Chapter 43

After breakfast, the female guests were taken by the program staff to get their makeup done.

It takes more work to do hair and makeup for the women, so makeup artists were already waiting when Song Anan and the others arrived.

The four ladies sat side by side in front of the makeup tables, each with her own makeup artist.

The makeup artists' hands were like magic wands, using different brushes and the various bottles and jars on the tables to "cast spells" on their faces.

It didn't seem like much time had passed before the makeup artist working on Song Anan suddenly stopped.

"Done!"

Everyone was startled and turned to look.

That fast?!

The makeup artist scratched her head and said, "Miss Song has such a good complexion, I don't seem to have much room to work my magic."

The purpose of makeup is to highlight one's best features and conceal flaws.

But Song Anan's porcelain doll-like face was so exquisite that it barely needed any embellishment.

Her big, bright eyes were clear and full of spirit. Her lashes were thick and long. Her skin was as smooth and fair as a peeled boiled egg.

With a canvas like that, just a few simple touches was sufficient. Anything more would have been overkill.

Still, this makeup artist did have skills. The made-up Song Anan was even more stunningly beautiful.

【Woweee, Miss Song is so gorgeous! She's a natural beauty, and just a touch of makeup makes her look like a celestial maiden!】

【Gotta admit, Song Anan is so refined and delicate. She looks amazing barefaced on camera every day - there can't be many in the biz like her!】

【Whoa! Miss Song goes makeup-free on camera before this? I never noticed!】

When Shi Qing saw Song Anan's exquisite little face, she too couldn't help but sigh, "Youth is still the best asset. Skin so tender you can squeeze water out, and not a hint of cakiness.

Li Yu heartily agreed, "I know, right? And eyelashes that long without fake ones!"

"And those big eyes, just a simple sweep of liner makes them pop beautifully."

"And..."

The two women embarked on a back-and-forth of praise that soon had Song Anan blushing bashfully.

"Sis Shi, Sis Li, you're both so pretty too," she earnestly replied.

Women love being complimented, and Shi Qing and Li Yu were no exception. Beaming, they told their makeup artists to make them up even more beautifully.

【Hahaha, a core tenet of Miss Song's emotional intelligence: when praised, praise back sincerely!】

【Awwww, I wanna snuggle the pretty miss!】

【I wanna know which door God closed on Miss Song - she's so smart AND pretty, we're not created equal!】

【Ahhhhhhh, guess I'm just here taking up space】

Makeup done, next was hair and styling.

Song Anan was taken to a separate room to change into her outfit, then the stylist did her hair.

When she returned, everyone's eyes lit up.

Especially little miss Li Duo, who was stunned into silence.

While there wasn't a huge difference between Song Anan pre- and post-makeup, once she was in the dress with her hair done, the transformation was dramatic.

Song Anan's usual style was sporty and casual - loose tees, track pants, and sneakers.

Hair up in a high ponytail, in a crowd she looked just like any other high schooler.

They were over a season into filming and none had seen Song Anan in a dress yet.

The production team had picked out a soft, sky blue chiffon dress for her today.

The gentle, pale blue hue perfectly suited Song Anan's temperament, and made her fair skin seem even more porcelain.

Her hair was down in a shoulder-length princess cut, the only ornament a simple pearl hairpin. No other embellishment needed - she was a vision.

【Gahhhh, Miss Song coming for my life! This is too gorgeous, I've ceased to exist!】

【Slayed! I need to snuggle the pretty miss】

【Makes me wanna know which door God closed on Miss Song - so smart AND stunning, why the inequality】

【Ahhhhhhhh, compared to her I'm just here taking up space】

Li Yu looked Song Anan up and down, then instinctively glanced at Shi Qing.

One look conveyed the same message between them.

Because she'd been wearing loose athletic clothes, they hadn't noticed before...

But in this dress they saw that little miss had really blossomed.

Curves in all the right places.

Then again, Song Anan was 17 already - normal.

Song Anan was puzzled by their gazes. "What is it? Something wrong?"

Li Yu smiled and shook her head. "Little Anan, got a crush at school?"

A crush? Song Anan blinked. Did she mean...

Li Yu raised a brow. "You know, someone who makes your heart flutter?"

While not encouraging puppy love, crushes were par for the course at 17, 18. Song Anan furrowed her brow, confused. "What does heart flutter feel like?"

Li Yu and Shi Qing smiled and shook their heads. Still an innocent little thing.

【Hahaha, what a silly goose asking what heart flutter feels like!】

【Aha... now I know which door God closed on Miss Song - romance!】

【Bwahahaha, finally something I'm better at than Miss Song! At 17 I was already slipping love notes to the hotty in the class over】

【Laughing out loud, I was 15 and secretly crushing on our class prefect】

【Miss Song: So you're mocking me now!!!】

Another half hour or so passed before Shi Qing and the others finally finished up too.

When the women returned to the villa, the others who'd been waiting in the living room were gone.

Staff explained: "Mu Shi wanted to catch more waves, so they all went to the beach."

Shi Qing frowned slightly at the news. "That rogue, can't sit still. Will they make it back in time?"

Staff smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, we'll shoot the ladies first. The men can do hair and makeup when they get back. Plenty of time."

The plan was for solo shoots after a group shot of the women looking fab.

Men's hair and makeup was far simpler anyway, so it shouldn't be an issue.

When Song Anan's group arrived at the beach, only Song Linchuan the injured was there on the sand.

The others were out in the waters, gleefully playing.

"Well paint me impressed, Pei Kuang's got some serious surfing skills." Li Yu suddenly said, pointing out at the sea.

Hearing this, Song Anan was surprised. Pei Kuang could surf?

She followed Li Yu's finger and indeed saw Pei Kuang out there.

Poised atop a surfboard, he moved smoothly and adeptly through the waves, posture elegant and effortless, as one with the sea.

Almost on par with Qi Hui.

Song Anan was shocked. She'd been worried he would feel inadequate and purposefully took him away that day.

Seemed completely unnecessary.

Spotting the women on shore, the men headed in from the sea.

Song Linchuan hobbled over to them on his crutches.

He looked at Song Anan and sincerely praised, "You look really pretty today, little auntie."

Song Anan smiled at him.

Song Linchuan added, "I'll tell Mom to buy you more dresses, stop wearing athletic stuff all the time."

Song Anan quickly waved her hands. "No need, big sister-in-law already got me lots of dresses."

She just rarely had the chance to wear them to school.

Li Yu teased, "Now now, Linchuan, that's not nice only praising your auntie. Don't you have anything nice to say about us sisters?"

"Wouldn't dare compliment you sisters, or else your hubbies would come looking to tan my hide." Song Linchuan laughed.

"It's not that I don't want to praise you, I just don't dare to."

Li Yu beamed flirtatiously and waved him off. "Fine, explanation accepted."

While they bantered, the men in the sea also started heading in.

Seeing Song Anan, Pei Kuang was briefly stunned, a flash of admiration in his eyes.

"Wow, little auntie, you and Sis Li look just like princesses!" Qi MuShi exclaimed.

Not forgetting the other ladies, he quickly added, "Mom, Aunt Li, you two look like queens!"

His comments drew laughter. Everyone joked he'd be a chick magnet when older.

After a brief chat, the men went back to change and get made up.

The ladies were taken for their shoot.

About an hour passed before the men finally emerged.

Song Linchuan and Pei Kuang came first, not waiting for the others because of Song Linchuan's leg.

Both wore suits, but slightly different styles.

Song Linchuan had on a blue shirt and gray suit jacket, shirt collar casually unbuttoned. Gray suit shorts instead of pants because of his leg cast.

He exuded a roguishly suave air.

Pei Kuang's look was more formal - black suit, white shirt, and a sky blue tie.

Crisp white and somber black created an exquisite contrast. The monochrome elegance gave him a refined, genteel aura.

【Hot damn, Song Linchuan's dapper-chic style is swoonworthy! Love it】

【Gahhh Pei Kuang oozing that forbidden allure! How do I get this man】

【Suits kill me dead, too suave】

【Waaahhh I'm easy, either Song Linchuan or Pei Kuang please】

【Ahhhhh, I'll be vegan for life if You grant me such a man!】

【The production team just gets us!】

【Mom asked why I'm leering - cause I'm looking at hot men, cast and all】

【Ohhh, Song Anan's dress is blue, Song Linchuan's shirt is blue, and Pei Kuang's tie is blue. Stylists paid attention to details!】

The photographer, in order to seize the fleeting opportunity, saw that Pei Kuang and Song Linchuan had arrived, so he decided to shoot the aunt-nephew group first.

Taking photos, Pei Kuang and Song Linchuan were very adept at it, after all, the two were also frequent guests of various fashion magazines.

In comparison, Song Anan was much more restrained at the beginning. However, with Pei Kuang and Song Linchuan accompanying her, leading her into the mood, she slowly found the feeling for posing.

After several groups of photos were taken, walking through several famous check-in spots on the island.

Finally, the photographer brought the three back to the beach.

"Yes, auntie stand in the middle, Teacher Pei and Teacher Song stand on either side, get closer."

"Very good, very good, auntie raise your chin a bit higher, imagine you are a princess, and they are your knights..."

Hearing this, Song Anan couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed.

She had never thought of herself as a princess, let alone wanted anyone to become her knight.

According to the photographer's request, Song Anan stood barefoot on the beach, with Pei Kuang and Song Linchuan behind her on either side, the three of them forming a triangle.

A sea breeze blew, her blue skirt fluttered in the wind, falling neatly at Pei Kuang's feet.

The photographer seized this fleeting moment.

[The princess and her two knights, ahhhhhh, the photographer understands us]

[The visuals of these three people are simply against the sky, standing together is too eye-catching!]

[Wuwuwu, I'm a little jealous of auntie, with two top-tier men as her knights, I've said the word envy so much I'm tired of it]

[Uh... for this photo, I still feel that auntie and Teacher Pei look more exquisite together, Teacher Song seems a little redundant]

[Sister upstairs, please clarify, where is my brother lacking?]

[Uh... maybe the plaster on his leg makes him look a little funny]

[Alright, I really can't refute that. My brother really doesn't have a choice with today's outfit. This leg in plaster really ruins the aesthetics]

[Song Linchuan: Then I'm leaving!]

Finally, the shoot was over. Song Anan let out a long sigh of relief.

Posing for photos really takes a lot of energy.

No, it takes technique, at least she can't do it herself.

If it hadn't been for Song Linchuan and Pei Kuang teaching her today, she wouldn't have known when the shoot would have ended.

Song Anan and Pei Kuang supported Song Linchuan as the three of them walked towards the nearby rest area, where the other guests were waiting.

After everyone gathered, the live stream viewers exclaimed at being treated to such a feast for the eyes, with so many handsome men and beautiful women.

After Song Anan arrived, she noticed Qi MuShi pouting, looking rather unhappy.

"Sister Shi Qing, what's wrong with MuShi?" she asked Shi Qing.

Shi Qing glanced at her sulking son and said, suppressing laughter: "He doesn't like the clothes."

Song Anan looked again at Qi MuShi's outfit - like the other male guests, he was wearing a suit too.

"It looks nice," she said, "MuShi looks very gentlemanly and handsome in a suit, like a prince."

Qi MuShi twisted his lips and went to stand between Shi Qing and Qi Hui, saying: "Don't you think I look a lot like their flower boy?"

Song Anan was surprised.

Hmm... he really did look a bit like one.

Shi Qing was wearing a long white dress, Qi Hui a black suit, the two really looked like they were in wedding attire.

And Qi MuShi was wearing a blue suit, the key point being he had a red bowtie on.

Looking at it alone, it was nothing much, but standing between his parents, he really did look quite like a flower boy.

Seeing Song Anan's reaction, Qi MuShi felt even more dejected.

Sigh, he had wanted to dress like a prince, but who knew he ended up as a flower boy.

Perhaps inspired by Qi MuShi's words, the photographers for their group did steer towards a wedding theme.

But as the shoot went on, Qi MuShi also understood, being the flower boy for his parents actually felt quite meaningful.

Li Yu, Guo Xiu and Li Duo's group, all three had very cheerful personalities, and liked joking around too, so the shoot went for a lively vibe.

Ji Qingbai, Ji An and Gao Yang's group, their looks were also not bad, the three wore suits, standing together they looked like they were shooting for a men's fashion magazine, and the photographer captured accordingly.

After all four groups were done, the photographer called everyone over, wanting to take one last group photo together.

As instructed, everyone stood in a row facing the sea, to take a collective back view shot.

Song Anan stood between Song Linchuan and Pei Kuang, shoulders touching, standing very close together.

Suddenly, her fingertips were lightly touched, a numb sensation going straight up her spine.

Song Anan was startled, and instinctively looked towards Pei Kuang.

He was tilting his head chatting with Guo Xiu on the other side, seemingly unaware of the earlier accident.

In the sunshine, his tall nose bridge, chiselled jawline, smiling eyes, were even more dazzling than the sunlight.

At this moment, her heart seemed to lose control.

Thump thump, just like the last time in the secret room.

This was a very strange, very unfamiliar feeling that seemed to have never appeared before.

But it didn't seem to be disliked.

The warm sea breeze blew past her hair ends, a wisp of stray hair falling behind her ear, ticklish.

Song Anan gently rubbed her fingertips, gazing into the distance, her eyes moving slightly.

The camera lens pulled further and further back, framing the seascape in the distance.

Beneath the blue sky and green sea, white foam churned.

That row of beautiful backs, capturing the memory for all time.

[My Dearest Family] Season 3, ending here.

But the story belonging to this summer, has only just begun!