Since I turned twenty, I have been suffering from a retinal disease. Due to long-term use of a large amount of hormones, my face has become like a loaf of bread. According to the aesthetic standards of the Tang Dynasty, I would definitely be considered a beauty, but in today's world, people would just think I'm a "pork chop."

In this era that values appearance, my mother has really worried herself sick to ensure I can get married smoothly. She often takes me to beauty salons for "renovations," but the results are not obvious; my face hasn't changed much, yet the money is spent quickly.

One day, eight years later, I finally stopped taking hormone medication—my condition stabilized, and I no longer needed to take medicine, and my face gradually returned to its original appearance. It was at this time that I found my other half and prepared to enter the hall of marriage.

I have a bit of social anxiety and don't like to show off; I hoped to complete the wedding quietly without a banquet. But unexpectedly, my dad couldn't keep his mouth shut and revealed the marriage to my aunt. As a result, my aunt took the initiative to request to be my officiant, and she also asked me to collect a bride price from the groom's side and host a banquet at a Guangzhou restaurant (a high-end restaurant) for a meal with my family.

"Marriage is a major event in life; on the wedding day, you should be the most beautiful!" My mother was not very satisfied with my appearance and used the excuse of the wedding to insist that I dress up well.

"We're all family; is it really necessary to be so particular?" My previous experience of being "scammed" at the beauty salon made me reluctant to spend more money.

"At least get your eyebrows tattooed; don't let the relatives look down on you!" My aunt was very assertive, and my mother felt dissatisfied being "suppressed" by her. To save face, my mother firmly insisted that I dress up well.

I couldn't offend these two "gods," so I had no choice but to listen to them.

I happened to see an advertisement on Douyin for eyebrow tattooing for 360 yuan, which clearly stated that this was the final price with no hidden charges. With the wedding date approaching, I needed to complete this task quickly, so I decisively clicked the link and filled out my information. Soon, a young lady added me on WeChat and scheduled me to come in for the procedure.

She first introduced the history and reputation of their beauty salon, then showed me several eyebrow tattooing prices (all under 1000 yuan, with the cheapest being 360 yuan). She said these prices were for a limited-time flash sale with limited spots, urging me to pay a 18 yuan deposit to secure a spot.

I had previously experienced fading eyebrow tattoos, so I specifically asked her about the service quality. She assured me that the new eyebrow color would last 3-5 years (in reality, just a year later, the eyebrows had completely faded, looking as if nothing had been done). She also promised that customers could get a 30 yuan reimbursement for transportation costs.

The beauty salon was very close to my home (only 3 subway stations away), and with the urgency of the wedding, I decisively paid the deposit and made an appointment for 2 PM the next day. I originally wanted to check the environment first before deciding whether to go through with the procedure, but I didn't expect that plans would change.

At 1 PM the next day, the young lady reminded me via WeChat to come to the salon. Seeing her urgency made me less anxious, and I told her, "I'll be a little late, I'll arrive before 3 PM; you can change the appointment time." She had no choice but to agree.

Just as I was about to leave, my phone rang: "Are you Ye Yongshi? Didn't you schedule to arrive at 2 PM? Why haven't you come yet!" The voice on the other end was from the salon's front desk, sounding a bit fierce.

"I already told customer service to change the appointment time; didn't she inform you? Why are you so anxious?" Seeing the other party's fierce tone made me angry as well.

"Alright, are you on your way now?" The other party's tone gradually softened.

"Yes, just leaving." After I answered, I hung up. Seeing the other party so furious, I called my mom to go to the beauty salon together; after all, having a companion would be helpful in case anything happened.

At 3 PM, we arrived at the salon. The front desk was right at the entrance, with several young ladies there. They didn't stay in one place but occasionally moved between the treatment room and the front desk. Looking back, they probably played multiple roles, being both eyebrow tattoo artists and receptionists.

Next to the front desk was a leather sofa. After entering the salon, they asked us to sit there and wait for a moment, then found the artist who would assist me in designing my eyebrow shape.

The artist took me to a design room behind the sofa, which was not an independent space but just surrounded by a few small curtains, similar to a workstation in a small barbershop. The artist pulled the curtains and had me sit in a leather armchair. She carefully looked at my face and then skillfully drew my eyebrows with a pencil. After finishing, she handed me a mirror to let me see her design.

"Is it pretty? It's 360 yuan, right?" I thought the eyebrow design looked really great, so I confirmed the price again.

"You can't achieve such a beautiful effect for 360 yuan; the skill level determines the price. As a woman, youth is limited, and you should invest more in yourself..."

"I don't have much money; I'm just getting my eyebrows done for the wedding, so let's stick with the 360 yuan option."

"Being a bride is the most beautiful moment in a woman's life! You'll understand when you get married; beauty treatments are the best investment in yourself. The 360 yuan treatment really can't achieve this effect..."

"I didn't bring any money; I'll call my mom to come talk to you." She had a point, and I couldn't refute it, so I had to find my mom.

Unexpectedly, bringing my mom made the situation worse! I wasn't swayed, but my mom was!

Throughout the process, I quietly listened from the side, not daring to speak.

The artist took us to a closed treatment room and began negotiating with my mom. She showcased services at different price points, the most expensive being over ten thousand, the better ones over six thousand, and the ordinary ones over three thousand. During the negotiation, the artist learned that I was an only child and my mom's pride and joy, as well as our family's financial situation.

The artist was about my age, energetic but not very experienced; my mom was nearly 60, with rich life experience. Therefore, the hope of closing a deal for the most expensive service was slim, and the artist didn't dare to push it. Additionally, my mom was good at playing the poor card, saying I was forced to come, that I had no interest in beauty treatments, and that she had already spent a lot on my wedding...

Under my mom's pressure, the artist could only promote the service priced over three thousand. My mom still thought it was expensive and hoped to lower the price further. Unexpectedly, after a little hesitation, the artist lowered the price to over two thousand eight hundred. At the same time, she asked my mom to help promote the salon to friends and family.

When my mom heard the price had dropped so much and that she could secure such a deal for her daughter, a satisfied smile appeared on her face. She readily agreed to the artist's request and paid the fee on the spot. Although I was somewhat reluctant, seeing my mom so happy, I decided not to say anything.

The subsequent eyebrow tattooing process went smoothly, and under the artist's skilled hands, my eyebrows were transformed. In the mirror, I looked refined and my temperament improved significantly. My mom looked at me with pride and satisfaction in her eyes. She held my hand and said, "Daughter, you really look beautiful today!"

It's natural for girls to love beauty; when I saw my appearance change, I was overjoyed. But I didn't show much expression because I'm an honest person and hate playing mind games. The key is that I had suffered quite a bit at the beauty salon before, having been scammed by those sales tactics several times. Just thinking about those experiences made me angry: "Anyone who dares to play tricks on me and wants to make money off me has no chance!"

Two months later, I could still get a free touch-up for my eyebrows. To avoid further financial strain, I brought my husband to the salon. When the time comes, I will firmly resist any sales tactics and see what tricks they can still pull. As for what will happen next, stay tuned for the next episode!