Sassy Beauty Episode 8 Recap
> Sassy Beauty Recap
With the First Lady still recovering from her injury, the duty of accompanying the City Lord to meet the foreign envoys fell to the Second Lady. The task of preparing the Second Lady's makeup was assigned to Si Yan and Tong Rui. During a meeting, no one volunteered for the task, so Hu Ying recommended Si Yan to Cui Shanggong, highlighting Si Yan's recent victory in the makeup contest and her favored status with the First Lady.
Si Yan reluctantly accepted the assignment. Lan Miao later warned Si Yan that this was a difficult, no-win situation. Pleasing the Second Lady might displease the First Lady, and vice versa. Furthermore, the Second Lady was pregnant and couldn't wear traditional makeup, making her withdrawn and irritable.
Observing red spots on Lan Miao's face from fruit juice, Si Yan was inspired to create natural, edible makeup from fruits and vegetables, ensuring it would be safe for the Second Lady and her baby. The Second Lady was delighted with the natural colors. Soon after, Tong Rui, accompanied by her maid, arrived. Tong Rui immediately recognized the edible makeup, confirming Si Yan's suspicion that Tong Rui was her former assistant, "Glasses," from her previous life.
Tong Rui, however, cleverly dodged Si Yan's attempts to confirm her identity, claiming she had never left the Northern Border where she grew up. The Second Lady then instructed Si Yan and Tong Rui to collaborate on her makeup design for the envoy meeting. They decided on a "look-alike makeup" strategy, reasoning that from the tall watchtower where the meeting would take place, the common people wouldn't be able to distinguish the Second Lady clearly.
Meanwhile, Qiguan Bao was trying to learn about fragrances with Qiguan Yi, who noticed Qiguan Bao's sudden interest in makeup and teased him about having feelings for a girl. Qiguan Bao admitted his mind went blank when he thought of "her," and he wished to find common ground.
He tried to act natural when he saw Si Yan but became flustered, offering Lan Miao some pet treats (which he insisted were safe for humans, as he often ate them himself) before quickly leaving. Si Yan spoke with her AI system, Jack, asking if all players retained their modern memories. Jack explained that players had suffered brain trauma, making memory loss a common occurrence.
Si Yan then requested Jack to terminate her romance storyline with Qiguan Bao, explaining she wanted Lan Miao, her good friend, to pursue her feelings without interference. Jack informed her that players could not end a romance line; only an NPC could reject the player. Si Yan reiterated her desire not to hurt her friend, but a misunderstanding soon occurred.
Inspired by a Cinderella story, Si Yan encouraged Lan Miao to confess her feelings to Qiguan Bao, offering to be her "fairy" and suggesting Lan Miao present an embroidered pouch that Lan Miao herself had made. Lan Miao, emboldened, met Qiguan Bao, revealing she had asked Si Yan to arrange the meeting and that she had embroidered the pouch for him. Qiguan Bao, visibly disappointed that the pouch wasn't from Si Yan, quickly made an excuse and departed.
Confused about Si Yan's feelings, Qiguan Bao later consulted Qiguan Yi. He reluctantly admitted that a maid had confessed to him, but he was unsure how to react. Qiguan Yi immediately guessed it was Si Yan and advised Qiguan Bao to explicitly reject her to avoid any misunderstandings, offering to return the pouch himself since Qiguan Bao struggled with direct confrontation.
Later, as Si Yan comforted a heartbroken Lan Miao over drinks, Qiguan Yi arrived at their door, angrily returning the pouch. He harshly criticized Si Yan for her "frivolous behavior" and "inappropriate thoughts." Heartbroken by Si Yan's perceived betrayal and the cruel display, Lan Miao fled the scene in tears. Si Yan furiously confronted Qiguan Yi, accusing him of being rude and calling Qiguan Bao a "mama's boy" for not handling the rejection himself.
Qiguan Yi then realized that Lan Miao, not Si Yan, was the one who had confessed to Qiguan Bao. Meanwhile, Qiguan Yi continued investigating the attack on the First Lady. He showed a purple palash rouge to Granny Huang, who confirmed it was a rare foreign tribute and a prize from the makeup contest, awarded only to the two winners.
Granny Huang recalled a minor incident during the contest where Si Yan accidentally spilled some powder, and Peach, Tong Rui’s maid, stepped in it. Si Yan and Peach later realized that their natural fruit makeup had a short shelf life, changing colors quickly due to exposure and heat. Si Yan remembered a book, "The Herbal Record," which might contain information on preservatives. However, they discovered a page was missing from the book.
Peach suggested Si Yan visit a bookstall in the city alley that sold "The Encyclopedia of Plants," hoping it contained similar information to replace the missing page. Si Yan hurried off to acquire the book. During this time, rumors spread throughout the mansion about a close relationship between Si Yan and Qiguan Bao, causing distress to Lan Miao. Hu Ying seized the opportunity to manipulate Lan Miao, telling her that Si Yan was merely using her.
Hu Ying highlighted how Qiguan Bao had seemingly defended Si Yan during makeup trials and accused Si Yan of meddling in Lan Miao's affairs, even "feeding Qiguan Bao's hamsters" (a euphemism for flirting) when Lan Miao wasn't around. Hu Ying offered to help Lan Miao get revenge, but Lan Miao initially defended Si Yan. However, when Hu Ying accurately predicted Si Yan's exact comforting words and dismissive attitude towards Qiguan Bao, Lan Miao began to doubt Si Yan's sincerity.
Attempting to sneak back into the mansion at night, Si Yan was apprehended by Cui Shanggong and brought before Qiguan Yi. She was questioned about being outside during curfew. Si Yan hesitated to reveal her true reason, fearing it would implicate Peach and Tong Rui. Qiguan Yi, referencing an item that strongly suggested a connection to the First Lady's attack, pressed her for answers.
Her continued silence led Qiguan Yi to order her arrest by the patrol squadron, charging her with breaking curfew and accusing her as the assailant in the attack on the First Lady. Hu Ying gloated over Si Yan's predicament, taunting her and encouraging Lan Miao to participate in the humiliation, though Lan Miao chose to flee in tears. At this, Si Yan realized Lan Miao had betrayed her.
Hu Ying and her associates then physically assaulted and smeared makeup on Si Yan's face in the woodshed, but Si Yan defiantly refused to "call a time-out" (a game term for giving up or pausing the action). Unbeknownst to them, Qiguan Yi was in the stables, meticulously searching for clues related to the First Lady's attack. Under a carriage, he discovered an earring.
Realizing that Si Yan could not wear double-piercing earrings, he deduced that the earring belonged to the actual perpetrator, conclusively proving Si Yan's innocence. He then confronted Hu Ying, accusing her of conspiring with the assassin to attack the First Lady and ordered her immediate search.
