Chapter 47
In the quiet night, the Porcelain Fairy floated in the sky, followed by Ning Zhixia and Qu Banqing in their car. They helped her navigate a few intersections and safely escorted her back to the museum entrance.
“I’ll remember, I won’t get lost next time!” The Porcelain Fairy thanked them, then turned into a wisp of smoke and slipped through the crack in the door.
Back home, the living room was quiet, only the cats running around excitedly.
Qu Banqing, full of energy thanks to not being human, sat cross-legged in the living room, deciding to play some more games: “Meow Meow, want to play?”
“No, no…” Ning Zhixia, having worked late, was exhausted and ready to go upstairs to wash up and sleep.
He yawned lazily as he passed the storage room, the faint sound of splashing water coming from inside.
Qu Banqing, calmly playing his game, glanced over, then abruptly turned his head, his eyes wide with shock.
Ning Zhixia was pressed against the door like a rice cake, his hand even on the doorknob, trying to open it—
“!!!”
Like seeing a pristine little piglet trying to wallow in a puddle, Qu Banqing was horrified and quickly jumped up, kicking him away from the door.
“Go, go, go to sleep!” Qu Banqing waved him away, unable to relax even for a moment lately.
“I just wanted to take a look…” Ning Zhixia rubbed his butt with grievance, muttering about the expensive water bill, and reluctantly went upstairs.
After Ning Zhixia disappeared around the corner, Qu Banqing breathed a sigh of relief, stood at the storage room door for a moment, then returned to the living room and continued playing his game.
The museum had given them ample time, and since he had already sketched the designs, Ning Zhixia quickly sent them to the client. The communication process was smooth, with only eight revisions before they could start making the final products.
Since it was artifact-themed merchandise, it had to match the characteristics of the artifacts. The blue and white porcelain meiping vase, due to its low iron content, wasn’t as vibrant as some other types, but its elegant and subtle color was easier to work with for nail art.
Ning Zhixia chose watercolor as usual, using porcelain white as the base color. He painted the index and ring fingers with patterns imitating the vase, adding auspicious cloud patterns to the top and bottom, and a miniature Porcelain Fairy and two swallows on a branch in the middle.
For the pinky finger, he simply blended a light blue shade, unsuitable for flashy rhinestones or gems, so he added a delicate porcelain flower made of crystal powder.
He painted the vase itself on the middle finger, and Qu Banqing used an airbrush to color the petals, then sculpted small flowers by hand and added them to the mouth of the vase.
Ning Zhixia rarely used an airbrush, and seeing him effortlessly creating batches of flowers, he immediately wanted to try it.
“Here, here.” Qu Banqing, exasperated by his pestering, filled the airbrush with colored gel and handed it over.
“Let me see, I press here, right?” Ning Zhixia eagerly placed his finger on the trigger.
“Wait, you haven’t adjusted the airflow!” Qu Banqing was startled and called out, making Ning Zhixia jump.
“Huh?”
Ning Zhixia turned around with the airbrush in his hand, just as Audrow, returning from watering the plants, walked past the workstation. The fine mist of blue and white gel landed on his silver-gray hair.
“Gasp—”
Qu Banqing’s eyes widened in horror, and he instinctively retreated, fleeing without hesitation.
Ning Zhixia held the airbrush like a hot potato, his mind blank, frozen in place.
He mustered his courage and asked tremblingly, “Xiao Ao… do you mind… a change of hair color?”
Audrow blinked, a giant question mark appearing above his head.
His slightly puzzled gaze followed the strange tool in Ning Zhixia’s hand, landing on the newly dyed section of his hair.
His usually indifferent eyes narrowed dangerously, and he reached out, grabbing the culprit.
“Waaaaah!”
A scream echoed, and Audrow, his face like ice, returned to the storage room, leaving behind a chilling aura.
Qu Banqing then approached, carefully examining the clear bite mark on Ning Zhixia’s soft, white cheek.
Qu Banqing wiped it with a tissue: “Pfft.”
Ning Zhixia covered his face and turned away, his lips trembling with anger.
“It’s okay, it’s okay…” Qu Banqing, suppressing his laughter, patted his head and comforted him, “His teeth are quite straight, it looks… interesting.”
Ning Zhixia was miserable: “It hurts…”
“It doesn’t hurt, it didn’t even break the skin.” Qu Banqing pinched his cheek and examined it closely, then saw an opportunity.
He changed his tone and said earnestly, like he was lecturing a child who had teased a dog and gotten bitten, “Don’t provoke him, stay away from him, we’re not playing with him.”
Ning Zhixia hesitated.
Qu Banqing, sensing his hesitation, asked sharply, “What’s wrong?”
Ning Zhixia mumbled reluctantly, “But he’s so pretty…”
Qu Banqing clutched his chest in exasperation, thinking that this A-Luo was truly hopeless, and transformed into his ruthless persona, kicking him back to the workstation.
The restored three-legged cauldron was gleaming, but he couldn’t just put ten gold nuggets on someone’s nails.
So he used black gel as the base, painted the coiling dragon pattern in the center with sculpting gel, and rubbed on antique gold mirror powder. The majestic dragon was eye-catching enough, so he didn’t add any other 3D elements to the remaining nails, instead painting mountains, rivers, and cloud patterns with watercolor and gel polish, symbolizing good fortune and prosperity.
The silk fan with cranes and clouds had initially seemed the easiest, but after several revisions with the museum, they still weren’t satisfied.
It had to showcase the artifact’s characteristics and be innovative. Ning Zhixia, frustrated, banged his head against the wall. After eight rejected designs, he even considered adding miniature tassels to the nail tips.
Finally, Qu Banqing designed a version and submitted it to the museum representative.
The representative, looking at the design, was shocked: “This wasn’t AI-generated? You can actually make this?”
Qu Banqing guaranteed that what he saw was what he would get, and quickly finalized the design.
After all the designs were finalized, Lu Yaoguang, having secured the collaboration with the museum, took a set of photos as a hand model.
However, Ning Zhixia wasn’t completely satisfied. Press-on nails needed to be considered for different hand shapes and skin tones, and with the high price, one reference wasn’t enough.
The museum accepted his suggestion and invited a few artifact restorers as hand models. These behind-the-scenes professionals were surprised, but upon seeing the finished press-on nails, they smiled and readily agreed to participate.
Before the official announcement, Ning Zhixia, following the museum’s suggestion, posted the photos he had taken on his account as a teaser.
The return of the three artifacts was a hot topic, and the platform was flooded with fan art and creative works, making everyone’s wallets shrink.
As an established figure in the nail art community, Mu Lin, besides selling press-on nails, also sold his own brand of gel polishes, tools, and tutorials.
He and his team naturally wouldn’t miss this opportunity and had already announced their plans to create some artifact-themed nail art, attracting the interest of fans and passersby.
But while he was still slowly building hype, Ning Zhixia directly announced his collaboration with the Yucheng Museum.
Before people could even process the word “collaboration,” they were stunned by the three sets of photos.
The meiping vase design featured white porcelain plum blossoms against a small window, with blue and white ink accents; the three-legged cauldron design, with its coiling dragon, was majestic and powerful, as if about to ascend to the heavens.
But the most stunning was the silk fan with cranes and clouds.
Kesi silk tapestry was as precious as gold, and as a luxury item from ancient times, it was naturally elegant. Ordinary watercolor techniques couldn’t capture its unique charm, so the entire design used a beige base, with the embroidery patterns divided among the nails.
First, the outlines were drawn with a dip pen, then the colors were filled in with plaster gel, followed by a layer of watercolor wash, and finally, the texture of the embroidery threads was created with the finest striping brush and colored gel.
Then came the gold outlines and background blending… even with fast hands, one nail tip would take five hours, the entire set a major project, naturally the most expensive and with the smallest quantity.
“Embroidery… wait, isn’t nail art evolving a bit too fast?”
“Oh my god, is this really hand-painted?”
“Wuwuwu, it’s Mr. Qu’s work, he’s incredibly talented in every field!”
“Where’s the price? Where’s the link? I’m going all in!”
“It looks like a work of art, I wouldn’t even dare to wear it!”
“I’m not wearing it, if I can get it, it’ll be the centerpiece of my ita bag!”
With the rising popularity, no one cared about Mu Lin’s slow trickle of news about his new products.
Losing the first-mover advantage wasn’t a big deal, he could still attract attention with his skills.
But his assistants and apprentices, looking at his designs, then at Ning Zhixia’s finished products, were at a loss for words.
Worlds apart, the comparison was too brutal. Whether the designs were made with heart or simply for profit was clear to anyone with eyes.
The entire studio was under pressure. Mu Lin, furious, scrutinized Ning Zhixia’s photos and captions, noticed the word “collaboration,” and sneered.
Just a small shop that opened this year, even with some connections, could it really collaborate with a non-profit organization like a museum, which was under the supervision of the government’s Cultural Affairs Bureau?
He seemed to have found a loophole and immediately left a comment—
“The designs are not bad, the young man has some talent, but I suggest you improve your self-awareness, know your place, don’t try to freeload what you shouldn’t, this is a complicated matter, understand?”
Ning Zhixia, staring at the comment, was confused: “What does he mean?”
Qu Banqing also shook his head: “Sounds like a bot.”
But it wouldn’t be polite to ignore him, so Ning Zhixia, to appease the bot-like senior, carefully replied—
“[Like][Like][Like]”
Mu Lin waited, and after a long time, only received three thumbs-up emojis, and he sneered.
Such a clever way to deflect, daring to provoke him with a little bit of skill.
Just as he was typing his retort, a few apprentices suddenly yelled, “Holy crap! It’s a real collaboration!”
The museum had posted about the new merchandise for the “Three Beauties of the Ancient Tomb” exhibition, and besides fridge magnets and tote bags, the most eye-catching were the three collaborative press-on nail designs.
The official account not only reposted Ning Zhixia’s photos and captions but also released a promotional video.
In the video, several hand models with different skin tones and hand shapes showcased the nail tips, the camera capturing every detail. Although their faces weren’t shown, their professions were displayed alongside.
At the end of the video, the most important information was revealed: the first two designs were priced at 1999 yuan, and the kesi fan design at 2999 yuan, limited to one set per customer, with only 300 sets available, to be shipped in batches.
The high prices were far beyond the usual range for cultural and creative products, but the viewers were ecstatic, ready to buy.
“Let’s go! I’m buying them all!”
“Oh my god, I’m so touched! Many of the hand models are the artifact restorers from documentaries!”
“The promotional details are great, they even have outfit suggestions for each design!”
“Wait, I’m not seeing things, right? It’s really a collaboration with Monster Manicure Shop?”
“It’s normal, although it’s a new shop, it’s definitely the best nail salon in Yucheng in my opinion!”
“Damn it, only 300 sets each, how am I supposed to get one?!”
“Will there be a restock? Please, I really need the coiling dragon design, it would look amazing with a black qipao!”
Many people, following the museum’s repost, went to Ning Zhixia’s page to admire the photos, and saw Mu Lin’s comment.
It was too late for Mu Lin to delete it. His comment was now at the top, and countless people were mocking him.
“How many sponsors do you have? You reek of privilege.”
“Know your place, don’t try to take advantage of what you shouldn’t, understand?”
“Didn’t expect that, huh? They’re actually qualified to collaborate with the museum? Angry?”
“Yay, the feeling of seeing someone you hate being exposed!”
“Old fans all know, he’s just an uneducated nobody, learned a bit of skill and started bragging, hasn’t even created many designs but his marketing is everywhere, hires a bunch of assistants and exploits his apprentices, which of his designs can even compare?”
“Thanks for the additional information, adding this to the Mu Lin drama folder, welcome new students!”
“Not to mention, Mr. Ning’s thumb looks more and more talented!”
Mu Lin furiously deleted his comment, but the mockery felt like slaps to his face.
Under the gazes of his apprentices and assistants, he angrily kicked the table, stormed out of the studio, and made a phone call…
“Oh, he was scolding me!”
Ning Zhixia only realized it when he was browsing the comments that evening. He chuckled and showed his phone to Audrow, bragging, “See? My fans defended me and roasted him for hundreds of replies!”
“Meow…”
Before Audrow could speak, Fatty Orange meowed, looking up.
It was lying on Audrow’s lap, acting as a tablet stand, its fawning behavior making Ning Zhixia jealous. He poked its head: “Who’s your owner? Why are you so obedient to him?”
Fatty Orange flicked its tail, yawned, and its disdainful attitude annoyed Ning Zhixia, who poked its mouth with his finger.
“Meow!” Fatty Orange dodged, and the tablet playing the dessert tutorial almost fell, caught by a large hand just in time.
A minute later.
Ning Zhixia took over Fatty Orange’s job, holding the tablet and snuggling beside Audrow, letting him lean his head on his shoulder as they watched the video.
It couldn’t be helped. The Porcelain Fairy had been coming over frequently to play games, and Ning Zhixia had divided the TV time. Fortunately, they had a tablet, and Audrow followed the rules.
After finishing an episode, Audrow, like a star student who had mastered the technique, turned and asked, “Want some cake?”
Now that he mentioned it, he did.
Ning Zhixia nodded: “Yes.”
Audrow: “What flavor?”
Ning Zhixia pointed at the video: “Just like in the tutorial, Oreo cheesecake?”
“Okay.”
Audrow nuzzled the young man’s hair and went to the kitchen.
He had bought a lot of ingredients, and he started mixing cream cheese and crushing Oreos, his movements slow but methodical.
Ning Zhixia stood by the door, clapping and praising, “Xiao Ao, you’re so amazing!”
Audrow smiled slightly, pleased, and muttered, “Of course.”
Since Ning Zhixia was impatient, Audrow made a no-bake version, pressing his hands against the mold for less than a second, instantly chilling it and making it ready to eat.
Audrow was clearly satisfied with his creation. He covered the small table with a lace tablecloth and placed the cake and plates on it.
Ning Zhixia smacked his lips, watching him arrange the cutlery, and extended a finger eagerly.
Audrow caught his finger before it could poke the cake and narrowed his eyes slightly: “I’m getting the knife and dessert wine, don’t touch it.”
Ning Zhixia immediately put his hands behind his back and nodded: “Okay, okay, okay, I’ll wait for you!”
After receiving his assurance, Audrow stared at him for two more seconds before leaving.
Meanwhile, Qu Banqing and the Porcelain Fairy were engrossed in their game.
The Porcelain Fairy was a natural gamer, looking delicate and fragile, constantly saying “I’m so scared,” but she was a ruthless killer with the controller, making Qu Banqing, who had intended to show off, look like a newbie.
After clearing another level, Qu Banqing excitedly flapped his little wings, searching for another game.
The Porcelain Fairy listened to him explain the rules with interest, then noticed a shadow flicker outside the window. She paused and walked towards the window.
Two figures were stealthily climbing over the wall, sneaking around the side of the house.
Just as they were about to throw something, the window opened, and a head popped out, asking eerily, “Who’s there?”
The two thugs, already unnerved by the rustling branches, looked up and saw a pale, stiff face with a creepy smile in the moonlight.
“Ghost! There’s a ghost!”
They screamed in terror.
“What ghost! I told you I’m not a ghost!”
The Porcelain Fairy yelled, but they didn’t listen. Annoyed, she waved her long sleeves, grabbing them and pulling them through the window.
Fatty Orange jumped off the sofa and pounced. Ning Zhixia was startled: “Holy crap, who are you! Hey, Fatty Orange, don’t move, don’t move!”
A flurry of footsteps echoed in the room, a cold cloth brushed against their faces, carrying a faint scent of incense. The thugs froze for a moment, then, seeing Qu Banqing with flapping wings behind his ears, they screamed and struggled to escape.
“Get off me!”
The kitten arched its back and hissed, and Ning Zhixia, trying to calm it down, kicked one of the thugs.
The thug turned to run, stumbled, and bumped into his companion, who fell forward, flailing his arms and grabbing the tablecloth—
“Crash—splat!”
The carefully made cake landed squarely on him, eliciting more cries of pain. Audrow, coming out with a knife, witnessed the scene.
Ning Zhixia finally caught the frightened Fatty Orange, and as he stood up, he saw Audrow, his face like ice, standing amidst the mess, toying with the knife.
He and Fatty Orange gulped and slowly retreated to the corner.
Ah, we’re… doomed…
