At precisely 6:00 AM, the alarm buzzed across the dim studio apartment.
Hao Hao rubbed his eyes, rolled out of bed, and shuffled to the tiny kitchen with heavy steps. His back still ached from yesterday's run, but there was no room for weakness. This was Day One of his self-improvement journey. He had thirty days. No more, no less.
Steam rose from the bowl in front of him. Today's breakfast: stir-fried egg whites with bitter gourd and diced chicken breast, seasoned with a touch of ginger and black vinegar. High protein, low carb, and most importantly—no rice.
The absence of rice gnawed at him like a phantom limb. For a boy born and raised in the southern provinces, skipping rice was akin to skipping air. In this world or the last, rice had always been the soul of a meal. But he suppressed that instinct. If he wanted to burn fat, sugar had to go. That included white rice.
He chewed silently, forcing down the bitter gourd as he stared at the worn poster on the wall: a faded image of an old fitness idol from his previous life, back when he too had once trained every day after class—before the incident. Before everything fell apart.
When he finished eating, he washed the single bowl and dried it with a rag. The air was still damp from the lingering coastal humidity. He moved to the full-length mirror by the doorway, tying his shoelaces as he glanced at himself.
Short. Fat. Acne-speckled. A waist that ballooned like uncooked dough. His skin had a dull, waxy tone, not quite yellow, not quite brown, like a peach rotting under a shaded tree. His hair was messy, his eyes small, and he had the kind of nose that melted into the rest of his face. No definition. No angles.
Unremarkable. No—worse than unremarkable. Disgusting.
But he didn't flinch. This was the starting point.
He pulled on a black hoodie and cargo pants, stuffed his towel and water bottle into a drawstring bag, and opened the door.
Right at that moment, the apartment next door opened as well.
A tall, bronze-skinned girl stood in the frame, a garbage bag in each hand. Her skin had the sun-kissed tan of someone who trained outdoors year-round. Her wild ponytail bounced behind her like a whip. She wore a loose tank top, exposing her defined shoulders and arms, and tight compression shorts that hugged her muscular thighs. She looked like the kind of girl who belonged on a basketball court or sprinting along a track.
The athletic beauty narrowed her eyes slightly. For a brief second, their eyes met.
Then she grimaced.
Only a flicker. But it was enough.
Hao Hao nodded silently out of politeness. He turned away and began descending the stairwell.
Behind him, he heard her murmur under her breath: "Even ugly boys workout nowadays, huh?"
He didn't respond. There was nothing to say. Let them mock. They always did.
+
City A was a beach city, nestled between jade hills and seafoam waves. Even this early, the ocean breeze brought with it the scent of brine and kelp, mixing with the distant smoke of breakfast vendors firing up their pans.
Hao Hao ran along the boardwalk path that traced the coastline. His breath was ragged, his steps uneven, and his stomach churned with every bounce of his fat belly. Still, he pressed on. Sweat slicked his forehead, soaked into his shirt, and slid down his spine.
This world, he'd begun to notice, was not too different from his last. The buildings, the roads, the bustling energy of the streets. But the people—especially the women—told a different story.
Women jogged in sports bras without a second thought, breasts bouncing unrestrained. Some walked shirtless in loose gym shorts, revealing lean, muscular torsos gleaming with sweat. On massive billboards overhead, female athletes posed in seductive sweat-streaked ads for protein drinks, energy patches, and sweatproof makeup.
Meanwhile, men—shorter, prettier, and softer—walked daintily on the sidewalks, some in oversized hoodies with glowy cheek tint, others with glossy lips and curled lashes. Even the boys looked airbrushed, like they'd stepped out of a cosmetic commercial.
This was normal here.
In his past life, the sight of a man in lipstick would've made him uncomfortable. But here, it somehow... fit. The men had the bone structure for it. Narrow jaws, bright eyes, soft lips. Some were flamboyant, some shy, but they all shared one thing in common—they weren't afraid to be looked at.
And neither would he be, one day.
+
The timer buzzed softly in his ears. Thirty minutes. He stopped, wiping his forehead with the towel slung around his neck.
A public bench stood under a crooked coconut tree, half in shadow. Hao Hao sat down, breathing heavily as he pulled out his water bottle.
Below the slope, the beach stretched endlessly, dotted with umbrellas and vacationers. Men wore bikini tops with frills and bows, lounging in the sun like docile cats. Women wore either standard two-pieces or nothing but sports bras and boxers, some even topless, their muscular frames drawing stares and admiration alike.
This city was the perfect manifestation of a reversed world.
He would've felt embarrassed sitting shirtless in public. But the women here strolled around with their torsos bared like it was nothing. Social norms didn't apply in the same way anymore.
Just as he finished his water, a shadow loomed over him.
"Hey," a monotone voice said, low and flat. "That's my spot."
He looked up.
She was huge.
At least 190cm, probably more. Her black hair was tied into a loose braid, and her shoulders looked carved from stone. She wore faded gym shorts and a black vest that exposed her stomach, her pale skin forming a sharp contrast with the faint scars visible on her arms.
Expressionless. Her eyes resembled a dead fish—glassy, unfocused, and uninterested.
Hao Hao was about to tell her off—who the hell claimed public benches?—when suddenly, the air in front of him shimmered.
[Ding—]
[Target Detected: Li Yuan]
[Trait Sync Potential: 3 Traits Available]
[Background: Former Young Miss of the Li Family. A once-privileged heiress. A hidden tragedy occurred three months ago, stripping her of status, family, and purpose. Currently unemployed. Currently alone. Currently... preparing to die.]
[Mission Triggered: Save Li Yuan]
[Objective: Gain her interest. Change her fate before it is too late.]
[Time Limit: Until the next bus arrives.]
[Reward: If successful, you may select 2 of the 3 traits unlocked from this heroine.]