Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 479: Chapter 251: A Fortuitous Test

Qingmu applied the mixture from the bowl to Juhua’s face. Surprisingly, while it didn’t look much like the original condition, it was somehow even uglier.

Juhua had been caring for her skin with facial masks for two years, and she normally kept her face covered with a scarf. Since she was only in her teens, her skin was naturally supple and smooth. But now, with the fake, scabby patch smeared over her scar—a patch of red that Qingmu had deliberately made uneven and bumpy—the contrast was simply...

Qingmu suddenly felt his chest tighten. He stared at the fake scab he had just created, filled with an indescribable revulsion.

As her brother, he never wanted to see anything on Juhua’s face again. He’d rather it just be clean; even the scar was fine. It wasn’t that he found his sister ugly. Rather, this fake blemish dredged up his own past trauma. Years of suffering and despair churned within him, making his eyes sting. The sight of the fake scab was a painful thorn in his eyes and heart.

He suddenly started to worry about Huai Zi. ’What kind of expression will he have when he sees Juhua without her scarf? He definitely won’t be nonchalant—only someone who doesn’t care about Juhua could be. He’ll be hurt and upset; his whole expression might change!’

Why was Qingmu so sure?

After all this time, everyone had grown accustomed to seeing Juhua with her face scarf on. It was as if they had forgotten about the scab on her face. Even if they knew it was still there, the shock of seeing it so suddenly would be too much for those close to her to bear. Take him, for example. Even though he knew it was fake, he still felt terrible. If their parents were to see it unexpectedly, their expressions would surely change, and they would be so upset they might even cry.

He wondered with some uncertainty, ’Is it right to test Huai Zi like this?’

’I can already guess how Huai Zi will react, but it won’t necessarily mean he’s repulsed by Juhua. Ever since Juhua was two years old, Huai Zi has been right there with me, holding her, carrying her on his back, playing with her. When has he ever shown any disdain for her face? And now, he’s completely smitten with her. If he suddenly sees that scab again, how could he possibly remain calm? He’ll definitely be hurt, and his expression will definitely change—is he supposed to see the woman he loves looking like this and still be able to smile happily? If he could do that, I would truly have to doubt his sincerity.’

He really couldn’t bear to test him this way.

However, Juhua had a point. If her face never healed, Huai Zi would eventually have to confront the scab. This psychological shock wouldn’t exist if Juhua had never worn the scarf and had always shown her raw face to Huai Zi.

’Just what kind of reaction does my sister want to see from Huai Zi?’

Qingmu put himself in Huai Zi’s shoes and spoke earnestly to Juhua. "Juhua, when Huai Zi suddenly sees you like this, he’s not going to have a pleasant expression. He’ll probably be hurt. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s repulsed by you—I mean, you’ve kept your face covered for so long, the sudden sight of it is a shock even to me. I’m the one who applied this stuff, and I know it’s fake, but I still feel terrible. That’s because I don’t want to see anything on your face, and neither do Mom and Dad. Huai Zi definitely feels the same. So, with Huai Zi..."

Juhua listened, then waved her hand calmly. "I know. I’m not a fool. Anyone who suddenly saw me like this would have their expression change. Even if his didn’t, it would only be because he’s forcing himself to stay composed, and he’d still feel uneasy inside. I just want to see if Brother Huai Zi has really thought this through. If he genuinely likes me and has made up his mind to marry me, then even if he’s a bit uncomfortable at first, he’ll get over it. After all, he already knows I have this on my face; it’s not something new."

Only then did Qingmu let out a sigh of relief. "That’s the right way to think about it," he said.

Once Juhua had her face all set, she was about to look for an opportunity to take off her scarf in front of Zhang Huai when, as luck would have it, an opportunity came to her.

After the midday meal, Liu Xiaomei came over with a shoe sole, planning to do needlework and chat with Juhua. Snowy days like this were the perfect time for young women to gather for needlework and conversation. Liu Xiaomei’s household was large, so it was inconvenient for her to invite Juhua over, which meant she was always the one visiting.

The sun was already slanting westward, so the two of them moved their small stools to the base of the eastern courtyard wall to bask in its warm rays. Their hands stayed busy, and their mouths never stopped moving either.

Looking at Juhua’s neatly swept courtyard, which was now dry and clean after a full morning under the sun, completely free of the usual dampness from melting snow, Liu Xiaomei smiled. "If you only looked at this yard, you’d think it hadn’t even snowed. Who would guess there’s still so much thick snow outside? Your father cleared it all away in a single morning. He works so fast! At my house, the snow we swept is still piled up in a corner of the yard."