The moment Chen Xuanqiu stepped out, the phone in her pocket began to ring. She pulled it out, and the caller ID clearly displayed “Mother.”
Knowing it was her adoptive mother calling, Chen Xuanqiu answered. She felt a surge of relief that answering didn’t require unlocking the phone; otherwise, she would have had to explain herself upon returning.
“Darling, where are you?”
Her mother’s concerned voice drifted from the phone.
“I’ll be right back.”
Unable to offer a proper explanation, Chen Xuanqiu vaguely brushed her off with a quick reply.
After hanging up, Chen Xuanqiu noticed the phone screen had locked itself again. She swiped casually, only to realize it was a pattern lock.
‘This is hopeless,’ Chen Xuanqiu sighed.
If it had been a password lock, she could have tried the original owner’s birthday or other common guesses, but a pattern lock left her utterly stumped.
‘This phone is nothing but a burden; I need to get rid of it as soon as possible.’
After a moment’s thought, Chen Xuanqiu simply turned off the phone and removed the SIM card.
She scanned her surroundings, eventually spotting a rubbish bin in a secluded corner. Clutching the phone, she walked towards it.
Standing beside the bin, Chen Xuanqiu hesitated for a long time before gritting her teeth and dropping the phone inside.
Chen Xuanqiu gazed at the almost brand-new phone lying in the bin, her small face creased in a frown. As a second-generation farmer in her previous life, she felt like an utter spendthrift.
She stood there for a long time, then, fearing she might regret her decision, she clenched her jaw and resolutely walked away.
Chen Xuanqiu returned to the alley she had left, where she spotted her mother anxiously pacing at the corner. She quickened her steps, her mind racing to devise a plausible explanation for the phone.
“Darling, where did you run off to? Do you know how worried I was?”
Melissa walked over, gently stroking “her son’s” long hair.
“I’m sorry, I made a mistake. The restroom was in the next alley over.”
Chen Xuanqiu lied.
“Don’t ever run off like that again. If you need to go anywhere, you must let Mama come with you.”
Melissa admonished her.
“Mom! I’m sixteen! I’m not a three-year-old child!”
Chen Xuanqiu couldn’t quite understand. ‘Why is this mother so doting on her child? Doesn’t she want them to be independent?’
“Uh… because Mama was really scared before.”
Melissa stammered her reply.
“I understand.”
Chen Xuanqiu took her at her word, for as the saying went, the hearts of parents worldwide were truly pitiful.
“Mama, there’s something I need to tell you. I ran too quickly just now and dropped my phone, breaking it. Only the SIM card still works.”
Seeing her adoptive mother’s genuine concern, Chen Xuanqiu felt a little more confident and, steeling herself, confessed.
“It’s fine, Mama will buy you a new one. What brand do you want?”
Melissa asked without a moment’s hesitation.
‘Rich people truly are different,’ Chen Xuanqiu sighed inwardly.
In her previous life, within her impoverished family, such an incident would have undoubtedly drawn severe reprimands from her parents.
‘Oh, how can I ever go back?’
The thought of her former life invariably plunged Chen Xuanqiu into deep contemplation, for she could never truly let go of the parents she had left behind in that other world.
“Have you decided?”
Melissa, assuming her son was deliberating over phone brands, waited patiently for a good while before asking.
“Oh, any brand is fine,” Chen Xuanqiu replied, turning back to her.
“Alright, I saw a phone shop on the street outside. Let’s go take a look now.”
True to her word, Melissa immediately took Chen Xuanqiu’s hand and led her outside.
Chen Xuanqiu patiently followed her mother into a phone shop, where a Male Shop Assistant immediately approached them with a warm welcome.
“Excuse me, do you two understand Yongchang?”
The Male Shop Assistant asked tentatively.
“Yes, we understand, thank you!”
Melissa replied modestly.
The Male Shop Assistant visibly relaxed, then proceeded to guide the “mother and son” duo through the various phone brands on display.
Chen Xuanqiu was dazzled by the sight; many of the phones’ designs truly appealed to her aesthetic. Unfortunately, their price tags were exorbitant, often running into several thousands.
“Darling, have you chosen? Which model do you want?”
Melissa couldn’t help but ask.
“This one.”
Suppressing the turmoil within her, Chen Xuanqiu extended a slender finger to point at a phone priced around eight or nine hundred yuan.
“That one’s too cheap. It’s not good.”
Melissa shook her head decisively.
“Little sister, your mother is right. You’re so beautiful; how could a phone like that possibly suit you?”
The Male Shop Assistant interjected with a timely compliment.
“Excuse me, I’m a boy.”
Chen Xuanqiu corrected him gravely.
“Huh?”
The Male Shop Assistant looked dumbfounded. Although the child before him was dressed somewhat neutrally, their features were exceptionally delicate, and with the long hair, anyone would have assumed they were a girl.
“Yes, sir! He is my son.”
Melissa reiterated.
“My apologies, I misjudged! But the principle remains the same; little brother is so handsome, that phone truly isn’t suitable for you.”
The Male Shop Assistant bowed, apologizing awkwardly.
“It’s not necessary. I think this one is perfectly fine.”
Chen Xuanqiu insisted stubbornly.
Melissa stopped consulting “her son’s” opinion. Instead, she surveyed the counter on her own, eventually finding a phone with a similar appearance but a price tag ten times higher. “We’ll take this one,” she declared.
“Madam truly has excellent taste. This is the latest ‘Palm Treasure’ phone, and it’s the only one we have left in the store!”
The Male Shop Assistant complimented her again, then carefully packaged the phone and handed it to Chen Xuanqiu.
Chen Xuanqiu took the phone. Though she said nothing aloud, she felt a surge of happiness. Yet, that joy lasted only a moment before an endless emptiness settled over her. Here she was, living a lavish life, but what about her parents from her previous world? Losing her must have been a crushing blow to their already impoverished family.
“Darling, where should we go next? Didn’t you say you wanted to buy something?”
Melissa prompted “her son.”
“Oh, let’s head to the plaza.”
Chen Xuanqiu stated the address she had inquired about earlier.
The “mother and son” then made their way to the plaza. Chen Xuanqiu used this brief window of time to insert her SIM card into the new phone and reset the password lock.
Chen Xuanqiu knew it was time for her to attend to her real business. She instinctively felt her pants pocket, finding only a few crumpled bills totaling just over a hundred yuan. She wondered if it would be enough to buy the “prosthetic breasts.”
‘What if I find the item but don’t have enough money?’
Chen Xuanqiu quickly realized this potential problem and began to ponder a solution. After much thought, she concluded that her only hope lay with her adoptive mother beside her.
“Mama, I was in such a hurry just now that I forgot to bring my money!”
Chen Xuanqiu said, once again brazening it out.
“It’s alright, I’ll give you some later.”
Melissa smiled gently.
Chen Xuanqiu breathed a sigh of relief. While endlessly taking wasn’t right, she truly had no other option at the moment and could only hope to repay her in the future.
Upon reaching the plaza, Melissa parked the car. Only then did she take out a thick stack of Yongchang currency and hand it to “her son,” asking, “What do you need to buy? Is this enough money?”
“Plenty! More than enough!”
Chen Xuanqiu quickly nodded. Although she didn’t know the typical price of prosthetic breasts, she figured the cost wouldn’t be overly exaggerated. The stack of Yongchang currency appeared to be well over a thousand yuan, which should certainly suffice.
“Let’s go. Mama will come with you to buy whatever you need.”
Melissa suggested.
Chen Xuanqiu’s face fell into a bitter gourd expression once more. Of course, she couldn’t let her adoptive mother accompany her, so she had to find a way to slip away.
“Mom, I’m a bit thirsty. Could you buy me a bottle of water?”
Chen Xuanqiu asked tentatively.
“Of course. You stay put here, and Mama will be right back.”
Melissa, suspecting nothing, briskly walked towards the convenience store across the street.
Chen Xuanqiu, naturally, wouldn’t let this hard-won opportunity slip away. She quickly scurried off, but before she had gone far, her phone began to ring.
Chen Xuanqiu knew it was her mother calling, so she reluctantly answered the phone.
“Qiu, where have you run off to now?”
Melissa’s indignant voice came through.
“Mama, I need to use the restroom again. Please wait for me for a moment.”
Chen Xuanqiu could only resort to her old excuse.
“Why are you always going to the restroom? Is your stomach not feeling well?”
Melissa’s tone softened slightly.
“Yes, I think I must have eaten something bad.”
Chen Xuanqiu used the opening to solidify her excuse.
“Then be careful. I’ll wait for you right here.”
Melissa instructed carefully.
Chen Xuanqiu breathed a sigh of relief. After asking a passerby, she quickly found the “Born Beautiful Wigs and Prosthetic Breasts” shop and explained her purpose to the Shop Manager.
The Shop Manager pondered for a moment before asking Chen Xuanqiu about her requirements.
Chen Xuanqiu had two specific requests: first, the size had to be a C-cup; second, the style needed to be identical to the one her sister had given her.
The Shop Manager then led Chen Xuanqiu upstairs to the second floor, where she brought out all the stock for her to choose from.
Chen Xuanqiu was fortunate; she quickly found a prosthetic breast of the identical style. Upon inquiry, the price was surprisingly six or seven hundred yuan.
Chen Xuanqiu secretly congratulated herself on her foresight. She promptly paid and requested an opaque plastic bag from the Shop Manager.
As she emerged from the shop, clutching the plastic bag, Chen Xuanqiu finally felt her heart settle.
Rushing back to the parking lot, Chen Xuanqiu found her adoptive mother indeed waiting in the same spot. She hurried over to her.
“What are you carrying?”
Melissa asked, puzzled. ‘Didn’t “my son” go to the restroom? Why is he carrying a bag?’
“It’s the stuff I needed to buy.”
Chen Xuanqiu replied, her hands instinctively tightening around the bag.
“Can you tell Mama what it is?”
Melissa leaned her neck forward curiously to peek.
“No! Please respect my privacy!”
Chen Xuanqiu hastily hid the bag behind her back, cold sweat already beading on her forehead.
“What did you buy? So mysterious.”
Melissa cast a few reluctant glances but ultimately chose to respect “her son’s” right to privacy. As a foreigner, she naturally placed great importance on such matters.
A great weight lifted from Chen Xuanqiu’s heart. ‘It’s a good thing this adoptive mother is a foreigner,’ she thought. ‘If it had been my parents from my old life, they would have insisted on knowing what I bought, no matter what.’
After the purchases were made, Melissa, concerned about safety, quickly drove “her son” back home.
Chen Xuanqiu noticed her sister wasn’t in the living room, so she tiptoed back to her room, carrying her items.
Chen Xuanqiu took out the prosthetic breasts and examined them again. She noted that the seller was quite conscientious; the items were brand new, emitting a strong silicone scent.
However, Chen Xuanqiu didn’t want them to look new. In her sister’s mind, she had been wearing these for two months, so they couldn’t possibly be pristine.
Chen Xuanqiu pondered for a moment, then picked up a bottle of perfume from the table and sprayed it over the items. Once the silicone smell was mostly masked, she stopped, satisfied.
Fearing further complications from delay, Chen Xuanqiu immediately took the “aged” prosthetic breasts to find her adoptive sister.