Chapter 43: Lies

“Boyfriend?”

Seeing me tilt my head, my expression as confused as if I were listening to a foreign language, the Wonton Vendor Uncle grinned widely, revealing two rows of neat yellow teeth on his sun-darkened face.

“Oh my, asking another sharp question again, huh? A young lady as pretty as you having a boyfriend is only natural!”

“I…”

My throat felt stuffed with a soggy cotton ball. If this had been ten days ago, hearing such an absurd question would’ve made me chuckle, but now I was already getting used to the plain-faced girl staring back at me in the mirror.

Besides, if I denied it now, this warm-hearted Northeastern uncle would probably try to arrange a matchmaking session on the spot.

“Mm.”

I heard myself weave a clumsy lie with a gentle tone. “He and I… work at the same place.”

“See! How could such a pretty girl be single!”

He laughed enthusiastically, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes bunching up.

That look of relief was as if he were hearing about his own daughter’s love life.

“Say, young lady, what kind of person is your boyfriend? Don’t worry, I’m not trying to pry. It’s just that my son’s about that age now, and I really don’t know what kind of guys young girls like these days. I asked my daughter, but she wouldn’t tell me. If it’s not convenient for you to say, it’s okay, no pressure. The packed wontons are almost ready anyway.”

How was I supposed to make this up?

I couldn’t exactly say I was still a boy just eleven days ago.

The way the Wonton Vendor Uncle squinted reminded me of those relatives peeking into the pediatrician’s office.

I stared at the steam dissipating into the night and suddenly realized this was the first time since becoming a girl that I was being asked about romance so directly.

Yan Dong’s irritating face popped up out of nowhere—his curses when he smashed the game controller and his carefulness when tying the Head Tie all tangled up in my memory.

“Uncle, as long as your kid isn’t some lazy, good-for-nothing, arrogant fellow, I’m sure he’ll find a girlfriend soon enough.”

“Ha ha ha, hearing you say that really puts my mind at ease.”

While packing the second bowl of wontons, the uncle stuffed half a spoonful of dried shrimp into the plastic bag.

When I took the box, he suddenly lowered his voice: “Here’s some Dried Tangerine Peel for your family’s cough.”

I looked up in surprise.

He just scratched the back of his head and chuckled, “Just saw you zoning out staring at the cough medicine ad.”

The night wind blew away the moisture at my eyes. I bowed sincerely to thank him.

Turning around, I heard him mutter, “Just like my daughter back in the day…”

His words hit my chest like a blunt object—light, yet stirring a faint ache.

When I inserted the key into the rusty lock of the rented room, my mother’s suppressed coughing came from inside, like rusty gears grinding over the darkest memories I tried hard to forget.

I stood in front of the door, took a deep breath, swallowed all my emotions, and slowly lifted a perfect, fifteen-degree smile I had practiced countless times.

“Mom, I’m home~”

As I pushed the door open, my mother’s thin figure was sitting by the entrance, her pale, warm smile under the 15-watt energy-saving bulb seemed more fragile than any vase.

“Mom, didn’t I tell you not to wait by the door?”

The accusatory words lodged in my throat turned into a natural coaxing.

I was a little helpless myself—how had I already become so much like a girl in less than half a month?

“Mom’s fine. Just wanted to see Xiaxia early.”

“Oh, I just came back early. I’ve got good news…”

I crouched beside her obediently, letting the kind old woman gently stroke the top of my head.

“Today, Uncle Yan had some work and worked overtime. The other party gave me a box of Imported Cough Medicine and Dried Tangerine Peel as compensation for the overtime. I happened to see a wonton vendor on the way back, so I bought some.”

“You’re making him worry again. Xiaxia, next time you see Uncle Yan, make sure to thank him properly for Mom.”

Mother coughed lightly, her gaunt fingers twirling a strand of my hair.

“Xiaxia’s hair smells really nice.”

“All right, all right. Mom, eat your dinner.”

At the dinner table, when Mother mentioned that Aunt Wang had come to visit downstairs today, I was resting my cheek on my palm, staring absentmindedly at the drooping green ivy on the windowsill.

“Xiaxia, Aunt Wang downstairs said she wants to introduce a boyfriend to you.”

Mother’s expression remained gentle as ever, but beneath that kindness was a deep guilt she couldn’t hide.

“What’s wrong, Mom?”

“The man said… as long as you become a full-time mom after marriage and have more children…”

The clinking sound of a porcelain spoon hitting the bowl snapped me out of the silence.

I stared blankly at the reflection trembling in the wonton soup, my heart churning with complicated emotions I couldn’t explain.

“Mom, actually, Aunt Wang also talked about this on WeChat.”

Aunt Wang, also out of goodwill, had recommended a matchmaking candidate for me.

I initially didn’t want to entertain it, but obviously, I didn’t have the luxury of being stubborn.

If Mom got sicker and had to be hospitalized, I wouldn’t even be able to afford the hospital fees.

So, in the end, I reluctantly accepted the conditions laid out by the other party.

The match was a developer in his forties who said he especially liked kids.

He thought I was pretty, especially since my Gaokao scores were excellent and I’d won the National Physics Competition Second Prize.

He claimed the children I bore would definitely be smart.

The contract, to be precise, required having three children to receive one million yuan, with an additional 250,000 yuan bonus for each extra child.

The quota demanded giving birth to one child every year starting from the first year of marriage, signing a prenuptial agreement, and a medical examination that deducts 500,000 yuan if I’m not a virgin.

Upon divorce, I’d leave empty-handed, and failing to meet the annual quota would incur a 100,000 yuan penalty.

Honestly, I was still hesitant about this childbearing machine contract.

After all, it was way better than selling a kidney. I’d never thought I’d be worth so much.

“What does Mom think? I’m okay with anything.”

“This matter…”

She covered her mouth, coughing gently a few times.

Seeing my worried gaze, she smiled apologetically.

“Mom refused. Xiaxia won’t blame Mom, will you?”

From outside came the distant roar of a motorcycle.

Yan Dong’s words at the home tutoring center suddenly echoed in my ears: “You are a living person, not a debt-repaying machine.”

I instinctively touched the red scratch on my collarbone left by a baby’s grasp, then lightly laughed, “Good thing you turned this down. I was just worrying about how to tell you about my boyfriend.”

Under Mom’s suddenly brightened eyes, I softly added, “He’s a senior from the medical school. Once his internship ends, I’ll bring him home to meet you.”

The night was deep and quiet.

When the clock showed 12:25 a.m., after reviewing today’s lessons, I rubbed my heavy eyelids and added several Convenience Store Night Shift and supermarket job postings to my favorites before stretching my arms.

“So sleepy.”

Once Mom could come downstairs, I’d find a late shift at a Convenience Store.

Studying at home or working the checkout was pretty much the same, and I could save some electricity too.

I untied the Head Tie, letting my smooth long hair cascade down.

My fingertips brushed the cool Jasmine Petal on the tie, my mind filled with the words Yan Auntie said before leaving.

“Yan Madam’s old thing.”

I still couldn’t understand why this hair tie was tied to a servant’s hair.

Maybe it was a reward for my good grades.

The absurd conclusion popped into my mind, and the gentle girl in the mirror suddenly chuckled softly, just like when I saw the contract terms on the subway.

After all, there really were people in this world who cared so much about my exam results.

Wasn’t that something to be happy about?

Just as I was about to get up and wash, my phone suddenly vibrated.

I looked at the screen in confusion—“Yan Dong.”

I raised the phone to my ear.

“Hello, young master, is something wrong?”

“Nothing, just checking in.”