“Zichen, Zichen, it’s my turn! Help me with my makeup!”

Seeing that Lin Zichen had finished doing Shen Qinghan’s makeup, Li Chuxin—who had been watching the other contestants perform—quickly ran over with a bright smile.

Lin Zichen said, “Alright, come sit down.”

“Okay!”

Li Chuxin happily sat in front of the mirror.

Once she was seated, Lin Zichen began applying her makeup with practiced ease, while Shen Qinghan stood nearby to assist.

* * *

In just ten minutes, he was done.

He had only used about half of his full ability—not as much focus as when he did Shen Qinghan’s makeup.

For Lin Zichen, the best of his efforts were reserved only for his parents and Shen Qinghan.

Everyone else got a slightly lesser version.

Still, even this half-effort look made Li Chuxin beam with joy.

“So pretty! It looks amazing! Zichen, your makeup skills are incredible—better than my mom’s! No, even better than many professional artists!”

She admired herself in the mirror, overwhelmed by how beautiful she looked, showering Lin Zichen with endless praise.

Lin Zichen, ever tactful, smiled and said, “It’s mostly because you’re naturally beautiful.”

Hearing that, Li Chuxin lit up and replied playfully, “Of course, I’ve been the class beauty since I was little! But compared to your Hanhan, I’m still a little behind.”

She turned her gaze to Shen Qinghan, studying her delicate face and couldn’t help but exclaim, “I just don’t understand how someone can look this angelic!”

“And her childhood sweetheart is super handsome too! You two are clearly destined for each other—I, Li Chuxin, officially ship you!”

Li Chuxin had changed her stance—she no longer adored just Lin Zichen but had fallen for the pair as a whole, now obsessed with this high-appearance-rate couple.

“No, you’re exaggerating...”

Li Chuxin’s blunt words made Shen Qinghan blush furiously. Embarrassed, she quickly told her to stop, her face red as she turned away.

But deep down, she was happy.

She didn’t mind being paired with Lin Zichen.

In fact, she loved it.

As the girls laughed, the host’s voice echoed from the stage.

“Thank you to Contestant No.18, Huang Li, for that wonderful performance! Next, please welcome Contestant No.19 Gao Guang, who will perform an English song—‘Yesterday’s Song!’ And Contestants No.20 Li Chuxin and Shen Qinghan, please prepare backstage!”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Applause erupted from the audience and the atmosphere grew lively.

Hearing the announcement, Li Chuxin turned to Shen Qinghan with excitement, “Hanhan, it’s almost our turn! We’re going to blow everyone away and take the championship!”

“Y-yeah, take the championship...”

Shen Qinghan’s voice trembled as she spoke. Her whole body was shaking.

Her long, slender legs beneath her skirt had gone weak and she could barely stand upright.

Lin Zichen noticed her nervousness and reached out to hold her hand gently, signaling her to calm down.

But it didn’t help.

The next second, Shen Qinghan’s face suddenly changed—she felt heat spreading between her legs and realized she had lost control.

In an instant, her skirt was soaked.

“X-Xiao Chen...”

She looked up at Lin Zichen helplessly, tears welling in her eyes, her expression filled with shame.

Lin Zichen reacted immediately, grabbing her hand and leading her away from the area.

At the same time, he picked up a bottle of open mineral water from the table and tilted it down, letting the water spill to cover her tracks.

“Zichen, where are you taking Hanhan? It’s almost our turn!” Li Chuxin called out, confused by the sudden scene.

The others backstage looked equally bewildered.

“We’ll be right back!” Lin Zichen replied quickly, pulling Shen Qinghan out of sight.

Once outside, they stopped in a secluded corner.

When she saw no one around, Shen Qinghan finally broke down, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“What do I do, Xiao Chen, what do I do? It’s almost time for our performance! Chuxin and I practiced so hard. If I ruin it by wetting myself, she’ll hate me for sure. Why am I so useless...”

By the end, her voice was choked with sobs. She could barely speak.

Since entering high school, Shen Qinghan had become timid, introverted and self-conscious. Other than Lin Zichen, she rarely talked to anyone.

To overcome her insecurities and build confidence, she had signed up for this Campus Top Ten Singers Competition at Lin Zichen’s suggestion.

But now, after all her effort, she had lost control right before stepping on stage.

Why was she like this?

Why was she so useless?

The more she thought, the worse she felt, her chest tightening painfully.

This incident—her wetting herself—was the final straw that shattered her composure completely.

Lin Zichen took out some tissues to wipe her tears, speaking softly, “It’s okay, don’t cry, or your makeup will run. It’s just wet clothes, not the end of the world. Don’t panic. Calm down. Don’t rush, I’ll figure something out right now.”

As he spoke, his mind raced, searching for a solution.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a curtain through a nearby window.

It was bright and beautifully patterned.

He had an idea.

A spark of inspiration flashed in Lin Zichen’s mind. He told Shen Qinghan to wait there and sprinted back to the backstage area to grab a pair of scissors.

Then, running to the window, he smashed the glass with a punch and tore down the curtain inside.

With the scissors in hand and the curtain fabric, he was going to tailor a new skirt for Shen Qinghan—right there on the spot—in under thirty seconds.