The victory at the Red Star Guest House had provided Li Hua with more than just a reputation; it had given her a massive influx of System Points and the favor of the most powerful woman in the city. But as she stood before her cracked vanity mirror that night, Li Hua knew she wasn't ready to conquer the capital yet.
"System," she whispered, her voice echoing in the small, dark room. "I have the patron. I have the skills. Now, I need the 'face' to match my ambition."
[Ding! Host has accumulated 500 'Face-Slap' Points and 200 'Professionalism' Points.]
[System Store Unlocked: 90s Beauty & Wellness Module.]
[Suggestion: Purchase the 'Three-Day Marrow Cleansing & Glow-Up' Package. Cost: 600 Points. Effect: Accelerated metabolism, skin detoxification, and 'Visual Refinement'.]
"Buy it," Li Hua commanded without hesitation.
Day 1: The Purge of the Past.
The first day was a trial by fire. The System didn't just magic the fat away; it forced her body into a state of hyper-efficiency. Li Hua spent the day locked in her room, consuming only the "Nutrient Supplement Water" provided by the system—a liquid that tasted like cold mountain springs and liquid sunlight.
As the hours passed, she felt a strange, bubbling heat under her skin. It was as if her pores were finally breathing after years of being choked by grease and cheap lard. By evening, a layer of dark, oily impurities had been pushed out of her skin.
Auntie Mei pounded on the door. "Li Hua! You lazy pig! You haven't come out to cook! Do you think because you met a big official you're a princess now?"
Li Hua didn't answer. She was watching her reflection. The puffiness in her eyelids had vanished, revealing double eyelids and a pair of eyes that were clear, bright, and filled with a cold, predatory light.
Day 2: The Bone and the Blade.
On the second day, the focus shifted to her skeletal structure. The +10 Agility and the -3kg Weight Loss rewards began to settle into her frame. She spent the morning following the System's "90s Aerobic Fluidity" exercises—movements that looked like a mix of ballet and martial arts.
She felt her collarbones emerge from beneath the flesh like hidden white jade. Her waist, once a source of shame, began to curve inward, creating a dramatic "hourglass" shape that the midnight-blue skirt could barely keep up with.
[Ding! Beauty Points +10. Feature Unlocked: 'Jade Skin' (Poreless and glowing).]
She used some of her points to buy "Medicinal Hair Tonic" from the store. Her hair, which had been brittle and dull from malnutrition, suddenly surged with life. It became a thick, black silk curtain that cascaded down her back, smelling faintly of jasmine.
Day 3: The Empress's Aura.
By the third day, the transformation was no longer just physical; it was spiritual. The 'Vogue' Vision allowed her to see the world in terms of color, texture, and light. She looked at her old rags and saw only trash. She looked at her mother's old fabrics and saw empires.
She spent the final day practicing her "Stately Walk." The System corrected her posture, pulling her shoulders back and tilting her chin up. She no longer looked like a girl trying to hide; she looked like a woman who owned the ground she walked on.
[Ding! Three-Day Glow-Up Complete!]
[Status Check:]
[Weight: 82kg (Lost 13kg total since rebirth)]
[Skin: Porcelain White]
[Charm: 65 (Classy & Intimidating)]
The transformation was so startling that when she finally stepped out of her room on the fourth morning, Li Lulu, who was eating a piece of steamed bread, let the food fall right out of her mouth.
"You..." Lulu stammered, her eyes wide with terror and envy. "What did you do to your face? Where is the swelling? Why is your skin so white?"
Li Hua didn't even glance at her. She walked to the kitchen, her movements fluid and silent. She poured a glass of water, her long, elegant fingers looking like polished ivory.
"The swelling was the resentment I held for this family," Li Hua said, her voice now melodic and clear. "Now that I've let it go, there's nothing left but the real Li Hua."
Auntie Mei walked in, ready to scream, but she froze at the sight of the girl standing by the stove. This wasn't the niece she had bullied for years. This was a young lady who looked like she belonged in a villa in the capital. The sheer Aura radiating from Li Hua made Auntie Mei's knees feel weak.
"Li... Li Hua?" Auntie Mei whispered. "Is there a... a guest in the house?"
"No guest, Auntie," Li Hua smiled, and for the first time, it was a smile of pure power. "Just the person who is about to move out and take her mother's legacy with her."
She checked her "Vogue" Vision. Today was the day of the Town Textile Fair, and she knew exactly who would be there.