Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 73: Chapter 43: A Disappointing Ending

Staring into Juhua’s eyes, clear as two tranquil pools, Qin Feng was dazzled by her smile. Her composure was infectious, and he let out a soft breath. He held the small dish in one hand and, with the other, focused on dabbing the medicinal paste onto Juhua’s face with a bamboo stick.

At that moment, Zheng Changhe and Yang Family stood silently to the side, holding their breath. Four eyes stared unblinkingly at Qin Feng’s hand as it applied the paste, following its every move across Juhua’s face—up, down, left, and right!

After applying the paste to a small area, Qin Feng paused and asked gently, ”Is it uncomfortable at all?”

Juhua opened her eyes, looked at him, and replied softly, ”It’s fine. It feels cool and refreshing, very soothing!”

Qin Feng nodded and continued applying the paste to her face.

After a little while, he finally stopped. ”Alright!”

In truth, it hadn’t taken long at all. He had only applied a thin layer, which was done quickly. But for Zheng Changhe, his wife, and Juhua, that short time felt exceptionally long. They knew the medicine wouldn’t take effect immediately, but with this crucial step complete, it felt as if the matter was already more than half-settled.

Seeing Juhua open her eyes, Qin Feng smiled. ”Go lie on the bed for a bit. You can get up once the paste is dry. Oh, and take this pill, too.” He took another small bottle from his medicine box, poured out a brown pill, and handed it to Juhua. ”I’ll wait here, just in case you need anything.”

He said this out of concern that Juhua might have an adverse reaction, and the Zheng Family might not be able to reach him in time. Therefore, he decided to simply stay until after dinner. It was the more prudent course of action and would put his mind at ease.

Yang Family looked at Juhua, the better part of her face coated in a pitch-black paste. Above it, her limpid eyes twinkled, creating a strange sight. But in her heart, she revered and cherished this medicated, blackened face as if it were an untouchable treasure.

She said to Juhua, ”Go and rest for a while. You’re so tired every day. Today is a good chance to finally get a break.”

So, under her parents’ eager gazes, Juhua returned to her room. She settled down for a blissful but cautious afternoon nap. She had deliberately placed an old cloth over her pillow, afraid the paste on her face might stain it in her sleep—it was, after all, a brand new pillow.

The bed, with its new cotton quilt, was wonderfully comfortable. She ended up sleeping for a full two-hour stretch.

When Juhua woke from her nap, she felt a burning pain on her face. Seeing that only her father and Doctor Qin were in the courtyard, she went outside.

Qin Feng sat in the courtyard making small talk with Zheng Changhe, watching as he deftly cleaned a pig’s head and trotters with a small knife. Scraping, carving, picking, paring—his fingers moved with nimble grace. Qin Feng couldn’t help but praise him. ”Uncle Zheng, you’re quite skilled at this,” he said with a smile. ”You’ve gotten it so clean.”

Zheng Changhe gave an honest laugh. ”Well, we’re going to be eating it. How could I not get it clean?”

Just as Qin Feng was about to reply, he looked up and saw Juhua. He quickly stood up and beckoned her over. ”Juhua, you’re awake? Come and sit. How are you feeling?”

Juhua sat on a small stool and hesitated before saying softly to Qin Feng, ”My face is burning a little.”

At her words, Zheng Changhe immediately stopped his work. He and Juhua both turned to look at Qin Feng. They had no way of knowing whether the pain meant the medicine was working or if it was a bad reaction. All they could do was wait for Doctor Qin’s explanation.

Without a word, Qin Feng took Juhua’s hand, rested it on the long bench, and checked her pulse. He frowned, deep in thought for a long moment, then carefully examined her face again, but still couldn’t be sure.

”Let’s wait another two hours and see,” Qin Feng said, finally making up his mind after a long hesitation. ’I can’t just give up and wash the paste off now,’ he thought. ’I need to observe a while longer before deciding.’

Juhua nodded and, in a reassuring tone, said to him, ”Let’s wait, then. It’s really not so bad. My face hurts, but I don’t feel unwell otherwise.”

Qin Feng offered a faint smile. ”The paste is on your face, so of course that’s where it hurts. But with a topical medicine, it’s hard to see the effects right away. Still, pain certainly isn’t a good sign. So, if it gets any worse, it means the medicine isn’t working, and we’ll probably have to wash it off.”

Hearing this, Zheng Changhe looked utterly crestfallen. He stared blankly for a long moment before saying, ”That’s fine. We just have to take it slow and figure something out. How could we expect it to work on the first try?” Even a fool could have heard the strain in his voice.

Juhua, however, didn’t seem to mind. ’This medicine probably isn’t going to work,’ she thought. Having given up hope, she surprisingly felt a sense of relief. And so, she went into the kitchen to help Yang Family prepare the pork offal.

When Yang Family heard what Juhua said, the disappointment on her face was thick enough to scrape off. Just like Zheng Changhe, she offered some insincere words of encouragement and comfort, but they were hollow words that failed to convince even herself.