Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
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After all, he was Tony[1] Yan back then, and Yan Han felt that while he had no other skills, haircutting was no problem for him.
Lin Jianlu trusted him, and so after lunch, the two of them got in the car of a hastily arrived driver and drove to Lin Jianlu’s usual barber shop.
That barbershop was ranked in the top 10 in the city, so of course the prices were quite high. The barbers there were said to be very skilled, and the manager had even returned from studying abroad. Lin Jianlu’s hair had always been cut by him, and it looked like he did a good job. But compared to this, Yan Han had always been curious: “So even your hair can’t be touched, how did you get through all these years?”
Lin Jianlu answered him with a single word: “Endure.”
“Then you’ve never thought about shaving your head or getting a buzz cut? Those are quick, but your current hairstyle would take at least half an hour to cut?”
“I always had a buzz cut before,” Lin Jianlu said expressionlessly, “but don’t you think I look more handsome this way?”
“…”
Yan Han was speechless. He had just seen an old photo of Lin Jianlu in his study, and he hadn’t noticed it before. Now that he thought about it, Big Brother Lin did have a buzz cut back then.
Actually, a buzz cut was also very handsome. Someone like Lin Jianlu didn’t need a hairstyle to complement his looks.
A buzz cut actually made him look more masculine and resolute. That photo showed him still in middle school, his face still a bit childish. If he shaved his head now, he’d definitely be incredibly handsome.
But he never expected Big Brother Lin to be so flamboyant, even enduring the discomfort just to look good… He didn’t look like that normally.
Didn’t he say he only recently got used to the occasional contact from playing basketball?
Getting a haircut, like being touched all the time… no wonder they say everyone loves beauty, and this Lin brother was also willing to go to great lengths to achieve it.
But then, Lin Jianlu said, “Actually, I just want to make a change.”
That’s why he was pushing himself on this matter.
“Isn’t there a phrase called ‘start over again?'”
“That phrase… doesn’t seem to mean that?”
“I just don’t want to live my life in isolation.”
“…The good news is you met me.”
Lin Jianlu’s last words were tinged with a vague sense of sadness. Yan Han scratched his head in the car for a moment before finally saying, “Hasn’t your condition improved recently? So, it’ll get better slowly. Humans are social animals. You won’t become a solitary person.”
“Yeah.” Lin Jianlu smiled at him.
“And you have to adjust quickly. I can only cut your hair, there’s not much else I can do. What if you get sick with a cold and need to see a doctor? And you can’t be touched by anyone. Wouldn’t that mean you can’t get a massage or a scrub? And what about you getting married?”
As he spoke, Yan Han naturally began to worry about Lin Jianlu again.
He was used to being worried about his friends, but that was just his fate. He chattered on and on as the car steadily drove into the city and arrived at Lin Jianlu’s usual barber shop.
The store manager had heard early in the morning that he was coming today and had been waiting in the store all day. When he saw Lin Jianlu walk in, he hurried over to greet him warmly: “Hey, Master Lin, long time no see!”
Then he saw Yan Han who had walked in with Lin Jianlu. His eyes immediately lit up and he said: “Is this… your friend? Also here for a haircut?”
Forgive him, after looking at this person for a long time, he couldn’t tell whether it was a boy or a girl.
Yan Han: “…”
The weather was extremely hot today, but in order to restore his masculinity, he borrowed a set of clothes from Lin Jianlu and then came out despite the scorching heat.
Even though Lin Jianlu was thin, he was tall enough that the smallest size of clothes required a size of 1.85 meters. What’s more, Yan Han was so thin that he was almost skin and bones. He couldn’t hold up his clothes at all, so none of his clothes would fit him well.
But the urge to wear men’s clothing, to discard all the clothes in the dressing room for even a day, was too strong, so the eldest brother went out wearing Lin Jianlu’s T-shirt, shorts, and belt.
But the short T-shirt was also too big for Yan Han, and if he left it alone, it would look like a dress. So Yan Han had no choice but to tuck the hem of the T-shirt into his pants. The outfit was clean and sharp, but with his face, it looked very gender-neutral. Even the sharp-eyed and experienced store manager couldn’t tell for a moment.
“He’s not,” Lin Jianlu said politely. “I came here mainly to borrow your tools.”
The store manager: “?”
Yes, that’s right. If the Lin family had professional haircutting scissors, they wouldn’t have to come here. Yan Han could have cut his hair right there.
However, after Aunt Tian’s skepticism, he became determined to show off his skills to Big Brother Lin on their first try, plus they were conveniently dropping him off at school, so they finally decided to borrow some equipment.
“The cost will be charged as a normal haircut,” Lin Jianlu explained earnestly. “If it’s convenient, you could also sell me a set of scissors.”
“Ah… haha, is he the one cutting your hair?” The manager finally realized what was going on. His eyes quickly shifted to Yan Han, and upon receiving Lin Jianlu’s affirmative response, he was left with a single feeling: regardless of this young man’s status, their relationship was undoubtedly special.
To be able to offer his hair for someone to cut casually, Young Master Lin, in the barber’s eyes, was akin to throwing away a fortune for a beloved woman or playing tricks on powerful rulers!
Because Lin Jianlu had always been patient, ever since he decided to have a haircut from a stranger and unfamiliar barber, he always forced himself to pretend to be ordinary. Therefore, the manager had no idea that Young Master Lin was uncomfortable with his touch.
It looked as if Young Master Lin was willing to sacrifice his hairstyle to please the beauty.
…Who knows what happened between them? Perhaps Young Master Lin had angered the young beauty and was atoning for his sins, or perhaps there was some kind of bet between them… Couples had come to their shop before, and it wasn’t uncommon for boys to shave their heads to please their girlfriends after doing something wrong.
But this was the first time he’d seen someone like Young Master Lin.
As for Yan Han actually knowing how to cut hair? His slender, white fingers didn’t suggest so.
And this young man truly looked young. Unlike those who relied solely on their fashionable looks to maintain their image, he wore designer clothes, but his outfits were strangely matched, hardly fashionable at all.
His striking features were his impeccably perfect features, his flawless, white skin, and the confident, high-spirited gaze that radiated from them—all combining to create a stunning face.
His looks alone could make him stand out from the crowd, completely transcending the fashion world, and he would look great in any outfit.
Some people were content with just looking good; in the eyes of outsiders, they didn’t even need to possess a single skill.
Yan Han was clearly included in this category by the barbershop staff.
But everyone was frightened and curious. At the request of Master Lin, the store manager quickly found a pair of haircutting scissors for Yan Han.
In addition, they were also invited to the VIP room, which was a place where the store manager specially cut people’s hair. Compared with the outside, it was relatively quiet and it was also the special treatment that Lin Jianlu had always received.
“Then you go wash your hair again?” Yan Han said to Lin Jianlu while getting familiar with the scissors.
“Okay.”
Lin Jianlu had no objection. He didn’t need a helper to wash his hair. He washed it all by himself.
The store manager had known about Master Lin’s rules for a long time and did not take the initiative to offer help.
When Lin Jianlu came out after washing his hair, Yan Han had basically gotten used to the scissors. He asked Lin Jianlu to sit on the chair in front of him, and then skillfully put a cape around him.
As soon as he struck his pose, the feeling of being a seasoned barber came to life. Yan Han asked, “What kind of haircut would you like?”
Lin Jianlu peered at him through the polished mirror before him and said, “Whatever. How about Master Yan design one?”
“Well, all right then.”
After combing the hair, Yan Han already had a design in mind. He began to cut with his scissors, his technique clearly not that of a novice. At first, the shop manager stood by, just to watch the fun and get close to Young Master Lin. But an expert’s touch is a sure sign of success. As Yan Han began to work, he could tell instantly that this wasn’t just a novice, but a seasoned veteran!
Not only was the shop manager astonished, but so were the barbers nearby—were young people so versatile these days? At his age, they were still just assistants, dyeing or washing hair, but they hadn’t expected this man’s skills to be at least master craftsman-level!
“Hey, young man, how long have you been practicing this martial arts?” someone couldn’t help but ask Yan Han.
No one suspected he might be a woman now. It wasn’t because women were rare in the barbering industry, but rather because Yan Han’s posture was so effortless, his expression focused and brimming with a surge of dominance that made it hard to doubt his gender.
Yan Han replied modestly, “Not many years.”
He really hadn’t practiced for many years. From dropping out of high school until his early twenties, it had only been about three or four years.
The people around him chatted in a flurry of conversation. If it weren’t for the indulgent, gentle gaze that Young Master Lin cast upon the young man through the mirror, they would have been tempted to criticize him for being too modest.
It wasn’t their fault for picking a fight. It was really because you, the idiot, had no business going to someone else’s place to borrow a pair of scissors and then giving their client a damn good haircut. Isn’t that just being a nuisance?
But with someone like Lin Jianlu, who could pre-deposit tens of thousands of yuan just by signing up for a card, they didn’t dare to speak, nor did they dare to ask.
As long as Young Master Lin was happy, anything was fine!
After the cut and a blow-dryer, Yan Han looked at his masterpiece in the mirror with satisfaction.
Good job, his skills hadn’t been lost. At least when he was free again after completing all the system tasks, if he didn’t want to learn anymore, he could still make a living with this skill.
As he removed Lin Jianlu’s cape, he asked, as if it were his occupational hazard, “Big Brother Lin, are you satisfied?”
“Yes,” he said, looking through the mirror at the man standing behind him, who had just asked his question and then turned away to exchange experiences with other barbers. Thinking that he had been so focused on watching him that he hadn’t felt any discomfort, either mentally or physically, he curled his lips and said softly, “Very satisfied.”
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[1] “Tony,” when used as internet slang for a barber or hairdresser, is a humorous and sometimes disparaging term, particularly popular among Chinese netizens.