“Qiu, who are you talking to?” Melissa asked, her voice laced with confusion as she followed her.
“Nothing,” Chen Xuanqiu replied, a relieved smile gracing her lips. “Let’s go. Time for some good food.”
The hospital matter was finally and thoroughly resolved, leaving her feeling utterly unburdened. All she desired now was to eat and play to her heart’s content.
“Alright, darling, tell me anything you wish to eat,” Melissa said, a note of self-reproach in her voice. “You’ve grown so thin lately. It’s all Mama’s fault for not taking better care of you.”
“Let me think…” Chen Xuanqiu pondered for a moment before declaring, “I want douhua rice.”
This dish had been her absolute favorite back on her original Earth. With her family’s meager circumstances, her monthly allowance barely covered her basic meals, making a weekend outing for douhua rice the most luxurious indulgence.
Since her arrival in this new world, Chen Xuanqiu hadn’t tasted douhua rice once. A deep sense of nostalgia for that familiar comfort naturally stirred within her.
“After finally getting out, how can you settle for douhua rice?” Melissa questioned, utterly bewildered.
She knew the meals she usually brought, while not lavish feasts, were far more substantial and delicious than mere douhua rice.
“I’m eating douhua rice,” Chen Xuanqiu declared stubbornly. ‘If I can’t go home, I can at least savor a taste of it.’
Left with no other recourse, Melissa led her daughter to an upscale restaurant, where they would indeed serve douhua rice.
Intent on nourishing her daughter, she naturally didn’t just order the simple douhua, but a lavish spread of other high-end delicacies as well.
Since arriving at the Chen family in this world, Chen Xuanqiu had enjoyed an endless array of exquisite foods. Consequently, she genuinely lacked interest in the fancy dishes before her, her gaze fixed solely on the douhua.
Chen Xuanqiu took a bite, and a wave of recognition washed over her—the taste was identical to what she remembered from her original world.
Eagerly, she took several more mouthfuls, desperately wanting to savor that long-lost sense of familiarity.
“Darling, don’t just focus on the vegetables,” Melissa interjected, unable to watch any longer. “Eat some meat, or how will you ever regain your strength?”
She swiftly picked up several pieces of meat and placed them on her daughter’s plate.
Chen Xuanqiu looked up. Though the familiar taste still lingered on her tongue, the mother sitting opposite her was undeniably not the mother from her original world.
‘This must be what they mean by “things remain, but people change,”’ she thought, a pang in her chest.
‘Will I ever be able to go back in this lifetime?’ Chen Xuanqiu couldn’t help but ponder.
Despite her steadfast resolve to find a way back to Earth, not a single clue had emerged to guide her path.
‘If I can’t return, what will become of my parents?’ she agonized. ‘I’m their only son, and our family’s circumstances are already so difficult.’
The thought brought a sharp ache to Chen Xuanqiu’s heart, and tears began to stream down her face, unchecked.
“Darling, why are you crying?” Melissa exclaimed, instantly alarmed. “Did Mama do something wrong?”
She quickly grabbed a tissue, reaching out to gently wipe away her daughter’s tears.
“It’s nothing, I’m fine,” Chen Xuanqiu quickly assured her, taking the tissue to wipe her own face.
Mentally, she was still very much a boy, unaccustomed to such meticulous and tender care.
“I’m sorry,” Melissa said, her brow furrowed. “I shouldn’t have forced you to eat meat.”
She had clearly misunderstood the reason for Chen Xuanqiu’s tears.
“No, it’s alright,” Chen Xuanqiu quickly corrected, trying to salvage the moment. “I’m crying because I’m touched.”
To be reborn into such a loving family was undoubtedly the greatest blessing heaven could bestow upon her. She understood she must protect it with all her might, a sentiment that fueled her constant desire to contribute to the Chen family.
“My darling has truly grown up,” Melissa said, her own eyes glistening with emotion. “I’m so incredibly happy.”
As Chen Xuanqiu gazed at her mother’s warm, radiant smile, the sadness that had weighed on her heart vanished completely.
‘With such wonderful parents as my unwavering support, I have all the time and confidence in the world,’ she mused. ‘One day, I will surely find the clue I need.’
****
After finishing their meal, Chen Xuanqiu accompanied her mother on a shopping trip.
“Darling,” Melissa asked in a hushed tone, “do you remember when you became a girl?”
“Hmm, I don’t know either,” Chen Xuanqiu replied, her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to recall.
“How could you not know?” Melissa asked, a hint of bewilderment in her voice.
“Because the gender transformation was such a gradual process,” Chen Xuanqiu tried her best to explain, “I couldn’t pinpoint exactly when I had completely become a girl.”
“If you don’t know, then never mind,” Melissa conceded. “Anyway, ‘that thing’ will be needed sooner or later.”
Without pressing further, she walked directly into a supermarket they passed on the street.
“What thing?” Chen Xuanqiu muttered, utterly bewildered, and followed her mother into the store.
Once inside the supermarket, Melissa headed straight for the daily necessities aisle.
Chen Xuanqiu remained oblivious, simply trailing behind until her mother finally halted.
Chen Xuanqiu looked up and found the shelves before her laden with large ‘band-aids’ specifically designed for girls.
She froze, utterly dumbfounded, caught between the urge to flee and the inability to move.
“Darling, which brand do you prefer?” Melissa asked, turning to face her daughter.
“I… I don’t like any brand,” Chen Xuanqiu stammered, shaking her head vigorously.
‘I’ve always been a boy,’ she thought, ‘it would be absolutely bizarre if I had a preference for these.’
“Excuse me, do you speak Yongchang?” Just then, a friendly Female Shop Assistant approached them.
“Yes, I do,” Melissa quickly responded. “I’ve lived in the nation of Yongchang for nearly twenty years.”
“That’s wonderful!” the Female Shop Assistant exclaimed enthusiastically. “Are you buying for your daughter? What a beautiful young lady she is!”
“Yes, I am,” Melissa confirmed, glancing at Chen Xuanqiu.
With no acquaintances around, there was no need to fear exposing their secret.
“I believe this brand would be most suitable for her,” the Female Shop Assistant suggested, picking up a package of large ‘band-aids.’ “Young girls have delicate skin, so a softer brand is always best.”
“I agree, this brand looks excellent,” Melissa said, taking the package and handing it to her daughter. “Once you use them, I’m sure you’ll concur with Mama’s opinion.”
“No, no, no, I don’t need them,” Chen Xuanqiu protested, her face flushing a deep crimson.
“Every girl needs these,” Melissa retorted, showing no mercy. “How could you possibly not? It’s simply a matter of time.”
“I’m not,” Chen Xuanqiu cried out, thoroughly panicked. “I don’t need them!”
With that, she bolted from the supermarket, fleeing outside.
“Qiu!” Melissa called out, left with no choice but to hurry after her.
Chen Xuanqiu felt a mixture of shame and annoyance, so she simply kept her head down and continued walking.
“Qiu, wait for Mama,” Melissa called, clumsily catching up, her high heels clicking awkwardly on the pavement.
“Listen to Mama,” Melissa said, panting slightly. “If you don’t buy these, what will you do if your ‘aunt’ suddenly comes one day?”
“I told you I’m a boy,” Chen Xuanqiu reiterated firmly. “That absolutely won’t happen to me.”
“Alright, alright, if you don’t want to buy them, then don’t,” Melissa said, a helpless smile playing on her lips. “But if it truly does happen, you must tell me immediately.”
Chen Xuanqiu remained silent, utterly unwilling to prolong the conversation on such a mortifying topic.
‘I became a girl through an acquired change; surely, that kind of thing won’t happen to me, right?’ Chen Xuanqiu frantically tried to convince herself.
Alas, fate often has other plans. Soon enough, she would come to understand the formidable capabilities of Dr. Wei and his grandson.