Chapter 36: The New Whitening Cream

Five days later.

"Little Lu, what kind of medicine is this?"

Auntie Fang, who had come to collect the medicine and ointments she had ordered, noticed a bottle that looked different from the others and asked out of curiosity.

In the alleyway, she had the best relationship with Lu Jiaojie. To stay on good terms with her, Auntie Fang would either bring over some food or come by for a chat every few days. Lu Jiaojie naturally appreciated this kindness. Moreover, Auntie Fang never tried to take advantage of her; whether it was free medicine or discounts, Auntie Fang was always the one to initiate the offer.

"Auntie Fang, this is for the face. It’s mainly for whitening."

Lu Jiaojie knew that Auntie Fang was referring to a cosmetic cream she had just finished making specifically for whitening. Since Auntie Fang was at an age where whitening was no longer a priority, she hadn't bothered to introduce it to her.

*So, it's for the face? Whitening?*

"Little Lu, does it make the face whiter?"

"Yes. After applying it, it can improve your complexion, remove yellowness and dark spots. Not only will you become fairer, but your skin will also become more delicate."

Lu Jiaojie had not produced the "Beauty Elixir" from the cultivation world—ingestible things were prone to complications, and the local medicinal herbs here couldn't compare to the low-level spiritual herbs of her past. Therefore, she had simply adapted the elixir into a cream, which was safer for topical application. Although she had briefly introduced the cream to Auntie Fang, Lu Jiaojie never expected to actually sell it.

However, things often turn out differently than expected.

"Little Lu, how much for this whitening cream? I want to get a bottle for my niece. She isn't very pretty, and she's been having a hard time finding a partner."

Auntie Fang had originally only been listening casually to keep up with the trends in Lu Jiaojie’s medicine cabinet. She never imagined that after hearing about this cream, she would immediately think of her niece back at her maiden home.

Her niece was twenty-two this year, a factory worker at the textile mill. Her job was decent, but her appearance was plain. Actually, being plain wasn't a big deal, especially since she worked at a factory. But her niece wasn't just plain; she was dark-skinned, and no matter how she tried to protect her skin from the sun, it wouldn't lighten. On top of that, her face was covered in acne, which made her quite unappealing.

Because of this, her niece not only lacked suitors but had been on dozens of blind dates, none of which had worked out. Either the man didn't fancy her, or she didn't fancy the man. Men with above-average conditions certainly wouldn't settle for her, and while those with poor circumstances, divorcees, or widowers might be interested, her niece wouldn't accept them.

And so, time slipped away. By the end of this year, she would be twenty-three. Girls her age were already mothers of one or two children, while her niece had never even been in a relationship. Her family was anxious, having visited hospitals, seen doctors, and tried various folk remedies and creams. They had spent quite a bit of money, but the results were far from ideal.

"Auntie Fang, this whitening cream will help, but we also need to treat the acne. Tell you what, I’ll have some time in the next few days to make an anti-acne cream. You can take it to her then. The acne should be mostly gone in about half a month."

After hearing about the situation of Auntie Fang’s niece, Lu Jiaojie remained unperturbed. It wasn't some difficult or incurable disease; there was no need for surgery. Such problems would be commonplace decades later, and many people would even go under the knife for beauty.

"Little Lu, I am so grateful to you! Once Juan'er's face clears up, I will definitely bring her here to thank you in person."

Auntie Fang now held deep trust in Lu Jiaojie. Without a moment's hesitation, hearing that the cream would work and that Lu was going to make new medicine for her niece, she was moved beyond words.

"Auntie Fang, you’re welcome. It’s not like I’m giving this cream away for free," Lu Jiaojie said with a smile. She was definitely going to charge, but she only took a fair portion. She didn't even need Auntie Fang to advertise for her; she never worried about selling products designed for women.

She sold the whitening cream to Auntie Fang for five yuan a bottle, while the original price was eight. It contained about sixty milliliters. One had to know that the most expensive domestic skincare products in the department store cost no more than three or four yuan—though the imported items in the Friendship Store were much pricier.

Auntie Fang didn't think it was expensive at all and happily paid for it.

Early the next morning, after breakfast, Auntie Fang rushed over to deliver the whitening cream to her niece.

Fang Juan held the bottle her aunt had brought. It was a simple white ceramic jar. When she opened it, there was a faint scent of medicinal herbs, which made it feel all the more convincing.

"Juanzi, you know how effective Little Lu’s medicine is. She just made this whitening cream, and as soon as I heard about it, I bought it right away. Little Lu says if you use it properly, your face will change drastically in half a month. The instructions are written on the jar, so don't be lazy and don't skip a single application."

Auntie Fang hadn't just come to deliver the cream; she also brought the other medicine her family had ordered. She gave Fang Juan detailed instructions, urging her to use it diligently and not to be skeptical.

"Don't worry, Auntie. I definitely trust Comrade Lu’s medicine. If it works well, I’ll help her spread the word."

Her aunt had been so good to her, buying a five-yuan jar of cream without blinking. Fang Juan wasn't ungrateful. She didn't have much confidence in her own face, but that had nothing to do with her family's kindness.

"Good. I'll ask Little Lu for the anti-acne ointment in a few days."

"Auntie, no need for the trouble. I’ll go over myself in a few days. It'll be a good chance for Comrade Lu to take a look at my face."

"That works too."

After delivering the medicine, Auntie Fang returned home happily. The whitening cream was treated with great importance by the entire Fang family. As soon as Auntie Fang left, the family urged Fang Juan to start using it immediately.

Better to start early; they couldn't wait.

Fang Juan was obedient. Following the skincare steps Lu Jiaojie had provided, she washed her face with clean water, then took about two fingernail-sized amounts of the cream, rubbed it between her fingers, and applied it to her face.

Once the cream was on, there was no irritation at all. Instead, it felt very refreshing, and the faint scent of herbs lingered.

Of course, there were no visible results from the first application; it had to be used twice a day. However, three days later, both the Fang family and Fang Juan herself noticed that her face had become a bit fairer. It wasn't just her family; even her coworkers, who saw her every day, noticed the change.

Of course, sometimes looking a tiny bit whiter was normal, as Fang Juan usually kept herself well-covered. But after realizing she was indeed a little fairer, Fang Juan was excited. She trusted Lu Jiaojie’s cream even more.

Two days later, she eagerly headed to the alley where her aunt lived. Since Comrade Lu had said she would make the anti-acne cream, she was going to pick it up.