Chapter 218: Recovery

"Come, eat first. I'll tell you something after you finish eating." Jiang Hai was a little surprised when he saw Afra sitting in front of him.

Jiang Hai hadn't realized how beautiful Afra was before...

Thinking back to the first time he saw her, she was at the police station. Her thin body was wrapped in a large coat, her messy golden hair spilling out from behind her head. Her eyes were empty and lifeless, and her face had a gaunt, almost skeletal appearance. It was hard to imagine she could be beautiful. Later, when she cleaned up and Jiang Hai bought her new clothes, it was still hard to view her as beautiful. She looked like a skeleton dressed in clothes.

Although Jiang Hai had seen her many times since then, she often wore a very dirty dress, worked in the garden, or had just come home from work, or was on her way to work. Jiang Hai wasn't the kind of person who ogled every woman he saw, and he rarely paid attention to her appearance.

But tonight, after months of her recovery, she truly looked pretty.

Her smooth blonde hair was carefully styled today, permed into two soft curls, falling over her shoulders on both sides. She wore a black dress she had bought. How much had she weighed back then? How much did she weigh now?

Although she wasn't fat—definitely not even slightly overweight—she had gained enough to resemble the beauty-loving women. She was over 1.7 meters tall and weighed more than 90 kilograms. If that was considered fat, then no one could be called thin.

Afra wasn't wearing any jewelry today, and the V-neckline on her dress was slightly loose. It revealed her slender neck, delicate chin, and, ahem, her not-so-small chest, along with her thin waist, long legs, and fair skin. Jiang Hai couldn't help but notice how attractive she had become.

What caught his attention most, however, were her big blue eyes, which had once been watery and distant. Now, they seemed inviting, almost like someone could dive into them at a glance.

Of course, Jiang Hai didn't feel that way, but he had to admit that she was undeniably beautiful now.

After hearing Jiang Hai's words, Afra nodded gently, picked up the knife and fork in front of her, and began cutting the steak Jiang Hai had just fried.

Jiang Hai wasn't a master at frying steak. The steak was of the best quality, but the fire had been a little too high, and some parts were slightly burnt. Still, Afra didn't mind. She happily cut small pieces and ate them. They ate in comfortable silence, with little conversation.

It was actually a bit inconvenient to talk at the moment. Jiang Hai could talk freely, but every time Afra wanted to say something, she had to put down her utensils before gesturing. It was a hassle. Although Jiang Hai wasn't a gentleman, he did dislike disturbing others while they ate—he especially hated being disturbed while eating.

Dinner was over quickly. After they cleaned up together, Afra sat on the sofa, her mind racing with possibilities. What would happen next? Would Jiang Hai come up and kiss her directly, maybe taking her on the sofa... or would he lead her to the bedroom? Or perhaps the kitchen, or even the bathroom? It didn't matter, as long as Jiang Hai liked it.

"Huh, I'm done!" Just as Afra was deep in thought, Jiang Hai finished cleaning up. As he walked toward the sofa, Afra's face flushed even redder. She peeked at him from the corner of her eye.

"Here's the thing," Jiang Hai said, sitting down next to her on the sofa. The distance between them was neither too far nor too close. He looked at her seriously. "Let me explain why I asked you to come."

"I'm listening," Afra replied, adjusting her breathing. She closed her eyes, bracing herself to accept whatever Jiang Hai had in mind. Anything was fine with her—even if he called the other girls over, she wouldn't mind.

"I think I might have a way to cure your throat and help you speak again. I haven't tried it yet, though, so I need to ask if you want to be my first patient." Jiang Hai's voice was calm, not at all what Afra had imagined.

Afra froze for a moment, her head snapping up to look at him in surprise.

"Can you really help me speak?" Afra gestured, her panic evident, but Jiang Hai nodded reassuringly.

"I think so, but since I've never tried this method before, I can't be certain it will work." Jiang Hai's tone was careful. "I just wanted to make sure you understand the risks. It's better to be safe than sorry, and if something goes wrong, it would be a problem."

Afra didn't feel any dissatisfaction. Instead, tears welled up in her eyes, though she tried to hold them back. She nodded vigorously. No matter the conditions, she was willing to try.

"If I help you, I'll need you to sign a confidentiality agreement. This can't be shared with anyone. If you agree, we can start tomorrow," Jiang Hai added seriously.

Afra immediately agreed without hesitation. She signed the agreement.

She barely remembered how she got home after that, only knowing that when she came to, she was sitting on the sofa in the cabin.

"Well? Did you fulfill your dream tonight? How strong is the boss in that aspect? How long and how strong is it?" Dina, who had just finished showering and lived in the same villa, couldn't help but ask with a mischievous grin.

Afra's attraction to Jiang Hai had been no secret to the other girls. They were all willing to give themselves to him, but it was more out of gratitude than affection. Afra's feelings, however, were clearer.

When they heard Afra was paying for Jiang Hai's dinner, they had all assumed something must have happened, but they hadn't expected her to return so soon. Since she was back, Dina was determined to get the details.

"Don't be silly. I just had dinner. By the way, I might not go to the garden tomorrow. You can talk to Aunt Philemon," Afra blushed, quickly turning and hurrying to her room.

Dina watched her go and thought, Something's definitely up. Afra was being too obvious.

The next morning, when the sun had risen, Jiang Hai found Afra already sitting outside his villa. The dark circles under her eyes made it clear she hadn't had a restful night.

"You're here so early," Jiang Hai said with a smile. "Well, since you're here, come inside. Let's have breakfast first, then we'll get started."

Jiang Hai had made multi-grain pancakes for breakfast, a simple but tasty dish. Within a few minutes, several servings were ready.

Jiang Hai ate three servings, Afra ate one, and the remaining two were set aside for Darlene and Marian.

"Since you're here, I won't go running today. Let's find a room where we can be alone, then we can begin the treatment," Jiang Hai said after Afra finished eating.

"Because I'm not sure what might happen, it's best to keep you unconscious for the moment and tie your hands and feet. Is that okay?" Jiang Hai asked, looking at Afra apologetically.

Afra didn't mind at all. She was already willing to do anything for Jiang Hai, even if it meant being tied up. She nodded obediently, signed the agreement, and prepared herself.

Once she was ready, Jiang Hai knocked her unconscious—not with drugs, but with a precise blow. He had to take precautions to keep the method a secret. Then he tied her to the bed, placing his right hand on her head.

"Let's try the effect of a scale first," he muttered, channeling the spiritual energy he had amassed into her body.

As the energy flowed into her, her skin, once pale and tender, began to redden as toxins and impurities were expelled. Large beads of sweat, mixed with dirt, poured from her pores, staining the bed sheets.

Jiang Hai knew this was just the body's purification process, but the real results would only show once Afra woke up.

Hours passed. Darlene and Marian came by to check in, and after eating breakfast, they returned to keep watch. By noon, Afra had expelled all the toxins from her body. Her condition had been severe, and even with the spiritual energy, it was clear that her recovery wouldn't happen in just a few months.

Around 12:30, Jiang Hai was starting to grow impatient. Just as he was about to go downstairs for lunch, Afra's face turned pale, and the red glow in her body gathered at her throat. She suddenly coughed, expelling a mouthful of black, bloody phlegm.

"Cough, cough... ah, ah..." As the bloody phlegm fell to the ground, a few hoarse syllables escaped her throat—syllables that had once been impossible for her to utter.

Jiang Hai grinned, and both Darlene and Marian jumped up in shock. This meant there was hope for her recovery!