“Why do you need to go out?”
Melissa found it difficult to state her real concerns, so she asked tentatively.
“I… I want to buy something.”
Chen Xuanqiu found it even harder to be direct, so she answered vaguely.
“Do you absolutely have to buy it?”
Melissa confirmed with a serious tone.
“Yes, I must.”
Chen Xuanqiu looked at her mother in confusion. ‘It’s just a trip out, isn’t it?’ she thought. ‘Not like I’m going to the execution ground.’
“Darling, if you absolutely must, then let Mom accompany you.”
Melissa hesitated, unable to bring herself to stop her. She proposed a compromise instead.
“Can I go by myself?”
Chen Xuanqiu was in a difficult position. She had returned earlier with a pair of large breasts, and the matter of buying a prosthetic chest for her sister could not be known by anyone else.
“No! Xuanqiu, do you understand? Your disappearance this time absolutely terrified me. From now on, wherever you go, Mom will be with you.”
Melissa flatly refused.
‘Fine, a mother’s heart is always worried,’ Chen Xuanqiu thought. ‘Let her come.’
Having no other choice, she compromised, figuring she would have to come up with a plan once they were on the street.
Melissa reluctantly agreed, though a hint of struggle still lingered on her face.
“Oh, right, this is your phone. You don’t have school for now, so keep it with you.”
After finishing her makeup, Melissa retrieved a white phone from a nearby drawer and handed it to Chen Xuanqiu.
Chen Xuanqiu hesitated for a moment before reluctantly taking it.
Melissa looked at her ‘son’ with confusion. ‘This little one used to be so excited to get a phone,’ she thought. ‘Why are they so indifferent today?’
Chen Xuanqiu’s coldness had a reason. She knew the phone likely had a password, making it useless to her except for potentially exposing her identity. It was a complete hot potato.
Despite her dislike, Chen Xuanqiu could only slip it into her pocket.
The ‘mother and son’ pair then went downstairs, informing Father Chen that they were heading out.
“You must be careful. Don’t let Xuanqiu out of your sight.”
Father Chen admonished his wife with a serious expression.
“I understand.”
Melissa replied with equal solemnity.
‘It’s not like we’re going to war,’ Chen Xuanqiu thought, looking utterly bewildered. ‘Do they really need to be so serious?’
And so, Chen Xuanqiu got into her mother’s red sedan, driving towards the city center.
‘Where should I go to buy a prosthetic chest?’ Chen Xuanqiu pondered this question throughout the drive, knowing that clarifying this point was crucial for planning her next steps.
Chen Xuanqiu recalled that her troublesome sister had mentioned buying hers at a comic convention.
‘A comic convention? I wonder where they usually hold those in Donghui City?’
Chen Xuanqiu had never encountered such things before, leaving her completely at a loss. She glanced around vaguely, her gaze eventually settling on her mother beside her.
‘I wonder if she knows about this,’ Chen Xuanqiu mused, ‘after all, only kids are usually interested in comic conventions.’
Unsure whether to ask, but deciding to try anyway, she questioned, “Mom, do you know about comic conventions?”
“Comic conventions?”
Melissa glanced back at her ‘son’ in confusion. “Of course I know. Donghui City held one the year before last. Your sister kept nagging us to go and even threw a tantrum about it. Have you forgotten?”
“No, I haven’t forgotten. I just thought you had.”
Chen Xuanqiu stammered her reply, a chill running down her spine.
“Why are you asking about that? Are you interested in it too? I remember you always disliked crowded places.”
Melissa pressed on without turning her head.
“No, no interest at all. I have absolutely no interest.”
Chen Xuanqiu quickly denied it.
“Xuanqiu, don’t be nervous. It’s perfectly fine if you’re interested. You’re taking time off school, so it’s a good chance to relax. Tell Mom if there’s anything you want to do or buy.”
Melissa gazed at her ‘son’ with doting affection.
‘Is this mother always so tolerant and generous with her children?’ Chen Xuanqiu felt a little embarrassed.
Plucking up her courage, she asked, “Then, Mom, do you know if Donghui City has any comic conventions happening recently?”
“I don’t think so. Donghui City is quite small. If a comic convention were being held, it would have already been in the news. Besides, your sister wouldn’t be so calmly staying at home.”
Melissa considered it for a moment before replying.
“You’re right.”
Chen Xuanqiu muttered, a wave of disappointment washing over her. ‘It seems this path won’t work,’ she thought.
‘Since I can’t buy them at a comic convention, I’ll have to hope there’s a specialized store for prosthetic breasts,’ Chen Xuanqiu continued to ponder.
This time, however, she couldn’t ask her mother directly. She would have to find a way to inquire elsewhere.
‘But where could I possibly find out?’ Chen Xuanqiu racked her brains until her head felt fuzzy, yet no ideas came.
She watched the women’s lingerie shops flash by outside the car window, thinking with a touch of helplessness, ‘If only I were just buying regular underwear, that would be so easy.’
‘That’s it! Lingerie!’
As Chen Xuanqiu looked at the pink-hued lingerie shops, a sudden flash of inspiration struck her, giving birth to a daring idea.
After carefully devising a plan, she turned to her mother beside her. “Mom, could you please pull over? I need to use the restroom.”
“Are there public restrooms nearby?”
Melissa looked at her son with a questioning gaze.
“Yes, there are. I know where.”
Chen Xuanqiu lied.
Melissa had no choice but to drive into an alley with a parking lot.
“Mom, hurry and stop the car! I can’t wait!” Chen Xuanqiu cried out, feigning urgency.
“Honey, where’s the restroom? I’ll go with you.”
Melissa could only temporarily pull the car to a stop.
“No need, it’s just around the corner of the alley ahead. You wait in the car.”
Chen Xuanqiu opened the car door and bolted. Since her chest was bound, her movements were considerably more nimble.
“Wait!”
Melissa’s heart pounded with panic, but the car hadn’t yet reached the spot designated by the parking attendant. She could only watch helplessly as her ‘son’ disappeared around the alley corner.
Once free of her mother, Chen Xuanqiu let out a long sigh of relief. Daring not to delay, she quietly made her way back to the main road from the other side, then walked up to the entrance of a women’s lingerie shop.
Chen Xuanqiu gazed at the pink world inside, feeling a strange sensation. She had worn women’s underwear before, but she had never actually entered such a store.
Psychologically, Chen Xuanqiu was a man, so she felt as though she were sneaking in like a thief. Her heart was filled with trepidation.
‘Forget it, there’s no time to agonize,’ she decided. ‘Physically, I’m a woman right now, so no one will point fingers.’
Chen Xuanqiu bit her lip, then bravely stepped inside. Although she was wearing makeup, her long hair gave her an inherently feminine appearance, so she didn’t worry about being immediately mistaken for a man.
“Little… sister? Can I help you with anything?”
Seeing a customer enter, the shop assistant approached with a beaming smile. Although she was curious why the young girl in front of her was dressed in men’s clothes, she felt it improper to ask directly.
Chen Xuanqiu bravely stole a glance at the woman. She was a very young and pretty shop assistant, with delicate features and long, straight black hair pinned back with a clip. A black professional skirt suit perfectly accentuated her hourglass figure, and her calves, encased in black stockings, were as slender and graceful as brush handles.
“I… I want to buy a bra.”
Chen Xuanqiu hadn’t expected to encounter such a beautiful shop assistant. Her heart pounded even harder, and she didn’t dare to meet the woman’s gaze.
“Oh, do you have a specific brand in mind? What size are you looking for?”
The pretty shop assistant politely inquired.
“I’ll just look around first.”
Chen Xuanqiu practically fled, then aimlessly surveyed the array of lingerie filling the shop.
“Heh heh.”
The shop assistant shook her head slightly, then unhurriedly followed behind her.
“Sister, how much is this bra?”
Knowing she couldn’t waste too much time, Chen Xuanqiu plucked up her courage and pointed to a pink lace bra.
“This is the signature bra from the ‘Shuya’ brand, crafted from the finest silk. Its raw materials come from the unique pink silkworms of the Southeast Peninsula…”
The shop assistant gave her usual detailed introduction before quoting the price. “There’s only one left in the store right now, so I’ll give it to you at cost: twelve hundred yuan.”
‘Why are girls’ bras so expensive?’ Chen Xuanqiu was startled.
She secretly congratulated herself on not actually being there to buy a bra.
“Sister, I really like this bra, but… well, look at me…”
Chen Xuanqiu composed herself, then shyly gestured towards her bound chest.
“Uh… it’s fine. You’re still young. If it doesn’t fit now, you can just buy it and save it for when you’ve grown.”
The shop assistant couldn’t help but chuckle, doing her best to console the ‘flat-chested’ girl in front of her.
“Sister, do you know where they sell prosthetic breasts? If I wore those, maybe I could wear this bra.”
Seeing that the moment was ripe, Chen Xuanqiu asked her question at the opportune time.
“You really are a clever little thing!”
The shop assistant suddenly understood. “Prosthetic breasts? You mean breast prostheses, right? I know that in Donghui City, only the ‘Born Beautiful’ Wig and Breast Prosthesis shop by the plaza sells them. You can go ask them there.”
“Thank you, Sister! Once I buy them, I’ll definitely come back to patronize your shop!”
Chen Xuanqiu was overjoyed.
“Alright, I’ll be waiting for you.”
The shop assistant was also very pleased.
Chen Xuanqiu practically fled from the lingerie shop, thinking with a pang of guilt, ‘I’m sorry, Sister! I’ll definitely repay your kindness someday.’