Chapter 142 – What Goes Around Comes Around

After going back and forth arguing about the three sisters’ hair make over, with the sisters spearheaded by Ann insisting that Barbara salon had what it takes to do it, while the Barbara salon kept suggesting them to have people who are accustomed to nobles make over do it, the salon eventually relented and focused on delivering the best for their most esteemed guests so far.

The small salon became busy in the span of seconds.

“Kyaahahaha! This is fun!” Fina seemed to like her first kiddy spa experience, as she tried to play with the bubbles.

“Aaah! Fina, you can’t do that!” Faye frantically tried to keep Fina under control.

“J-joy-san, I apologize for the youngest…,” Ann, whose service was attended by Joy, quickly said in apology.

But Joy-san only chuckled as she said, “No need for that. Kids will be kids. We understand that. What’s important is that she will come to love getting spa. We can always clean up the mess later.”

Hearing Joy-san’s response solidified Ann’s belief that becoming their loyal customer was the right choice.

“Still, I can’t believe you’re really entrusting such an important thing to us, a salon that has no name?” 

“How many times are you going to ask that, Joy-san?” Ann teased a bit.

“My apologies, I just… can’t believe it. And I want to make sure before you regret your decision..”

“I won’t! Joy-san, I trust your skills. You managed to come up with a suitable hairstyle for me, one that can turn my natural villainous face to knock it down a bit, and people become less distrustful of me!”

Maybe it’s because of your attitude and not the hairstyle? Or they simply grow accustomed to you… Joy-san couldn’t utter what she was thinking.

“Hairstyle is really important for someone’s impression. It can change many things. You did really well with my transformation. And Faye’s as well…,” Ann looked at the cute Faye, who was trying so hard to be a good big sister. 

“We are two satisfied customers. I’m afraid if we were to switch hairdressers now, we wouldn’t like the results. Since we love your results so much, it only makes sense for us to come to you again. So, have more confidence in your skills,” Ann concluded.

“If you insist,” Joy chuckled nervously.

“You know, Joy-san? Skills are important in a business, but your attitude also matters. You have both skills and attitude, which is why you are my top choice!” Ann added.

“You are really sweeth-mouthed, Ann-sama! It is just our luck to be fancied by you,” Joy chuckled.

“But really. Good attitude matters in the long run! Is there this saying here? What goes around, comes around… so it’s not just luck. You totally earned this!”

“I think we have used up our salon’s luck in a lifetime for this opportunity,” Joy-san chuckled.

“No way, I don’t think so. I mean, there’s another thing you need to see…” Ann tried to find the thing she was supposed to give to Joy-san, but she found her pocket empty.

“Huh?” Ann started to panic.

“Is something the matter?” Joy stopped working on Ann’s hair and asked.

“Where is it? Hold on–” Blood drained from Ann’s face as she jumped from her chair, hair still on styling process, with the salon’s gown on, as she walked towards the door where her maid was at.

“Ann-sama! Is something the matter?” Seeing Ann’s terrified face, the maid also turned serious and asked Ann.

“Where is it?”

“What are you looking for?” The maid asked.

“The thing that the Viscountess told me to give!” Ann said without specifying the item.

“Yes, can you describe to me what it looks like so I can help you find it?” The maid asked again.

“Uhm, it’s white, it’s square, it’s still sealed, it has the Viscountess’ handwriting…”

“…An envelope? Are you looking for… this?” The maid was quick-witted enough that she could instantly get what Ann was looking for. She then searched a bit in the pouch containing Ann’s items that she was carrying, and then took out a small white envelope from inside.

“This is it! This is what I am looking for!!” Ann was so happy she could smooch the maid, but she refrained from doing so, lest it frighten the poor maid…

She thanked the maid vigorously and took the envelope to Joy-san.

“Joy-san, sorry for causing you to panic. Here, ta-da!” Ann then happily showed the envelope to Joy-san.

“Ann-sama, what could it be?” Joy-san was still confused. Is she supposed to get the envelope and read it? Is it addressed to her?

“It’s a letter from my adoptive mother! I was told to give it to you!” Ann cheerfully said as she offered the letter to Joy-san.

At that moment, various thoughts occupied poor Joy’s mind.

T-that’s it… I’m toast!

Will the letter contain Viscountess Doussier’s fury of being able to win over her adoptive daughter’s heart so much that she insisted on going to my salon instead of following her arrangement?

Or is it an ultimatum letter that instructed me to better do my best on the daughters’ hair makeover, or else…

Will I still have the nerve to continue doing Ann-sama’s hair after reading this letter?

With her hands trembling, Joy couldn’t go straight to continue doing Ann’s hair. She decided to brace herself, accept the letter, and read it.

As she read the letter from the viscountess addressed to her, her eyes widened in surprise.

“Ann-sama, is this true?”

“Uh… Apologies, I don’t really know the content either, but Viscountess told me it was something good–whoa, what?! Joy-san, that’s amazing! You should totally do that!!” Ann’s eyes also widened as she scanned the letter from her adoptive mother to Joy-san.

“But Viscountess Doussier hasn’t even seen the result of my work, how should I believe that this is true?” Joy asked in confusion.

In the letter, Viscountess Doussier invited Barbara salon to have a salon set up in the Doussier viscounty, where the Doussier family would be backing the salon. 

It was totally a really good offer, one that Joy-san wouldn’t have even dreamed of before.

But… she didn’t feel good accepting the offer, because she knew that the viscountess didn’t offer this after seeing the result of her hair makeover. 

Then… did this offer come because her salon would be doing the Doussier daughters’ hair makeover, so the salon should have a good name? 

If it was merely that, she wouldn’t feel good accepting the offer, no matter what.

“Please, Joy-san. The viscountess has seen the result of your work.”

“Huh? When? Where?”

“Me and Faye! Our hair has been done in this salon so far. Even after quite a while has passed, our hairstyle still looks good and they suit us, right?” 

“Ann-sama, I don’t think that’s how you can look at it… I mean, that’s not a good parameter…”

“No, really. If our hair looks good the day or the day after we go to the salon, then it’s only natural. But for it to still look good, even after some time has passed? That’s testimony enough!”

“…” Since Joy-san still didn’t look convinced, Ann couldn’t help but ask.

“What may cause your hesitation?”

“…Forgive me for saying this, but Ann-sama, are you sure the viscountess didn’t offer this so that our salon has a name, as the one who’s entrusted with the Doussier family’s daughters’ hair make over, and the ones who will be in charge of your hairdo on the D-day?” Joy asked.

At that moment, Ann finally understood Joy’s line of thought.

“I assure you, Viscountess Doussier isn’t someone like that. I think… your salon has a favorable impression on Viscountess Doussier’s heart, you see…” Ann proceeded to whisper to Joy’s ears.

“I think Viscountess Doussier is really fond of Faye. And she heard my and Faye’s story on how the people of your salon treated her well despite her appearance when I first took her under my wings. Maybe she wanted to repay your help for little Faye.”

“Oh…”

As a parent, Joy could understand somehow.

If her little Barbara were to end up ragged and dirty as an orphaned beggar, and someone were so kind as to help her without even showing disgust or any bad comment, she would naturally want to repay them back for showing her kid such kindness regardless of how unsightly she might have been at that time.

“But moving our salon and family to the viscounty…” Joy hesitated.

“Ah, I understand. It must be hard to move from your hometown…”

“Ann-sama, no. My husband and I came from a very small village. We only came to the capital to try our luck with this job. Barbara’s the one who’s been born here and raised here all her life. I am just worried for her…,” Joy explained.

“Oh… Hmm… If I may, Joy-san…” Ann proceeded to whisper in Joy’s ears once more.

Listening to Ann’s words, the look in Joy’s face changed again. With a determined look on her face, she stated, “Ann-sama, allow me to have a word with my husband and our whole family tonight. I assure you that we will be giving a positive answer by tomorrow.”

With that, Ann smiled and they continued their spa and hair make over day…

***

“Aaah, that feels good!” Ann stretched her arms after she walked out of the salon along with her entourage.

“Now, let’s walk around downtown and grab a few bites! Are you hungry already?” Ann asked Faye and Fina.

But then, she happened to bump into someone, perhaps because she wasn’t really paying attention to the road…

“Ah, apologies! Are you alright?”

“Lea?” 

“Huh?”

When Ann turned to apologize to the man she happened to bump into, her eyes quickly widened in surprise as she heard the familiar voice saying her old alias, and coupled with the familiar face…

The world is indeed a small place!!!