Volume 0 / Chapter 11: The Bustling Metropolis

The journey wasn't overly long, but Xueyao fell asleep to the cool breeze blowing against her face.

She was jolted awake by Mom, realizing they had arrived.

Shanghai. One of China's four premier first-tier cities.

Though neighboring Hangzhou was a provincial capital, it felt like a backward little town compared to Shanghai.

It was around 10 AM. The blazing sun hung high overhead.

Stepping out of the train station, waves of heat assaulted them.

Xueyao looked up, but what dominated her view were the towering buildings lining the streets.

In Hangzhou, skyscrapers clustered mainly in the city center, and even then, they weren't this imposing – mostly around ten stories, with few exceeding twenty.

Here in Shanghai, twenty-plus story buildings were commonplace, and in the distance, the soaring Oriental Pearl Tower pierced the skyline.

It was a world of concrete and steel.

Though there was greenery, the feeling it evoked was utterly different from Hangzhou's.

"Is this a metropolis...?" Xueyao murmured, wide-eyed, feeling not awe but a sense of oppression. Buildings loomed everywhere, seeming to block out the very sky.

Near Shanghai South Railway Station, many areas were under construction. Roads already not particularly wide were further narrowed, creating heavy traffic congestion.

"Are we taking a bus?" Xueyao asked.

"No, Dr. Wang said we could take the metro." Mom stood on the street corner, looking around, seemingly lost. She had to approach an elderly gentleman passing by. "Excuse me, sir, could you tell us where to take Metro Line 1?"

"You just..."

The old man gave directions. Mom seemed to grasp the general direction. Though she also appeared to be visiting Shanghai for the first time, Xueyao followed her with complete trust. As long as Mom was there, nothing felt unsolvable. She always handled the challenges.

"Is this the metro?" Xueyao exclaimed as they entered the spacious underground space. Hangzhou felt like it lagged twenty years behind technologically, while this felt like stepping into the futuristic underground world of a sci-fi movie.

"Yeah. Let me see, where do we buy tickets..."

Being their first metro ride, just figuring out the ticket machines took them in circles. They finally managed to select their station and purchase two tickets.

Holding their tickets, they approached the automatic turnstiles. Mom went first, swiping her ticket. A red light flashed; she couldn't pass. After several failed attempts, people behind them started getting impatient.

"You need to stand outside the gate to swipe. You can't swipe from inside," a kind passenger finally advised. They both finally made it through, breathing sighs of relief.

"All this automation isn't necessarily a good thing," Xueyao grumbled.

"It's just unfamiliar to you," another passenger remarked.

Xueyao smiled sheepishly and followed Mom down the stairs with the crowd.

After confirming the direction, mother and daughter waited on the platform. Observing the dense crowd, Xueyao leaned close to Mom's ear. "Wow, Shanghai really is advanced."

"No wonder so many people want to come here to make their fortune," Mom replied with a slight smile. "Alright, the train's here. Let's get on."

Xueyao squeezed into the carriage with the crowd, feeling like a sardine packed in a tin.

"Besides the lack of seats, it's not much different from a train," Xueyao commented, pushing towards a less crowded spot. She finally found a pole to hold onto, securing a stable place to stand.

At only 1.58 meters tall, Xueyao was easily lost in the crowd. She couldn't get fresh air, only a complex and unpleasant mix of smells filling the carriage.

"People's Square! We need to get off!" Mom, standing on tiptoe to see the station signs, grabbed Xueyao's wrist and started pushing towards the exit.

They exited the metro station after returning their tickets.

"Whew... I was suffocating," Xueyao gasped. "I never want to ride the metro again."

"Buses are worse. At least the metro is faster." Mom pulled a note from her pocket and handed it to Xueyao. "Check this. How do we go from here?"

"Can't you look yourself..." Xueyao mumbled but took the note. "Wait! Mom, we took the wrong exit!"

"Did we?"

"Yeah! We should have used Exit 20!"

So, they went back into the station and emerged from the correct exit.

The rest was easier. Straight ahead, left at the first intersection, straight again, then left at the next intersection, and walk straight for about a kilometer. Finally, they saw the large characters: Shanghai Changzheng Hospital.

Xueyao instinctively took half a step back.

Mom grabbed her hand.

"What's wrong? Scared now that we're here?"

"Uh..." Xueyao swallowed. "It still feels... like entering the palace to become a eunuch..."

"Don't talk nonsense! It's not becoming a eunuch; it's becoming a real girl – which you should be! Honestly, if you were a boy but stayed so petite, that's what would worry me as your mother!"

"..." Xueyao rolled her eyes dramatically and pulled her hand free. "Don't pull me. I can walk by myself."

Entering Changzheng Hospital, Mom called Dr. Wang. He said he was already there today, in the hospital, with other hospital leaders. He instructed them to come to the office.

Not long after their last meeting, Xueyao saw Dr. Wang again.

"Hello, Uncle, Auntie..." she greeted listlessly, lingering at the door, unwilling to enter. Knowing the surgery was necessary didn't stop deep-seated resistance and fear.

"What's wrong, Xueyao? Come in, there's a seat for you," Dr. Wang said, half-joking, half-serious.

"..." Xueyao suddenly felt a headache coming on. Was it psychological, or were her organs affecting her nerves again? The pain intensified rapidly. "Damn it, it hurts like hell!" she cursed involuntarily.

The atmosphere in the office froze, then the older men all chuckled.

"Headache again?" Mom asked with concern.

"Yeah... really hurts..." Xueyao rubbed her temples, plopped onto the sofa with her legs spread, sinking into it bonelessly, not wanting to move a muscle.

"We've scheduled Xueyao's surgery for first thing tomorrow morning," Dr. Wang said directly to Yang Xiaoyu. "Remember, no food or water tomorrow morning. Be here by 8 AM."

"Okay," Mom nodded. She then placed a bag of local specialties on the coffee table, looking slightly embarrassed. "Just some local things, nothing expensive. Please don't mind."

It was some West Lake Lotus Root Starch and Longjing tea – the ordinary kind, as they couldn't afford the premium.

"Oh, you shouldn't have!"

"It's only right..."

"Really, there's no need. We take all patients seriously and will certainly perform Xueyao's surgery well."

"It's only proper... consider it a gift between friends."

Dr. Wang shook his head helplessly and didn't argue further. Years as a doctor taught him that sometimes, refusing a patient's family's gift could breed distrust. Chinese culture was peculiar that way – people only felt reassured once their gift was accepted.

"Now, regarding post-surgery matters... Follow-up check-ups can be done directly at Hangzhou First Hospital. Psychological counseling is also available there; doctors will be ready for you. For the first three months, go monthly. After that, every three months. Including the first three, six sessions total over a twelve-month observation period."

He then listed numerous precautions.

Mom, with only a second-grade education, struggled to write everything down. Xueyao couldn't bear to watch and took over the note-taking herself.

There were quite a few things to watch for, especially the first month. Diet needed strict attention – bland food, preferably liquid-based like meat porridge.

"We'll do a full check-up today to prepare for tomorrow's surgery. Make sure to tell us about any allergies."

"Allergies...? I don't think I have any?" Xueyao shook her head, bewildered.

She was then taken for various examinations, which took most of the morning and seemed quite complex.

"This child is in excellent physical health," Dr. Wang announced happily. "Even better, since she already has a vaginal canal internally, our task is simplified. We primarily need to reposition the urethra and other tissues into place. We just need to make one incision and relocate those organs. We don't even need to reconstruct the hymen; it's already present."

Xueyao heard these blunt medical terms and immediately blushed, turning to look out the corridor window.

"Haha, no need to be shy, these are very normal medical terms. The structure of the human body was taught in your classes, right? It should have been covered in junior high?"

"It was..." Xueyao rubbed her head where the pain had lessened slightly and muttered softly, "But in real life, people rarely say them out loud directly..."

"So, the situation is better than expected?" Mom steered the conversation back to the matter itself.

"Yes. This means we can save more on medical expenses, and only needs a final check-up when discharged. After that, unless problems arise, there's no need for further check-ups or dilation." Doctor Wang smiled and patted Xueyao's head. "Such a case is truly rare... However, you parents also need to be prepared for psychological counseling. If there really is a psychological hurdle she can't overcome, she must go to Hangzhou First Municipal Hospital to see the psychologist specializing in this matter."

"Thank you, Doctor Wang." Mom smiled. "Then... we just need to come back tomorrow?"

"The surgery is tomorrow, so stay at the hospital tonight. A single room has been prepared for you—don't worry, we'll only charge the price of the cheapest ward."

"Thank you...!"

Xueyao listened to the conversation between her mom and the doctor behind her, staring blankly at the sky. The closer the surgery time came, the more she felt fear and resistance...