143. Breathtaking, at Her Vanity

Next, Jing Qingxin used a black eyeliner pencil, tracing along the shape of her eyes and flicking it slightly upward at the corners to bring out their brilliance. These were the makeup tools she had carefully selected after much thought. The eyeliner pencil would not raise any suspicion; if anyone saw it, they would simply mistake it for a black lead pencil. It was natural enough to assume it had been purchased in a big city, so its novelty was not surprising.

Following this, Jing Qingxin singed a matchstick and used the lingering heat to curl her black eyelashes, giving them a gentle lift. Finally, she used her fingertips to softly blend a touch of blush onto her cheeks and applied a vibrant, classic red lipstick. Her bridal makeup was complete. Jing Qingxin did not care for heavy, garish makeup, nor did she like the traditional bridal look of that era, where the face was painted a uniform, stark red that obscured any natural beauty. She preferred this kind of fresh and elegant look.

Jing Suyun had originally intended to help Jing Qingxin with her makeup; she possessed the necessary skill, as modern bridal makeup was relatively simple compared to the elaborate rituals of the past. However, Jing Qingxin declined, saying she could handle it herself. At first, everyone was skeptical—how could a young girl know how to apply professional bridal makeup? But once she finished, Jing Suyun, Liu Ping, Jiang Min, and Li Xiaomei had to admit that the look was stunningly beautiful. Even the experienced Jing Suyun was left in awe. It was the first time she had seen such a light, subtle makeup application that felt so refined and ethereal, leaving them truly captivated.

When Jing Qingxin had first put on her Xiuhe-style wedding dress, the four of them were already stunned—Jing Suyun was amazed by the preservation of the traditional embroidery, while the other three were simply struck by the beauty of the gown. Now, paired with this elegant makeup, she looked absolutely breathtaking. It was on a completely different level from any bride they had ever seen. The four women in the room were dumbfounded, sitting on their stools and staring blankly as Jing Qingxin’s hands moved with such grace and proficiency that they could not bear to look away.

Before they could recover enough to offer their praise, Jing Qingxin picked up a wooden comb to style her hair. Only then did Jing Suyun snap out of her trance and hurriedly stop her.

"Oh my, Xinxin, you look so beautiful today that your godmother forgot what she was doing! Haha, Liu Ping, quickly go call Chunhua over to comb her hair!" Jing Suyun said with a laugh.

"Right away, I'll go at once!" Liu Ping immediately snapped back to reality and rushed next door, pulling Li Chunhua away from her duties overseeing the kitchen and back into the Li family house.

"Chunhua, you need to be the one to do the hair; you are much more suitable for this than Liu Ping or me!" Jing Suyun said with a smile, handing the wooden comb to Li Chunhua.

According to tradition, the person chosen to comb the bride’s hair had to be a woman with a blissful family life—ideally one blessed with both sons and daughters—to bring harmony and the promise of many children to the newlyweds. Li Chunhua did not hesitate. Combing the bride's hair was considered a way to share in the good fortune. She took the comb and walked over to the wooden cabinet serving as a makeshift vanity. When she finally got a clear look at Jing Qingxin, she was momentarily stunned into silence.

It was only when Jing Suyun nudged her that Li Chunhua regained her composure. She began to work, whispering auspicious blessings while drawing the comb from the roots of the hair to the ends. Once finished, Li Chunhua offered a few words of praise. Looking at her young daughter, who had changed into the gown, she beamed with joy—her daughter truly looked like a sophisticated city girl. Knowing there was still work to be done, Li Chunhua did not linger and happily returned to the Gao residence.

Afterward, Jing Qingxin skillfully pinned her hair into a half-up style, adorning it with a red beaded hairpin featuring delicate tassels. She left a few wisps of hair framing her face and added thin, dangling earrings tipped with small red beads. She had chosen the simplest accessories; the dress was already magnificent enough, and she did not want to over-accessorize and ruin the effect.

Once finished, Jing Qingxin stood up, smoothed her dress, and asked with a gentle smile, "How does it look?"

"Beautiful!" Li Xiaomei answered first. She had run out of words and didn't know how to describe it; she only knew that Sister Jing looked better than she had ever seen her before.

"A truly peerless beauty," Jiang Min, who was well-read, whispered in praise.

Liu Ping added with a laugh, "In all my decades, this is the most beautiful bride I have ever seen!"

Jing Suyun, her eyes filled with pride and delight, looked at the scene before her and softly recited: "A bride glows with joy, her makeup light and artfully done; a beauty beyond compare!"

Gaining everyone's approval and praise made Jing Qingxin very happy. She grew even more excited for the arrival of the groom, eager to see the look of awe on Gao Shen's face when he saw her.