster of the first stage.

This was also due to the director’s over-reliance on the former makeup artist.

Qi Yanning nodded to show his understanding. He didn’t rush to speak but instead carefully examined all the clothes in the room.

He focused on looking for suits.

Although Ling Cangzhou was dressed simply today in casual clothes, looking like a college student, Qi Yanning sharply sensed the aura of authority in him.

This kind of temperament paired best with a suit.

After scanning for a while, he pulled out a smoky gray suit from the pile of clothes, along with a black shirt and black tie.

“Go change into this.” Qi Yanning tossed the clothes into Ling Cangzhou’s arms and casually ordered.

Ling Cangzhou looked at the suit, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.

This was exactly the style he preferred when going to the office! It seemed that he and this makeup artist at least shared a similar taste.

He smiled lightly and obediently took the clothes to the fitting room.

While waiting for him to change, Qi Yanning casually grabbed a pair of frameless glasses from the pile of accessories and tossed them onto the table.

He then took a bottle of hair styling spray from the makeup products on the table.

After completing these actions, Ling Cangzhou emerged from the fitting room.

The director’s eyes lit up, and Qi Yanning narrowed his eyes slightly.

As expected, the suit was a perfect fit.

The peaked lapel suit jacket had a broad silhouette, but with Ling Cangzhou’s wide, flat shoulders and tall, muscular build, the clean lines of the suit were showcased flawlessly.

The black shirt was buttoned all the way up, with the black tie neatly in place.

Although the two shades of black seemed simple, the difference in textures prevented the outfit from appearing monotonous. Instead, it toned down the youthful feeling of the suit’s color, giving the overall look a sense of maturity without losing its sharpness.

“Come, sit.” Qi Yanning, satisfied with how Ling Cangzhou presented the outfit, even softened his tone slightly.

Ling Cangzhou strode over, sitting down smoothly, and quietly looked at his reflection in the mirror… as well as Qi Yanning.

Qi Yanning caught his gaze in the mirror and offered a subtle smile before lowering his head to style Ling Cangzhou’s hair.

Ling Cangzhou’s hair was thick and slightly stiff, giving it a substantial feel. Perhaps because the occasion wasn’t particularly formal, he hadn’t styled it, and it lay obediently in place.

Qi Yanning, a bit rusty, used the styling spray to slick back his bangs, revealing his sharp eyebrows and eyes.

In his previous life, he had never used such products, but thanks to the original body’s frequent use of them, he knew how to apply them through memory.

Though his movements were somewhat unfamiliar, he wasn’t slow, and within a few swift strokes, he had finished styling the hair.

Finally, he placed the frameless glasses on Ling Cangzhou’s face.

Qi Yanning examined Ling Cangzhou’s appearance in the mirror, nodded in satisfaction.

“Alright, stand up.”

Ling Cangzhou obediently stood up.

The director, seeing his appearance, was momentarily stunned.

He had almost never seen Ling Cangzhou looking so formal before! Whenever they met, this wealthy young master, the CEO of Chenxing Entertainment, was always dressed casually, giving off the vibe of a carefree second-generation heir.

But now, Ling Cangzhou looked like a dormant tiger who had just opened his eyes, radiating a sharp aura.

The glasses slightly softened his imposing presence, making him seem less like a fierce predator and more like a young wolf king—strong and exuding a compelling sense of leadership.

The director looked at the investor in surprise, eager to offer praise, but the investor’s attention was solely on Qi Yanning.

“Do I look good?” Ling Cangzhou raised an eyebrow at Qi Yanning.

“Nice body,” Qi Yanning glanced at him and casually replied.

“Thank you, so do you.” Ling Cangzhou coughed lightly, feeling a slight warmth creeping onto his cheeks. He turned his face away to avoid Qi Yanning’s gaze, trying to appear calm.

Qi Yanning chuckled softly.

“Hey, Qi Yanning, right?” The director finally couldn’t help but interrupt their conversation. “When can you start working?”

“The sooner, the better. We’re on a tight schedule,” the director added.

“I can start tomorrow.” Qi Yanning’s voice was calm, but it was like a bomb dropped in the director’s mind. “However, I’m not particularly skilled at makeup. I’ll need two assistants.”

The director gave him a surprised look.

A makeup artist… who’s not good at makeup? Could this be another fraud?

But when he looked at Ling Cangzhou, he hesitated. The styling was just too perfect—any more would have been excessive, and any less would have lacked refinement. As it was, it perfectly showcased Ling Cangzhou’s temperament. At that moment, the already handsome investor seemed to be glowing.

“Alright.” Before the director could decide, Ling Cangzhou spoke up first. “Starting tomorrow, you’ll be part of the makeup team. I’ll arrange for the rest of the staff to be hired quickly. I hope we can work well together.”

He extended his hand toward Qi Yanning.

Qi Yanning raised an eyebrow and shook it. The cold, jade-like hand meeting his fiery palm made Qi Yanning feel as if he had been slightly burned.

The director, standing nearby, hesitated to speak but gave in under Ling Cangzhou’s amused gaze. He had already been satisfied with Qi Yanning, so he didn’t dwell on it any longer.

“Looking forward to working with you.” The director smiled and extended his hand as well.

After the interview, an hour had passed. Qi Yu found a moment to sneak in and tell Qi Yanning that he should return to the orphanage with her today because the director-mom missed him very much.

Qi Yanning hesitated slightly but agreed.

In the original body’s memories, the orphanage was the warmest part of his life. Although childhood had been difficult, under the protection of the director-mom, they had grown up healthy and happy.

Qi Yanning felt a little envious of the original body’s childhood. He was very curious about what kind of person that kind and caring director-mom was.

Qi Yu only had a half-day of work today, so after a few more hours, she would be done.

Qi Yanning sat in a quiet corner at the end of the production team’s hallway, took out his phone and Bluetooth earbuds, and continued watching the fashion show video he hadn’t finished.

“Hey!” A voice greeted him, and Qi Yanning looked up from his phone, noticing a familiar hem of clothing.

It was Ling Cangzhou. He still hadn’t changed out of the suit.

“Interested in watching the rest of the makeup artist interviews?” Ling Cangzhou invited, meeting Qi Yanning’s curious gaze.

Qi Yanning narrowed his eyes slightly, staring quietly at Ling Cangzhou until the latter began to wonder if he had offended him. Only then did Qi Yanning smile faintly and say, “Alright.”

The two of them returned to the makeup room, where a man was currently being interviewed, doing makeup for a trainee who had been called in.

Qi Yanning took one glance, his expression turning strange as he shifted his gaze back to Ling Cangzhou.

Sensing the look, Ling Cangzhou smiled and asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Qi Yanning replied, his eyes never leaving Ling Cangzhou. He had no desire to even glance at the other trainee in the room. “You look good.”

Indeed, compared to the trainee, who now looked like a jewelry display stand, Ling Cangzhou looked far better.

This jewel-stacking makeup artist was just the beginning. It seemed like the show had some sort of curse that attracted eccentric makeup artists, most of whom had questionable skills.

There were only a few whose level was barely decent, but with Qi Yanning’s skill as the standard, they all appeared mediocre in comparison.

By the end of the morning, only Qi Yanning and two other average-level girls were selected.

Qi Yanning had spent most of the morning with his gaze fixed on Ling Cangzhou. Every time his eyes were assaulted by bad makeup, he would stare at Ling Cangzhou for a while, but even though Ling looked great, Qi Yanning was starting to get tired of it.

So when Ling Cangzhou invited him to join the afternoon interviews, he decisively declined.

He didn’t have a habit of torturing his own eyes.

Ling Cangzhou didn’t press the issue, just laughed lightly and said, “If you’re not attending the afternoon interviews, at least add me on Feixin.”

Qi Yanning raised an eyebrow, looked at him for a few seconds, and eventually took out his phone.

The friend request came through quickly, and without hesitation, Qi Yanning clumsily typed out a note.

[Red Ears]

He put away his phone and said his goodbyes to the director and Ling Cangzhou.

As he passed by Ling Cangzhou, he glanced down.

Sure enough, despite his calm appearance, the redness at the tips of Ling Cangzhou’s ears hadn’t faded.

＊

When Qi Yu finished her work, she drove Qi Yanning back to the orphanage.

“The director-mom has really missed you. When she heard you were coming back, she was so happy that she went to the kitchen to cook herself,” Qi Yu said cheerfully.

“She’s making your favorite sweet and sour ribs. Ugh, mom hasn’t made my favorite dish in a long time! Next time I come back from the crew, I’ll make sure mom cooks me some crispy pork!” Qi Yu complained in a playful, lighthearted tone, which didn’t bother Qi Yanning at all. In fact, it made him feel even more relaxed.

It seemed that the orphanage truly had a warm atmosphere.

The Hua Orphanage wasn’t large. Its outer walls were weathered, and the buildings were low, but everything was clean and tidy. There were over thirty children in the orphanage now, ranging from infants in swaddling clothes to those nearly grown.

As Qi Yanning and Qi Yu entered the orphanage, a group of children playing in the small courtyard immediately spotted them.

“Xiaoyu-jie, Ning-gege is back!” they excitedly jumped and shouted.

“Xiao Ning, you’re back!” The director emerged from the orphanage’s small dining room, her face beaming with a bright smile, her eyes full of joyful affection.

It was a kind of love that was unconditional and asked for nothing in return.

Qi Yanning paused for two seconds, then tried his best to smile like the original owner. “A-Ma, I’m back.”