After signing with Cheng Ping, Li Baixi’s first assignment was to do the makeup for a costume drama’s character photos. Cheng Ping had landed the role of the second male lead, a swordsman.

Li Baixi arrived fifteen minutes early, accompanied by two apprentices who also served as assistants.

One of them, Ma Koukou, known as Coco Ma, was a delicate person who even held chopsticks with his pinky finger extended. The other assistant, Yang, was a girl named Sam Yang.

Li Baixi’s arrival coincided with the manager’s outburst in the dressing room: “This is an important photo shoot! We told you to be here at 1 PM, and you only got up at noon! If I hadn’t knocked on your door, were you planning to ghost everyone?”

Cheng Ping sat silently, playing on his phone.

Li Baixi, known in the industry for his discretion, didn’t avoid the scene when he walked in. The manager, rubbing his temples in frustration, didn’t bother hiding his exhaustion: “I just… Sigh, Cheng, Cheng-ge, do you even like being an actor?”

Cheng Ping still didn’t respond.

The manager rubbed his temples again and left the room.

Li Baixi placed his oversized makeup kit on the counter and greeted Cheng Ping, “Stayed up late?”

Cheng Ping glanced up at him.

Li Baixi continued, “Your skin and eyes look like you didn’t get enough sleep.”

Cheng Ping responded with a noncommittal grunt.

Unbothered, Li Baixi began laying out his tools and preparing his work.

Ma Koukou had seen how attentive his master was to Cheng Ping before. Given Li Baixi’s status in the industry, everyone was surprised that he would lower himself to sign a long-term contract with Cheng Ping—Li Baixi didn’t need to bind himself to anyone, he was already in high demand.

But Ma Koukou wasn’t surprised. In his view, it was simple: his master was attracted to Cheng Ping.

Therefore, when Ma Koukou entered, he tried hard not to look at Cheng Ping.

To be honest, Ma Koukou was also attracted to Cheng Ping. But being a considerate person, he believed in filial piety first and would let his master have the good man.

Li Baixi asked Cheng Ping, “Do you have your own lip balm?”

“No.”

Li Baixi opened a new one, lifted Cheng Ping’s chin, and applied it, saying, “Keep this one, your lips are a bit dry.”

Ma Koukou’s eyes flashed, realizing things weren’t so simple.

He had an idea and pretended to help his master find makeup products, subtly nudging Li Baixi closer to Cheng Ping.

Such selflessness! He was moved by his own actions, feeling a deep, emotional tearfulness.

Li Baixi’s long hair was pulled painfully, and he frowned, glancing back at Ma Koukou, “Move.”

Ma Koukou: “…”

Li Baixi applied hydration and controlled the T-zone oil, mixed some color corrector, and carefully applied it under Cheng Ping’s eyes, “This is what I recommended earlier. It’s great for correcting dark circles.”

Cheng Ping looked listless, politely observing Li Baixi’s work before returning his gaze to his phone. Li Baixi glanced at it and felt his heart skip a beat.

Cheng Ping was watching a match.

This reminded Li Baixi that Cheng Ping’s former team indeed had a match today. But after Cheng Ping retired, he hadn’t had the heart to follow up, not knowing how they were doing.

Judging by Cheng Ping’s expression, probably not well.

“X (silent mouth)! Is this guy X (silent mouth)?” Cheng Ping cursed silently, his movements disrupting the primer Li Baixi was applying.

Cheng Ping came back to his senses, “Sorry.”

“No problem.” Li Baixi smiled, thinking how nostalgic this scene was.

He called to his assistant, “Bring the foundation.”

Ma Koukou brought two bottles of foundation, one lighter for the base and a slightly darker one for contouring. He held the bottles near Cheng Ping’s face, ostensibly for color comparison, but also to touch him.

Cheng Ping instinctively flinched at the light touch.

Li Baixi, thinking Cheng Ping couldn’t stand such closeness as a straight man, grabbed the foundation and used his eyes to signal Ma Koukou to leave, “Go get me a coffee.”

Ma Koukou refused to leave, trying to use his eyes to delegate the task to Yang, who, being newer, typically handled such duties. But Yang wasn’t stupid; she realized Li Baixi was trying to get rid of Ma Koukou, so she remained unmoved.

The three exchanged intense looks behind Cheng Ping, who saw the whole scene in the mirror.

Finally, Li Baixi couldn’t take it anymore, “Both of you, go.”

Yang dragged Ma Koukou out.

Ma Koukou felt indignant, “He wants to monopolize! My filial devotion is clear to the heavens, yet he guards against me!”

“Tone it down.” Yang remained indifferent.

Yang was one of the few who knew Li Baixi’s secret. Years ago, Li Baixi had asked her out.

Yang had declined, “I’m not interested in playing sisterhood.”

“Let me tell you a secret.” Back then, Li Baixi was new to pretending to be gay and sometimes couldn’t help but tell the truth to those around him.

But the truth isn’t always believed. Yang had been skeptical, “You? Never been with a man? Are you drunk, or do you think I am?”

“Really. Pure as the driven snow.” Li Baixi had said.

Yang didn’t believe it at the time.

However, after prolonged observation, she slowly came to believe it.

She still wasn’t interested in Li Baixi’s type, but fortunately, Li Baixi had no interest in forcing things. If you weren’t into it, neither was he.

Back in the dressing room, it was just Li Baixi and Cheng Ping. Li Baixi applied the darker foundation from the cheekbones to below the eyes. Cheng Ping’s features were already defined, so Li Baixi didn’t go overboard considering it was a period drama.

“Close your eyes.” Li Baixi took out matte setting powder.

Cheng Ping closed his eyes and yawned.

“What time did you sleep?” Li Baixi asked.

“Eight.”

“…8 AM?”

“Yeah.”

Li Baixi looked down at him with concern. Although he had only met Cheng Ping twice, he knew him well enough from his earlier days to sense that something was off.

“Want to talk about it?”

“No.” Cheng Ping said.

After a pause, he added, “Thanks.”

After applying the setting spray, Li Baixi took out a heated eyelash curler. Cheng Ping’s eyelashes were too long to be left uncurled.

While grooming his eyelashes, one fell and poked Cheng Ping’s eye.

Just as Li Baixi was about to brush it away, Cheng Ping impatiently raised his hand to rub his eye.

Rubbing would ruin everything. Li Baixi quickly grabbed his wrist, forgetting about the brush, and gently blew at his eye.

Cheng Ping shuddered.

At that moment, the assistants returned with coffee, walking in on the scene.

Ma Koukou: “Tsk.”