MGASC -Chapter 158 Ordinary Girls Also Have the Right to Be Beautiful

The only difference was that the area around People’s Square had a bit more prestige, with all high-end restaurants, whereas Jiuma Road felt more down-to-earth—but the foot traffic was just as heavy.

Converting all four floors into a restaurant would be too much. Better to have the first floor as a restaurant and turn the second, third, and fourth floors into a hotel. After a good meal, people would naturally want a place to rest, right?

And just like that, the decision was happily made!

Besides, around the appliance factory, Zhang Qiao already had connections.

The next day, she called Su Yin.

It was the weekend and also the day Su Yin’s ex-boyfriend, Zhao Qiang, was marrying Lin Xiaowan. The wedding had originally been set for September 15, but because the company couldn’t issue the necessary introduction letter, it had been delayed by half a month—by now, Lin Xiaowan was already showing.

Su Yin, of course, didn’t attend her ex’s wedding, but staying home alone wasn’t exactly fun either. Luckily, Zhang Qiao called, and they made plans: Zhang Qiao would come over to Su Yin’s house, and then they would go out together for Western food.

Su Yin’s home was easy to find, right near Jiuma Road.

When Zhang Qiao arrived, she was carrying a small suitcase. Seeing it was her, Su Yin hurried to take it from her.

“What’s in here? It feels heavy. If I had known you were bringing stuff, I’d have come to get you. I can’t let a pregnant woman carry so much—how would that be right?”

“No worries. Tianyue brought me here.”

Zhang Qiao looked around Su Yin’s home: a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment, very clean and full of a scholarly atmosphere. Clearly, her parents were intellectuals.

Besides Su Yin, there was also a housekeeper, a distant relative from the countryside according to Su Yin.

The two of them went to her bedroom to have tea, and Zhang Qiao noticed that Su Yin’s skin was even fairer and smoother than the last time she had seen her.

The formula her grandfather had left really worked.

Excited, Su Yin shared her transformation: “Qiao Qiao, your formula is amazing. I think you should stop selling pickled fish and open a beauty salon instead, specializing in acne treatments—you could make a fortune!”

“Oh, by the way, I recently bought some cosmetics. Qiao Qiao, can I try putting on makeup now? But I’m just starting to learn, and every time I do it, my mom says I look like I’ve eaten a dead child and won’t let me go out!”

Su Yin showed Zhang Qiao her cosmetics: a powder so pale it was frightening and a bright red lipstick that aged her. Without good technique, these stark colors would look exaggerated.

“It’s normal that it doesn’t look good if you just started learning. Here, I’ll help you put some on.”

Zhang Qiao opened her suitcase, and Su Yin’s eyes widened.

“Wow, Qiao Qiao, this whole suitcase is… cosmetics?”

“Yes. I knew your skin would be ready for it, so I specially brought these for you.”

Zhang Qiao had Lin Tianyue bring three to four sets of basic cosmetics in total—one for herself, and she gave the rest to Yingzi and Zhang Ling, keeping the last set for Su Yin. After all, she would need her help with something later.

She had Su Yin sit at the vanity. “Look, your skin tone is a little dark, so bright red lipstick would be too harsh. A softer orange is better for you. And this powder is too white—it looks unnatural.”

While applying the makeup, Zhang Qiao explained how to apply foundation evenly, cover blemishes, shape brows, and choose the right lipstick color…

Su Yin listened intently and even took notes in a notebook.

In less than twenty minutes, Zhang Qiao was done.

She then took out a device that looked like an electric iron, plugged it in, and straightened Su Yin’s hair strand by strand.

“Qiao Qiao, what’s this? I’ve never seen it before.”

Su Yin felt Zhang Qiao was like a magician. That suitcase was like Doraemon’s pocket—always producing new, fascinating things she’d never seen.

“This is a hair straightener. I had Tianyue get it from a Hong Kong merchant. It’s made of metal, though, so it can burn hair. If it were ceramic, it would be much safer.”

Zhang Qiao wrinkled her nose at the slight burnt smell, but this was already a very advanced product, similar to the irons used in hair salons—just safer.

After finishing, she unplugged it. Su Yin picked up the straightener to examine it: “The principle seems simple, like the irons our factory makes.”

“Exactly. The principle is simple, but nothing like this is available on the market yet. Su Yin, since your factory can make electric irons, why not try designing curling irons and straighteners? There’s a gap in the market—you might make a fortune!”

Su Yin held the straightener, deep in thought: “Qiao Qiao, are you serious?”

“Of course! But I hope Technician Su will improve the design—replace the metal with ceramic to reduce hair damage.”

Su Yin was thrilled by Zhang Qiao’s suggestion. With southern factories rising, Jiangcheng’s appliance factory had been declining. She had suggested new product development before, even tried hinting at her dad, but he always demanded concrete plans.

Now a plan had arrived.

If they could help women across the country become beautiful, making beauty easier and cheaper, wouldn’t that be a great endeavor?

“Qiao Qiao, if you say it like that, I’ll take you seriously. If I really develop it, don’t worry—half the patent will be yours!”

Zhang Qiao’s heart skipped a beat, but she stayed composed, encouraging her: “Su Yin, do what you want to do. We’re friends, I’ll support you! I’m not blindly influencing you. The domestic beauty industry is basically a blank slate. Take lipstick for example—most available ones are bright red and imported, quite expensive. But the production cost is very low. If we make our own lipsticks and develop shades suitable for more skin tones, don’t you think it has huge potential?”

Su Yin hadn’t expected Zhang Qiao to think so far ahead.

Indeed, her lipstick had cost her only a few dozen yuan. Though branded as foreign, the quality was average. Ordinary girls wouldn’t even splurge on that.

But ordinary girls have the right to be beautiful—if they could develop production lines themselves…

Wow.

Su Yin could hardly imagine it—it seemed like a distant dream.

Yet, with Zhang Qiao’s help, she had visibly slimmed down and become prettier. What she never dared to dream of was now reality. Maybe she really could try.

Starting with this hair straightener.

With her hair now sleek and straight, and her makeup highlighting her features, Su Yin looked elegant. After putting on her new cashmere dress, she looked like a true modern lady in the mirror.

“Qiao Qiao, you’re amazing! I now have reason to believe you’re a fairy sent down to save me!”

Zhang Qiao was, of course, confident in her skills.

With her slimmer figure and enhanced makeup, Su Yin’s posture and gestures exuded the aura of an intelligent beauty.

“See now? There’s no such thing as an ugly woman, only a lazy one. Follow my method and practice more—I bet no one will dare say you look like you’ve eaten a dead child!”

The two girls exchanged smiles and happily headed to the Western restaurant.