At the beginning, when Li Xiyu made up her mind to "win over" Song Jiaye, when she was choosing the "props", she discussed with Ming Yuexuan to buy an antique one.
A search on Taobao with the keyword "肚兜" (corset) popped up right away.
Moreover, it was bright red.
Li Xiyu was wealthy and bought all kinds of patterns and materials. She bought at least three or four sets in one go. At that time, affected by the website's activities, the seller shipped very slowly, and it was several months later when they finally reached Li Xiyu's hands.
After getting the express delivery, these clothes were put at the bottom of Li Xiyu's trunk because there was simply no chance to use them.
She and Song Jiaye quarreled every day. It was hard enough for them to sit down and have a good talk, let alone for her to wear a corset to seduce him.
Suddenly, Ming Yuexuan seemed to think of something and asked, "What about your thong?"
Generally, the underwear that goes with such clothes is not very proper.
Sure enough, Li Qiyu looked extremely puzzled. "What thong?"
Ming Yuexuan thought for a while, rummaged through Li Xiyu's underwear cabinet and found a black lace underwear. She rolled the edge of the underwear into a thin line.
"Oh." Li Qiyu suddenly understood. She took a hair tie from her hair and handed it to Ming Yuexuan. "Do you mean this?"
Ming Yuexuan: "… Putting underwear on your head. You're really something."
"Underwear?" Li Qiyu was confused. "Isn't underwear a kind of pants? This is just a few strings."
Ming Yuexuan really didn't want to discuss the topic of lingerie with an ancient person. She snatched the hair tie from Li Qiyu's hand and threw it into the underwear cabinet, saying, "Don't wear this on your head in the future."
"Okay."
Ming Yuexuan led Li Xiyu into the innermost room where clothes that were not usually used were stored, such as swimsuits and evening gowns.
Li Qiyu looked at the rows of evening gowns that dragged on the ground. While being amazed by their beauty, she couldn't help but raise questions.
"Why do you wear mosquito nets on your bodies?"
Ming Yuexuan was already used to her strange questions. She found the swimsuits placed in the corner, rummaged through them, and finally chose a sexy one that showed her belly button.
When she turned around, she found Li Qiyu staring blankly at the Hanfu hanging on the wall.
Ming Yuexuan explained, "You also bought this for Song Jiaye. You even grew your hair long on purpose to look good in the Hanfu. You bought a whole bunch of them. But you only wore it once after you bought it. Song Jiaye said you didn't suit the Hanfu, so you just left it here to gather dust."
Li Xiyu had a grand and charming appearance, even a bit of an European beauty's look. It was really out of place to wear Hanfu with heavy Korean makeup.
It was just that what Song Jiaye said was really hurtful. Since then, Li Xiyu never touched the Hanfu again.
But for Li Qiyu, these clothes could instantly take her back to the memories that seemed like a past life but were actually just two months ago.
She gently touched the Hanfu, her eyes full of nostalgia.
Ming Yuexuan reminded her, "What? Do you want to wear the Hanfu? I don't mind if you do, but I have to remind you that if Song Jiaye says something when he sees it, you're not allowed to secretly cry under the quilt."
"I don't care what he says. I'm not wearing it for him. A woman dresses to please herself."
"Alright, alright." Ming Yuexuan took the Hanfu down for her and casually took out the hairpin that Li Xiyu had bought on a whim from the jewelry cabinet.
Next to the cloakroom was the dressing room. Li Qiyu put on the Hanfu, but Ming Yuexuan still thought it was a bit out of place.
Now Li Qiyu had a plain face and long hair loose, which really didn't match the clothes.
"Maybe you should put on some makeup," Ming Yuexuan suggested.
After all, women would do anything to match their clothes, not to mention just putting on some makeup.
Li Qiyu nodded. She sat in front of the dressing table and was completely at a loss looking at the bottles and jars on it.
Ming Yuexuan realized that she might not recognize these cosmetics when she saw that Li Qiyu didn't move for a long time. She introduced them one by one.
"This is lipstick."
"Lipstick?" Li Qiyu watched as Ming Yuexuan squeezed out the lipstick. Looking at the color, she guessed, "Is it rouge?"
"No, rouge is for the face. Oh, I'm getting off track because of you. What's for the face is called blush. Anyway, just remember that this is for the lips."
Li Qiyu nodded.
In ancient times, the things for the face and lips were all called rouge. In modern times, they were separated and each had its own name.
By analogy, Li Qiyu gradually recognized some basic makeup tools.
"This is called foundation."
Li Qiyu silently nodded in her heart. So lead powder was now called foundation.
There were also things that Li Qiyu didn't recognize, such as eyeliner and mascara, which she refused to use.
With Ming Yuexuan's help, Li Qiyu applied the base makeup on herself. Looking at the mirror, she started to draw her eyebrows stroke by stroke.
Ming Yuexuan originally wanted to do Li Qiyu's makeup, but since Li Qiyu insisted on doing it herself, she could only stand aside and watch. She had already prepared herself for Li Qiyu's failure and was ready to step in.
Look, those eyebrows were so thin and long. What a mess.
But when Li Qiyu finished her makeup, Ming Yuexuan realized that it was she who was superficial.
Li Xiyu's face with big eyes and a high nose bridge, a bit of an European beauty's look, was transformed by herself into a woman who seemed to have stepped out of a painting of court ladies. Her facial lines were softened a lot, and the charm in her whole body became more gentle.
But what surprised Ming Yuexuan was yet to come. She saw Li Xiyu skillfully braid her hair. The long hair quickly turned into a falling-horse bun in her hands, and then she paired it with the hairpin that Ming Yuexuan had brought. An ancient beauty appeared in front of her.
Ming Yuexuan was completely stunned.
This was her sister, the sister she had been close to for almost ten years. Suddenly, she felt as if she didn't know her anymore.
Was this still Li Xiyu?
Was this the Li Xiyu she knew?
Li Qiyu looked at herself in the mirror and was also in a daze for a moment.
She hadn't seen herself like this for a long time, even though this face was not the one she was familiar with.
At this moment, there was a knock on the door.
Song Jiaye's voice came.
"Xiyu, are you changing clothes?"
Ming Yuexuan was awakened by the knock on the door. She opened the door belatedly. As soon as Song Jiaye entered, he asked,
"You're …" The three words "doing what" didn't come out.
Because he was stunned by the scene in front of him.
He had never seen Li Xiyu like this before.
No, he had. He had seen Li Xiyu wearing Hanfu in front of him. But at that time, he only felt that something was out of place. He knew that Li Xiyu didn't suit this style, so he told her not to change herself for him anymore in the future, not even to accommodate her dressing style for him.
But now, he could never say such words again.
Li Qiyu in this ancient costume was so beautiful that he couldn't take his eyes off her.