Chapter 19: A Family Secret and a Flirtatious Remedy

– There are still ten days until the holiday… I, I’ll go back a day early – Su Mian’s voice still held a tremor of lingering shock.

– Good, that’s fine. Your sister, Xiao Xue, will also be back this time. Oh, by the way, why do I hear a broadcast in the background? Are you outside? –

Listening to his mother’s concerned voice, Su Mian hesitated repeatedly before stammering out the details of his body’s abnormalities and his recent visit to the hospital.

A brief silence fell on the other end of the line. Then, his mother actually let out a light laugh, a sound devoid of any worry, but instead filled with a sort of… knowing ease.

– Oh, my silly Mian Mian, I thought it was something serious! – his mother’s voice brimmed with amusement. –

There’s no need to go to the hospital for a check-up; those are all normal bodily phenomena. It just means our Mian Mian is growing up! –

– N-normal?! – Su Mian was utterly bewildered. – Mom! How is this normal? I’m a boy! –

– Have you forgotten what Mom told you before? Our family has a special situation; your gender will enter a stabilization period after you turn eighteen.

These reactions now are your body reminding you that you need to quickly find a sweet romance to help your gender stabilize down – his mother said casually, as if remarking on the good weather.

– So, have you made any progress with that girl Zhixia? Didn’t she promise you that once you started university… –

At the mention of Shen Zhixia, a wave of grievance instantly surged through Su Mian, his voice tinged with a whimper.

– She… she fell for someone else after starting university… –

– Oh, is that so… – His mother’s voice showed no great surprise, remaining gentle.

– It’s alright, love is free, after all. Our Mian Mian is such a catch, there’s no fear of not finding a good girl. If it really comes down to it, Mom can help you pick out a few sweet and lovely girls for you to meet? –

– No need, Mom! I can manage by myself! – Su Mian immediately refused. ‘He couldn’t let his mother interfere with his plan to win back Shen Zhixia and get revenge on Xiao Moyuan.’

– Oh? You don’t need Mom’s help? – His mother’s voice paused, then took on a subtle curiosity and… a hint of excitement. – Could it be… our Mian Mian likes boys now? Actually, being a girl is quite nice too; Mom will always support any choice you make! –

Su Mian could even detect a hint of unconcealed… anticipation in his mother’s tone over the phone.

– What’s so good about it! – Su Mian, both ashamed and annoyed, instinctively puffed out his cheeks, a gesture that made him look even more like a pouting little girl.

– If I turn into a girl, won’t our family have no male heir to carry on the family line?! –

– Silly child, why do you need to worry about carrying on the family line? Your mother is still young! – his mother interrupted, laughing. – You just take care of yourself. Don’t keep hanging onto Shen Zhixia; fate cannot be forced. –

– Alright, let’s not talk about that for now – His mother changed the subject, her tone becoming a little more serious.

– You absolutely must come back for Mid-Autumn Festival. You and your sister haven’t seen each other in so long, and your relationship being so strained isn’t good. Take advantage of this holiday to properly mend things, understood? –

Upon hearing this, Su Mian instinctively pursed his lips. His relationship with his sister, Su Baixue, was simply too complicated to explain.

He couldn’t say he particularly disliked his sister, but ever since Su Xue started junior high, she had inexplicably begun to distance herself from him and look down on him.

Later, she even went to an expensive private boarding school, resulting in the siblings meeting only a few times a year, barely more than strangers.

– I know, I’ll try – he mumbled in response.

Seeing his mother about to hang up, Su Mian hastily brought the conversation back. – Mom! You still haven’t explained clearly! Why am I the only one with this ‘condition’? Isn’t my sister perfectly normal? –

On the other end of the line, his mother’s voice held a perfunctory, cooing tone, as if soothing a child.

– Oh dear, there’s no need to pay too much attention to such details! Anyway, whether Mian Mian is a boy or a girl, Mom will love you just the same! –

– This detail has a huge impact on me! – Su Mian was practically tearing his hair out.

– Alright, alright, these things can’t be explained in just a few words over the phone – His mother’s voice carried a hint of imperceptible haste.

– I’ll find a suitable time and slowly tell you all about your body’s situation. That’s all for now, I have something else to attend to here, hanging up! –

– Hello? Mom?! –

Before Su Mian could press further, the ‘beep-beep’ of a busy signal already echoed from the receiver.

Su Mian gazed at the examination report in his hand, now somewhat crumpled from his grip, his heart filled with a sense of powerlessness.

Though none of his questions were resolved, he at least knew this wasn’t some fatal strange illness, and it seemed to be connected to his family.

Since his mother had said as much, there was no need for him to waste more money on further examinations.

The most pressing matter was to find a time to go home and get to the bottom of all this!

On the way back to school, Su Mian’s thoughts were a tangled mess. Too many things had happened today: his body’s abnormalities, the humiliation at the hospital, his mother’s vague explanations… yet all of it, strangely, pointed to the same source—Xiao Moyuan.

Thinking of Xiao Moyuan, the scene of him accepting Shen Zhixia’s closeness in the classroom earlier that day vividly resurfaced in his mind.

A powerful surge of jealousy and anger once again welled up in his heart.

‘That bastard! That scumbag! Online, they’re already calling each other ‘husband and wife’ and starting an online relationship, yet in reality, he’s still being ambiguous with Shen Zhixia!

This is clearly the behavior of a two-timing jerk!’

The more he thought about it, the angrier and more wronged he felt, a sensation of being deceived and betrayed gnawing at his heart.

Yet, he was powerless to do anything about it; the disparity in their real-life statuses meant he didn’t even have the right to confront him directly.

‘No! He had to speed things up! He needed to conquer Xiao Moyuan faster online, make him completely fall, to quell this hatred in his heart!’

He took a deep breath, opened his phone, and tapped on the pink chat window. He discovered that Xiao Moyuan had actually sent him a message while he was at his appointment.

[Yuan: What are you doing?]

Those three simple words made Su Mian’s heart skip a beat.

He immediately embraced his inner drama queen, beginning to compose a reply that would portray him as pitiful and desperately in need of care, aiming to stir the other’s protective instincts and… guilt?

[Sweet Marshmallow: Gege… I was alone at the hospital today, feeling a little scared… (Crying kitten.jpg) I really wish you could be by my side…]

Not long after the message was sent, his phone vibrated.

[Yuan: Hospital? What happened?]

Su Mian looked at the screen, his eyes darting as he decided to fully commit to his ‘sickly’ persona, but carefully avoiding any sensitive words that might cause misunderstanding.

Blushing, his fingers flew across the keyboard, striving to make his tone sound both dependent and fragile:

[Sweet Marshmallow: It’s just… my chest feels a bit heavy and uncomfortable… (Weak) Maybe it’s because I miss Gege so much, just thinking about it makes this place feel sore and swollen… (Pouting pitifully)]

He deliberately used terms like “heavy chest” and “sore and swollen” which described both emotions and vague physical sensations, conveying discomfort while also being full of emotional coquetry.

The message was sent successfully.

Su Mian held his breath, waiting.

A few seconds later, the other party’s reply popped up.

[Yuan: …Speak properly.]

Although he didn’t receive the gentle concern he’d anticipated, this slightly helpless reply made Su Mian feel like he had a chance.

He decided to add more fuel to the fire, using a more direct emotional appeal to stir the other party, rather than subtle physical hints.

[Sweet Marshmallow: I’m telling you my true feelings! (Pouting with hands on hips.jpg)

It’s precisely because I can’t see Gege that this place (pointing to his heart) feels so empty and painful! Gege, when will you truly be by my side? I don’t want to only miss you through my phone…]

This time, Xiao Moyuan’s reply was a little slower, as if he was deliberating.

[Yuan: Mid-Autumn Festival.]

‘It was still the time he was most fixated on.’

[Yuan: Since you miss me so much, don’t make excuses then.]

Su Mian looked at the screen; though the other party remained hatefully calm, he had at least caught the “emotional reliance” bait Su Mian had thrown. Just as he was about to continue his act, Xiao Moyuan’s next message arrived.

[Yuan: However, for your kind of ‘illness’… I do have a folk remedy.]

Su Mian paused, then instinctively replied.

[Sweet Marshmallow: What kind of folk remedy? (Curious kitten head.jpg)]

[Yuan: Just look at the messages I send you more often, and listen to my voice; your ‘symptoms’ will naturally lessen.]

Su Mian: “!!!”

‘That guy! He was clearly telling him not to be annoying, but saying it in such a deadpan, joking manner… it was damnably flirtatious!’

The blush that had just receded at the hospital swept over him once more, instantly engulfing Su Mian’s cheeks, ears, and even his neck.

He tumbled onto the bed, clutching his phone, burying his hot face in the blankets. His heart was a mix of shame and annoyance, along with an ineffable thrill of being unexpectedly outmaneuvered.

‘Damn it! He was supposed to be the one conquering the other, so why did it feel like his rhythm was constantly being thrown off?!’