Volume 0 / Chapter 4: Breaking the News

The Hangzhou night of 1999 lacked the dazzling prosperity it would have twenty years later.

Sparse, dim yellow streetlights lit the way for pedestrians.

Though the city wasn't prosperous, it was still noisy.

Night stalls lined the street, their owners' small lamps brightening the otherwise gloomy road.

Cheap colored lights flashed, trying to mimic the neon glamour of big cities.

The smell of barbecue drifted lazily from afar. Mo Xueyao's mom had just stepped off the bus and was looking around, seemingly trying to get her bearings.

She couldn't help glancing at the roadside barbecue stalls and chuckled to herself, "If Xue Yao were here, he'd be pestering me to buy some, for sure."

Walking past the bustling night market, she entered a very proper-looking residential complex.

A neatly dressed security guard at the gate raised his hand to stop her. "Excuse me, ma'am, are you a resident of this complex?"

"No, I'm not..."

"Then please register here." The guard wasn't dismissive, nor was he overly friendly, just strictly businesslike.

Mo Xueyao's mom walked awkwardly to the security booth and wrote her name and the house number she was visiting in not-so-pretty handwriting.

"Please wait a moment. I need to call the resident to notify them." The dutiful guard picked up the internal phone and dialed Yu Liang's landline. "Hello? Is this Mr. Yu? There's a lady here to visit you. Oh, you know? Alright, alright, sorry to bother you."

Only after getting confirmation did the guard smile and signal she could go in.

She breathed a sigh of relief. Entering this high-end complex with strict security made her feel genuinely uneasy.

Ding-dong— Ding-dong—

"Coming, coming!" The door was opened by Yu Liang's daughter, ten years younger than Mo Xueyao. "Hi, Auntie!"

"Ah, what a well-behaved child!" Mo Xueyao's Mother smiled and placed a bag of fresh, though inexpensive, fruit on Yu Liang's table. "Didn't have much to bring from home, just bought some fruit on the way. Hope you like it."

"What's with the formality between us?!" Yu Liang shook his head. Suddenly noticing his wife's sidelong glance, he quickly added, "I am your child's godfather! Why so polite?"

"Yes, no need for such courtesy," Yu Liang's wife chimed in with a smile.

Yu Liang's wife was younger than Mo Xueyao's mom. One stayed home raising children and took good care of herself; the other worked outside all day and came home to manage household chores. They didn't even look like they belonged to the same generation.

Both were in their thirties, yet one looked barely twenty, the other seemed to be pushing forty.

"Xiao Yao, playing games at Godfather's place again?"

"Ah, Mom, you're here." Mo Xueyao put down the game controller awkwardly, though his eyes lingered longingly on the screen.

"Let the kid play! A bit of fun now and then is good. Xiao Yao's a good boy; he won't lose himself to it." Yu Liang pulled Mo Xueyao's Mother aside. "I need to talk to you about something else."

"What is it? Why so secretive? Aren't you afraid your wife will get suspicious?"

"Ahem, not joking... uh, it's important, Yang Xiaoyu." Yu Liang called her by her full name, Yang Xiaoyu, very seriously. "Let's talk in the study."

"Oh..." Yang Xiaoyu seemed flustered.

Yu Liang turned and called to his wife busy in the kitchen, "Honey—! Xiaoyu and I are going to the study to talk. If you need anything, come find us there."

"Alright, got it."

Inside the study, Yu Liang closed the door, poured tea for both of them, and only then sat down.

"What is it? Hurry up and tell me," Yang Xiaoyu urged anxiously.

"It's about Xueyao. His stomach pain today, the hospital checkup."

"...Is it serious after all?" Yang Xiaoyu tensed instantly. "A serious illness? Not cancer? Or a tumor?"

"No, no..." Yu Liang shook his head. "Not a critical illness."

"...Whew." Yang Xiaoyu relaxed slightly, but her heart was still suspended.

"It's like this, Xiao Yao... he should actually be a girl."

"Huh? Pfft, Yu Liang, oh Yu Liang, you're still as humorous as when you were young? Making jokes like this now?" Yang Xiaoyu said with a smile, seeming much more at ease.

"...Listen to me, I'm serious. The doctor said Xiao Yao has a female intersex condition. Meaning, she was always a girl, just with extra... externally..."

"What do you mean?"

"It means the stomach pain is caused by the external organs inhibiting her development during puberty, pressing on nerves and causing a chain reaction. This time it's stomach pain; next time it could be headaches. If the pain gets severe, it could affect her life later on. And she needs surgery soon. After the surgery, Xueyao will be a real girl." Yu Liang got it all out in one breath. "Xiaoyu , this really isn't a joke."

"..." Yang Xiaoyu took a deep breath and nodded. "The doctor means... the sooner the surgery, the better?"

"Yes. Stomach pain is one thing; if it turns into headaches later, it'll be much worse. You know, some people have their lives almost ruined by headaches – they can't think clearly or study properly."

"Then... how much did the doctor say it costs?" Yang Xiaoyu nervously twisted her fingers.

"Because it's a special case with research value, they'll waive most of the medical fees." Yu Liang held up five fingers. "Around fifty thousand yuan."

"That expensive?" The words escaped her lips.

"Well, it's a surgery rarely performed in China right now... So they're bringing in experts in the field. I suspect they're even waiving the experts' surgical fees. That figure likely just covers hospitalization and medication."

Yang Xiaoyu's voice dropped. "This... I need to think about it."

"Mm, it's alright. It's just a small thing. If your savings aren't enough, you can always borrow from me," Yu Liang said with a reassuring smile. "Fifty thousand yuan, I can manage it."

Yang Xiaoyu gave a bitter smile. She knew Yu Liang's household expenses weren't small. They might look well-off, but spending was high, and actual savings weren't that much. Twenty thousand yuan, maybe he could scrape together. But fifty thousand? Even Yu Liang would need to borrow from others.

After all, he'd only just become section chief. Though it was a career upswing, his pockets weren't deep yet.

If he really had fifty thousand saved, he'd probably have put it towards a car down payment already, not waited till now.

It was precisely because the amount wasn't trivial that she hesitated.

Yang Xiaoyu knew Yu Liang well.

But her own family had even less in savings.

Scraping together every bit from both their bank accounts, they might have ten thousand yuan at most.

Their combined monthly income was only about 1,500 yuan. Daily expenses for food, clothing, housing, transportation, plus Mo Xueyao's school costs... Occasionally buying clothes or furniture...

Saving eight hundred yuan a month was already considered very frugal.

Last year, to help Xiao Yao get into a good school, they spent money on tutoring classes, draining their meager savings further.

And Mo Xueyao's Father’s job wasn't very stable. The company's performance wasn't great, and management was considering layoffs...

One thing after another kept piling up.

Just like the saying goes – It never rains but it pours.

"Alright, it's a small matter, don't worry. I have thirty thousand in my account right now. Add in my wife's, we could scrape together seventy or eighty thousand." Yu Liang smiled reassuringly. "And my money? No interest. Don't feel pressured."

"When did you manage to save thirty thousand?" Yang Xiaoyu asked with a faint smile. "Something's not right here?"

"That was for the car! Most of the money is still with my wife. Lately, I've been scrimping and saving, you know. Tsk, once you've driven a car, you just can't go back."

"Wouldn't driving a company car be better? Everything gets reimbursed."

"Not really. Company cars need inspections, it's a hassle. Your own car, you can do whatever. Besides, gas money gets reimbursed anyway." Yu Liang drained his cup of warm tea. "Alright, pick a day soon. I'll go with you to take Xiao Yao to the hospital. We need to settle this quickly, put everyone's minds at ease. Don't leave it hanging, keeping us up at night."

"But... is the hospital in Hangzhou really okay?" Yang Xiaoyu voiced her worry again.

"If not, we'll go to a hospital in Shanghai. Their medical facilities are definitely up to par. We can coordinate with the doctors then. Actually, those specialists might even be coming from Shanghai themselves." Yu Liang smiled reassuringly. "Besides, the medical equipment needed for this surgery isn't exactly top-of-the-line cutting-edge stuff. Don't worry too much."

"Mmm..." Yang Xiaoyu carried her heavy heart as she and Yu Liang left the study.

The dining table in the living room was already laden with food, ready for dinner.

Mo Xueyao and his mom ate dinner, and then he reluctantly said goodbye to his godfather.

"Let me drive you. It's convenient."

"No need, no need. The last bus is still running." Mo Xueyao's mom shook her head. "The bus terminal is right nearby anyway."

"Ah." Yu Liang glanced at his wife, then smiled. "Alright then. Be careful on the way."

"Bye Godfather! Bye Godmom! Bye little sis!"

"Big brother~ Bye~! Come play again soon!" Yu Liang's daughter waved energetically, her little face beaming.

So, the two of them left, hurrying into the bus terminal.

The last bus was nearly empty. Counting the driver and the two of them, there were only five people.

The interior lights weren't on, making it feel unusually dark inside, quite different from the usual daytime buses.

Mo Xueyao felt a thrill of excitement. He swung his legs, looking out the window, loving this unusual atmosphere.

"Xueyao"

"Yeah?"

"Would you... ever want to be a girl?"

"Pfft! Mom, what are you even saying?!"