The Most Important Lesson

It wasn’t as serious as needing parents’ approval and a matchmaker’s word.

But without a doubt, in this small family, Miss Xiuxiu was at the bottom of the food chain. She was doted on, but also had the least say.

Facing a lecture, she could talk tough, but she couldn’t be stubborn, especially when they got serious. Then she could only obey obediently.

This was one of those times.

Though she was a hundred, a thousand times unwilling, under her mother’s strong pressure, she could only sit quietly in the chair, listening to the makeup lesson that seemed like a heavenly book.

“I’m so unlucky!”

While her mother droned on, Huang Xiu was crying inside. She used to be a hardcore straight guy whose toiletries were only toothpaste, shampoo, and body wash. Showering was all about speed, and skincare was left to fate. She wouldn’t even bother with facial cleanser, at most borrowing her roommate’s Dabao.

But now, what were all these things on the vanity? Makeup remover, moisturizer, BB cream, foundation… Things she had only heard of but never seen.

“Ah, right, right!”

Huang Xiu’s mind wandered, nodding like a pecking chicken. Whatever her mother said, she agreed, just wanting to get through this ordeal quickly.

“Alright, since you agreed, let me put some makeup on you to see how it looks.”

“Okay… wait!”

Huang Xiu whipped her head around and saw her mother grinning slyly. Her eyes went wide. “You tricked me!”

“What trick!” Zhuang Wenli’s right hand shot out and pinched Huang Xiu’s ear, pretending to twist.

“Mom, you’re so thoughtful, teaching me yourself.”

Huang Xiu wanted to cry but could only let her mother work on her face. Cool liquid rubbed in warm palms, soft brushes lightly swept across her face, tickling.

In the mirror, the girl was already pretty. With a light layer of makeup, she was even more stunning, a rare beauty in the world.

She had both a girl’s softness and a beauty’s allure.

“Is this me…” Huang Xiu stared blankly at the mirror, hardly believing it.

“Learn my makeup skills!” her mother said proudly. “Learn them without making a sound.”

“Women dress up for those who appreciate them. You’ll use it sooner or later, even if just to please yourself,” she added earnestly.

But Huang Xiu wasn’t buying it. Forget that “dress up for someone” nonsense. If she wanted to please herself, she’d rather play a couple of games than put on makeup.

Her mother’s little makeup and skincare lesson lasted over an hour, finally ending because she had to cook.

But the torment didn’t end.

In the following days, whenever her mother had free time, she’d grab Huang Xiu to teach her so-called feminine life tips. Even hiding in her room with the door closed didn’t help.

Unable to take it anymore, Huang Xiu finally exploded on the third day!

That day, her mother came into Huang Xiu’s room as usual, carrying a black plastic bag.

Before she could start, the girl stopped her.

“Mom, please spare me!”

“I’m seventeen, I’ve lived seventeen years. I know how things work!”

Huang Xiu spoke heavily, trying to apply pressure to make her mother back off. But her voice softened as she spoke. She just couldn’t get angry at family, couldn’t even say harsh words.

“I’m really not a kid anymore, Mom. What you’re teaching, I really don’t think it’s useful,” Huang Xiu said pitifully.

This time, she was determined to cut off her mother’s hopes. Because she really didn’t understand.

Back when she was a guy, there weren’t so many life skills to learn. She grew up from small to big, just going with the flow. Why was it different now that she was a girl? It felt like she’d entered another world, where everything had to be learned.

But the mother was a sly old fox, and she had anticipated Huang Xiu’s rebellion.

She made her move.

First, she started with a nickname.

“Xiuxiu!”

The call was full of concern and care, making Huang Xiu’s heart waver.

Then her mother patiently explained.

Yes, she was seventeen, not small, but she had only been living as a female for a few days. To quickly learn how to be a girl, cramming was necessary.

This argument wasn’t unreasonable, and Huang Xiu’s attitude softened a lot.

But she didn’t give up resisting. She thought of a counterargument. Why did she have to learn it all in a short time? She could learn slowly in the days to come!

So her mother continued persuading, going further this time, appealing to emotion and reason.

“Xiuxiu, you’re about to go far away to college, to live in a group. But girls’ circles are more complicated than boys’. As your mother, I’m really worried that you’ll be ostracized for being out of place, not like a girl at all! And it’s so far away. Even if I’m sad, I won’t be able to help!”

Her mother’s eyes reddened at this point, and Huang Xiu felt bad too.

She took her mother’s hand. “It won’t happen, Mom. You can rest assured!”

“The more you say that, the more I worry,” her mother sighed, tilting her head back slightly. “You’re too naive. You don’t know how bad people can be.”

“And college is more complicated than high school. I don’t know about you special ability folks, but it’s probably not much different from regular schools. How many female college students get deceived by scumbags and end up pregnant?”

Her mother held Huang Xiu’s hand, looking at her blushing face, and said earnestly, “I’m really afraid you’ll be deceived.”

“Mom!” Huang Xiu was so embarrassed her voice went shrill. “I used to be a guy! They might trick other girls, but how could they trick me? I know what they’re thinking!”

“Then this lesson…” her mother said plaintively.

“Don’t say any more! I’ll take it!” Huang Xiu gritted her teeth. “Teach me whatever, I’ll learn.”

“Is that okay now!”

Got her!

Her mother’s mouth curled up slightly. After living together for over a decade, she knew her child too well.

“There isn’t much left in the course. Today’s lesson is the most important one.” Zhuang Wenli opened the black plastic bag she had brought into Huang Xiu’s room.

The most important lesson?

Huang Xiu was curious. She looked down at the bag.

Actually, the reason she had resisted the previous lessons was mainly shyness. That shyness of thinking of herself as male while hearing female-specific knowledge.

And when she saw what was in the bag, that shyness reached its peak for these past few days… no, for the entire time since she became a girl.

Inside the plastic bag were Space Seven sanitary pads and the legendary game-changer, Little Du!

“I asked your teacher. After you transform, you’re a complete female.”

Zhuang Wenli had a knowing smile, but to Huang Xiu it looked terrifying. She stepped forward with the bag, and the girl backed away until her back hit the wall.

Nowhere left to retreat!

“So today, I’m going to teach you about the female menstrual cycle and safety measures!”