Leisurely Traveler with Check-in System-Chapter 116 - 91: Cousin Steps In: The Straight Guy’s Makeup Brush!

On the street.

Even though it’s been over a month since the college entrance exam ended, Lu Xiaolan still exudes a sense of ease even in her bones.

She dresses casually, prioritizing comfort.

In comparison, Xu Liya is much more particular than Lu Xiaolan.

Xu Liya is Lu Xiaolan’s classmate.

She’s wearing ripped jeans paired with an off-the-shoulder top, her hair has a few streaks of purple, and her face is meticulously made up. She’s holding a small fancy umbrella, scared of getting even a bit tanned.

She walks with a swagger, while Lu Xiaolan carries her canvas bag, which still has the pens she used for the exam, unwilling to throw them away.

"Lu Xiaolan, can you walk a bit faster? It’s scorching!"

Liya looks back to urge her, her slender high heels clacking on the ground.

She’s always been dissatisfied with her name "Xu Liya," thinking it’s too ordinary and not Western enough. Her dream is to one day change her name to Xu Angela.

"Got it, Miss Xu Liya!"

Lu Xiaolan giggles as she jogs to catch up, "But Liya... uh, do you think my cousin will agree? He just quit his job and came back from such a big city..."

"Your cousin is so handsome, and he’s smart, a high achiever! He has his own car at 25, driving to Chengdu will be super convenient! There’s no problem at all!" Xu Liya is full of confidence, "Besides, it’s not like we’re having him drive for free, once we get to Chengdu, I’ll treat you guys to something delicious! And, let me tell you—"

She suddenly lowers her voice, leans in mysteriously towards Lu Xiaolan, and a fragrant scent wafts over, almost making Lu Xiaolan sneeze. "I know an amazing photographer in Chengdu! This time, I’m going specifically to have him shoot the new character I prepared!"

Lu Xiaolan is extremely curious, her eyes sparkling, "I’ve never tried it! Can I join? Is it fun? Is it expensive? Do we wear colorful wigs?"

"Pfft!" Xu Liya can’t help but burst into laughter, giving Lu Xiaolan a look that says "you’re really so out of touch," "Lu Xiaolan, it’s not Balala the Fairies!"

"Cosplay is art, wigs, costumes, props, makeup, each one is indispensable! You have to capture the soul of the character! Expensive, yes, but worth it! I’ll lend you one of my cosplay outfits then, let you experience kneeling down."

She proudly raises her chin, the purple strands of her hair particularly dazzling in the sunlight.

Lu Xiaolan sincerely exclaims, "So who are you cosplaying this time? What are you wearing? Is that photographer really that amazing? How much does a shoot cost? He..."

Xu Liya quickly interrupts her, making a "stop" gesture with her hand, "Chatterbox! You’ll see when you get there! The main thing now is to get your cousin on board! Li Younan, right? Attractive genius, car owner... Tsk, with these qualifications, he’d be quite a catch even in Binhai City, so why did he come back?"

"I don’t know either," Lu Xiaolan answers honestly, "My mom just said he’s tired from work and wants to come back and rest for a while. His house is over in that neighborhood, there, behind that red-brick building." She points ahead.

They turn into a small street, lined with large plane trees, the dense shade making it much cooler.

"Hey, you think," Lu Xiaolan can’t help but chatter again, "Will my cousin find us too much trouble? Going all the way there to have him drive us to Chengdu, it’s so far... I heard the convention tickets aren’t cheap either, my mom just gave me two hundred bucks for pocket money..."

Xu Liya sighs helplessly, using her beautifully manicured finger to poke Lu Xiaolan’s forehead: "Lu Xiaolan! Can you have some ambition! The convention is a mecca for the otaku community! A place where anime comes to life! What’s the big deal about the ticket price! As for your cousin..."

Her eyes twinkle, "Just pour on the charm! Didn’t you say he’s doted on you since you were little? If that doesn’t work, just say... say we’re taking him to Chengdu to unwind! He just quit his job, he must need some relaxation! By the way, what does he like? We’ll go with the flow!"

"Uh... I’m not good at being cutesy... He seems to like reading books? And playing games?" Lu Xiaolan tries to recall.

"Alright, alright, we’ll play it by ear then!" Xu Liya adjusts her small shoulder bag and takes out a small mirror to check her reflection, "When you see your cousin later, be sharp! Whether we can go to Chengdu to see my god-level photographer depends on you!"

As they speak, they’ve arrived at the building where her cousin lives.

Lu Xiaolan looks up at the familiar fifth-floor window, feeling a little nervous.

...

After all, it’s an old work unit building without an elevator, so the two girls slowly climb up.

Lu Xiaolan is a bit better, but Xu Liya, in high heels, can’t help but complain: "Why does your cousin still live in such an old building? It’s killing me."

Lu Xiaolan suddenly gets serious, saying firmly: "Don’t say that in front of my cousin later, he doesn’t allow people to say anything bad about his home."

Xu Liya dismissively says: "I was just saying, don’t take it so seriously, I’ve got enough emotional intelligence for that." Then she changes the subject back to photography, "In cosplay, it’s thirty percent costume, seventy percent photography, you have no idea how hard it is to find a reliable photographer."

Lu Xiaolan asks, "So this photographer you’re talking about, is he really reliable?"

Xu Liya smiles slightly: "Of course, he’s submitted his work to major photography competitions, and although he hasn’t won any prizes, just participating in an international competition is impressive."

Lu Xiaolan curiously asks, "Did he make it through?"

Xu Liya shakes her head, saying earnestly: "Getting shortlisted isn’t easy, but having the skills to submit is already impressive."

Lu Xiaolan, not quite understanding, blinks: "Is that so?"