Lady Yu always believed that the kaffir lily was the matchmaker of her and her husband. Consequently, all kinds of kaffir lilies were planted in the courtyards and the rooms. When Official Yu was free, the two of them would write poems and make paintings while looking at the kaffir lily, creating the scene of a beauty studying with a scholar.
Who would have thought that the kaffir lily, which they regarded as the token of their affection, was the main cause of their young daughter’s suffering for more than ten years? In a small corner of Lady Yu’s heart, there was a small voice that said, “Maybe, they got it wrong?”
Yu Wanqing, after a period of silence, suddenly said, “I remember the last time when I went with Mother to Jingan Temple, we abstained from eating meat and listened to scriptures there. We were right when a Buddhist festival occured, so we stayed a few more days. Jingan Temple is known for its rare trees and they don’t plant a lot of flowers there, so during the time I was there, the redness and swelling on my face got better and the papules went down a lot. My mother and I thought it was because of my sincerity that moved the Buddha so my face got better. It turns out the only reason why my symptoms were alleviated was because I was staying away from the plants that caused problems for my skin!”
Lady Yu had also thought of this. It seemed that the kaffir lily at home couldn’t stay any longer. Nothing was more important than her daughter’s face!
“Once we go back, I’ll tell your father to give away all of the kaffir lilies! Right now the most important thing is curing the skin on your face. Miss Yu, will the skin on my daughter’s face heal by getting rid of the source of her allergy?” Lady Yu felt a bit resigned. After all, those were the beautiful memories of her and her husband. However, for her daughter, there was nothing that she wasn’t willing to give up.
Yu Xiaocao pondered briefly and formulated a plan for Yu Wanqing’s recuperation and treatment, “I’ll choose a suitable courtyard for Younger Sister Yu to stay at for some time, so that it will be more convenient for her to receive concentrated care. Sensitivity to allergens and papules aren’t easy to treat. The most fundamental thing is that we have to start from within and improve Younger Sister Yu’s physique, using facial skincare as a supplement. Therefore, when necessary, medicinal soups and food will be vital. If Lady Yu is worried, you can spend a few days with Younger Sister Yu in the club as well.”
Yu Wanqing shook her head and said, “What is there to worry about? I’m not a kid anymore. I’m just a few months younger than Older Sister Yu. Older Sister Yu can undertake tasks alone, yet I’m like a nestling being protected by my parents. If I didn’t dare to stay in a safe courtyard, won’t I be a useless person? Besides, aren’t there servant girls to wait on me? Mother, go home and clean my courtyard first. That way when my skin is better, it won’t have a relapse.”
Lady Yu revealed a happy expression on her face. Her daughter was growing up and she was brave enough to take the first step. How precious it was for her!
“Alright! I’ll do as my daughter says!!” Lady Yu also had an impatient disposition. What day was better than today? They should start the treatment for her daughter today, “Miss Yu, do you have anything else to tell me? I’ll go home right now and help my daughter pack some clothes to bring over.”
Yu Xiaocao thought for a moment and said, “I suggest you don’t keep any willow trees, lotus flowers, chrysanthemums, or plum blossoms on your estate. Plant more ornamental foliage plants. It’s better not to have any pond water in Younger Sister Yu’s courtyard. An environment that’s too humid can cause Younger Sister Yu to have a buildup of moisture in her body, causing eczema.”
“Alright, alright! Your Younger Sister Yu likes lotus flowers. In her courtyard, there’s a delicate pond that’s full of lotus flowers facing her window. In the summer, the scent of lotus flowers covers the entire courtyard… I always wondered why Qing’er’s face gets worse in the summer. Turns out it’s related to those lotus flowers!” Lady Yu turned to her daughter and said, “I’ll find some people to fill up the small pond when I get home. Don’t think it’s a pity that it’ll be gone.”
“Mother, as long as it’s good for my skin, I won’t have any objections to any of your arrangements!” Yu Wanqing was still immersed in the joy that her skin could recover. Even if her courtyard was left with a plot of dirt, she would gladly be content.
Yu Xiaocao watched as the mother and daughter pair rejoiced in hope for a bit before she said, “I’ll give Younger Sister Yu some simple skincare first. Younger Sister, follow me to the inner chamber to lie down.”
A veil hung from the entrance of the inner chamber, allowing a vague view of what was inside. There were two narrow beauty treatment beds in the room, which could hold one person lying on their back. There was also a simple treasure shelf in the room that had many bottles in a variety of different shapes.
The simple furnishings and privacy designs allowed Yu Wanqing’s slightly uneasy mood to relax. At Yu Xiaocao’s suggestion, she laid on one of the beauty beds. Her hands were tightly clasped as she basked in the novelty of the experience.
Yu Xiaocao took a few bottles down from the treasure shelf. Hechun helped her fetch some fresh water at just the right temperature and Yu Xiaocao immersed a delicate cotton cloth into the water and gently wrung the water out. She avoided the areas of ulceration on the girl’s face as she began to clean Yu Wanqing’s skin.
“Younger Sister Yu’s skin is sensitive and allergenic, so she can’t use the alkaline handmade soap to clean it. This cleanser with cucumber extracts is mild and has hydrating functions. It’s more suitable for her symptoms. However, for the sake of caution, do an allergy test on the skin behind her ear first!”
Yu Xiaocao had worked in a beauty spa for more than a year in her past life, so she wasn’t unfamiliar with facial care. While she cleansed the younger girl’s face, she gave Hechun an explanation for her steps which also served the dual purpose of letting the Yu mother and daughter pair know her intentions and the effects of each step.
A soft and smooth hand caressed her face, which was a new sensation for Yu Wanqing. That pair of hands seemed so gentle as if they were caring for a treasure. Although Yu Wanqing was a little shy, she didn’t hate the touch.
Ten minutes into the allergy test, it was confirmed the cucumber cleanser could be used. Yu Xiaocao used her middle finger and ring finger to gently massage the cleanser into the other girl’s face. This step didn’t take long and, soon, the faintly fragrant foam was washed away. She didn’t know if it was a psychological effect, but Yu Wanqing felt that her face was fresher in an instant.
Next, Yu Xiaocao opened a jade bottle containing mystic stone water. After diluting it appropriately with the right proportion of saline, she taught Hechun where to spread the beauty solution on the other girl’s face. She also explained to her that this beauty solution could also be used to improve skin that was oversensitive.
Next came a mask that was made of fine cotton and had holes cut out for the eyes, nose and mouth. Yu Wanqing opened her eyes and looked curiously at it. When this mask like cotton gauze was placed on her face after being soaked in the normal saline beauty solution, she felt that her face was cool as if there was something going directly into her skin and repairing her swollen and broken skin. The previous stinging of the ulcers suddenly disappeared. It felt so comfortable…
Unknowingly, Yu Wanqing fell asleep and slept soundly. Lady Yu fought back tears of joy. In her memories, her daughter seemed to have never slept so peacefully, always being awakened by nightmares.
Yu Wanqing slept with a smile. In her dream, she was lonely and sad, and then she met a little immortal girl. The immortal girl said that she could help her relieve her pain and help her recover her original appearance. With that, the immortal gently waved a hand and a gentle light surrounded her. The pimples, redness, and ulcerations on her face were gently removed like a mask, revealing delicate, white, and smooth skin without any flaws. Yu Wanqing was ecstatic beyond measure. When she looked back, the immortal girl was flying away on a propitious cloud, but she clearly saw the immortal’s smiling face——it was Older Sister Yu’s smiling face.
When she woke up, the first thing she saw was the face of the immortal girl in her dream. The smile was so real, sincere, and went straight into the hearts of the people. She involuntarily told them the dream she just had. Lady Yu gently stroked her soft hair and happily said, “This is a good omen indicating your face will soon be like it was in your dream, smooth without any flaws.”
When she finished speaking she turned her hopeful gaze toward Yu Xiaocao, who was finishing her daughter’s facial treatment, hoping to gain her acknowledgment and confirmation.
“I don’t know if there will be any flaws. Everyone’s skin is different and I’m not the immortal girl in your dream with magical powers so great I can change a person’s appearance. However, I can guarantee that the pimples, the redness, and swelling, as well as the ulcers on your face, will all disappear!” Yu Xiaocao assured the mother and daughter pair, while she washed her hands, and put on hand cream.
It was just the first treatment, but Yu Wanqing felt that her face wasn’t as itchy as before and her symptoms were lighter. She couldn’t help but raise her hand to touch her face but Yu Xiaocao stopped her, “Don’t move! There are many things that a person’s hands come into contact with. Too many dirty things are on them that can be seen. Your skin is sensitive, so you should try to avoid touching your face with your hands. You also shouldn’t pick at your pimples with your fingernails as it’ll only make your skin worse.”
“Did you hear that? In the future don’t touch the pimples with your hands, or squeeze out the pus inside. You must remember!” Lady Yu grabbed her daughter’s hands nervously and reminded her again.
“Your mother is right. Using your hands to squeeze out the things in the pimples can cause inflammation or even leave scars. When your face is healing there will be scabs. Younger Sister Yu, you must endure it. I will prepare an ointment for you. When you feel itchy, you can apply it with a cotton swab. It can help stop the itching and diminish inflammation, helping the skin recover.” The ointment that Yu Xiaocao was talking about had a relatively high concentration of mystic stone water in it, and thus there was no need to mention the effects.
“Thank you, Older Sister Yu. You really are my savior. I don’t ask for anything else, just for the red swelling, the ulceration, and pimples to go away, so I won’t be laughed at or hated by others!” Yu Wanqing sniffed. When she was in despair, it was Older Sister Yu who gave her the seed of hope.
To tell the truth, every time she looked in the mirror, she would look for her facial features through the armor-like papules and try to imagine her appearance. Her mother said that her facial features were elegant, and that if it wasn’t because of her severe skin conditions, she would have been a beautiful girl.
