Volume 0 / Chapter 10: Coca-Cola

The date is Friday, August 27th, 1999.

Some schools had already started their term early. Large supermarkets along the road were plastered with "Back-to-School Season" advertisements, offering discounts on all kinds of stationery.

But it was still early, so only the posters on the shuttered metal gates were visible.

The morning taxi ride felt unusually quiet. The driver, perhaps having pulled an all-nighter, looked listless, yawning repeatedly throughout the journey.

Mo Xueyao and her parents sat together in the taxi, heading towards Hangzhou's Chengzhan Railway Station.

The morning radio broadcast the weather forecast: "Hangzhou today: minimum temperature 22°C, maximum 31°C, cloudy, light winds with no persistent direction... Tonight until tomorrow daytime..."

It was morning, likely around that 22°C mark.

Xueyao rolled down the window, enjoying the refreshing morning breeze blowing against her face. Before she knew it, they arrived at Chengzhan.

In Hangzhou during that era, morning traffic jams were rare. However, the railway station was perpetually crowded, no matter the time.

Some people had even slept there overnight, waiting for their early morning train.

"It's 6:10 now. About fifty minutes until departure," Xueyao's father said, glancing at the cheap digital watch he'd bought from a street stall. Its numbers were notoriously imprecise, requiring weekly adjustments to avoid gaining or losing over three minutes a month.

"Want to buy a drink?" Dad asked, his gaze lingering on the Coca-Cola bottles displayed on a small shop counter.

"We brought our own water! Why waste money on drinks?" Mom rolled her eyes and tugged Dad further inside.

"Ah, Xueyao will definitely get thirsty on the trip. I know you're reluctant to buy her drinks usually. Other shops aren't open yet, so let's get one bottle here." Dad fished out a crumpled ten-yuan note from his pocket. "I know Xueyao best. She loves this."

"Well... it's okay..." Xueyao smiled sheepishly. While she couldn't deny the allure of Coca-Cola, knowing the family's tight finances meant she rarely indulged.

In that era, for ordinary families, Coca-Cola was a "luxury" drink.

Much like KFC and McDonald's were considered "fancy restaurants" back then.

"How much for the Coke?"

"Five yuan." Prices at train stations were always inflated. Normally, a bottle cost only two yuan, and a can just one.

"Here." Ignoring Mom's pained look at the expense, Dad handed over the money and received an ice-cold bottle of Coke in return, condensation beading on its surface!

"Wasting money again! Do you realize how much we owe now? Huh? Fifty thousand!" Mom complained irritably.

"Ah... a little treat now and then is fine, right, Xueyao?" Dad winked at her.

Xueyao nodded emphatically.

She clutched the cold bottle tightly, afraid Mom might make her return it. She quickly unscrewed the cap and took a sip.

"Ahhh—" The icy cola, the tingling fizz dancing on her taste buds... In an era before a dizzying array of beverages, this was pure bliss.

Drinking Coke slowly from a wine glass wasn't a joke back then; some people genuinely did it for the "ambiance."

"How is it? Good?" Dad asked, smiling.

"Delicious!" Xueyao answered without hesitation.

"Come on, let me have a sip."

"Here."

"Haha— refreshing..."

"Hey! Dad, you drank half of it!"

"Oops, my mistake," Dad chuckled sheepishly, though it seemed deliberate.

He probably just wanted some himself... Xueyao thought, her eyelids drooping slightly.

The train tickets had been bought in advance. Now, they just needed to wait in their designated waiting hall.

A large security scanner stood at the entrance. The three placed their luggage on the belt and walked through. You didn't even need a ticket to enter the waiting area – the real ticket check happened when boarding the train.

Consequently, the waiting hall felt cramped, as even family members without tickets could come to see people off.

Dad hadn't bought a ticket.

Since his job paid better, he would stay home to work and earn money. Mom would accompany Xueyao to Shanghai.

For this month, the family would not only lose one income but also incur extra expenses. The thought of earning nothing for a whole month made Mom sigh with worry.

Though they had fifty thousand yuan in their pocket, that was earmarked for medical fees and couldn't be touched. Current expenses were coming from their meager savings.

Soon, the boarding call for their train came.

"Passengers for train number 6258, departing at 9:05, please proceed to Gate 3 for boarding..."

The moment of parting had arrived, even if only for a month...

"Be careful on the journey. Call if anything happens," Dad called out with concern.

"Got it. You make sure to eat properly at home, all three meals," Mom replied.

"Okay."

The tender look exchanged between her parents made Xueyao feel awkward. "Seriously? It's not like you're parting forever. Can we hurry up and board?"

"Mind your manners," Mom chided lightly, tapping Xueyao's forehead. "Let's go, time to board."

Mom presented two red paper tickets, which the attendant punched holes in with a clipper. Then, she led Xueyao onto the platform.

Xueyao followed, dragging her suitcase. "Is all this luggage really necessary for just a month?"

"It has wheels. It's not like you're carrying it," Mom retorted, rolling her eyes.

On the platform, a train with a green base and yellow stripes waited.

To save money, they'd bought tickets for a non-air-conditioned carriage.

Since the train wasn't fast, they could open the windows and enjoy the breeze on their faces. Given the early start, it should still be cool air.

Xueyao and Mom's seats were together, and luckily, hers was by the window. She settled in naturally – window seats were her favorite. Otherwise, she might even get train-sick...

"This ordinary-speed train service from Changchun North to Shanghai South is about to depart. Passengers, please stand clear of the doors..."

Amidst the announcer's slightly grating, standard Mandarin, the train slowly started moving.

Xueyao's heart tightened with each clack-clack-clack of the wheels. They were finally on their way to Shanghai...

When they returned, she wouldn't be herself anymore.

More accurately, she wouldn't be a him anymore, but a her.

Anxiety mixed with melancholy filled her. She thought about how she could never be with a girl she liked again, how she could never casually sling an arm around her close guy friends...

She also wondered about starting school a month late at the new place. Could she catch up?

What would her new classmates at Yukong High be like? It was just an ordinary school, though she'd heard the atmosphere was okay. But was that true?

Would someone at school find out her secret and spread it?

She hadn't even reached Shanghai yet, but her thoughts raced far ahead.

Surprisingly, alongside the worry, there was also a flicker of curiosity.

What would life be like... after becoming a girl?

Of course, human emotions are complex; they can't stay negative forever. Alongside the dark thoughts, there were brighter ones too.

Like taking an exam without studying – besides the dread, there's also the wish for it to be over quickly, for the relief afterward.

However, no matter how Xueyao tried to imagine herself as a girl, it felt wrong.

Though she was petite and looked delicate, her personality was typically boisterous, her habits rough around the edges...

Not that she wasn't capable of being careful; she was just used to acting that way. Perhaps it was a form of self-protection. Since her appearance lacked masculinity, she compensated through her actions.

"Will my old junior high classmates even recognize me? No... it's not plastic surgery; it won't be that dramatic..." Xueyao touched her hair, which now reached her chin – the longest it had ever been. She'd always been a loyal advocate of the crew cut.

Because only that hairstyle gave her a semblance of masculinity...

Although, at 1.58 meters tall, masculinity was hard to project from any angle...

These tangled emotions warred within Xueyao, making her both curious and resistant about the journey's end.

"What are you thinking about?" Mom asked.

"Hmm... about... what Shanghai is like," Xueyao replied.

She didn't voice her true feelings. Partly because she didn't want to, partly because they were too complex to express. Perhaps it wasn't necessary; her emotions were written all over her face.

Mom, wise to the ways of the world, easily recognized the turmoil in her daughter's heart.

Clackety-clack, clackety-clack... The train pressed onward. Someone took out a camera to photograph the scenery outside.

If Xueyao had a camera, she would have captured this moment too.

To freeze this fragment of beauty in time.

But a camera... the family didn't have one.

Because they were simply too expensive.

Money, of course, had to be spent where it mattered most.

If they had spare cash, it would be better spent replacing Mom's three-year-old Xiaolingtong phone – the one that got water-damaged and constantly malfunctioned – with a proper mobile phone.

Hmm... or buying herself a phone would be nice too... Xueyao thought wistfully.

Then she snapped back to reality.

Where would that money come from? The surgery itself was already a huge expense. Buying a phone was just a wish, something unlikely to happen for years.

Thinking this, she took a small sip of Coke. Forget the phone... if I could just have Coke once a week, that would be enough.