Kai gently brushed his fingers through his newly silken strands, marveling at the change.
"Is this normal?" he asked softly, casting a hesitant glance at his friends, searching their eyes for reassurance.
Donghua stepped closer, awe still evident on his face. "Your eyes… they changed color too," he whispered, voice trembling with disbelief.
"My eyes?" Kai echoed, a note of astonishment creeping into his voice.
He slowly rose from the bed, his legs trembling beneath him. He stumbled but steady himself before he could proceed.
"Are you okay?" Yifong asked, concern etched across his features.
Kai nodded, determination surging within him. He took a deep breath and made his way to the tall mirror across the room. His heart pounded fiercely as he approached, anxiety swirling inside him like a tempest. Finally, he dared to look at his reflection.
"Blue… eyes… golden hair," he whispered, captivated by the striking hues. The hazel eyes of Xing Li were gone. Instead, his eyes gleamed a piercing blue, and his hair shimmered a radiant gold. The color resembled the inheritance from his biological father, a mark of the foreign blood flowing through his veins in his original form.
He stared at himself, trying to understand the implications. "What happened to Xing Li?" he wondered silently, his mind swirling with questions about this sudden, inexplicable change.
"Is it rare to have blue eyes?" he asked, curiosity bubbling to the surface.
Donghua's eyes widened with fascination. "It's the first time I have seen it. Some Westerners have blue eyes, but I never thought I would meet someone like you."
Yifong crossed his arms, a cautious look on his face. "I knew you had a fake appearance, but I never imagined your real one would be so… striking. Why did you hide it from us?"
"What? You knew it was fake?" Donghua exclaimed. "So that's why I kept feeling this weird sense whenever I looked at him."
"Ah, I did not mean to hide anything," Kai interrupted quickly, a little embarrassed.
Donghua and Yifong exchanged glances, their expressions shifting from surprise to awe as they took in the ethereal figure standing before them. It was as if a deity had descended from the heavens. Xing Li's original beauty had always been stunning, but this transformation elevated him into something breathtaking, like he had been reborn into a living masterpiece.
Later that day, the doctor arrived for a thorough check-up. His face was serious but kind.
"You are incredibly fortunate to be alive," the doctor said, carefully examining Kai. "The poison inflicted on you is among the most severe known. Those who survive usually suffer from mental impairment. The fact that you are conscious and alert is extraordinary."
He paused briefly and then continued. "Your hair is likely a side effect of your body's fight against the toxin. The nervous system's reaction may have impaired the function of your melanocytes, which explains the loss of pigment."
The doctor's brow furrowed slightly. "However, the change in your eye color remains a mystery. Such phenomena are rare and not well understood. It might be the result of the trauma your body endured, but I cannot give you a definitive answer."
As he finished, the doctor offered some reassurance about Kai's health. Kai felt a complex mixture of relief and unease. He was grateful to be alive, but the strange transformation weighed heavily on his mind. It was almost as if his soul has merge with Xing Li's body, as he observed traits reminiscent of his original form.