Chapter 2

That afternoon, I went to the clinic for a full medical checkup.

The doctor reviewed my charts and pushed up his glasses.

"Your weight is severely over the limit, but the root issue is insulin resistance."

"On top of that, your metabolism is completely ruined from taking unregulated, sketchy diet pills."

"But if you follow a proper meal plan, do low-impact workouts, and stick to the treatment, you can definitely get healthy again."

I gripped the report, my eyes stinging with tears.

The doctor gave me a gentle warning. "But with your current weight, do not rush into anything crazy."

"No starving yourself, no intense running, and absolutely do not believe any of those 'lose forty pounds in a month' scams on TikTok."

"Heal your body first. The weight loss will follow."

I nodded seriously.

There were exactly two months left before freshman orientation week at Huxley University.

I didn't want to starve Chloe's body into a stick, nor did I plan to repeat the deadly weight-loss routine I used to endure.

This time, I just wanted to make this body healthy.

Leaving the clinic, I hired a professional nutritionist and signed up for a gym membership.

The nutritionist drew up a detailed, balanced meal plan.

Carbs, proteins, vegetables, everything was included.

Looking at the chicken breast and brown rice on the sheet, I couldn't help but smile.

In the past, my mother would also prepare "fat-burning meals" for me.

But that wasn't food.

Half an egg in the morning, three pieces of lettuce for lunch, and a cup of watered-down skim milk for dinner.

If the scale didn't show a drop the next morning, I would be locked in the home gym, forced to run on the treadmill until I threw up.

But now, my nutritionist told me with a smile:

"Don't starve yourself. And don't chase rapid weight loss."

"We are building a lifestyle, not trying to kill you."

My throat tightened. "Thank you."

When I got home, Emma saw the meal plan and immediately began studying it.

"How do we make this taste delicious?" she murmured.

Despite her grumbling, she was up before dawn the next morning, heading to the local market.

She brought back the freshest organic beef, wild shrimp, and crisp greens.

Chloe's dad, Mike, went even further.

Hearing that I wanted to exercise, he bought a second-hand treadmill on eBay that very afternoon and hauled it up five flights of stairs with the help of a neighbor.

"Take it easy, kiddo," he said, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a warm, goofy grin.

"Big or thin, it doesn't matter. Being healthy is what counts."

Looking at them, my heart felt incredibly full.

Chloe, you absolute fool.

You had such wonderful parents, yet you looked down on them for being poor and simple.