Chapter 35

She could no longer remember how long it had been since she last stepped outside.

She still remembered that three years ago, Zhou Qingqing was just like everyone else—going to school, coming home, and hanging out with friends. But ever since she fell ill, everything changed. In just one short month, her weight ballooned rapidly, as if she were being inflated like a balloon, and before long, she had become quite heavy.

At first, she didn’t think much of it. Her parents kept telling her, "You can lose the weight; it’s just the medication. You’re beautiful just the way you are, sweetheart."

But then came the day she heard the taunt: "What a fat pig."

Zhou Qingqing turned around, but she couldn't tell who had said it. It felt as though every gaze directed at her was filled with mockery and ridicule. She couldn't distinguish who was laughing at her, and yet, it felt as if everyone was. From that day on, she would hear various nicknames and malicious comments whenever she walked down the street. The entire world seemed to turn cold in an instant. Zhou Qingqing began to lock herself in her room, and even when old friends called her to go out, she didn't dare to go.

She tried desperately to lose weight, to shake off those labels, but she couldn't. She truly couldn't lose the weight.

Now, watching the other girl smile and talk about how she had slimmed down, Zhou Qingqing suddenly began to laugh along, her expression bordering on manic.

Xia Zui watched her as Zhou Wenyao said, "This is my daughter, Zhou Qingqing. Boss, as you can see, she... she has always wanted to be thin."

As she spoke, she kept her eyes on her daughter, smoothing her hair as she panted, her eyes filled with worry.

Over there, Jiang Jinghe climbed out of the pod and pinched her pants with joy. "My god, I’ve actually lost weight! I’ve tried every weight-loss method there is, but I could never slim down my thighs."

Nearby, Zhou Qingqing watched her pinch her pants; the sight of her slender figure filled her with envy. If she could just get thin again, maybe no one would mock her anymore.

Zhou Qingqing approached the pod and gripped the door with both hands. "Boss, can I really lose weight?"

Xia Zui nodded. She opened the pod door that had just closed. "Go on in."

Zhou Qingqing was so heavy that even climbing into the pod was a struggle. Xia Zui handed her the small stool she had been sitting on to use as a step, and only then did she manage to squeeze inside. Lying in the pod, her tightly clasped hands trembled. Can I really lose weight? If I can’t, they’ll just call me a fat pig again.

The pod door slowly closed.

Zhou Wenyao watched the scene, feeling both nervous and heartbroken. "Qingqing used to be so thin."

As she spoke, others turned to look at her. Zhang Yang handed her a bottle of mineral water. "What happened?"

Zhou Wenyao shook her head, declining the water. "Thank you. Sigh, she had to take medicine..." She slowly recounted everything that had happened to Qingqing over the years.

After listening, Zhang Yang frowned. "This isn't her fault. Those people were the ones who were out of line." If it were her, she would have cursed them out or hit back on the spot. But she understood that Zhou Qingqing was different. At the time, Zhou Qingqing was just a student, already self-conscious about her weight; when she was mocked, she lacked the confidence to retort. She was a victim, and Zhang Yang knew she couldn't blame a victim for not being strong or brave enough.

Everyone is different; no one can demand that others be just like them. Even many adults don't dare to talk back when facing criticism or abuse from their superiors; it’s essentially the same thing.

"Heart disease requires a heart-based cure," Xia Zui remarked. "I suggest you gradually cultivate her confidence. Many people fall into the trap of low self-esteem. Once someone criticizes them, they subconsciously wonder if they aren't good enough. For example, many girls are clearly beautiful, but they lack confidence and always magnify their flaws while ignoring their strengths."

This was common in society; the world was always harsher on girls. "Some men, for instance—they aren't much themselves, but they love to pick at others. Don't ever let their words affect how you see yourself."

Xia Zui remembered a male colleague who once jokingly called her fat. She had retorted immediately, "You're five-foot-three, who are you talking to?" The look on that colleague's face had been hilarious. Xia Zui remembered it vividly.

"I agree," Bo Yuan chimed in. "But I'm definitely not that kind of person! I think you all look great. Everyone is different, and my eyes are better at finding beauty." He looked at Zhang Yang. "I really admire your buzz cut; it looks so cool."

Zhang Yang chuckled. "I like my buzz cut, too." She loved herself. Aside from the scar from her childhood—a piece of unearned misfortune and a painful memory—she didn't feel she had to love every single thing about herself. Bad, external things could be removed. People didn't have to force themselves to accept everything.

Zhou Wenyao nodded slowly. "I will try to help her regain her confidence. Thank you all."

"Exactly!" Qi Shuang added. "All I care about is whether I like it. What others think is none of my business! Ma'am, you can try praising her more often, and be specific with your compliments."

Zhou Wenyao asked them for advice on how to do that, and they all chimed in. Because their conversation was so lively, more and more onlookers gathered. People who had watched Zhou Qingqing go in kept telling others, "A fat girl just went in, and it seems this machine can help people lose weight." Most people chose to stay and watch the spectacle.

Soon, ten minutes passed, and the pod door opened.

Zhou Wenyao stumbled toward it. When she saw her daughter lying in the pod, her eyes filled with astonishment. She called out, "Qingqing."

Zhou Qingqing opened her eyes slowly to see her mother smiling at her as if looking at a flower in bloom. Perhaps the sun wasn't too harsh today, but in her daze, she felt as if she were seeing the wrinkles on her mother’s face for the first time.

"Mom..."

"Qingqing, you've lost weight," Zhou Wenyao said, taking her hand. "Look."

Zhou Qingqing looked at her own hand, feeling a moment of disbelief. There was no extra fat on it, and the skin was firm. Everything felt as if it had returned to how it was three years ago.

Zhou Qingqing slowly sat up and stared at her legs in a daze. The onlookers gasped. Even Jiang Jinghe, who had just experienced the Beauty Restoration Machine, widened her eyes. The girl who had been so heavy that her clothes looked bloated now seemed like a completely different person. She looked perfectly proportioned—not too thin, and not too fat.

Xia Zui handed her a mirror. "Take a look."

Zhou Qingqing took the mirror. She was afraid, but under her mother’s steady gaze, she held it up. In the mirror was a girl with a delicate, oval face, her beautiful eyes filled with shock. She blinked, and the girl in the mirror blinked back.

Zhou Qingqing reached up to touch her cheek. "I... I'm thin."

The onlookers asked in disbelief, "Is this for real?"

"You said she was really fat just a moment ago? I don't believe it. This must be a different person!"

"My goodness, what kind of machine is this?"

"Boss, I want to sign up!"

Two men who saw the scene immediately began scanning the QR code. Everyone loves beauty, and even they wanted to look handsome. As for the thousand yuan? Don't make them laugh! That was way cheaper than plastic surgery!

Some people were secretly filming videos to post online with captions: [Hahaha! The vendor actually came to our city! The Beauty Restoration Machine is worth it! Yuancong City wins this round!] After posting, they immediately put their phones away and rushed to join the queue.

Zhou Qingqing climbed out of the pod, having to hold up her pants with her hands; luckily, her coat kept them from falling, or her two hands wouldn't have been enough. She looked at her legs and hands in disbelief, as delighted as if she had found a new toy.

She was thin! Would no one ever call her those horrible names again?

"Boss," Zhou Qingqing said, tilting her head toward Xia Zui, "I'm thin."

Xia Zui smiled. "Go home and change your clothes; you can buy new ones now."

Only then did Zhou Qingqing smile, revealing her white teeth. "Mom, I want to wear a dress."

Zhou Wenyao held her coat for her. "Wear it! You can wear whatever you want!"

The two walked home, smiling, while the others chatted and started lining up. Even those who weren't interested in becoming beautiful were envious after hearing that some people’s minor ailments had vanished after the experience. In this day and age, who didn't have some small health problems? Doctors couldn't always cure them, so it was better to try this. Although it cost a thousand yuan, it worked faster than taking medicine.

Others were simply lining up because of the vendor's online fame.

Seeing the line growing longer, Xia Zui simply went back to her hotel and brought over several more Beauty Restoration Machines. Otherwise, she feared she wouldn't have enough to go around, and this way, the line would move faster.

Just as everyone was happily queuing, Wen Xue, who was busy testing a hair-growth comb, suddenly saw a video of the vendor in her social media feed. She put down the comb and took a look. "The vendor went to Yuancong City to set up a stall? The Beauty Restoration Machine!"

What a great thing! Why didn't the vendor tell them? How annoying!

Wen Xue quickly opened a ticket-booking app. She had wanted to visit Yuancong City for a long time anyway!