Chapter 108 Madam's Diplomacy! The Secret Weapon for Conquering the Compound!
Lu Yao ultimately left with resentment.
Her meticulously planned first confrontation ended in complete defeat.
Not only did it fail to discourage Jiang Wu, it actually boosted her popularity among military wives.
Jiang Wu, on the other hand, acted as if nothing had happened.
The next day, the military wife who had used the pearl powder she had given her excitedly ran to knock on her door early in the morning.
"Little Wu! Amazing! Absolutely amazing!"
The military wife surnamed Wang, holding Jiang Wu's hand, was so excited that she was incoherent.
"I used the pearl powder you gave me just once yesterday, and when I looked in the mirror this morning, guess what? The little bumps on my face have really gone down a lot! My skin also feels so smooth!"
"And that foot bath method, I slept soundly through the night last night without even a dream! I haven't slept this well in a long time!"
Wang's loud voice quickly attracted the attention of the surrounding neighbors.
Before long, seven or eight military wives had gathered at the entrance of the Qin family's courtyard.
They all looked at Sister Wang's face with a mixture of curiosity and envy, a face that did indeed look much better than yesterday.
"Really? Sister Wang, such a big effect after just one use?"
"Little Wu, do you still have any pearl powder? Could you share some with your sister-in-law?"
"Yes, yes, I've also been experiencing internal heat lately, and I've developed a lot of pimples on my face. It's driving me crazy."
Faced with the eager gazes of the crowd, Jiang Wu simply smiled.
"Don't worry, ladies, I still have some. However, everyone's skin type is different, so the methods used will also be different."
Instead of distributing the items directly, she invited everyone into the courtyard.
She acted like a professional beauty consultant, examining each person's skin condition one by one.
"Sister Li, you have typical dry skin, and it's also a bit sensitive. When using pearl powder, it's best to mix it with milk. Milk is gentle and can also moisturize."
"Sister Zhang, the pimples on your forehead are caused by excessive liver fire. Topical application alone is not enough. I will teach you to press a few acupoints. Press them before bed every day to clear liver fire. It is more effective than taking medicine."
"Aunt Liu, those fine lines around your eyes... Come, let me give you a massage. This is a family technique that can improve blood circulation and remove blood stasis..."
As Jiang Wu spoke, she took out a jade massage stick that she had prepared beforehand, which had been soaked in spiritual spring water, and gently scraped around Liu Sao's eyes.
Her technique was very professional, and the force was just right.
Aunt Liu felt a warm, tingling sensation around her eyes, so comfortable that she almost fell asleep.
A dozen minutes later, Jiang Wu stopped.
"Alright, Aunt Liu, feel it for yourself."
Aunt Liu reached out and touched it, then let out a gasp of disbelief.
"Oh my god! The skin around my eyes seems... seems to have really tightened up a bit! It's not so loose anymore!"
People nearby went over to take a look and echoed their agreement.
"Really! Sister Liu, those fine lines on your face seem to have faded!"
"This is amazing! Little Wu, your skills are a hundred times better than those face creams sold at the supply and marketing cooperative!"
At this point, the whole situation completely spiraled out of control.
The way the military wives looked at Jiang Wu was no longer the same as how they looked at an ordinary neighbor.
Instead, they were watching a "living fairy" who could make them younger and more beautiful!
In that era of material scarcity and relatively monotonous spiritual life, women's pursuit of "beauty" was suppressed for too long.
Jiang Wu's appearance was like opening a door to a new world.
She doesn't need those expensive, out-of-touch cosmetics.
She used only the most common ingredients, such as egg whites, honey, and milk.
But she always manages to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary with the most ingenious combinations and the most magical techniques.
Soon, "Qin Family Courtyard" became the liveliest place in the entire military compound.
Every afternoon, whenever Jiang Wu has free time, her courtyard is always filled with military wives who come to "seek advice".
Jiang Wu accepted all comers.
She not only taught them skincare, but also how to coordinate their outfits.
"Sister-in-law, the color of your shirt is too dark, it makes you look listless. Try tying a bright-colored scarf around your collar, it will make a big difference."
"Sister, your pants are a bit too loose. I'll alter the legs for you to make them into trendy skinny jeans. I guarantee they'll make you look slimmer and more energetic."
She even took the time to draw a few simple yet beautiful children's clothing design sketches.
Let those skillful mothers use leftover scraps of fabric at home to make the most beautiful clothes for their children.
She did all of this without receiving any payment.
But military wives are not ungrateful people.
Today your family delivers a basket of freshly laid eggs, tomorrow her family brings over a free-range chicken they raised themselves.
Some people even secretly gave Jiang Wu their extra cloth coupons and grain coupons.
Jiang Wu's home was suddenly filled with all sorts of "local specialties".
The harvest was even more abundant than when she "set up a stall" on the island.
More importantly, she won the hearts of almost all the military wives in the compound.
They no longer called her "Comrade Jiang Wu" or "Commander Qin's wife".
Instead, they affectionately called her "Little Wu".
They treated her like their own sister, and they would confide in her whenever something happened to them.
If anyone dares to say a bad word about Jiang Wu behind her back, seven or eight people will immediately stand up and speak up for her.
Jiang Wu, with her unique "madam diplomacy," built her own strongest social barrier in the hierarchical and complex capital compound in less than a month.
Lu Yao coldly observed all of this.
She watched as Jiang Wu was surrounded by that group of "vulgar" housewives, treated like a star.
Looking at the genuine, adoring smiles on their faces.
Lu Yao's heart was filled with contempt and disdain.
A bunch of stupid women!
A few kind words and some worthless little favors are all it takes to win you over!
Did she think that she could gain a foothold in this compound by relying on these underhanded tricks?
How naive!
In this place, what truly calls power is status! It's men!
As long as she can snatch Qin Lie away from Jiang Wu, these so-called "social barriers" will crumble in an instant!
A ruthless glint flashed in Lu Yao's eyes.
This weekend, the military district club is hosting a social dance party.
Almost all young military officers and unmarried children of cadres in Beijing will participate.
Qin Lie, as the newly appointed deputy division commander, will definitely attend.
That will be her best chance!
Lu Yao took a deep breath, turned around, and walked into the department store.
She wanted to choose the most beautiful battle robe for herself.
She wanted to be the most dazzling queen at the ball.
She wanted to show Qin Lie, and everyone else, who was the woman who could truly stand shoulder to shoulder with him!
Meanwhile, Jiang Wu received two invitations to the ball from her mother-in-law, Zhong Tinglan.
“Xiao Wu, you’re going with A Lie this weekend.” Zhong Tinglan handed her the invitation. “You’ve just arrived in the capital, you should go out and meet more people and expand your social circle.”
Jiang Wu looked at the invitation, lost in thought.
She knew without even guessing that this ball would be anything but peaceful.
"Mom, I don't want to go." Jiang Wu shook her head.
"Why?" Zhong Tinglan asked, puzzled.
"If I go, I'm afraid someone will be unhappy." A playful smile appeared on Jiang Wu's lips.
“I’m afraid that if I’m not careful, I might steal someone’s thunder and ruin their hopes. If that happens, they’ll go home crying to their fathers, and it will cause trouble for our family. That would be terrible.”
Zhong Tinglan was taken aback, but then she understood what she meant and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"You little devil!" She tapped Jiang Wu's forehead. "Go ahead! If there's any trouble, your dad and I will take care of it!"
"I'd like to see which family's daughter dares to steal a man from our Qin family's daughter-in-law!"
A domineering yet protective light flashed in Zhong Tinglan's eyes.
"Go! We absolutely have to go! And we have to dress up nicely!"
"Let them all see how good my son's taste is!"
"And incidentally, this will also completely shatter the dreams of some arrogant young girls!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com