Chapter 544 Gained 18 Pounds

Chapter 544: Packed on 18 Pounds

Ren Shan did some quick calculations in her mind. Selling 200,000 copies a month would bring in around 80,000 to 90,000 RMB. If they sold over 600,000 copies, that would be more than 200,000 RMB—easily an annual income of two to three million RMB.

She couldn’t help but feel happy for Su An.

"Su An, you’re killing it!"

Praise made Su An a little bashful. "No way I measure up to you. For this magazine, I didn’t even go home during summer break. I worked my fingers to the bone every day, and Mom kept hounding me about it.

"Besides, similar magazines will saturate the market soon. Who knows how long this profit will last? It’s not as stable and worry-free as your fish market business."

Ren Shan eyed Su An’s face for a moment before suddenly saying, "Su An, you’ve changed a lot since the last time I saw you."

Su An pinched her own cheek. "I’ve changed a lot?"

Ren Shan nodded. "Mm."

"Did my skin clear up?"

Ren Shan shook her head. Su An used to be so serious and mature, always saying she lacked the pep others her age have. But in truth, Su An herself had been the same way.

Now, she finally had the energy of someone her age.

"Did I gain a lot of weight? My clothes feel tighter, and I can barely lift my arms anymore." Su An reached down to pinch the extra padding on her belly.

"It must be from eating out with Xiao Zuo all the time."

Ren Shan paused briefly. "Su An, you and Comrade Zuo have gotten pretty close?"

Su An hummed in agreement, looking up at Ren Shan with a bright smile. "Shan Shan, Xiao Zuo is incredible. He’s helped me so much with the magazine’s success. Even our ‘cornerstone of the magazine,’ Deputy Editor Kang, was someone he suggested I bring in.

"He’s also taken me out to see the world, taught me how to deal with people, how to do business, how to manage employees, and how to interact with others. He’s opened my eyes and broadened my perspective.

"He’s my mentor—someone who pushes me to grow and become a better version of myself..."

As Su An rambled on excitedly about everything that had happened recently, her face lit up.

Ren Shan smiled as she watched her. "Su An, I’m really happy to see you like this."

"Before, you said I didn’t act like a child, that I carried too much pressure and didn’t live for myself. But you were the same way.

"Compared to other girls your age, you were always too stiff, too reserved. It was like you didn’t have anything you truly loved. You carried so much weight on your shoulders.

"You wanted everyone to be happy—Grandma, your brother, Auntie, even Uncle and Aunt. But I’ve never seen you laugh as freely as you do now."

"Su An, I used to think maybe you were just naturally mature, or that your hardships as a child and being married into the Zhao family had shaped you. But now I realize that wasn’t it—you were just holding yourself back.

"You’re so much better like this. And Comrade Zuo is good for you. He lets you be a girl again. You should spend more time with him."

Su An turned pink at that. "You call me stiff and grown-up? Look at yourself—you’re so young, yet you talk like a philosopher."

Thinking back to her past life, Su An’s tone turned wistful. "Ah well… I really was too hard on myself before. I’ve stopped overthinking things now. Life is less than a hundred years long, after all.

"The first twenty-some years are already gone, and we can’t go back. But from now on, we can live light and happy."

"Shan Shan, you too. I hope every day from now on, you can be a carefree kid."

Ren Shan smiled gently. "Su An, when I’m with my brother, I am a child."

Su An's voice caught, "Why are you bringing this up again? You're still young. I promised to convince Mom to put off finding a wife for your brother for a few years, but you also promised me you'd try to meet more people. Maybe when you're older and more mature, after meeting more people, you'll realize your feelings for your brother are just dependency."

After seeing Ren Shan off, Su An touched her cheek. Had she really changed that much?

.....

Jinan University, heading home after class.

Su An passed by the small shop downstairs, where the landlady greeted her.

Su An smiled in response, then suddenly noticed an old-fashioned scale on the ground. Remembering how tight her clothes had felt lately, she greeted the landlady and stepped onto it.

The landlady was a plump woman, with layers of flesh under her chin like the Maitreya Buddha. As she adjusted the scale weights for Su An, she chuckled, "You used to be skinny as a rail, but you've put on some weight these past two semesters. Young ladies should have a bit more meat on them—look how lovely you are now, you look prosperous."

"121 pounds—still on the slim side."

Su An's voice jumped an octave, "What?!"

The landlady glanced at her, "60 kilograms, that's 121 pounds."

Su An asked again, "You're saying I weigh 121 pounds now?"

The landlady nodded and pointed at Su An's chest, "You're at the age where your body is still developing. Your old clothes are a bit tight here—go buy some new ones that fit."

In a daze, Su An climbed to the second floor, tossed her books aside, and plopped into a chair. Out of habit, she reached for a handful of cream candies from the table.

But her hand froze mid-air as she turned to see the table piled high with chocolates, cream candies, and various pastries and biscuits, like she was running a candy store.

The candies in her hand suddenly felt scorching, and she dropped them back, the sudden movement made the chair creak.

Su An stiffened, then felt under her arm... her shirt had split at the seam.

Remembering the landlady's words, Su An looked down at her chest, grabbed a jacket, and headed to the nearby market. She entered a clothing store and stood before the full-length mirror.

Her old clothes had always been loose-fitting, but now they clung tightly.

Back in City A, her family's meals had always been hearty, and at 158 cm, she'd weighed around 103 pounds.

Now, at 121 pounds, she'd only gained 18 pounds. When she'd last seen herself in a full-length mirror at Chu Shuyu's shop, she hadn't looked much different—just a bit... more solid, bigger.

Su An stared at her reflection, unmoving. From this angle, she seemed to have a double chin, her face rounder, resembling her brother more. She wasn't as cute as she used to be...

In the past, Su An wouldn't have cared, but now, she genuinely wanted to look her best.

She couldn't keep pigging out with Xiao Zuo anymore, or she'd end up like the landlady.

The image of the landlady's jiggling flesh as she walked gave her chills.

At least she'd only gained 17 or 18 pounds—it didn't show much, and she barely looked different in the mirror.

Su An bought two new outfits and started home, trying to convince herself along the way—until she passed a butcher's stand.

"Boss, give me 15 pounds of pork."

Su An turned to see the owner of the dumpling shop she'd visited with Zuo Zuying.

The butcher's cleaver came down twice with a thud, lopping off a piece from the side of pork on the block and weighing it.

"15 pounds and 7 ounces."

Su An nearly fainted as she watched the dumpling shop owner struggle to lift that enormous hunk of meat.

Fifteen pounds... she thought, was this huge?!?!