114 IT WAS HER MIND (1/2)
Hu Lei looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. The image facing her was no longer of a worn out and barely human girl with physical markers of a hard life in a cold prison. She was a completely new person, a true lady of Supreme City.
She looked closer and nodded in satisfaction. The turquoise dress accentuated her body without looking vulgar. With her pocket-size figure and generous peaks, it was often difficult to find a dress which made her look mature without edging towards 'too much'.
However, her collection of dresses was large, and she had not been in public on too many occasions. Therefore, she had managed to dig up something that was fresh, professional and gorgeous.
While appearance was not everything, she felt more confident about the upcoming event in her current bedazzled state. After all, everyone knew that image was everything, especially when appearing before the judgemental public.
As this little lady continued to conduct some final touch-ups to her face, she fell into a daze of narcissism, looking at her own image.
She felt that she had become more beautiful over the last few months. In truth, it was not pure narcissism. Her rough and dried up skin which had been ravaged by prison life had become smooth, clear and supple. Her long black hair also had a vibrant sheen, like the finest silk. In addition, she was no longer malnourished and bony.
Three months ago, she had fainted unceremoniously for the second time in a short period after a confrontation with two shameless women. This incident had forced her to become more serious about her wellbeing.
She had realised just how fragile she had become and how vulnerable she was. A simple fight with people she should have been able to take out in a few seconds had actually rendered her unconscious! Even if there were other factors, it was not acceptable.
She had decided to focus on her wellness after realising that she might, once again, become a victim. And she refused to be weak. At the very least, if she succumbed to anything, she wanted to know that she had done everything to be strong.
However, her motivation was not entirely focused on her own concerns about being weak.
Her heart was weighed down by something else. When she had woken up at that time and seen Zhong Feng looking haggard and worried, she had realised that her health was not only her own. She had to think of him because he cared. She needed to stop behaving like a child who did not know what was good for them.
His appearance, at the time, reminded her of the moments when her father did something reckless. She would be tired after spending days and nights resolving his situations. Unfortunately, the same thing would happen over and over again, causing her to be in a constant state of worry.
She did not want to be the source of worry for Zhong Feng. She wanted to be his source of strength and a pillar of support for him. How could she do that without a body which could not hold up for a couple of days without collapsing?
Since then, her entire focus had been on recovering her strength.
She had begun following all of Doctor Shui's recommendations, and her commitment and effort had paid off. Her improved diet and light-impact exercise had helped her to build her strength. Her body was more flexible, and her muscle tone was great. She was not as strong as she used to be yet, but she was definitely stronger than most people.