阿美在村裡的米行工作已經有一年多了，她每天勤勞地工作，但是老闆娘卻總愛責罵她說：「看看妳的臉，再配上一個扁鼻子，別人看了可是會害怕的。」「長得醜就算了，連做事都懶惰……」阿美的心裡雖然難過，但是為了治好母親的病，她依舊努力工作賺錢。
時間一轉眼又到了年底，在除夕這一天，老闆娘對阿美說：「這些食物給妳帶回家和母親一起過年，初三時別忘了回來工作啊！」阿美收下東西後又繼續工作。
過了一會兒，阿美聽到老闆娘生氣的大喊：「你這個骯髒的乞丐，別把我家弄髒了，這裡沒有你可以吃的東西，快點滾開。」一說完就用力關上門回房間。阿美趕緊打開大門，看到一位全身髒亂的老人，他對阿美說：「姑娘啊！我的肚子好餓，求求你給我一點東西吃吧！」阿美覺得老人很可憐，就回到房裡將老闆娘給她的食物拿給老人說：「老伯伯！這些魚和肉給你吃，吃完後趕快離開，如果老闆娘看見，她又要罵你了。」老乞丐狼吞虎嚥的吃完所有食物後說：「姑娘妳真好心，一定是個受大家喜愛的人。」阿美聽完不禁哭著說：「我長得又醜又難看，沒有人喜歡我。」老乞丐笑著安慰她說：「村外的竹林裡有一口井，只要每天用井裡的水洗臉，就沒問題了。」說完後就撐著拐杖離開。
阿美聽了老乞丐的話，每天用井水洗臉，幾天之後，當阿美再照鏡子時，驚訝地說：「我臉上的麻子不見了，嘴巴也不歪了，變得好漂亮喔！」從此以後，阿美對自己更加有自信，也成為人見人愛的好女孩。
A-Mei had been working at a rice merchant's shop for over a year. Though A-Mei was a hard worker, the rice merchant's wife liked to pick on her. She told A-Mei, “Look at your ugly face, and that flat nose of yours. You will scare people away with your face.” “You are not only ugly, you are also lazy…” A-Mei was hurt by what the merchant's wife said, but she continued to work hard for money to cure her mother's illness.
Soon, the year drew to an end. On New Year's Eve, the rice merchant's wife told A-Mei, “Take this food home and share it with your mother. You may spend the New Year with her, but don't forget to come back for work on the third day of the New Year!” A-Mei took the food and continued to work.
After some time, A-Mei heard the merchant's wife shouting, “Filthy beggar, be gone! There is nothing for you here. Go away!” The merchant's wife slammed the door shut and went upstairs. A-Mei quickly opened the door and saw a dirty old beggar. He told A-Mei, “Young girl, I feel so hungry! Please give me something to eat!” A-Mei felt sorry for the old beggar, and gave him the food that the merchant's wife had given her. A-Mei told the beggar, “Dear sir, take this fish and meat. Please hurry on your way after you are done eating, or the merchant's wife will scold you again if she sees you here.” The old beggar ate the food hungrily. After he finished eating, he told A-Mei, “Young girl, you are such a kind-hearted person, you must be liked by everybody.” Upon hearing this, A-Mei cried and said, “I look so ugly, no one likes me.” The old beggar smiled and told her, “There is a well in the bamboo grove outside this village. Wash your face every day using water from that well, and your problems will be gone.” Then the beggar left.
A-Mei decided to do what the beggar said. She washed her face with the well water every day. When A-Mei looked into the mirror a few days later, she exclaimed, “The freckles on my face have disappeared! My mouth is no longer lopsided, and I've become so pretty!” From then on, A-Mei felt more confident about herself, and became liked by everybody.
