Snow-Kissed Rose (GL) Chapter 56.3

Under the production crew's guidance, Huai Xu and her team arrived at the entrance of HL Plaza.

The entrance was bustling, and many people were trying to get in.

…What was Team "Unavoidable" doing here? Could they even make money here?

Everyone on Team "Lights On" suddenly had a bad premonition.

When the team entered the air-conditioned building, they saw the lively first floor.

Standing within an encirclement of tables, Song Yingshi could be seen putting makeup on Zeng Fu's face while explaining the various cosmetics she was using.

Song Yingshi explained the properties of each cosmetic product earnestly and with detail. Coupled with her beautiful and refined face, her audience couldn't help but believe that as long as they followed her instructions, they could also become a beauty like her.

In another corner of the table encirclement, Tang Panbo was explaining to a different crowd how to make one's eyes appear brighter, and her own spirited eyes served as the best testament to her explanation.

Bai Yuzhou initially had some interested customers hearing her talk about the skincare routines of female celebrities. However, when her fans in N City heard her publicly appearing in HL Plaza, many rushed here without hesitation, leading to her being surrounded by fans. Nonetheless, she feigned ignorance and continued with her sales pitch.

Tao Qin freestyled using the names of the skin care products and makeup formulas, drawing many cameras toward her. She would even perform street dances from time to time.

Hu Wan's sales presentation was the most absurd.

Standing at the center of the table encirclement, Hu Wan spoke to the "wealthy big sisters" around her via a microphone, "...Yes, you must moisturize… Skincare products are only secondary, Auntie. The most important thing is your attitude towards life. I don't think you look old at all. On the contrary, you can be taken for sisters if you stand beside my mother… Oh, if you really must have my recommendation, I'd suggest this cream. My mother always uses it every summer. She's used at least 10 bottles over these years!"

After saying so, Hu Wan shouted to the production crew's camera nearby, "Mommy, if you see this, post a picture of the empty bottle on Weibo! Show everyone I'm not lying!"

Hu Wan was well-behaved and sweet with her words. She also had a well-recognized, goddess-like mother. Not only did the "wealthy big sisters" adore her, but the men who accompanied them, realizing persuasion was pointless, decided to show some support to their childhood goddess, generously buying Hu Wan's promoted products for their wives.

As a result, Hu Wan quickly became a top saleswoman, selling dozens of high-end skin care products in minutes.

The six members of Team "Lights On" standing at the entrance: "..."

Everyone on Team "Lights On" suddenly felt like fools for being happy over a thousand yuan.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, Song Yingshi looked up and spotted Huai Xu's team standing in the distance.

Immediately, Song Yingshi's eyes lit up, and she waved enthusiastically at Huai Xu's team—

"Come, come! Quickly!" Song Yingshi called out.

Huai Xu walked over, but before she could say anything, she and her teammates were ushered into the table encirclement before being given a series of instructions:

"Wan Jiao, you'll teach nightclub makeup and sexy outfit coordination; Yan Ran, you'll teach expression management; Silan, you'll rap with Tao Qin; Yuanyuan, you'll help Huhu; Zhixin, you'll help Zhouzhou; Huai Xu, you follow me."

Team "Lights On": ???

"Hold on…"

The members of Team "Lights On" tried to interrupt Song Yingshi.

However, Song Yingshi gave them no chance to interrupt, saying, "Be good. I'll give you all a share."

Team "Lights On": "..."

Everyone from Team "Lights On" hoped their team leader would intervene. However, when they turned toward Huai Xu, they saw that…she had already started removing makeup for Little Shi.

They were fools to expect Huai Xu to put up any effective resistance against Little Shi!

Thus, everyone covered their injured self-esteem and began to help out according to the opposing team leader's instructions.

Fortunately, the results were wonderful.

Not only did they get to enjoy air conditioning in N City's most luxurious mall, but they also had no shortage of customers. Most importantly, the atmosphere was good, and they got to listen to Dan Silan and Tao Qin's funny freestyle while working. From time to time, they could even hear customers rapping along.

Out of everyone from the two teams, Qiu Zhixin was the one who was the happiest. Not only did she get to work by her idol's side, but she even got to see other fans of Bai Yuzhou. Drunk on joy, she whispered to Bai Yuzhou, "Zhouzhou, I planned to make money to support you, so I didn't spend even one yuan of my money. I saved everything for you."

Even when her teammates bought pudding with their hard-earned money, Qiu Zhixin resisted the temptation.

Although Bai Yuzhou no longer cared as much about her silly memes, she still feigned anger, saying, "I don't want money from an anti."

Unfazed by Bai Yuzhou's words, Qiu Zhixin smiled and said, "Then, do you want to make your antis suffer? The best way to get revenge on me is to spend all my money! Hurry, I can't wait any longer!"

Bai Yuzhou: ?

This anti was too scary!

…

By the end of the event, Song Yingshi received 10,711 yuan according to the commission rate she had agreed on with the shopping mall.

Besides the others, even Hu Wan, who sold the most products, was taken aback by this sum, asking, "Is this amount accurate? Why is there so much?"

"Our customers have strong purchasing power," the mall supervisor replied, smiling.

This pay might seem significant to the average salesperson's salary, but it was nothing compared to the profits the shopping mall made from the event. Even the free gifts they handed out cost more.

When the two teams arrived back at HL Plaza's entrance, everyone exchanged glances before screaming softly:

"Ahhh! We did it!"

"I never knew making money could be so fun!"

Song Yingshi watched everyone's celebration as she held the bulging envelope containing their pay, occasionally glancing at the faintly smiling Huai Xu in between. After everyone calmed down, she smiled and said, "Let's go and celebrate with a feast. We can also buy food for the others with our leftover money."

Song Yingshi highly doubted the production crew would allow them to keep this money past today, so they might as well treat their stomachs while they could.

"Yay!"

However, just as everyone was about to head to a restaurant, a staff member ran over in a hurry and smiled wryly at them, saying, "Little Shi, hold on a moment."

"What's wrong?" Song Yingshi asked.

"Well, we originally planned to pool the money everyone earned to spend on a group dinner, but your two teams made far more than we expected, so we need time to rethink things," the staff member said. He firmly believed that had he intervened a little too late, Song Yingshi would've taken care of everyone's dinner, ruining the production crew's plan.

Song Yingshi came to a realization. She handed the envelope to the staff and said, "We'll follow the production crew's arrangements."

However, halfway through handing the envelope over, Song Yingshi suddenly remembered something. Quickly, she pulled out 3,000 yuan worth of notes and said to the staff member, "This is the other team's share."

Huai Xu smiled at this sight, saying, "Thank you, Boss."

The other members of Team "Lights On" followed suit: "Boss, you're so generous! Thank you so much, Boss!"

"No problem, no problem. So long as you keep running errands for us, we'll keep you fed," Song Yingshi said cheekily.

Team "Lights On": "Screw you."

The staff member: "..." The other trainees are still working for merchants, yet you've already started having trainees work for you?! Also, aren't your two teams supposed to be rivals?! Why are you so sweet to each other?!

…

At five o'clock, all trainees concluded their independent activities. The production crew gathered the trainees, tallied the money they earned, and announced the hidden rules of today's event.

"Trainees can unlock different buffet tiers according to the money they made today."

"Additionally, based on the second public performance's versus system, teams will compete with each other in money earned. The loser must listen to one order from the winner."

Not everyone went to work. Some teams chose the way of the salted fish (slacker), enjoying life to the fullest and earning nothing throughout the afternoon. Hence, they were shocked to learn that they needed to work for their dinner and that there would be a penalty for not doing well.

The production crew roughly estimated the trainees' ability to make money before the event and decided on three different buffet tiers. Which tier the trainees could enjoy depended entirely on themselves.

However, the production crew never expected Song Yingshi's team to be such capable entrepreneurs, making so much money they could pay for all 60 trainees to enjoy the highest-tiered buffet. Song Yingshi even ordered Haidilao (hot pot chain) to be delivered to the restaurant.

Because of this, all six members of Team "Unavoidable" became everyone's big sister for the night, being respectfully greeted wherever they went.

All 60 trainees enjoyed a sumptuous and lively dinner. Even Xing Huan secretly smiled when she was touching up her makeup in the washroom.

Wen Qingzi happened to be washing her hands beside Xing Huan. When she saw Xing Huan's smile, she said, "Weren't you against the outing yesterday? Yet, here you are, looking so happy. You sure are fickle."

Xing Huan remembered Wen Qingzi calling her a fool before, and her smile faded, making her face look more seductive. Then, she said nonchalantly, "Whatever you say."[1]

Wen Qingzi pursed her lips and said nothing more.

Although they often interacted on camera, they were rarely together in private. If not for the lively atmosphere outside infecting her, Wen Qingzi wouldn't have spoken like that and let Xing Huan misunderstand her words as a mockery.

As the two left the washroom, Xing Huan suddenly turned to face Wen Qingzi, saying, "Oh, congratulations on getting into Class C. Keep up the good work. After all, even the 'fool' in your eyes is in Class B."

As Xing Huan said so, she pointed at herself and smiled before swaying her hips and waltzing away.

…

Meanwhile, Tao Qin, holding a wine glass filled with Sprite, visited every table with Lu Xuewen. After she got tired of mingling, she returned to Song Yingshi's side and said, "Little Shi, I'm so happy right now. I really was dumb before. Why did I concern myself with something so nonsensical? You were right yesterday. I've tried my best, so I should be happy even if I lose to my sisters. After all, who hasn't lost before?"

"But you still don't want to lose," Song Yingshi stated.

"Of course, I still don't want to lose." Tao Qin nodded. Raising her wine glass, she declared, "I want to win! I want to debut!"

After Tao Qin made her declaration, someone dragged her to the neighboring table for a chat.

Song Yingshi laughed and shook her head at Tao Qin's behavior. Then, feigning nonchalance, she cast a glance at Huai Xu's elegant silhouette not far away.

Seating in the buffet hall was arranged by teams. Without changing seats, Song Yingshi and Huai Xu were naturally seated at different tables. However, their tables weren't far apart, only a mere three meters.

From her position, Song Yingshi could see Huai Xu's jawline and cheeks bulging as she chewed. She could see Huai Xu speaking to Wan Jiao. She could also see Huai Xu's fluffy eyelashes fluttering.

Song Yingshi wondered what Huai Xu was eating, what Huai Xu had heard to make her laugh, and what…was stopping Huai Xu from joining her at her table.

However, despite her curiosity, Song Yingshi, without guidance from anyone, learned how to hide it well.

Sometimes, whenever Huai Xu moved and looked like she was going to turn around, Song Yingshi would pretend to look away naturally, leaving no evidence of her observation.

When Song Yingshi realized she was subconsciously glancing at Huai Xu far too frequently, she panicked.

Song Yingshi had seen her current behavior in others many times before. She also remembered the saying that earth-shattering events were seldom the trigger to the development and rupture of feelings. Instead, the spark was usually a trivial detail in life.

Song Yingshi had no real experience in relationships, so she had no way to explore whether this statement was right or wrong. She'd also never considered getting into a relationship, so she never thought that one day, this trivial detail would suddenly fall on her and set off a hurricane.

In the bustling environment, surrounded by the aroma of hot food, the intention and concern that Song Yingshi had deliberately ignored seemed to have found a hotbed, growing rapidly like weeds. At the same time, a voice that was once blurred and buried deep within her was becoming increasingly distinct…

TL Notes:
[1]fool: I don't remember Wen Qingzi ever calling Xing Huan a fool to her face before. There was an instance in Chapter 43.2 where Wen Qingzi saw Xing Huan as a "cute little fool," but it was only in context and not in dialogue.