After walking down several corridors lined with thick carpet and plastered with posters of past artists, Su Yuqing led Bai Wanxue to a stop in front of a door bearing an acrylic sign that read “Image Design Center.”
From inside the door came the faint sounds of noisy chatter and laughter, along with a certain restless energy brimming with creative vitality—a stark contrast to the quiet solemnity of the office area they’d just left.
Su Yuqing took a deep breath, adjusted the professional smile on her face, and pushed the door open.
“We’re here, we’re here, this is the place.”
She stepped aside to let Bai Wanxue see inside the room, raising her voice with a familiar liveliness that instantly drew the attention of everyone within.
The huge ring-shaped makeup mirror reflected the bright, shadowless lighting, illuminating the interior as brightly as daylight.
In front of the mirror were arrays of various cosmetics and hairstyling tools.
On the other side of the room, several fashionably dressed designers were busy pinning fabric on dress forms, and the mobile clothing racks against the wall were packed with a dazzling array of garment samples.
At this moment, about seven or eight men and women with exquisite makeup and distinct, personalized clothing simultaneously stopped what they were doing.
Their gazes swept over in unison—curiosity, scrutiny, admiration, assessment… a mix of emotions intertwined in the air.
Su Yuqing, leading the slightly flustered Bai Wanxue into the center of the room, clapped her hands and announced clearly, “Esteemed members of the makeup team and styling team! Sorry to keep you waiting! I’ve brought her to you safe and sound—”
She deliberately drew out her tone and made a presenting gesture.
“Allow me to formally introduce, this is the one our Xiaozhua Agency is focusing on developing in the next phase, the one we have high hopes for—the future Super Idol, Bai Wanxue!”
She tilted her head slightly, looking at Bai Wanxue, who stood quietly beside her, calmly surveying the unfamiliar environment and crowd with her pale red eyes.
Su Yuqing softened her voice to guide her.
“Come on, Wanxue, say hello to the sisters who will be working with you in the future, the ones who will make you shine.”
Upon hearing this, Bai Wanxue gently released her grip on the hem of Su Yuqing’s clothes (she had unknowingly grabbed hold of it again at some point).
She took a small step forward, stood still, elegantly clasped her hands over the apron of her cream-colored dress, and gave a slight bow—a standard yet uniquely her own greeting.
When she lifted her head, her face wore an expression perfectly blending shyness and earnestness.
In her ethereal, clear voice, she said:
“Hello, sisters. Hello, brothers. My name is Bai Wanxue.”
She paused, seeming to think for a moment, then added another sentence.
Her tone was natural and serious, as if stating the simplest fact.
“I am a new idol who, in the future, will wear the beautiful clothes you carefully make and perform on stage.”
Then, without any warning, came a soft, breathy—”Meow.”
This cat-like sound, in the now-quiet dressing room focused on her introduction, seemed especially clear, even producing a slight echo.
“Huh~?”
After a brief silence, a young female makeup artist with a neat short haircut and a row of sparkling ear studs was the first to voice a questioning sound.
She stroked her chin, looking Bai Wanxue up and down, her eyes filled with investigative interest, though her tone remained friendly.
“Little Wanxue, that sound of yours… hmm, that cute little tail-end, are you intentionally imitating Zhiai-chan?”
She smiled, trying to make the question sound less pointed.
“Don’t misunderstand, I don’t think imitating a successful senior in the industry is a bad thing. After all, standing on the shoulders of giants lets you see farther. But—”
Her tone shifted, becoming more professional.
“Ultimately, in this fiercely competitive circle, a unique personal style and memorable traits are the real keys to longevity for a new idol. Blind imitation might make you lose your own original light.”
This question clearly represented the doubts of many present.
After all, Kasahana Chiai’s signature “meow” verbal quirk and cat-like idol persona were already deeply ingrained in people’s minds, even forming a core part of her immense charm.
For a newcomer, especially a junior from the same agency, to use similar traits would inevitably lead to associations and comparisons.
For a moment, everyone’s gaze focused on Bai Wanxue, waiting for her answer.
Su Yuqing also held her breath slightly, somewhat worried.
She had witnessed Bai Wanxue’s “straightforward” style and feared she might say something shocking.
However, Bai Wanxue’s reaction was unusually calm.
She simply shook her head gently, her pale red eyes looking directly at the makeup artist who had asked the question.
Her gaze was clear to the bottom, without any evasion or guilt.
“No.”
Her voice remained steady, even carrying a hint of confusion, as if she didn’t understand why the other person would think that.
“Wanxue is not intentionally imitating any successful person.”
She tilted her head slightly, her silver-gray hair slipping over her shoulder.
The motion made her look even more like a thinking cat.
“Wanxue is Wanxue. The sound Wanxue makes is Wanxue’s own sound. The actions Wanxue takes are actions Wanxue herself finds natural.”
She paused, concluding with a simple yet powerful sentence, her tone carrying a natural, not deliberate, certainty.
“And, Wanxue will only ever be Wanxue herself. Meow.”
This “meow” was still perfectly natural, as if it were an indispensable punctuation mark in her speech.
The makeup artist was stunned for a moment, then her eyes lit up even brighter.
Far from being displeased at the “rebuttal,” she seemed to have discovered some treasure, nodding repeatedly.
“Interesting! So interesting! This feeling of being utterly natural… it’s on a whole different level than a deliberately crafted persona!”
A few of her colleagues nearby also exchanged glances, murmuring in low voices.
Their looks toward Bai Wanxue now held a bit more genuine interest and approval.
At that moment, another, slightly older-looking female makeup artist with a gentle demeanor couldn’t help but lean in closer.
Staring at Bai Wanxue’s cheeks, which under the light seemed to glow with a pearlescent, flawless sheen, her eyes revealed a near-obsessive professional appreciation.
“Wow~!”
She exclaimed in admiration, almost wanting to take out a magnifying glass for a closer look.
“Little Wanxue, your skin… this texture! This translucency! This zero-pore condition! It’s ridiculously good! Is there some special skincare secret? Or were you just born with it?”
She rubbed her fingers together, looking eager, half-jokingly and half-seriously making a request.
“May I… may this sister reach out and gently touch it, just to feel this amazing skin texture? Just once! I promise!”
Seeming to realize her request might sound a bit “pervy,” she quickly waved her hands, blushing as she tried to explain and maintain her professional image.
“F-first of all! This sister is one of the top makeup artists in the makeup team! I-I absolutely, absolutely did not say this because I think Wanxue’s little face is so, so adorable that people can’t help but want to pinch it! It’s purely… a professional curiosity! Yes, a professional habit!”
Her rather transparent explanation made several colleagues around her chuckle, unable to hold back low laughs.
Even Su Yuqing couldn’t help but smile.
The atmosphere in the dressing room instantly became much more relaxed.