Chapter 6: The Beauty's Makeup
Chen Ge's horror house only had two scenes: Zombie Resurrection Night and **.
Zombie Resurrection Night had been thoroughly criticized by the black phone, and Chen Ge had reflected on it—that horror scene indeed had many issues. Plus, to fully perform that scene, at least three employees would need to coordinate.
"Xiao Wan, today our theme is **. I'll go adjust the background music in a bit. When you're playing the ghost, remember to plug your ears. Also, I'll personally do your makeup today."
"Boss, you know how to do makeup?" Xiao Wan let out a sly laugh. "Alright, but don't turn me into an ugly mess."
"Don't worry, I'll make you breathtakingly beautiful."
The two entered the makeup room. Chen Ge sat Xiao Wan in front of the mirror, gently stroking her face with his palm.
"Using basic talent skill—Corpse Makeup."
Looking at the youthful, cute girl in the mirror, Chen Ge's mind slowly flooded with memories that weren't his—very chaotic, covering not just color application and makeup techniques, but also basic knowledge of oral science, human anatomy, human osteology, and thanatology.
"Boss, do you even know how to do makeup?" Thirty seconds passed, and Xu Wan sat in front of the mirror, feeling the unfamiliar warmth on her face, watching her manipulated reflection, her heart pounding wildly, inexplicably feeling a sense of shame.
"A good makeup artist designs different styles based on different face shapes. Xiao Wan, you have a great foundation." Chen Ge's mind was clear of any distractions. After using Corpse Makeup, Xu Wan had become a "corpse" in his eyes.
"Tweezers, razor, medical forceps, sutures, alcohol, embalming needles—I have none of that here. Looks like I can only do the most basic makeup." Chen Ge muttered to himself, but it scared Xu Wan, who was sitting in the chair. She racked her brain but couldn't figure out why such terrifying tools would be needed for a horror house actor's makeup. She felt a bit scared but was too embarrassed to refuse, so she tilted her head, secretly glancing at her boss out of the corner of her eye, silently praying.
"Foundation is a single shade, blush is too bright, a bit glaring—where's the lipstick?" Chen Ge grumbled, eventually starting to mix his own colors. His movements were skilled, his fingers nimble, his color discrimination extremely sharp—nothing like a shut-in who'd never bothered with grooming.
The scene before her also left Xu Wan stunned. Mixing and applying makeup entirely on his own—this was unheard of!
"Boss, I don't think you need to be so strict with yourself. The horror house is so dark, tourists won't see clearly..."
"Less talk, don't move." Before Xu Wan could finish, Chen Ge had already applied her foundation and put on the eyeshadow he'd mixed.
With just a few strokes—a simple eyeshadow—Xu Wan's aura shifted noticeably, gaining a touch of cold elegance and mystery.
Xu Wan wanted to argue further, but after seeing herself in the mirror, her mouth slowly opened. Everyone loves beauty, especially a woman.
"Cherry red alone is monotonous, lacking depth, but paired with hibiscus purple, it's different. The two colors blend perfectly, fusing together as if made for each other." Chen Ge explained casually, then used a brush to dab the blush onto the back of his hand.
"Boss, what are you doing?"
"Our horror house's cheap blush is too bright for visual impact, overly saturated and vivid. I'm blending it on my hand first." Chen Ge's movements were gentle, and moments later, the blush became delicate, the powder carrying a subtle silky sheen.
By now, Xu Wan's mouth was shaped like an O: "You've been hiding your talents! Where did you learn all this?"
"I know plenty. Hair and makeup are just my hobbies." Chen Ge smiled slightly. Good fortune lifted his spirits—the extra memories in his mind once again proved that the phone game could affect reality.
In just ten minutes, Chen Ge had finished Xu Wan's makeup: "Take a look in the mirror. Satisfied?"
Looking up, the mirror seemed to unveil a thin veil. The person inside looked like she'd stepped out of a poem or painting, carrying the charm of a classical Eastern woman, yet somehow feeling slightly off.
Staring at the mirror, Xu Wan couldn't help but stand up. She looked at herself, her expression shifting from shock to fascination, then suddenly she shivered.
"Boss, I've never been this beautiful. Is that really me in the mirror?"
"Of course."
"But..." She hesitated, reaching toward the mirror. "Why do I feel like I'm looking at a dead person?"
Xu Wan's words made Chen Ge draw in a cold breath. He finally realized what was different.
Corpse Makeup was meant to restore the beauty of the deceased to its fullest. The makeup Chen Ge had applied wasn't meant for the living.
"Don't stare. The park's about to open. Hurry up and change, get to the second-floor venue, and remember to wear your Bluetooth earbuds. Follow my commands." Chen Ge changed the subject, sending Xu Wan off, then used the remaining time to touch up the paper figures and dolls in the scene. With the Corpse Makeup skill, all the paper figures seemed to come alive, exuding vitality through death.
"That'll do for now. When I have free time later, I'll re-color everything."
Chen Ge packed up his toolbox and hurried downstairs. Before he even reached the horror house entrance, he could hear the tourists chatting outside.
"You got screwed by that shady bastard too, huh?"
"Damn! My phone screen shattered. What do you think?"
"You guys are lucky. I was literally naked, slipped and clicked wrong, and this thing popped up! Scared the hell out of me—I did a carp leap out of bed. My parents heard the noise, thought I was having a nightmare, and rushed in. Damn it! I wasn't wearing anything, just holding a roll of toilet paper. My parents were totally dumbfounded!"
...
Listening to the tourists' complaints, Chen Ge barely held back a laugh. He took a deep breath, kept a serious expression, and pushed open the horror house door.
"Welcome to my horror house."
Seeing the long line and the fully geared-up tourists, Chen Ge's lips curled up.
"Xiao Chen, you've got a long queue early in the morning. Not bad." A nearby carousel worker was surprised. He'd meant to greet Chen Ge, but only noticed the tourists' tense atmosphere when he got closer.
"Just average. Mainly, the tourists like it." Chen Ge shrugged and pulled back the barrier.
"Who likes it? Shameless!"
"I'm here to cause trouble, not to visit!"
"Found the culprit! You're the one who posted that short video last night, right? Where's my knife? Where's my knife!"
The tourists were too enthusiastic, and the scene nearly got out of hand. Chen Ge quickly spoke up: "Since you're all here, why not come in and experience it? The best way to calm fear is to stimulate the senses—fight poison with poison, numb yourself. That short video last night was indeed my oversight. How about this? Today, all horror house tickets are 50% off. Don't miss out while you're here!"