Chapter 166: Shopping

At home for several days in a row, Bai Yao couldn’t be bothered to go out anymore.

She woke up every day, played some games, and chatted with Qiu Ye.

Their conversations would range from games to the future, then to novels, lasting seven to eight hours.

Initially, she thought that after turning into a girl, her family would make a huge fuss, causing her anxiety for a long time.

But her mother showed no reaction at all, instead worrying about her mental health.

Her father didn’t express anything either—although she heard they wanted to have another child, his attitude toward her didn’t seem to change much.

“You should go out for a walk every now and then, get some sun.”

“What other girl is like you? Hiding in your room all day without going out. Are you some kind of refined young lady?”

“How about learning to dance once your leg heals? People say girls who dance have great poise.”

Bai Yao handed her mother the clothes she had washed from the washing machine.

Her mother shook them out and hung them on the clothesline.

But as soon as she heard about learning to dance, she shook her head frantically.

“Forget about dancing.”

Her mother shot her a glance.

“Girls should learn to do some housework and cook for themselves. Otherwise, when you get married, your in-laws will look down on you…”

Guilt gnawing at her, Bai Yao had actually become quite a bit more well-behaved than before, mainly because of her guilt toward her parents.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t be helping hang clothes here; she’d be hiding in her room playing games.

Although somewhat unnecessary and even a bit in the way.

Still, hearing that kind of talk made her uncomfortable.

She muttered, “I can earn money too, you know.”

“If you can support yourself, that’ll be plenty,” her mother said with a sidelong glance, looking at Bai Yao’s messy hair.

“I’ll comb your hair for you in a bit. You can’t even take care of your own hair, yet you talk about earning money.”

“What does that have to do with earning money? That’s totally unrelated!”

“The past few days, I’ve noticed you aren’t using your crutch anymore. Is your leg pretty much healed?”

“It’s okay, just not very steady.”

“Then tonight, I’ll take you out to buy some clothes. We’ll go shopping.”

Bai Yao’s expression turned even more bitter.

She hated going shopping with her mother.

Even back when she was a boy, her mother often used her as a clothes hanger, buying her piles of clothes she didn’t like, which would end up collecting dust in the wardrobe.

But since coming back, it was rare for her mother to have free time, and it was hard to refuse.

“We’ll eat out too? Your treat?” her mother teased.

“The compensation came through, right? Are you loaded now? Will you pay your own tuition next semester?”

“No money… I’m broke.”

Bai Yao was stingy, clutching her money bag tightly.

This was the compensation she got for “sacrificing” her left calf.

Though her “little brother” had long since run away, everyone assumed that.

Her mother hung up Bai Yao’s underwear and complained, “Since you like money so much, go ask your dad for some. He hasn’t brought much money home in these past few years.”

“Let’s go. I’ll comb your hair before we head out.”

“Oh…”

Bai Yao followed her mother out of the balcony with a displeased look, entered her mother’s bedroom, and obediently sat on the edge of the bed.

Her mother glanced over and saw her daughter’s knees slightly turned inward, her feet dangling in the air, swaying back and forth—a sitting posture that carried a childlike cuteness.

‘Sure enough, my own child adapted way too fast?’

Bai Yao’s head bobbed and swayed from the force of her mother’s combing, like a little ball being turned.

As her mother fussed over her, she spaced out, her gaze drifting to the ceiling.

“Hey, Mom…”

“What is it?”

“Qiu Ye… what do you think of him?”

Mentioning her “boyfriend,” her mother’s expression stiffened slightly, then a hint of awkward redness rose.

In her mother’s eyes, she had been a boy for eighteen years without a girlfriend, and after being a girl for just a month, she suddenly had a boyfriend.

Her mother thought for a moment.

“He’s handsome, the type that charms young girls.”

“That’s not so bad, right?”

Bai Yao had only thought Qiu Ye was quite handsome before, though he looked a bit fierce, his looks were undeniable.

But after spending more time with him, the more she looked at him, the more she liked him.

She even found him so handsome that she’d sometimes lose focus.

“He seems like a nice guy, right? When I was in the hospital, he came every day to keep me company and wouldn’t leave.”

Bai Yao nodded.

“Yeah, he’s a good person.”

“Maybe he’s just putting on an act.”

“How could that be? We’ve known each other for months.”

“Only a few months…”

Her mother was a bit worried.

“You’ve only just become a girl. Don’t let someone take advantage of you. Girls are especially prone to getting hurt.”

“Before, when you were a boy, at worst you’d be swindled out of some money. Now I’m afraid you’ll be swindled out of both money and feelings.”

“I originally thought you’d need at least a few years to adjust, but after just half a month in the hospital, you already have a boyfriend.”

Bai Yao fell silent, her expression tight.

Her mother was used to her shutting up like this whenever she was lectured.

She gave her a light smack on the back of the head.

“Ow!”

“Alright, change your clothes. We’re going out.”

“Oh…”

Bai Yao returned to her room, changed into an autumn-winter dress, threw on a small cardigan, and put on a face mask.

She grabbed her hair, only to find that her mother had tied it into little pigtails like a kindergarten girl’s, pulling her scalp tight.

She felt like she’d lose her hair sooner or later.

‘Swindled out of money and feelings…’

Bai Yao sighed softly, changed her clothes, and walked out.

‘What will come will come.’

‘I’ve long prepared for Qiu Ye to get tired of me, to stop liking me, or even to break up with me. It’s rare that someone likes me and confesses, and Qiu Ye happens to be my type. I have feelings for him too.’

‘I also enjoy being taken care of. Although Qiu Ye can be a bit domineering, that kind of momentum actually feels reassuring.’

‘If I miss Qiu Ye, it’ll probably be hard to find someone I like in the future.’

Lost in thought, Bai Yao followed her mother out the door.

—

“What a coincidence?”

Her mother helped Bai Yao down the stairs, and they happened to run into the neighbor aunt from across the hall.

It was the same aunt who had helped Bai Yao up the stairs a few days ago.

The aunt recognized her at once.

“Beauty! I helped you up the stairs a few days ago. Remember me?”

“Uh… I remember.”

Just as she was about to speak to her mother, the neighbor aunt sidled up.

“Is this your relative? So pretty! And she’s not even wearing makeup? She’s like a celestial maiden.”

Her mother felt a little smug, as if it had been a long time since she’d heard anyone compliment her child’s looks.

“Right? She’s already taken, so don’t get any ideas.”

Her mother casually assigned Bai Yao an identity.

“She’s my cousin’s daughter. She came to visit for New Year’s.”

“Cousins? No wonder you look so alike.”

“Is your son not coming back for New Year’s?”

“He’s working overtime. Says the pay is good during New Year’s and doesn’t want to miss out on earning money.”

“Earning money isn’t that urgent…”

“Hey! Didn’t we say we were going shopping? Why are you two chatting?”

Bai Yao was stuck on the steps, unable to go up or down, just standing there listening to her mother and the neighbor aunt continue chatting on and on.