An hour later, Mu Li walked out of a high-end styling salon.
Unlike his disheveled appearance when he went in, Mu Li now clearly had a meticulously designed hairstyle and makeup; his hair was no longer flat and messy as if he had just woken up, but had been fixed with hairspray into a slicked-back style, fully revealing his broad forehead and the widow's peak at his hairline, adding a touch of heroism.
His originally fair complexion had also been subtly adjusted, and his already Stereo facial features now appeared as exquisite as a sculpture.
This was Mu Li's first time dressing up so formally; even when he attended Wu Ha's debut, he only washed his face with facial cleanser, which was already the highest standard he knew.
But he never expected that one day he would proactively get his hair and makeup done.
The audience in the live stream was already on the verge of going crazy.
"I knew this guy had good bone structure, but no one told me he'd look like this after a little grooming!"
"Tell Jin Zhong I'm not coming back."
"Why do Mu Li's fans hide him so well? If I hadn't come in to watch, I wouldn't have known they were eating so well!"
"No, is this a different person?"
"Please, weld this makeup and hairstyle to his face."
"Just for this face, I've already become a fan."
"Is no one asking what he's going to do?"
"Meeting an online friend requires this much formality?"
...
"That's right! You're just going to meet an online friend, do you need to be so formal?" Liu Yun's call arrived just in time.
"Am I formal? I think it's alright, isn't it?" Mu Li was stunned, "I just got a haircut and a simple styling, and the stylist recommended that a little makeup would look better, so I just got a simple makeup and styling done. Is it formal?"
"Heh heh, as long as you like it." Liu Yun hung up the phone directly, but her eyes remained fixed on the live stream screen.
"I want to see what kind of online friend you're going to meet."
After hanging up the phone, Mu Li touched his freshly styled hair in confusion and curiously asked Gardevoir, "Am I formal?"
"Gardevoir..."
Not formal, not formal at all, as long as you're happy.
At the same time, at Fu Peiyao's house.
Mu Qingqing gradually woke up, looking at the familiar surroundings, and memories in her mind gradually resurfaced.
"Where's Pei Yao?" Mu Qingqing murmured.
"Oh? Qingqing, you're awake." Fu Peiyao was sitting in the living room, surrounded by three makeup artists who were applying makeup to her face.
Mu Qingqing's eyes immediately widened, her small mouth agape in surprise: "Pei Yao, you... you... what are you doing?"
"Putting on makeup? Can't you tell?" Fu Peiyao replied as a matter of course.
"No, don't you usually not wear makeup when you go out?" Mu Qingqing's big eyes were full of big questions.
"Who said I don't wear makeup? Don't I always wear makeup when I perform?" Fu Peiyao retorted.
"No, I'm not talking about when you're filming a show." Mu Qingqing continued, "You never wore makeup when you went out with me before, and you even said something like, 'I just don't like wearing makeup.'"
Fu Peiyao was stunned, as if she had lost her memory: "Did I? Did I say something like that?" She raised her beautiful eyes, and her slightly seductive gaze lightly swept over the three female makeup artists who were doing her makeup and hair.
The three of them subconsciously wanted to nod, but halfway through their nod, they felt a faint murderous aura coming from those beautiful eyes, and immediately shook their heads frantically: "No, absolutely not."
Fu Peiyao spread her hands, a triumphant smile on her lips: "See? I told you I didn't say it."
"You guys..." Mu Qingqing saw the spineless appearance of the three, and her anger flared up.
Then, her eyes darted around, and the angry expression on her face instantly softened, replaced by a meaningful smile: "Oh, I understand! This makeup is specifically for a certain someone! I guess I don't deserve it."
"Mu Qingqing, while I'm still doing my makeup, you'd better speak properly." A hint of murderous intent flashed in Fu Peiyao's eyes.
Mu Qingqing suppressed her smile, pouting and charmingly saying, "Alright, alright! I won't expose your flaws anymore. I'll go see what he's doing?"
"Hmph." Fu Peiyao feigned indifference, letting out a cold snort, but her eyes couldn't help but glance in Mu Qingqing's direction.
Seeing that Mu Qingqing remained silent for a long time, a hint of impatience appeared between Fu Peiyao's brows: "What is he doing?"
Mu Qingqing tossed her phone onto the sofa and collapsed onto it, not looking like a celebrity at all: "I can't live anymore! You two are truly a pair. You're doing your makeup, and he's getting his hair styled. Am I the only one who's redundant?"
Fu Peiyao suppressed the smile that was about to escape her lips and comforted her, "That's not it. Without you, wouldn't we be on the trending topics today?"
"So I'm just a tool to shut up those paparazzi?" Mu Qingqing Growled, "I'm not going. You two can go have fun by yourselves."
Fu Peiyao didn't say anything, seemingly genuinely considering the possibility of this plan: "Hmm... it's not impossible. Anyway, the cameras are rolling, so you don't add much or subtract much. Since you don't want to go, then you can rest well at home..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Mu Qingqing sprang up from the sofa like a spring: "You, Fu Peiyao, now you want to ditch me and have a romantic time together? No way!"
"However..." Mu Qingqing deliberately spoke halfway.
"However what?" Fu Peiyao was indeed piqued with curiosity and immediately pressed.
"However, A Li looks quite handsome! With such simple grooming, he's a completely different person." Mu Qingqing watched Mu Li walk out of the styling salon and couldn't help but nod in praise.
"That's..." Fu Peiyao spoke halfway, seemed to realize something was wrong, and immediately changed her words, "What's that? Am I not beautiful?"
Mu Qingqing couldn't help but roll her eyes: "Yes, yes, yes, you're the most beautiful, you're as beautiful as a fairy."
"That's more like it." Fu Peiyao grumbled softly.
Mu Qingqing sneered: "But, beautiful lady, it's already past one o'clock, and we agreed to meet at two. If you keep dawdling, you'll be late and leave a bad impression..."
"Oh no!" Before Mu Qingqing could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Fu Peiyao's Growl, "It's all your fault! If it weren't for picking you up, I would have been ready by now."
Mu Qingqing sighed helplessly: "Yes, yes, it's all my fault..."
Who told her she only had this one best friend? What could she do? She could only spoil her.
Mu Li had arrived at a coffee shop that looked quite high-end and didn't have many customers.
"How is it? Do I look okay dressed like this?" After Mu Li went to the restroom, he came out wearing a custom-made suit. Coupled with his fresh makeup and styling, the moment he appeared, he was like a noble young master stepping out of a comic book.
The waitstaff in the coffee shop were all stunned.
Not only the waitstaff, but the audience in the live stream were also stunned.
"No, he changed clothes after going to the restroom?"
"Where did the suit come from?"
"Did he go to a clothing store instead of a restroom?"
"I'm truly impressed. But he looks really good."
"High-end suit endorsements can come knocking on his door."
"Brother, it's July, isn't it hot dressed like that?"
...
Mu Li nervously adjusted his suit, constantly glancing at the coffee shop entrance and then at the time on his phone.
"Why aren't they here yet?" Seeing that it was almost the agreed-upon time, Mu Li couldn't sit still, "Could they be stuck in traffic?"
He took out his phone, wanting to send a text message to inquire, but quickly put it back down, muttering to himself: "It's not the agreed time yet, would sending a message now make me seem impatient?"
"Just wait a little longer, just wait a little longer." Mu Li let out a long breath, but his hands kept fidgeting, sometimes picking at his nails, sometimes straightening up.
At the front entrance of the coffee shop, two fashionably dressed girls wearing masks and sunglasses were secretly peeking through the door crack, observing the activity inside the coffee shop.
These two were Fu Peiyao and Mu Qingqing, who had rushed over.
"Pei Yao, look at how nervous he is; he really cares about you." Mu Qingqing teased, "But he looks quite handsome in a suit."
Fu Peiyao said irritably, "Why are we hiding here? The agreed time is almost here, I'm going in."
With that, she prepared to enter through the front door, but Mu Qingqing grabbed her.
"Mu Qingqing, what exactly do you want to do?" Fu Peiyao said impatiently.
Mu Qingqing pointed to the back door of the coffee shop, a mischievous smile on her face: "Let's go in through the back door and give him a surprise, shall we?"
"Heh..." Fu Peiyao snorted, "I think you just want to scare him to death."
"Oh, someone's feeling bad for him." Mu Qingqing's tone changed as she continued to tease Fu Peiyao.
"Who's feeling bad for him?" Fu Peiyao retorted stubbornly, "I'm just afraid you'll mistake him for someone else, and then it'll be awkward."
"Sister, I'm not blind." Mu Qingqing couldn't help but complain, "Out of the entire coffee shop, he's the only one who stands out. What normal person would wear something like that in July?"
Fu Peiyao couldn't help but roll her eyes: "How can you talk about others? What's with your sleeveless wool sweater? Who wears a wool sweater that's sleeveless?"
"This is fashion." Mu Qingqing charmingly said, "This wool sweater is very breathable and cool!"
"Suffering for vanity." Fu Peiyao was too lazy to complain anymore and followed Mu Qingqing's steps, entering the coffee shop through the back door.
The closer it got to 2 PM, the more restless Mu Li became.
"Why aren't they here yet?" Mu Li had asked this question countless times.
"Could something really have happened?" Mu Li's brows furrowed, "Traffic? Or something delayed them?"
Mu Li felt like he hadn't been this nervous in a long time; even when he stood on the battle stage seven years ago, he wasn't this nervous.
Seeing Mu Li so nervous, the bullet comments couldn't help but complain.
"Brother, you're a minor celebrity, can't you be a little calmer?"
"Who exactly is A Li going to meet? A girlfriend?"
"Looking at A Li, something's really off."
"Brother, are you hot? The outdoor temperature in Modu is 35 degrees Celsius."
"Look, those two people are coming over!"
...
Gardevoir, who was responsible for filming, was the first to notice two people stealthily approaching Mu Li. Through telepathy, she didn't sense any malice from them.
It seemed these two were the people A Li was waiting for.
Gardevoir acted as if she hadn't seen them, simply focusing on filming. Unbeknownst to her, a mischievous smile appeared on her lips.
Just as Mu Li was still at a loss, a sweet female voice came from behind him: "Handsome, do you have a spot here? Can we sit here?"