Feng Yi loved the festive bustle. For him, braving the supermarket crowds on New Year's Eve was a thrilling adventure. He'd been pestering Qiao Li to go with him. The mere thought of the dense crowds made Qiao Li's scalp tingle, but she couldn't resist Feng Yi's puppy-dog eyes and reluctantly agreed.

She rummaged through the corner of her wardrobe for loose, comfortable clothes, hoping to minimize the discomfort of the crowded environment.

Feng Yi, perched on the windowsill watching the sunset, urged her, "The sun's going down! If we leave now, we can still catch the last of it."

Qiao Li, sitting at her vanity, had just finished her eyebrows. "Alright, alright, I'll be done soon."

Feng Yi gazed longingly at the yolk-like setting sun. "I think it's dipped even lower!"

As Qiao Li finished her eyebrows, she looked at Feng Yi, still chattering away at the window. He reminded her of a large dog, barking excitedly to be taken for a walk.

Restless, Feng Yi came up to her and watched her apply makeup. "What are you doing? Why are you tapping your face with that little ball?"

Qiao Li sighed. "It's called a beauty blender."

He was fascinated by everything he saw. "And that pink thing, is that rouge?"

"...It's called blush." 

He nodded, absorbing the information, and bent down to watch intently as Qiao Li applied it. As she swept the brush across her cheek, a healthy flush bloomed, and Feng Yi immediately exclaimed, his eyes shining, "Wow! That's amazing! If I hadn't seen you do that, I would've thought your cheeks were always that rosy!"

Qiao Li's eye twitched, and she gently pushed away his head, which was now inches from her face.

He pleaded, "Let me try!"

Qiao Li firmly refused. "I've already put it on."

Feng Yi's shoulders slumped in disappointment, but his gaze quickly landed on the lipsticks in the organizer on her vanity. His fingers itched to try. "Then let me put on your lipstick. I know how to do that."

Qiao Li deadpanned, "Do you actually want me to finish my makeup?"

Feng Yi persisted. "You can, just leave your lips to me."

Qiao Li threatened, "If you keep messing around, we'll miss the sunset."

That hit home. Feng Yi pulled up a chair and sat obediently, watching her.

After half a minute of silence, he couldn't help himself. "Why do you wear makeup? It seems like so much trouble."

"Because it makes me look nicer."

"But you look nice without it too."

"Not as nice as with it."

"That's not true! You have a different kind of beauty without makeup… like… a lotus flower emerging from clear water. A very pure beauty." He propped his chin on his hand and sighed. "How can you look good no matter what? I feel so insecure."

He truly wished he could compliment her three hundred times a day.

"You're so beautiful. I can't get enough of looking at you." He started singing, "You're beautiful, you're beautiful, you're beautiful, it's true— Ow! That hurts! What are you doing to my eye?!"

Qiao Li, who was curling her eyelashes, gave up on her eye makeup.

Seeing her put down the curler, Feng Yi rubbed his hands together expectantly. "Is it lipstick time now?"

Looking at his eager expression, Qiao Li chose a color-changing lip balm and handed it to him. "Go ahead."

Feng Yi excitedly opened the cap and twisted up the balm, feeling slightly insulted. "There's no color! I want red!"

Qiao Li wasn't about to give him a dark lipstick; she was certain he'd make a mess. She soothed, "It's a color-changing balm. It'll turn red gradually."

"Wow," Feng Yi was easily swayed. "That's amazing!"

He puckered his lips and crouched in front of Qiao Li, like a middle school teacher reaching the bottom of the blackboard. "I'll apply it for you. Pout your lips."

Qiao Li pouted.

"No, no, that's not right either. Say 'ahh'."

Qiao Li opened her mouth. "Ahh."

Feng Yi carefully dabbed the balm in the center of her upper and lower lips. "Perfect."

Qiao Li was dubious.