As for whether it felt "stifling"... it was actually fine. This mask had a double-layered design; the outer layer was a hydrophobic, breathable fabric, while the inner lining was a soft, elastic, skin-friendly, and absorbent cotton cloth. This ensured the face stayed moist but not wet, keeping breathing clear and comfortable—the breathability was quite excellent.
Naturally, putting it on wasn't as comfortable as having a bare face, but once it got hot and one started to sweat, the inner cotton layer would absorb the perspiration, making it more comfortable than not wearing one at all.
She had sketched the design for this sunscreen mask based on the styles from "Taobao" in her previous life and had Nana make them.
"It's easy to get tanned but hard to get pale again. If I really get tanned, it'll probably take half a year to recover... Shikamaru, what do you think if I were to sell this mask..."
"Ino, are you going to sell masks?"
"It's a good idea, isn't it?" Ino raised an eyebrow and said, "I plan to produce a batch first, make a few hundred, and see how they sell."
"Do you have the money?"
Shikamaru asked the soul-searching question.
Ino said, "Of course." She had Inoichi Yamanaka's allowance for a whole month in her hands, a "huge sum" of twenty thousand taels, which was enough for her to mess around with.
Shikamaru didn't want to talk to Ino anymore... Ino's "twenty thousand taels" was spent entirely in just five days, all converted into sunscreen masks with an average material and labor cost of less than ten taels each—and she had divided them into several styles. Some had veils attached to protect parts of the neck and shoulders, some had variations around the eyes, and some had a slight protrusion at the bridge of the nose... catering to various designs and aesthetics—Ino had completely drained her memories from her "previous life."
The finished masks were divided into seven styles, totaling over a thousand pieces, all of which were delivered to her home.
The living room had temporarily been turned into a warehouse.
"Whoa... boy. Our daughter is really making a big move!" As soon as Inoichi Yamanaka returned home, he saw the boxes of sunscreen masks in the living room.
Yamanaka Nobuko gloated, telling Inoichi Yamanaka, "Look, it's all your allowance being spent; not a single cent was left for you!"
Over the past few days, Ino had been "spending money like water," freely squandering the "mission reward" she had received from Inoichi Yamanaka. Mrs. Yamanaka had let her be—firstly, because she trusted Ino, and secondly, because this money was originally earned by Ino through a mission, so she shouldn't interfere.
It was a good thing that her daughter was willing to try such things. Even if the money was truly squandered, it would still be valuable—
The experience itself was valuable... Inoichi Yamanaka winced in pain for his wallet, sincerely hoping his money wouldn't go down the drain. He comforted himself, saying, "I believe in Ino... but with so many, selling them all might not be an easy task..."
Early the next morning, after breakfast, Ino set out with Nana and Kana. They loaded over a thousand masks into a cart and transported them to the main street. They set up stands and hung various samples. Even before they started hawking, the cool colors attracted a large crowd... "What is this?"
The women in the Village were drawn over, forming a circle.
"This is a sunscreen mask, used for sun protection. We have seven styles here. The one I'm wearing now is the veiled style, which can also cover the neck when wrapped around. Under the veil is the mask; the ear loops are very loose and won't pinch... It's also very breathable once put on, not stuffy at all... The fabric's hydrophobicity is excellent..."
"Look, the inside uses cotton, which is very soft and skin-friendly... It gets very uncomfortable when your face sweats..."
"The soft cotton cloth will wick away the sweat while keeping the skin hydrated. Look... Kana, go get a basin of water."
Ino directed Nana and Kana to place the masks in the water for an experiment, letting the surrounding people see the hydrophobicity for themselves.
With herself and her two assistants acting as models—these sunscreen masks didn't just maintain one's looks; they even added a certain mysterious aesthetic boost. In just one morning, over a thousand sunscreen masks were sold out... Of the seven styles, the basic ones were sold cheaply at fifty taels each, while the higher-end ones ranged from one hundred to two hundred taels.
The "twenty thousand taels" of capital had ballooned sevenfold in just one morning, turning into approximately one hundred and fifty thousand taels.
"Here, here, don't be shy. This ten thousand taels is for you, and this ten thousand taels is for you... Ten thousand taels each, don't think it's too little..."
Ino happily gave ten thousand taels each to Nana and Kana. However, Nana and Kana wouldn't accept it: "Princess Ino, this won't do. This was originally our job—we can't take this money, really."
"Alright... it's you who don't want it, not me being stingy and not giving it to you." Ino said as she stuffed the money into her wallet and shoved it into her sleeve. These wide-sleeved clothes had pockets inside the sleeves, which was very convenient. Ino stepped forward, leading the way: "Let's go eat at the Yakiniku Bar this afternoon... and then head home after we're done."
The perfect success of her first venture had made her a "little rich woman"... it was a very memorable occasion.
She, Princess Ino, was now financially independent.
It was a milestone.
At noon, the Yakiniku Bar was crowded. Ino, Nana, and Kana went straight to the second floor, where a waiter led them to a private room.
By the time they finished their barbecue, it was already past two o'clock. After leaving the Yakiniku Bar, the three of them simply wandered around Konoha's central plaza.
Under the blazing sun, Ino led the way with Nana and Kana following behind. They walked around the plaza, the nearby park, and the lakeside, then sat on a bench for a long time, doing their best to showcase the "sunscreen masks" even more, trying to ensure every beauty-loving woman in Konoha saw them... It wasn't until the sun began to set that they headed home, walking through the evening glow.
Throughout the whole afternoon, the undergarments of the three were soaked, and the sunscreen masks were also damp—but their good hydrophobicity and absorbency kept them from becoming overly wet, just damp.
As soon as she entered the house, Ino took off her sunscreen mask and took a deep breath of the cool air inside, a healthy flush on her face.
Mrs. Yamanaka complained, "You've been out the whole day. Don't you know the Chunin Exams are coming up and Ninjas from other Villages are wandering all over the place?"
"Mom, guess how much money I made today?" Ino took out her wallet and waved it in front of Mrs. Yamanaka's eyes. "Guess how much, guess..."
"How much? The masks are all sold out?"
"Of course... look who your daughter is. They're just some masks, hehe, one hundred and fifty thousand taels!"
"...One hundred and fifty... thousand?"
This staggering figure made Mrs. Yamanaka cry out in surprise.
One hundred and fifty thousand... that was equivalent to the maximum reward for a B-rank mission.
B-rank mission.
Maximum commission.
Hiss...
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