Chapter 9
Ever since Qu Banqing arrived, Ning Zhixia’s quality of life had skyrocketed. He constantly lamented that a child with a “mom” was like a treasure.
“Who says a butterfly can’t—”
“Possess the power to shake the universe—”
Qu Banqing angrily took out his phone, started his playlist, and kicked the annoying young man to go schedule appointments for the customers.
The ice lotus watercolor design was indeed beautiful, but that didn’t mean other shops couldn’t replicate it. The shop’s customer base wasn’t as stable as the larger shops in the commercial center.
Recently, the platform was running a “Spring Fingertip Show” campaign. Participating required tagging posts with the campaign hashtag, and while the rewards weren’t specified, it was likely a good way to boost traffic.
Ning Zhixia wanted to join in the fun, but he lacked inspiration.
“Ning gege, eat!”
A potato chip was shoved in front of his mouth. Ning Zhixia lowered his head and took a bite, looking up to see that the fox cubs had arrived.
Ever since their last visit, they seemed to have discovered a fun secret base. Whenever they finished their cultivation tasks, they would hop over to the Yokai Market and wait at the door for Ning Zhixia to open.
The Yokai Market was a mixed bag, and without Su Qiushui’s recommendation, Ning Zhixia didn’t dare let other Yokai in casually.
So, for the past two nights, with no customers, they had enjoyed their leisure time, eating snacks and playing Monopoly with the fox cubs in the living room.
Ning Zhixia hugged Baizhu and squeezed onto the sofa to watch the game. The fox cubs’ tails were soft and fluffy, wagging like puppies.
Hee hee, so fun.
Ning Zhixia braided the three tails, then suddenly sniffed the air. A sweet fragrance wafted from the fox cubs.
He pinched Baizhu’s ear and asked curiously, “Did Qiushui spray you with perfume?”
“Nope, it’s a sachet.”
Baizhu nuzzled against him, taking out a bulging silver brocade pouch from his sleeve. “People down the mountain like to carry these, but mine is prettier!”
Ning Zhixia was curious: “What’s inside?”
“Flowers from the mountain.”
Baizhu opened the sachet to show him. Inside were tiny, colorful flowers, some dried, some still fresh, probably newly added.
Ning Zhixia took a pinch and examined them closely. Even the dried flowers were still vibrant, their petals unfolding smoothly with clear veins when he gently pressed them between his fingers.
“Do you like them?”
Baizhu’s eyes lit up, thinking that Ning Zhixia had good taste. He held the sachet and tucked it into Ning Zhixia’s shirt through his collar. “Here, you can have it. There are lots of flowers on the mountain.”
Lots? Perfect!
An idea struck Ning Zhixia. He said, “Honey, let’s make a deal. Can you help me make some dried flowers? I need them for my nail art.”
“Use dried flowers?”
Baizhu tilted his head, his eyes darting around. Seeing that Ning Zhixia wasn’t joking, he extended his small hand, imitating an actor on TV. “Okay, but I want snacks in exchange!”
Ning Zhixia shook the little hand still covered in rice cracker crumbs and readily agreed: “Deal.”
After making the deal with Ning Zhixia, the four fox cubs scurried back to the Yokai Mountain and got to work.
Soon, carefully selected mountain flowers, pressed flat by many paws, were carefully packed into a wooden box and delivered to Ning Zhixia.
“Ta-da!”
Baizhu stood on tiptoe, his chin resting on the table, his tail wagging rapidly behind him. “Ning gege, do you like them?”
“Oh, oh, oh! They’re in such good condition!”
Ning Zhixia took a handful and inspected them, then pushed a large bag of snacks over with satisfaction. “You picked so many, enough for me to use for a long time.”
“For… a long time?”
Baizhu, just as he hugged the snacks, blinked blankly, feeling as if struck by lightning.
Didn’t that mean that Ning Zhixia wouldn’t need any more dried flowers for a long time, and he wouldn’t be able to exchange them for snacks anymore?
He let out a dejected whimper, then suddenly thought of something and quickly grabbed Ning Zhixia.
Ning Zhixia asked, “What’s wrong?”
Baizhu looked up and said, “Gege, do you like balm? I’ll trade with you again!”
Balm?
Ning Zhixia had heard of traditional balms and was a little interested: “Tell me, is it made with these flowers?”
“Yes! Our mountain has abundant spiritual energy, and the flowers bloom beautifully. We often make balm with fresh flowers. It can be applied to the face or hands. We use it every day!”
Baizhu gestured excitedly, and afraid that Ning Zhixia wouldn’t believe him, he tugged on his clothes, making him bend down, and brought his little face close. “Touch it, touch it, it’s fragrant and smooth, so comfortable!”
The sweet fragrance was indeed refreshing. Ning Zhixia smiled and rubbed his face against his, feeling like he had become fragrant himself.
So he said, “Bring me some samples to see, and if I like them, I’ll trade with you.”
“Okay!”
Baizhu was overjoyed and, as if afraid he would change his mind, grabbed the snacks and ran off.
The next day, the sky was clear and sunny, and the cats were all basking in the sun on the windowsill in the living room.
Because not all customers liked cats, Ning Zhixia had used freeze-dried treats to train them a few times. The furry creatures were well-behaved and didn’t wander into the work area. Now they were sleeping soundly, covering their eyes with their paws.
Qu Banqing had just finished an order, and there were no customers at the moment, so he said hello and went out to buy groceries.
Fully booked days weren’t every day. Ning Zhixia tidied up the desk, giggling as he prepared to bury his face in the cats’ bellies.
“Hello? Can I get a manicure now?”
A girl with delicate makeup, wearing a Lolita dress, entered the shop, holding up her phone. “I don’t have an appointment, and I need extensions.”
Ning Zhixia’s mischief was interrupted. He returned to the work area, pulled out a chair, and said, “Come on in, I have time. Have you decided on a design?”
“I haven’t decided yet, but I want something spring-like…”
The girl shook her head. She had actually made an appointment at a large shop in the commercial district, but her appointment was messed up and a regular customer cut in line. Annoyed, she left and happened to pass by Qingxi Road, where she was attracted by the shop’s beautiful decor.
Ning Zhixia listened to her complaints, comforted her, and proceeded with the nail extensions and prep work.
His hands were steady and quick, applying the tips without any bubbles or glue overflow. He filed the edges smooth and natural, and after applying the builder gel, the nail beds looked beautifully shaped.
The girl glanced at her extended nails and gradually stopped talking.
She was a regular at nail salons, and many shops looked good on the outside but were disappointing in reality. She had stepped on many landmines, but this time, she might have struck gold…
Considering the style the customer wanted, Ning Zhixia opened the wooden box and pushed it towards her, asking uncertainly, “Do you think dried flowers would work?”
The girl looked inside and let out a small “Eh?”
Most dried flowers on the market were made by cutting white gypsophila into small pieces, flattening them, and then dyeing them with colored ink. They came in all sorts of colors, but looked a bit plasticky. They could be used for intricate designs, but it required a high level of color matching and aesthetic sense from the manicurist.
However, the tiny flowers in the wooden box were completely different from what she had seen in other shops. The petal textures were delicate, the colors like ink washes, and there were even some exquisite double-petaled flowers.
Just one glance evoked the feeling of spring.
There were many French manicure designs using dried flowers. The girl liked these small flowers, but she hesitated: “It feels a bit unoriginal. I had a French manicure with dried flowers last spring.”
Ning Zhixia, of course, wouldn’t follow the trend. He took out his tablet, sketched a design, and explained his idea to her.
What did it mean for petals to flow on the fingertips?
The girl was a little confused and a little curious. Seeing his sincere expression, and thinking that she was already there, she nodded in agreement.
Ning Zhixia nodded, took out his phone, “Okay, I’ll call someone.”
Soon, Qu Banqing returned from the supermarket, carrying bags of food.
After Ning Zhixia explained, he looked dazed: “My son, how can your little head come up with such bold ideas…”
Ning Zhixia: “^v^”
Qu Banqing ruffled his hair angrily, then went upstairs to get his tools.
Ning Zhixia didn’t waste any time, leaving the index and ring fingers bare, and applying a thin layer of translucent white to the other nails.
Because the girl was wearing a spring/summer, countryside-themed Lolita dress, Ning Zhixia didn’t use watercolors. He chose white acrylic paint and applied thin, irregular horizontal strokes to the middle part of the nails.
The girl was surprised: “You can use acrylic paint?”
Ning Zhixia, focused on his work, replied: “Yes, you can also use markers and colored pencils.”
In his opinion, nail art was like painting on fingertips. Many methods and techniques could be combined, creating endless possibilities.
After applying a top coat and curing it, Ning Zhixia put aside the acrylic paint and took out a box of iridescent fairy powder, choosing orange-gold and slightly green shades, layering them gently.
“Ah…”
The girl, perhaps having experienced disastrous manicures before, anxiously wanted to object. This stuff had the texture of cement, and although it looked easy to apply, a slight misstep could turn it into a shiny fly.
But the young man was so focused on his work that she couldn’t bear to interrupt him, so she just looked back and forth between the design on the tablet and her nails, trying to reassure herself.
“Okay, take a look.” Ning Zhixia finished one hand and showed it to her.
“It’s okay, it’s okay…” The girl muttered, then sat up straight and looked closely, her eyes widening in surprise, “It’s beautiful!”
The overall effect was slightly heavier than the watercolor, creating a stronger sense of atmosphere. However, the colors were applied very lightly, blending naturally without any abrupt transitions. The nails shimmered with a hazy, iridescent sheen, like a dreamy countryside in the soft light.
“Oh my god, it’s so beautiful!”
The girl couldn’t help but take a few photos of the unfinished work and send them to her group chat, receiving a flurry of compliments.
Seeing that she had no objections, Ning Zhixia started applying the dried flowers. He chose whole flowers as the focal point of each nail, using tweezers to tear apart other petals and place them around, the overall arrangement light and airy, like flowers scattered by the wind.
The current effect was already perfect, but Qu Banqing still had to take over, carefully taking out bottles of oil, quicksand liquid, and other tools from his box.
The girl then remembered that four of her fingers hadn’t been done yet, and asked in a trembling voice, “What are you going to do?”
Qu Banqing puffed out his chest proudly: “Quicksand nails!”
“!!!”
The girl’s face was full of shock, suddenly feeling like she had ten keychains on her hands.
Ning Zhixia hummed beside her: “Such beautiful dried flowers, it’s a waste to just use them as stickers. I said it has to be dynamic, so it has to move!”
Mad, so cool!
The girl was intrigued, her blood boiling with excitement as she cheered, “Let’s do it, let’s do it!”
There were many ways to create quicksand nails. After a few attempts, they chose to use transparent film and hard builder gel to create partitions at the base and tip of the nails, leaving a hollow space in the middle.
However, they had to be extremely careful when filing the edges to avoid over-filing, which could lead to glue overflow later.
The girl watched their careful movements, feeling nervous herself. When the initial stage was complete, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
Next, they needed to place the dried flowers and inject the quicksand liquid. They had been working for almost five hours. Qu Banqing went to the kitchen to cook a pan of mixed vegetable fried rice, which they shared, their mouths full of oily goodness.
The girl was completely engrossed. As soon as she finished eating, she extended her hands, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Ning Zhixia, with grains of rice still on his face, went all out to complete the remaining steps.
The three of them huddled under the lamp, their expressions a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
Ning Zhixia urged, “Shake it.”
The girl tentatively shook her fingertips, and instantly, countless petals floated as if immersed in spring water.
The three of them cheered excitedly—
“Woohoo!”
Success!
The girl played excitedly, taking photos and praising the two people resting on the table: “You guys are amazing! This is the best manicure I’ve ever had!”
Hmm? Compliments received!
Ning Zhixia’s fatigue vanished instantly.
He put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest: “This level of difficulty is nothing, I can design even more—”
Qu Banqing covered his mouth in time, tears welling up in his eyes—
My son, stop it!
Ning Zhixia blinked: Okay.
The girl seemed to be very good at taking photos. The pictures didn’t need much editing. Ning Zhixia directly uploaded them to his account, adding the campaign hashtag.
Many people on the platform were looking for reference pictures for the campaign, but the spring theme was popular every year, so there wasn’t much new.
However, a new post suddenly appeared, instantly grabbing everyone’s attention.
Dried flower manicures weren’t new, but the quality of the dried flowers in this shop was exceptionally good, and the combination of fairy powder and acrylic paint enhanced the overall sophistication.
The middle finger of the left hand featured a light champagne-colored square crystal as the main stone, while the other middle finger had a string of assorted small crystals along the base of the nail bed, interspersed with two small pearls.
Most importantly, in the animated image, the owner of the fingers tilted her nails, and the piled-up petals cascaded down like a gentle snowfall…
“Holy crap! You guys in the nail art world are insane!”
“It’s you monster colleagues again! Don’t let my clients see this!”
“It’s good to be in the modern era, you can see the master’s miracles without sacrifices!”
“The fluidity is amazing, so captivating, I feel like I could play with it forever!”
“The shop owner’s blending technique is so skillful, and the Swarovski crystals are applied so cleanly, the facets aren’t affected at all. Could you make a tutorial?”
“I can’t even! Where did you buy the dried flowers?”
“Yay, wearing keychains on your fingers is just around the corner!”
“How much would a design like this cost?”
The next morning at breakfast, Ning Zhixia was leisurely dipping his fried dough stick into soy milk when he suddenly received a new notification from the platform.
[Congratulations! Your new post has received the highest engagement in the “Spring Fingertip Show” campaign. You will receive a featured spot on the app’s opening screen for one day, starting tomorrow!]
“What?”
Ning Zhixia choked on his soy milk. “I only posted it yesterday!”
Qu Banqing was also shocked: “Did you pay for promotion?”
“No.”
Ning Zhixia shook his head blankly, clicked into his account, and quickly browsed. He soon found a reply under the most-liked comment asking for the price—
Lu Yaoguang: “1500 yuan~”
He clicked on the commenter’s profile and was surprised to find that the girl from yesterday was actually a quite famous beauty blogger. Not only had she claimed the photos, but she had also posted a video praising the manicure.
Ning Zhixia murmured: “Wow, this girl is amazing, she has hundreds of thousands of followers…”
He suddenly thought of something, his expression freezing, his fingers trembling as he opened his private messages. The new message bubbles seemed endless.
“Moo…”
Both of them let out the sound of overworked beasts.
