When I woke up, it was already bright outside. The seat beside me was empty and cool. I knew without thinking that Lu Shishen had already gone to the army.
There was a rice bucket on the table as usual.
It was not a good idea to stay in bed on New Year's Eve. After Yang Niannian got up, washed up, and had just drunk some rice porridge, Tao Hua came in hurriedly.
"Big sister, are you ready? We all have to go to the army cafeteria for lunch today and perform in the afternoon."
Yang Niannian closed the lid of the lunch bucket and said, "We've packed up. Shall we go there directly at noon, or will they come back to pick us up?"
"They came back to pick me up." Tao Hua smiled until wrinkles appeared on the corners of her eyes. "Speaking of which, this day is the most prestigious for me in the whole year. Normally, if I ask Old Yan to come back to pick me up, it would be harder than asking him to run ten miles."
Yang Niannian was amused by Tao Hua's words. Just as she was about to say something, she heard Tao Hua ask again.
"Big sister, why are you wearing a military coat? Everyone is dressed up beautifully today. Manzhi will help everyone with makeup later. Why don't you put on your white down jacket? It looks so pretty!"
Yang Niannian also planned to wear that one, "I'm afraid it will get dirty and hard to wash, so I'll change into it when Shi Shen comes to pick me up!"
Tao Hua understood very well, "I usually don't wear light-colored clothes. They don't get dirty easily and are hard to wash. Let's go down quickly! They are all queuing up in Manzhi's room to put on makeup."
Yang Niannian didn't expect Lin Manzhi to do her makeup, but since everyone else had gone, it would be inappropriate for her not to go, so she followed Tao Hua to Lin Manzhi's room.
There was no room to sit in the room, so the military wives who had not yet lined up were waiting at the door.
When the two of them walked to the door, Deputy Battalion Commander Liu's wife came out after putting on her makeup. When Yang Niannian saw her makeup, she almost couldn't hold back her laughter.
This makeup is too abrupt. The eyebrows are thick and dark, the cheeks are rosy, and the lips are bright red. It looks very funny. It is not as good as without makeup.
The other military wives obviously thought so too, but they didn't dare to say it directly.
Tao Hua had never worn makeup before and thought she could make herself look prettier, but when she saw this scene, she instantly didn't want to wear makeup anymore.
She grabbed Deputy Battalion Commander Liu's wife and asked, "Are we all going to have to put on makeup like this?"
"All the yangko dancers have to wear this kind of makeup." Deputy Battalion Commander Liu's wife touched her face and asked, "Does my makeup look bad?"
It was also her first time to put on makeup, and she hoped to look prettier in front of her man.
Tao Hua grimaced, "Go home and look at yourself in the mirror!"
When Deputy Battalion Commander Liu's wife heard this, she hurried back to the house to get a mirror.
Seeing that everyone was very excited before, but now looked very disappointed, Yang Niannian asked curiously, "Haven't you ever done makeup before?"
Tao Hua shook her head and whispered, "Manzhi just learned it this year. She said that uniform makeup looks good, but this one looks like a monkey's butt. What's so good about it?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Manzhi's voice came from the house, "Next."
The military wives standing at the door were pushing and shoving each other, and none of them were willing to go in on their own initiative. Finally, Sister Ping, who was standing at the front, was pushed in.
Lin Manzhi was very quick at putting on makeup, and it only took her an hour to finish the makeup for all the military wives.
I thought it was over, but I never expected that she would suddenly ask, "Where's Nian Nian?"
Yang Niannian, who was standing at the door, was suddenly speechless.
She didn't want to be painted as a clown.
So he walked to the door and said crisply, "Sister Lin, my skin is not very good and I am allergic to cosmetics, so I won't wear them."
Lin Manzhi did not force her. She glanced at her and then looked away, casually sorting out her cosmetics.
"It's not that I don't put on makeup for you, it's that you don't want to."
She glanced at the other military wives and said, "You all should go back and rest! Be careful not to rub off your makeup. I don't have the energy to touch up your makeup. My wrists are sore from putting on so much makeup at once."
She hasn't finished her own makeup yet, and now she just wants to do her own makeup first.
Yang Niannian suddenly felt that she had escaped a disaster and hurried back upstairs. Tao Hua and Song Fen followed her. They looked at each other with expressions of deep sympathy.
"How can I face people after being made up like this?" Tao Hua asked in confusion.
Song Fen wanted to touch her face but was afraid of ruining her makeup, so she also looked worried.
"Why is this different from what's shown on TV?"
Yang Niannian: Other people take an hour to put makeup on one person, but Lin Manzhi takes more than ten. It's obvious that she doesn't put enough effort into it.
The military wives didn’t pay much attention to skin care, and their skin was very dry. The rouge used by Lin Manzhi didn’t stick to the skin, so it was strange that it looked good.
She thought so in her heart but didn't say it out loud. The military wives themselves didn't dare to refuse, so she didn't want to be the first to do so.
From what happened at the last rehearsal at 7 o'clock, it can be seen that unless the fire burns themselves, everyone will stay out of it.
She glanced at Tao Hua and Song Fen's makeup, and comforted them with a look of reluctance to look at them.
"If one person puts on makeup, it might seem a little strange, but if everyone does it, it won't be strange anymore."
Tao Hua and Song Fen thought about it and it seemed to be true. They were worried that the men wouldn't be able to find them when they came back, so they sat here for a while and then went downstairs.
Yang Niannian changed her clothes, and deliberately tied her hair up at the back of her head, pinning up all the bangs in front of her forehead with a small black hairpin, revealing her smooth and full forehead.
Looking at the little face with fair skin and delicate features in the mirror, she couldn't help but sigh again that God had blessed her by giving her such a beautiful face that looked beautiful no matter how she looked at it.
Not to mention that Lu Shishen liked it, she herself was confused when she saw it. No matter what era it was placed in, this face was impeccable.
Just as he had finished packing, Lu Shishen came back. The moment he saw Yang Niannian, his eyes suddenly became deeper.
Yang Niannian playfully turned around in front of him and said, "How about this outfit today?"
The first time Lu Shishen saw Yang Niannian with her bangs pulled up, her whole temperament changed instantly. Her originally bright and clear eyes were made even brighter, and her every frown and smile was so beautiful.
"Why did you think of putting your bangs up?"
A smile appeared in the corners of Yang Niannian's eyes, and she blinked her big eyes proudly.
"This makes me look more mature and energetic. For formal occasions, I have to dress more seriously. This is the most basic etiquette. I can't let people criticize you behind my back because of my dress. You may become a bigger leader in the future, so I have to dress appropriately."
Lu Shishen felt very relieved. This girl was pampered when she should be, and sensible when she should be, so sensible that it made people feel distressed.
He touched Yang Niannian's little hand and was relieved to see that it was warm and not cold.
"Are you hungry? Let's go eat first."
Yang Niannian's eyes lit up, "What are we having for lunch? Dumplings?"
Lu Shishen shook his head, "Rice, braised pork and fish, and dumplings in the evening."
Yang Niannian exclaimed, "There are so many delicious foods today? Let's go! We can't let others think that we are being arrogant and have to urge others to treat us to a meal."
…