That morning, Lin Xue walked out of the house first, her steps as quick and light as usual.
Her expensive white shoes tapped softly against the marble floor of the foyer.
Her hair had already been styled despite the early hour, and the faint scent of her perfume lingered in the hallway.
Qingyu followed a few steps behind.
Her body felt much better than it had two days ago.
The weakness was still there, but at least her legs no longer trembled with every step.
She wore the clothes she had chosen herself that morning: a simple white blouse, a light cream jacket, and loose trousers comfortable enough to move in.
At least she no longer resembled someone fresh out of a sickbed.
Lady Su sat in the living room, enjoying her morning tea.
Her gaze had followed Qingyu ever since the girl came down the stairs.
“Don’t cause trouble,” she said flatly.
Lin Xue immediately let out a long sigh.
“Mom, I’m only taking her to the salon.”
Qingyu lowered her head slightly.
“I’ll be careful.”
Lady Su did not answer right away.
She only looked at Qingyu for a few seconds longer before finally lifting her teacup again.
They left the house.
The moment the front door closed behind them, the outside world immediately felt much louder.
Cars passed one after another in front of the residential compound.
Horns sounded in the distance.
People walked quickly while carrying bags or holding phones in their hands.
Qingyu stopped briefly in front of the house.
Lin Xue turned around.
“What?”
“I just… haven’t gone out in a long time.”
Lin Xue clicked her tongue.
“That’s because you’re always sick.
Come on.”
The family car was already waiting by the gate.
The driver opened the back door for them.
Qingyu got in slowly while observing the interior.
The seat was soft, cold air flowed gently from the vents, and the door shut with a smooth sound.
She still found this object strange.
In Azura, the fastest carriages were still pulled by spiritual beasts or wind formations.
Here, a large object made of metal could move on its own and fill the city streets.
Lin Xue was already busy with her phone before the car even started moving.
Qingyu fastened her seat belt automatically.
This body still remembered Lin Qingyu’s old habits, even though the mind inside had changed.
The car left the compound and entered the main road.
Qingyu looked out the window.
People walked quickly.
Almost no one truly paid attention to one another.
Nearly everyone held a phone.
Some spoke to themselves through earphones, some laughed while looking at their screens, and some even continued typing while crossing the street.
Tall buildings stood close together in the distance.
Large advertisements clung to the sides of buildings in bright colors.
Cables stretched above the road like black webs.
The streets were crowded and restless.
Everyone moved as though the noise no longer existed.
On the car dashboard, a small screen displayed the morning news.
“…another poisoning case has been discovered in the western district.
The hospital stated that the patient’s symptoms indicate exposure to an unidentified foreign substance…”
“Turn it off,” Lin Xue cut in irritably.
“Morning news ruins my mood.”
The driver immediately turned off the screen.
Qingyu remained silent, but she remembered the news clearly.
Another poisoning case.
And the poison was unidentified again.
The car stopped some time later in front of a salon inside a modern shopping complex.
The front glass was large and spotless.
From outside, several people could be seen sitting in front of mirrors while their hair was being styled.
Lin Xue got out first and walked in as though she was extremely familiar with the place.
Qingyu followed behind.
The moment she entered, her eyes immediately caught reflections of herself from every direction.
Large mirrors filled almost the entire room.
Her face was still pale, her body still thin, and her black hair uneven from years of neglect.
But the eyes looking back at her were no longer the same as the old Qingyu’s.
“Why are you just standing there?” Lin Xue asked from ahead.
Qingyu continued walking.
Mirrors seemed very important in this world, she noted inwardly.
People here kept checking their reflections not only to see their appearance, but to make sure how the world would see them.
Several salon employees greeted them warmly.
One hairstylist approached Qingyu and invited her to sit.
“Name, Miss?”
“Lin Qingyu.”
The stylist smiled and opened a hairstyle catalog on a tablet.
“What kind of cut would you like?
Do you have any reference?”
Reference?
Qingyu looked at the screen the stylist showed her.
There were many images of women with glossy hair, different lengths, different bangs, different colors, and different styles.
The styles looked impossibly varied to her.
In Azura, hair was a crown.
Its length was maintained and decorated with jade pins, silk ribbons, or small coronets depending on status.
Cutting one’s hair without a serious reason was sometimes considered a sign of mourning or punishment.
“I want to look neater,” Qingyu finally answered.
The stylist laughed softly.
“Of course.
Miss actually has a nice face.
The hair just feels too heavy.
We’ll make it a little lighter.”
Lin Xue sat in the waiting chair, playing with her phone.
“Don’t do anything weird.
Don’t tell me you want some ‘royal princess’ style.”
Qingyu closed her eyes briefly.
The word “princess” made an old memory stir faintly in her chest.
The hairstylist began working.
She cut Qingyu’s hair with practiced movements.
The experience felt very different.
In Azura, a woman’s hair was usually kept long, with the focus placed on hair ornaments.
Here, hairstyles were simpler, but somehow… complicated.
“Would Miss like to change the hair color too?” the stylist suddenly asked.
“Your skin would suit a dark brown shade.”
“Change the color?”
Qingyu looked again at several examples on the screen.
Some models had hair in different colors: red, brown, even blue.
She glanced at Lin Xue, who was still absorbed in her phone.
“My father said black hair is the best,” Qingyu answered softly.
A small memory surfaced on its own.
Her father in Azura sat behind her, combing her long, messy hair.
“You look like your mother,” he had said then with a quiet laugh.
“Both of you have the same black hair.”
The stylist smiled in understanding.
“Then we’ll just tidy it up.”
The hair dryer began humming softly.
Warm air brushed against Qingyu’s face.
She watched her reflection gradually change.
The hair that had looked dull and uneven now appeared much lighter.
The ends were neat, thin bangs covered part of her forehead, and the shape of her face became clearer.
Her pale face looked better now, more like an ordinary young girl.
No longer like a sick child who had nearly died a few days ago.
“All done,” the stylist said with a satisfied smile.
“How is it?”
Qingyu looked at herself for a moment longer.
“I like it,” she answered honestly.
The stylist looked pleased to hear that.
Lin Xue glanced up briefly and clicked her tongue.
“Not bad.
At least now you don’t look like a ghost.”
Qingyu ignored the comment completely.
They left the salon a few minutes later.
As they walked toward the parking area, Qingyu’s steps slowed.
Across the street stood a small shop with an old wooden sign.
Shun He Herbal Pharmacy.
The writing on the sign had faded slightly.
From outside, the shop looked far simpler than the other stores around it.
The dried plants hanging near the door were arranged in a way that resembled how she used to do it in Azura.
“What is it?” Lin Xue asked, following her gaze.
“You want to buy medicine there?
That place looks ancient.”
Qingyu continued looking at the shop for a few more seconds.
Something about the shop caught her attention.
“No,” she finally answered.
“I was only looking.”
Lin Xue clicked her tongue and got into the car first.
Before following her in, Qingyu turned back once more.
Through the herbal shop’s window, she saw an old man wearing glasses arranging jars filled with roots and leaves.
His movements were unhurried, and every motion of his fingers carried precision.
“One day,” Qingyu thought, “I will come here.”
The car drove away.
The wooden sign marked Shun He disappeared behind the turn, but remained clear in her memory.
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