Chapter 44: Reforming Liu Yue'e

"Well, Aunt, actually you don't really need to play a specific character. Your identity is my junior aunt and my elder, you just need to put on a look of utter trust, indulgence, and leaving everything to me."

Liu Yue'e murmured, "I do trust you a lot anyway."

Lu Fan was also feeling a bit of a headache, not knowing how to guide her to make a change.

He gathered his thoughts and said, "Aunt, stand up and walk a few steps for me to see. Tomorrow, you need to project an attitude of confident composure. You must not show any timidity, as if signing the contract is a trivial little matter."

Liu Yue'e still had half her body hidden behind her daughter, a troubled expression on her face.

Bailu turned around to encourage her, "Mom, I believe you can do it. Just put on that expression you used to have before Dad got sick. When you stand with your hands on your hips and scold people at home, you look very confident."

Lu Fan slapped his thigh and chimed in, "Right, exactly that feeling! Everyone at home has to listen to you, and whoever doesn't gets a couple of nagging words and a scolding from you. My mom is just like that at home."

Liu Yue'e recalled that feeling, but just as she wanted to speak, she didn't know what to say.

Sensing her difficulty, Lu Fan said, "Aunt, let's swap places. Come stand over on my side."

With that, he picked up his small stool and sat down beside Bailu.

"Here's what we'll do. Let's run through a hypothetical scenario. Bailu and I are both your children, and we've been very disobedient, often getting into fights outside. Today, we beat up another kid and knocked out two of his teeth. His parents came over to confront us, and you compensated them 100 yuan. Right now, you are scolding us. Let's try to get into character."

Bailu covered her mouth to giggle, but Lu Fan gave her a light slap.

Liu Yue'e was already nervous enough; she couldn't have her laughing and throwing her off completely.

"Aunt, just scold us hard! The two of us can take it!"

After a moment of thought, Liu Yue'e said in a slightly stern tone, "What is wrong with you two?"

"Stop. That's not imposing enough. You need to put your left hand on your hip, point at us with your right hand like this while you scold, and don't hunch your shoulders. Keep your head up, chest out, and look at us out of the corners of your eyes, as if you're about to lunge forward and beat us at any second."

Liu Yue'e frowned and said, "This is so hard!"

"Practice more, or tomorrow will be even harder. You have to maintain that haughty, aloof posture, as if you look down on everything."

Liu Yue'e brewed the feeling once more, placing her left hand on her hip and pointing at the two with her right, but she forgot her lines.

After a few repeated attempts, Lu Fan rubbed his forehead. It seemed he couldn't give Liu Yue'e too heavy a role; she would just have to serve as a piece of window dressing, otherwise this performance was bound to fall through.

"How about this, Aunt? Tomorrow, you just talk as little as possible. Just nod or shake your head. If I want to consult your opinion, I'll lean over and whisper in your ear so we can have a private chat that they can't hear. Maintaining that sense of mystery works too."

"Alright, alright, I can manage this!" Liu Yue'e nodded hastily, as she had been terribly stressed just now.

"However, you still have to strike that pose and carry yourself right. You are the queen, and you look down upon those country bumpkins."

"Alright, is this right?"

Liu Yue'e lifted her chin, puffed out her chest, and looked down at the two of them with disdain.

"Yes, close enough. Let me design a few more gestures for you. Occasionally, you should cross your arms over your chest to appear even more haughty. Curl your lip slightly to show contempt. Right... no, the movement shouldn't be too exaggerated, just a slight upturn of the corner of your mouth without showing your teeth.

Also, when you're deep in thought, you can touch your earlobe or your neck. When you want to make a decision, you can unconsciously bite your lower lip with your teeth."

"Yes, yes, yes. Perfect. Practice these little motions more tonight by yourself."

"Lastly, walking. You've seen models on television, right? You don't need to walk as exaggeratedly as they do, but try to walk in a straight line with your feet, take smaller steps, and get your body moving."

Fraid that she might feel shy, Lu Fan said to Bailu, "Do you know how to walk? Walk a few steps for us to see first."

Although a bit embarrassed, Bailu obediently stood up.

Lu Fan moved the small dining table aside to clear some space for her.

Bailu thought for a moment and walked across the living room with an exaggerated sway that sent Lu Fan and Liu Yue'e into fits of laughter.

"Bailu, you don't need to overdo it. The way you're shaking your hips... Just walk like you normally do, but try to land your feet closer toward the center line."

"Yeah, that's about right. Now it has that feel to it."

The three of them fussed around in the living room for over an hour. Lu Fan even stepped in to demonstrate personally, and gradually Liu Yue'e and Bailu loosened up, walking with much more composure.

Finally, feeling that both of them had captured the aura of urban career women, Lu Fan called it a day.

"That's it for tonight, Junior Aunt. Tomorrow morning, I'll take you into town to get a hairstyle, buy a nice pair of leather shoes, and get you some jewelry to dress you up properly."

Liu Yue'e demurred, "Is all that really necessary?"

"There's a saying that details determine success or failure. Since we're putting on a show, we have to commit to the full act. Don't let one or two mistakes ruin the bigger picture. Only by giving it our all can we ensure that even if we fail, we won't have any regrets."

Both Liu Yue'e and Bailu nodded solemnly, feeling enlightened by his words.

Through this period of getting along, they had come to trust Lu Fan immensely, or else they would never have let him boss them around like this.

The next day, the three of them woke up early.

After breakfast, Lu Fan took them both into the urban area on his motorcycle.

First, he delivered food to Bailu's father, and then the three headed to a shopping mall.

They bought Liu Yue'e two good-quality inner blouses, followed by a pair of manageable high-heeled sandals.

Wearing the high heels, Liu Yue'e walked a few steps, and now the vibe was even stronger.

Leaving the mall, Lu Fan rode his motorcycle with the two of them to continue shopping, finally locating a fairly high-end beauty and hair salon. After stepping inside and confirming there wasn't a circle of heavily made-up young women standing around, he felt at ease inquiring about the prices.

He directly selected a 199-yuan beauty and hair package to give Liu Yue'e a comprehensive nutritional treatment for her face, neck, body, hands, and feet.

Studying Liu Yue'e, Lu Fan instructed the nearby beautician, "Trim the split ends of her hair, then give her a large-wave air perm, and curl her bangs slightly as well."

"Apply foundation to her face to cover up those few crow's feet at the corners of her eyes. Add just a tiny bit of blush, and shape her eyebrows slightly—just shave off those stray hairs at the tail of the brows to leave a sleek, elongated effect. Also, apply some foundation to her neck."

The customer is God; the beautician standing by didn't show the slightest hint of impatience, nodding as she recorded everything down.

"Lastly, use a cardamom-colored lipstick, paint her fingernails cardamom as well, and paint her toenails a pale cyan."

"Make sure the hand and foot care is done properly. If I'm not satisfied, I won't pay you."

"Sir, rest assured. Our shop has been open here in Dongping for over a dozen years, and we have a stellar reputation."

Having finished taking notes, the beautician went upstairs to prepare a milk and aroma bath. Her attitude left Lu Fan very satisfied, and he felt the money was well spent.

"Bailu, are you coming with me to check out the jewelry shops, or are you staying here?"

Liu Yue'e immediately grabbed hold of Bailu. "Let Bailu stay here with me! I'm a bit scared being here all by myself!"

"Aunt, don't worry, they're not going to sell you off. What are you scared of?"