Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  Early the next morning, Zhang Manhua’s loud voice woke Pei Ge up even before she roused from her slumber.

  “Ge Ge, Ge Ge, quickly wake up! It’s already 8 AM!”


  Feeling sleepy, she rubbed her eyes and opened them in a befuddled state. She stared dazedly at her mother who was standing by her bedside.

  “Mom, what’s the matter?”


  “What do you mean ‘what’s the matter’? Have you forgotten what’s the occasion today?!”


  Her mother lifted her blanket and tossed her jacket, which was on the blanket, at her.

  “Quickly get up!”


  “Huh?” The sudden commotion threw her into deeper confusion. She blinked her eyes and looked perplexedly at her mother.

  “What’s the occasion today? I’m so tired, mom!”


  Having slept a little late last night, he clung onto her blanket in pitiful manner. She tugged at it, intending to cover herself with it again, as she acted cutesy to her mother.

  “What do you mean by ‘tired’?! Today is such a great occasion; I’m telling you: You shouldn’t even think of sleeping in!”


  “Hmph!” Her mother flicked her forehead with a finger.

  “Aiya! What on Earth is today’s occasion?” She was absolutely confused.

  She was unable to guess what the special occasion her mother was talking about.

  “You dared to ask me what’s the occasion?” Her mother proceeded to smack her arm at her response.

  “You little lass, we are having a meal with Xiao Ji’s parents today! Look at yourself; how could you possibly forget such an important thing?! You’re so absent-minded!”


  Hearing that, it suddenly dawned on her what was so important today. “Ahhh! So you’re actually talking about this matter!”


  “If not for this matter, what else could I be talking about?”


  “Aye, how is this a big matter? Mom, you’re getting way too anxious! We’re not getting married but just having a meal; that’s all.”


  She grinned at her mother.

  Since she had met the man’s parents before, she was not as worried, or excited about the meal, as her mother.

  Having said that, she admittedly still felt a tinge of anxiety as his father had something against her due to some misunderstanding. Nonetheless, other than that, all was good.

  “This child! Aren’t you being too relaxed?! How can you not consider meeting Xiao Ji’s parents for the first time as a big matter?”


  Not knowing that her daughter had met his parents before, Zhang Manhua shook her head helplessly and just hurried her. “Alright. Quickly get up! Later, I’ll bring you to a salon to get a new hairstyle and have your makeup done. We’ll strive to leave a good impression on his parents.”


  Although Pei Ge was still feeling sleepy, at her mother’s nagging, she yawningly got up from the bed.

  “Hurry! Breakfast is ready on the table.”


  “I know!”


  She went to wash up in the bathroom as her mother kept hurrying her.

  After brushing her teeth and cleansing her face, she felt refreshed and awake.

  She then sat at the table and listened to her mother nag while she had breakfast.

  “Let’s go! I heard from your Auntie Wang next door that there’s a no-so-bad salon in the city. Not only are their hairstylists superb, their makeup artists are skillful as well……”


  Pei Ge, who had just changed into a new outfit, burst into peals of laughter upon hearing that.

  “Mom, it’s fine! I can do my own makeup.”


  She could tell that her mother was overly anxious about their meeting with her boyfriend’s parents today!

  Her anxiety was abnormally high!

  “What kind of makeup can you do? The people at the salon are professionals, while you are just an amateur! How can you compare yourself with them?”


  Her mother frowned in obvious dissatisfaction with her attitude.

  “Let me tell you, my good daughter; today isn’t like any other days. We’d better let the professionals take care of it!”


  Saying that, her mother eyed her outfit in distaste.

  “What on Earth are you wearing? Isn’t this too casual? Quickly change out of it!”


  She blinked and looked at her cotton coat. She then speechlessly tugged at her lips, mumbling, “How is this casual? If given a choice between fashion and comfort, I’d certainly choose to be comfortable!”


  “Quickly change you outfit……”


  “Sigh…… What do I change into?”


  “Let’s get back in first and I’ll choose one for you,” Zhang Manhua replied as she pushed her daughter back to her room.

  Helpless, Pei Ge let her mother usher her into the room again to pick out a new outfit.

  “This set, this piece, and this piece, too! Change into these quickly. If you dilly-dally further, it’ll be 9 AM! I heard that doing a new look takes up several hours, and we are meeting them in the afternoon, so you’d better hurry up.”


  Her mother began rushing her again after settling on the new outfit.

  Looking at the clothes and listening to her mother’s incessant nagging, she could only bitterly smile and get changed.

  The moment she finished putting on the clothes her mother had selected, the latter hastily dragged her out of the house. Both hailed a cab and headed toward the city.

  The two paid the expensive fare and alighted from the cab. They felt speechless as they stood in front of the salon, looking at its signboard that read ‘One Charismatic Cut’.

  Regardless of the store’s name or its decor, the salon gave off strong punky vibes.

  Probably used to visiting high-end places with the man, she thought that this salon was cheap for her liking.

  “Why are you standing dazedly there? Come on in.”


  Seeing her daughter stand in a daze, Zhang Manhua pulled her arm and dragged her into the salon.

  “Welcome!”


  As she entered the salon with her mother, the feeling only got more intense……

  The salon’s staff, be male or female, had their hair permed and dyed in all sorts of shades, appearing rudely shocking.

  “Mom, it seems that this place isn’t very reliable. W-We should just leave,” she whispered to her mother’s ear. Inside, she was lamenting following her mother into this salon recommended by the neighborhood auntie.

  Judging from the staff’s appearance, she could hardly deem these hairstylists to be of high caliber!

  “What are you talking about? How are they unreliable……”