9 The Deal is Struck

Ever since Qu Quing arrived, Ning Zhixia’s quality of life skyrocketed. Every day, he sighed with contentment that a child with a mother is indeed a treasure.

“Who says butterflies can’t—”

“—possess the power to shake the universe—”

Qu Quing, exasperated, pulled out her phone to play a song and kicked the mischief-faced young man over to schedule appointments for waiting clients.

The watercolor ice-lotus designs were certainly beautiful, but it didn’t mean other shops couldn’t replicate them. Their clientele remained less stable than the large salons in the commercial district.

Recently, the platform was hosting a “Spring Fingertip Showcase” event. Anyone could participate by tagging their posts. The prizes weren’t specified, but it was likely a good opportunity for exposure.

Ning Zhixia wanted to join the fun, but inspiration eluded him.

“Ning brother, eat!”

A crispy chip was pressed to his lips. Ning Zhixia bent down, took it in his mouth, and looked up to see a few fox cubs had arrived.

Since their last visit, these little foxes had discovered a new hideout. Whenever they finished their cultivation tasks, they’d bounce over to the demon market, waiting at the door for Ning Zhixia to open up.

The demon market was a blend of all sorts, and without Su Qiushui’s recommendation, Ning Zhixia didn’t dare let other spirits in lightly.

So, with no clients for the past couple of evenings, they all enjoyed a leisurely time—snacking with the fox cubs and playing Monopoly in the living room.

Ning Zhixia squeezed onto the sofa, hugging Baizhu to watch the game. The fox cub’s tail was particularly soft and fluffy, swaying like a puppy’s.

How delightful.

Ning Zhixia started braiding three tails, when suddenly he caught a whiff of a sweet and fresh scent coming from the cub.

He pinched Baizhu’s ear in curiosity, “Did Qiushui spray you with perfume?”

“Nope, it’s a sachet.”

Baizhu wriggled in his arms, pulling out a bulging silver brocade pouch from his sleeve. “People down the mountain love to carry these, but mine is prettier!”

Ning Zhixia was intrigued, “What’s inside?”

“Flowers from the mountain.”

Baizhu opened the sachet for him. Inside were tiny, multi-colored blooms, some dried, some still fresh—recent additions, perhaps.

Ning Zhixia took a pinch and examined them in his palm. Even dried, these mountain blooms, when pressed lightly, unfurled their petals with clear veins and vibrant, even color.

“Do you like them?” Baizhu’s eyes sparkled, thinking Ning Zhixia had great taste. He pinched the sachet and tried to slip it inside Ning Zhixia’s collar. “You can have it—there are lots more flowers on the mountain.”

Lots more? Perfect!

An idea sparked in Ning Zhixia’s mind. He said, “How about a deal? Can you help me make some dried flowers? I need them for nail art.”

“Dried flowers?” Baizhu tilted his head, his eyes turning as he realized Ning Zhixia wasn’t joking. Imitating an actor on TV, he extended a little hand, “Okay, but you have to trade snacks!”

Shaking Baizhu’s crumb-dusted hand, Ning Zhixia grinned, “Deal.”

With the deal struck, the four fox cubs darted back to the demon mountain to get to work.

Soon, carefully selected mountain flowers were pressed by many little paw pads, neatly packed into a wooden box, and delivered to Ning Zhixia.

“Tada!”

Baizhu stood on tiptoe, chin on the table, his tail wagging quickly behind him. “Ning brother, do you like them?”

“Oh, these are perfect!” Ning Zhixia took a handful, thoroughly pleased, and pushed a large pile of snacks over. “You picked so many—this will last me ages.”

“Ages?” Baizhu had just gotten his snacks, but blinked in confusion—and then, suddenly, devastation. Didn’t this mean Ning Zhixia wouldn’t need dried flowers for a long time, and there’d be no way to get more snacks?

He let out a low, woeful whimper, then brightened with an idea, grabbing Ning Zhixia’s sleeve.

Ning Zhixia asked, “What is it?”

Baizhu looked up, “Do you like scented balm? I can trade you that next!”

Scented balm?

Ning Zhixia had heard of traditional balms and was intrigued. “Tell me, do you make it with these flowers?”

“Yes! Our mountain is full of spiritual energy, the flowers bloom beautifully, and we often use fresh ones to make balm. You can use it on your face and hands—we use it every day!”

Baizhu gestured excitedly, worried Ning Zhixia wouldn’t believe him. He tugged Ning Zhixia down and pressed his soft, fragrant cheek forward. “Touch it, touch it—it’s smooth and smells so nice!”

The sweet freshness was indeed uplifting. Ning Zhixia grinned, rubbing cheeks with him, feeling himself becoming fragrant too.

“All right, bring me some samples. If I like them, we’ll trade.”

“Okay!” Overjoyed, Baizhu hugged the snacks and dashed off, afraid Ning Zhixia might change his mind.

The next day dawned bright and clear. The cats all stretched out on the living room windowsill, basking in the sun.

Because not all clients liked cats, Ning Zhixia had trained them with freeze-dried treats not to wander into the work area. Now, they slept soundly, paws over their eyes.

Qu Quing had just finished with a client and, with no one else scheduled, left to buy groceries.

Fully booked days weren’t the norm. After tidying up, Ning Zhixia chuckled to himself as he prepared to bury his face in a lazy cat’s belly.

“Hello? Are you taking walk-ins for nails right now?”

A girl in a Lolita dress, with flawless makeup, stepped in holding her phone. “I didn’t make an appointment, and I’d like extensions.”

Ning Zhixia’s mischief was interrupted. He pulled out a chair in the work area, “Come in, I just happen to be free. Do you have a style in mind?”

“Not really. I just want something with a springtime vibe…” She shook her head. Actually, she’d booked a big-name salon in the commercial district, but a regular had cut in line. Annoyed, she left and was drawn in by the shop’s lovely decor as she passed Qingxi Road.

Listening to her rant, Ning Zhixia offered comfort while swiftly prepping her nails.

His hands were steady and quick. The half-cover tips went on without a single bubble or drop of excess glue. The “step” between tip and nail plate was buffed smooth and natural, and after reinforcing the edges, the overall curvature was beautiful.

The girl glanced at her newly extended nails and fell silent, curiosity piqued. She was a regular at nail salons and had been disappointed by many shops with flashy decor but poor skills—maybe she’d just found a hidden gem…

Considering her desired style, Ning Zhixia slid over a wooden box. “What do you think about using dried flowers?”

She leaned in for a look and let out a small “huh.”

Most commercial dried flowers were made from white gypsophila, cut small and pressed, then dyed in all sorts of colors. The result was bright but after a while, looked artificial. You could make them work, but it took real artistry.

But the tiny mountain blooms in this box were unlike any she’d seen. The petals were fine, the colors soft and natural like ink wash, some even with intricate double layers.

Just looking at them felt like spring.

She’d seen a lot of dried-flower French tips before. She liked the little blooms, but hesitated, “It’s a bit unoriginal. I did French dried flowers last spring.”

Ning Zhixia wasn’t one to follow trends. He brought up his tablet, quickly sketched some ideas, and explained his vision.

Petals flowing at your fingertips?

The girl was a little confused but intrigued. Seeing the earnestness in his eyes, she figured she might as well give it a try and nodded.

Ning Zhixia smiled and picked up his phone, “All right, let me call someone.”

Soon, Qu Quing returned from the supermarket, bags full of food.

When Ning Zhixia explained his idea, Qu Quing was momentarily dazed. “My child, where do you get these wild ideas…”

Ning Zhixia: “^v^”

Qu Quing ruffled his hair in mock annoyance and then hurried upstairs to grab tools.

Ning Zhixia got to work, leaving the index and ring fingers aside while applying a thin, translucent white base to the rest.

Since the girl was wearing a spring-summer countryside Lolita dress, Ning Zhixia skipped watercolor and chose white acrylic, brushing irregular blocks across the center of the nails.

The girl was surprised. “You can use acrylics?”

Ning Zhixia replied without looking up, “Sure, markers and colored pencils too.”

To him, nail art was painting on fingertips—techniques were there to be mixed and matched, creating endless possibilities.

After curing the acrylic under the lamp, he set it aside for a moment and reached for a box of iridescent fairy powder, choosing a soft gold and green to layer gently.

“Um…” The girl, recalling past disasters, was about to protest. That stuff could look like cement if misapplied. But the young man worked with such focus she didn’t have the heart to interrupt. She glanced at the sketch for reassurance.

“All done, have a look.” Ning Zhixia finished one hand and showed her.

“It’s fine, really…” she mumbled, but as she leaned in, her eyes lit up. “It’s gorgeous!”

The effect was a touch richer than watercolor, but the colors were so lightly layered and naturally blended that the result was seamless. The nail surface shimmered with a dreamy, pearlescent glow—like a fairytale garden in the mist.

“How can it be so beautiful?” the girl cheered, snapping photos and sending them to her friends, who immediately showered her with praise.

Seeing her so pleased, Ning Zhixia started adding dried flowers. He used a whole bloom as the focal point and arranged fragmented petals around it, light and airy, as if scattered by the wind.

It was already perfect, but Qu Quing was just getting started. He lined up bottles of oil and liquid sand on the table.

The girl remembered that four fingers still hadn’t been finished. Her voice shook, “What are you doing?”

Qu Quing puffed up with pride, “Liquid sand!”

“!!!” The girl was stunned, suddenly feeling like she had ten sparkling treasures on her hands.

Ning Zhixia grinned, “Such beautiful dried flowers shouldn’t just be stickers. If we’re doing dynamic, let’s make them move!”

Damn, that’s wild!

The girl was fired up. “Let’s do it!”

There were several ways to achieve the “liquid sand” effect in nail art. After some trial and error, they used transparent film and hard builder gel to create a hollow section at the tip and base of the nail.

But filing the edges was tricky—overdo it, and you’d get leaks later.

Watching them work so carefully, the girl grew anxious herself. When the basic structure was done, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Next came adding the dried flowers and injecting the liquid sand. By now, they’d been at it for nearly five hours. Qu Quing even went to the kitchen to make a big pan of veggie fried rice, which they all shared.

The girl was completely hooked. Right after eating, she eagerly offered her hand for the next step.

Ning Zhixia, a speck of rice still on his cheek, threw himself into the finishing touches.

The three of them huddled under the lamp, tense but excited.

“Shake it,” Ning Zhixia urged.

The girl tentatively wiggled her fingertips—and in an instant, countless petals floated as if drifting in spring water.

All three cried out with joy—

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!”

Success!

The girl played with her nails, snapping photos and praising the two slumped at the table, “You two are amazing—this is the best nail art I’ve ever had!”

Compliments for the day: received!

Ning Zhixia’s fatigue vanished in a flash. He stood up proudly, “This is nothing! I could design even—mmph!”

Qu Quing quickly covered his mouth, teary-eyed—

My child, that’s enough!

Ning Zhixia blinked. All right then.

The girl was skilled at taking photos. Her shots needed little editing, so Ning Zhixia uploaded them right away, adding the event tag.

Many people on the platform were searching for spring nail ideas, but “spring” collections were always popular and rarely innovative.

Suddenly, a new post caught everyone’s eye.

Dried flower nail art wasn’t new, but the quality of these blooms stood out. The layering of fairy powder and acrylic elevated the look.

On the left hand, the middle finger featured a pale silk-finish square as the main stone. The other middle finger was adorned with a row of irregular rhinestones following the base of the nail bed, with two pearls interspersed.

But most strikingly, in the animation, the nail’s owner tilted her fingers—and a cascade of petals tumbled down like drifting clouds and falling snow…

“Whoa! The nail art scene is out of control!”

“It’s you monsters again! Please, don’t let my clients see this!”

“It’s great to live in modern times—you can witness these miracles without sacrificing anything!”

“The flow is incredible, I could play with this forever!”

“The owner’s blending technique is amazing, and those rhinestones are so neat. Could you do a tutorial?”

“It’s so beautiful I can’t even! Where did you get the dried flowers?”

“Yes! I can’t wait to wear these beauties on my hands!”

“How much does a set like this cost?”

The next morning, Ning Zhixia was leisurely dunking fried dough in soy milk when his phone buzzed with a platform notification.

[Congratulations! Your latest post in “Spring Fingertip Showcase” has achieved the highest popularity. Starting tomorrow, your shop will be featured in a splash screen ad for one day!]

“What?” Ning Zhixia choked on his soy milk. “But I just posted yesterday!”

Qu Quing was equally stunned. “Did you pay for promotion?”

“No!” Ning Zhixia shook his head in confusion and quickly browsed his account. He soon noticed that under the most-liked pricing comment, someone had replied—

Lu Yaoguang: “Fifteen.”

He clicked into the user’s profile and was surprised to find that yesterday’s client was actually a well-known beauty influencer—with tens of thousands of followers—who had claimed the nail photos and posted a glowing video review.

Ning Zhixia murmured, “Wow, she’s impressive… so many fans…”

Suddenly, a thought struck him. His fingers trembled as he opened his private messages, only to find an endless stream of new notifications.

“Moo…”

Both of them mooed in unison, utterly overwhelmed.