Chapter 121: Xiao Lian
Two mao, that’s a whole four fen more, adding it all up it’ll be even more how much?!
This time it’s really great, the brigade members can truly have a prosperous New Year this year!
Qin Fen, who grew happier the more he thought about it, just wanted to immediately tell this good news to everyone in the brigade, but fortunately he still had some reason left.
It wasn’t just the municipal textile factory that came, if he shouted with his big voice, the other purchasing cadres wouldn’t be happy, and if the other brigade leaders started arguing blindly and ruined the deal, then he would be the sinner of the brigade.
Qin Fen grinned, his face smiling like a blooming big chrysanthemum: Thank you Leader Liu for the arrangements, as usual the municipal textile factory is assigned to their First Brigade!
“Cadre Xiao Su, you rest nearby for now, when it’s ready to weigh later I’ll call you!”
“Okay, then I’ll just look around nearby and not go far.”
“Hey hey, I’ll have my Lian Wazi accompany you, wait a moment!”
Hearing that she wanted to look around, Qin Fen nodded, the canyon scenery below the reservoir was beautiful.
But she was unfamiliar with the place, what if she got lost, where would he cry then? Better to have someone with her, thinking of his little daughter’s famously good temperament, it’s just…
“That Cadre Xiao Su, my Xiao Lian has scald scars on her face and body, they look scary although, but she is quiet and patient, and steady in doing things, you see…”
“It’s okay Captain Qin, I’m not afraid.”
“Hey okay, then that’s fine!”
After explaining clearly, Qin Fen finally felt assured and turned to walk toward the place with the long line, soon bringing back a girl wearing fine hemp long clothes and pants.
“Xiao Lian you properly accompany Cadre Xiao Su to see the reservoir side and Qingfeng Gorge, come back in a bit on time.”
“Got it, Dad.”
Seeing the stranger, the little girl’s eyes were a bit timid, but thinking of what Dad said, and seeing no fear or disgust in the other person’s eyes toward her, she immediately gained some courage and bravely stepped forward two steps.
“Cadre Su, I’ll take you there.”
“Thank you, then Captain Qin we’ll come back later.”
“Okay, go go, pay attention to safety.”
Nodding at his caring intention, Su Ning followed behind the little girl and left.
From Xiao Lian’s stiff back, it was clear she was extremely uneasy inside, even afraid.
The two braids hanging down her back swayed, making the scar at her neck hidden in the collar particularly conspicuous.
“You’re called Xiao Lian?”
“Mm, the lotus of white lotus.”
“Wouldn’t a pink lotus be even prettier?”
Turning her head to her, Xiao Lian smiled shyly, suddenly thinking her face would look even more terrifying when smiling, immediately turned her head away and withdrew her expression.
But her reply still had no self-pity, though shy she tried to speak clearly.
“This is what my grandmother often says, I’m used to it, both white and pink lotuses are very pretty.”
For some reason, she suddenly felt sad and heartbroken for the little girl in front of her.
Especially that smile that hadn’t fully bloomed in time.
Qingfeng Gorge’s scenery was indeed beautiful like a painting, reflected in the green water and blue sky it added even more magnificence.
Sitting on a big rock away from the reservoir, the two quietly appreciated the beautiful view.
Until Xiao Lian turned her head and carefully stole a glance at her, “Cadre Su…”
“You should be a few years younger than me, if you don’t mind you can call me sister, how about I call you Xiao Lian?”
“Sister Su.”
Looking at those eyes full of sincere smile, like brimming with a brilliant starry river, Xiao Lian nodded without hesitation and called out.
“Hey, Xiao Lian.”
“Sister Su you’re so pretty!”
Especially the way she smiled, prettier by who knows how many times than all those educated youth from the big city in the brigade combined.
Xiao Lian didn’t know how to describe it, but the most beautiful white lotus blooming in deep mountain ice and snow that Grandmother mentioned, should be just like Sister Su when she smiled, right?
“Xiao Lian is also very pretty.”
“No no no, I’m not pretty, my face is scary.”
Subconsciously covering her face, Xiao Lian buried her head deeply into her chest, although her family didn’t dislike it and even pitied and loved her more because of it.
But actually she knew, if not because her dad was the brigade leader, her grandfather was a martyr who gloriously sacrificed while killing little Japanese, most likely she couldn’t find friends or even get friendly treatment.
One day she accidentally overheard her little friends’ conversation and found out.
They both envied that she, a girl and an ugly monster, could get her family’s love, and hated seeing her terrifying face while forcing themselves to hold back disgust, smile and fawn according to family’s words.
That day she cried for a very very long time, sad not because of what they said, but that it turned out only she herself had given true heart.
‘Our Xiao Lian where is not pretty? Good heart that’s the real pretty, there will always be someone who sees through this skin to discover the inner goodness.’
So, when would that person appear?
“Xiao Lian, I’m not joking, I’m very seriously telling you, Xiao Lian is very pretty.”
Only to see Xiao Lian suddenly lift her head and look deeply at her, emotions surging turbulently in her eyes that she didn’t know the reason for.
These words weren’t consolation, although Xiao Lian’s face had scars, they hadn’t ruined her features.
Just from her features, double eyelids big eyes high nose small mouth, without those scars, how wouldn’t she be a sweet cute pretty girl?
“Xiao Lian, do you mind telling me how these scars came about?”
Slowly shaking her head, Xiao Lian’s nose inexplicably felt sour, waiting for that sour feeling to recede before replying.
“When I was little, about three or four years old, that year killing the New Year pig, I accidentally slipped into the boiling wooden basin for scalding the pig.”
By the time she let out the piercing scream and cry, the people busy tying the pig and watching the excitement noticed.
When they fished her out she was already red all over like a shrimp about to be cooked, quickly bubbling up big and small blisters.
That time although luckily her little life was preserved, it also left scald scars all over her body.
“Can I touch them?”
“Ah?”
Through recounting, recalling the scene at the time in her mind, Xiao Lian’s mood uncontrollably sank, but the bit of sadness just brewing was disrupted by her sudden words.
Did Sister Su just say she wanted to touch her ugly scars?
“Not okay? Sorry…”
“No no no, it’s not Sister Su, if you’re not afraid I can!”
Xiao Lian shook her head in panic, she just heard this kind of request for the first time, feeling some indescribable sensation in her heart.
It was like the terrifying disgusting existence in their eyes was not that strange in her eyes, very ordinary.
And the expression she said it with wasn’t curiosity, just simply wanting to… touch?
Shyly handing over her hand, Xiao Lian’s downcast dodging eyes for the first time bravely met straight on.
Sister Su’s eyes truly had not a bit of fear, just using her soft tender fingers to slowly rub those scars.
“Sister Su?”
“Xiao Lian, I have a scar removal medicine, do you want to try it?”
Su Ning this time had no lying reason, not spring water from Peach Blossom Spring nor blue jadeite under the spring that removes scars, but real medicine powder.
After getting the medical canon she besides researching out that mutant version sleeping potion, also tried another, the jade visage paste recorded in the book with miraculous scar removal effects.
Cough… well, don’t know why, after passing through her hands whether the sleeping potion or jade visage paste both mutated.
Sleeping potion from colorless transparent powder form turned into gooey green liquid form.
Snow white slightly yellow jade visage paste turned into hard blue-green solid ‘soap’ like.
That sleeping potion not good to test on herself, jade visage paste she wasn’t afraid.
Sure enough the prescription added spring water and blue jadeite powder as medicinal ingredient, scar removal effect many times better than described in the book.
Only knowing the efficacy did she dare to so confidently ask.
“This scar removal prescription is handed down in our Su Family, the effect you can rest assured, even if no effect it won’t harm.”
Don’t know if said too much, or because having the real medical canon, when bringing out this rhetoric again Su Ning inexplicably gained a lot of confidence.
“Xiao Lian you can discuss with your family, when I leave I can leave you an address, if you decide to then come find me. Treatment needs half a month.”
“Sister Su…”
Like someone walking long in the desert, about to die of thirst luckily bumping into a green oasis, that feeling was just like Xiao Lian at this moment.
