Sponsored

Early in the morning, you’re sitting comfortably on the couch, feet propped up on the coffee table with your work laptop balanced on your lap when your girlfriend barges into the living room. It’s a sight you know all too well—the bright light inches away, fixed above her vlogging camera, aimed directly at you.

You sigh, already knowing there’s no escape. That smile of hers is impossible to ignore. With a shake of your head, you shut your laptop and lift your feet off the table just as Xinyu plops down beside you.

“Hey—“ 

“Oh, hi there,” she interrupts, angling the camera to capture your face perfectly.

You’re not exactly thrilled when she does this, but by now, you’ve accepted it’s just part of life with Xinyu. She’s too quick, too persistent, and if you had to be honest—you secretly like the way she lights up when she’s recording which makes it impossible to stay annoyed.

“You look like you were working hard,” she teases, camera never wavering. 

“I was working,” you say, another sigh escaping as you lean back against the couch. “Some of us actually have important things to do, you know.”

Xinyu gasps dramatically, zooming in on your face as she places a palm in front of her mouth. “Guys, do you hear that? My boyfriend, the busiest man alive, thinks work is more important than me.”

You can only roll your eyes at that. “So I assume you’re here for a reason. Which is why that thing is pointed at me.” 

Whatever the reason is, you know it’s nothing good. This devilish little smirk on her face worries you even more. “I need you—for research.”

“Research?” you repeat, skeptical, raising an eyebrow at whatever scheme she has cooked up. “What… kind of research?”

Xinyu giggles, tapping a finger against her chin, eyes bright and wide. “I have a new sponsored product. A lipstick that I need to test—on you.”

And there it is. You pause, staring directly into the camera while you consider the gravity of her words—because there’s nothing Xinyu loves more than having you be her guinea pig. 

“Me? Can’t you test it on the back of your hand or something?” 

Xinyu pouts in an instant—her secret weapon. “That’s no fun. Why would I do that when I can test it out on my cute boyfriend and embarrass him on camera?”

You groan under your breath, and can feel your face already starting to heat up, because you know there’s no getting out of this, no matter how much you try to protest. “After the last time you had me be on camera, I’m not sure that’s a good idea...” 

“Oh, don’t worry, you won’t be the one wearing the lipstick this time.”

Just the thought makes your body shiver. The scars of Xinyu putting makeup on you are still fresh, on camera no less. So excited over how many views it’ll get, how many more subscribers it’ll bring in—you’ll never hear the end of how it’s still one of her most popular videos. 

“What am I in for then?” Oh, you shouldn’t have asked that. Maybe it’s best if you don’t know. 

She leans in closer, grin growing wider as she holds up the lipstick like it’s a trophy. “See this? It’s a brand new product, not even on the market yet. But lucky for you—and my lovely viewers, we get to test its claims. Long-lasting for 12+ hours, smudge-proof, and—” 

There’s a dramatic pause as she turns the camera back to herself, leaving the anticipation high. “It’s totally kiss-proof.”

You stare off-screen, at the smile that doesn’t seem to disappear, regret starting to pile up as you put the pieces all together. "W-wait... kiss-proof?"

Xinyu turns back to you, nodding enthusiastically, and you have no choice but to watch as she slowly uncaps the lipstick, using the camera as a mirror to carefully paint her lips. "Yep! And guess who's gonna test that claim for me?"

Only one answer to that. 

The lipstick is a dark red, one that looks so good on her lips—but it has a shine that you haven’t seen before, one that you already regret agreeing to end up on you. 

“Now, the company sent me this, so I can test it out, to make sure they weren't lying. But first..." She pauses, turning to the camera and placing a finger over her lips. "Before I get started, don't forget to hit that subscribe button, so you’ll have your own chance to win this exact lipstick!” 

Your heart skips a beat as you watch her set the camera up, tripod propped up on the coffee table, pointed directly at the both of you. You’ve kissed Xinyu a countless number of times, but on camera, for others to see? Not even once. 

But without warning, Xinyu presses her lips to yours, the freshly applied lipstick on trial. The kiss is brief, a small peck before she pulls away, giggling as she inspects the damage. There's no stickiness, no smudging—all you can feel is the pressure of where her lips have been. 

"Well, look at that—not a single smudge." Xinyu swipes a thumb across your lips, surprised when she inspects it to see not a single bit of her lips transferring. 

“So… research successful? Are we done now?” 

Xinyu smirks, shaking her head. "Oh no, we're just getting started. One little kiss isn't enough to really test this lipstick's claims. We need to be thorough."

You swallow hard, torn between anticipation and dread. "Thorough? Wasn’t that enough?” 

“Absolutely not, babe,” Xinyu says, reaching out to cup your face with one hand. "We need to be…extra thorough.” She presses a deep kiss to your cheek, lips lingering. "Our testing needs to be meticulous and extensive…" 

Her lips brush against your jawline, leaving a trail of kisses all the way to your other cheek. “My viewers won’t settle for anything less. My sponsor claims this lipstick can withstand anything. So we're going to put it through its paces. A full make-out session should do the trick, don't you think?"

Before you can protest, Xinyu's lips are on yours again, this time with much more fervor. Her fingers tangle in your hair as she deepens the kiss, and the two of you hardly even remember there’s a camera recording every single moment while you get swept up. The kiss grows more heated, hands wandering everywhere until you finally break apart, both a little breathless. Xinyu turns to grab the camera with a triumphant grin, once again zooming in on your face to show the results. 

"See that, viewers? Wow, not a single mark!”

Still a bit dazed from the intensity of the kiss, you run a finger over your lips. They feel slightly tingly and warm, but there's no trace of Xinyu's lipstick.

Xinyu beams at the camera, clearly thrilled with the results. "Okay, I think we can officially say this lipstick lives up to its claims! But wait—" 

Looking right at the camera, Xinyu gives a playful wink, which leads you to believe there’s more. There’s always more. "So, dear viewers, are you ready for one more test?” 

You're not. 

“More?" you groan, already dreading what she has in mind. But you shouldn’t be surprised that she isn’t done just yet. Because it wouldn’t be Xinyu if she didn’t drag this on. 

"One more test," Xinyu confirms with an energetic nod, eyes widening. “Well, we've tested kisses. And this lipstick sure holds up on that front. But isn’t there something else we should try?”

And before you can answer, Xinyu is pinning you down on the couch. She leans in and gently nips at your bottom lip, then trails kisses and little love bites down your neck. Not a single one leaves a lipstick mark, but she certainly tries her best. You can't help but gasp as her lips latch onto your sensitive flesh, teeth grazing your skin—intent on leaving something behind, lipstick or not. 

"Still no marks," Xinyu murmurs against your skin, her voice a mix of awe and disappointment. "This lipstick really is something else."

Xinyu pulls back, holding the camera in one hand as she surveys her handiwork. Despite her best efforts, your neck remains unblemished, unmarked by lipstick. And it’s like she’s disappointed at that fact as she turns to the camera with a pout.

"Well, viewers, I have to say I'm impressed. This lipstick really does live up to the hype. No smudges, no transfer, even after all that." She says, before winking at the camera. "I'd say it's definitely boyfriend-proof."

You can't help but laugh at her conclusion, shaking your head as you try to regain your composure. “Are we done now? Have you tortured me enough for one video?"

The camera pointing right at you lets you know the answer before she even says anything else. 

“Oh, sweet boyfriend. Not quite. One—more thing.” 

“But you just—“