Chapter 69: A Bitter New Year’s Eve

In the blink of an eye, another Lunar New Year’s Eve arrived. This year, Yue Renhui once again chose not to return to his hometown, opting instead to stay and earn a little more money.

After closing the shop, his adoptive mother, Wu Bijuan, was busy in the kitchen preparing a lavish feast, while his adoptive father, Yue Renhui, sat with Lin Duo on the sofa, watching television.

Midway through, Yue Renhui suddenly grew sentimental, patting Lin Duo’s shoulder with his large hand.

“Daughter,” he said, “it’s thanks to you that these last two Lunar New Year’s Eves have truly felt like home. Before you came, your mother and I barely celebrated the New Year; we’d just eat and go to bed early.”

“Dad, the past is behind us now. From this day forward, we’ll always be a family!”

Lin Duo nestled her small head sweetly into her adoptive father’s embrace, a look of pure contentment on her face.

Yue Renhui was rarely one to show emotion, yet at this moment, his eyes were visibly moist.

“Indeed, a family,” he murmured. “Your mother and I finally have a complete home. Before, we worked simply to survive and earn money, but now we have something more to look forward to: seeing you grow up, get into a good university, find a good job, marry a wonderful man who loves and cherishes you, and then, to see you have healthy children.”

“By then, we’ll likely be retired, and with you and your future husband possibly busy with work, we can help care for the children, taking them for strolls around the neighborhood every day. That, truly, is the joy of family!”

Watching the happiness and anticipation radiating from her adoptive father’s face, Lin Duo struggled to suppress the sadness in her heart, forcing a brilliant smile.

“Yes, definitely!” she affirmed.

Around six o’clock in the evening, the dishes were all prepared, filling the table with an abundant spread. The family ate, watched television, and chatted together.

Naturally, their conversation revolved mostly around Lin Duo: how her new classmates and teachers were, whether her studies were too stressful, or if she needed new clothes or skincare products.

In truth, Lin Duo hadn’t performed well in her final exams, even regressing compared to her midterms. Yet, her adoptive parents never showed the slightest reproach, instead encouraging her to adjust her mindset and not put too much pressure on herself.

During the Spring Festival Gala, a skit featured a segment with a man dressed as a woman. Of course, as it was a skit purely for entertainment, the portrayal was not at all realistic.

After a laugh, however, Wu Bijuan recalled something else. “Old man,” she began, “do you remember my second sister’s nephew? He stayed with us for a while five years ago, accompanying her sister.”

Yue Renhui took a sip of his spirits and nodded.

“I do remember,” he replied. “The boy was fair-skinned and quiet, almost like a young girl. Why do you ask?”

Wu Bijuan sighed. “Oh, it’s a terrible sin to even speak of it! That young nephew, for some reason, suddenly decided he wanted to be a woman and demanded that my second sister and her husband sign the surgical consent forms.”

“Of course, my second sister’s family refused, but then the boy actually attempted suicide, slitting his wrists and swallowing sleeping pills. He didn’t die, but it’s been such an ordeal.”

Lin Duo’s small hand, poised to pick up a dish, suddenly froze. She listened intently, her tension palpable.

Yue Renhui’s thick brows furrowed deeply.

“Why would a perfectly good man insist on becoming a woman?” he scoffed. “Can women carry on the family line? Can they endure hardship and toil? Besides, he can’t even become a real woman; he’ll just end up as some neither-male-nor-female freak, unable to hold his head high when people point and stare. He’s truly sick!”

“Exactly!” Wu Bijuan nodded emphatically. “It’s been about a month since this happened. Last week, my second sister called me, and she started crying as she talked about it, saying she must have committed some sin in a past life to give birth to such a disloyal, unfilial, neither-male-nor-female monstrosity. Even the villagers whisper and laugh behind their backs.”

“Ah, I imagine they’re not having a very pleasant New Year’s celebration!”

“What a sin, what a sin!” Yue Renhui muttered, shaking his head with a frown before taking another gulp of wine. “Forget it, though. Why talk about such depressing things during the New Year? Their family celebrates their way, and we celebrate ours. It has nothing to do with us.”

At that moment, Wu Bijuan noticed something amiss with Lin Duo, casting a curious glance her way.

“Daughter, what’s wrong?” she asked. “Your face suddenly looks so pale.”

“I… I might be a little cold,” Lin Duo stammered. “I’ll go put on another layer…”

With that excuse, Lin Duo slipped into her bedroom, locked the door, and let her tears fall silently.

Though she had long surmised her adoptive parents’ attitude towards people like her, hearing them voice it themselves still felt like a dagger twisting in her heart.

While Lin Duo had always believed she had done nothing wrong, society did not bend to individual beliefs. Her adoptive parents were merely upholding the widely accepted values of their community.

Within this value system, boys were expected to be strong, brave, and stand tall like true men. Girls, conversely, were to be gentle and graceful, striving to become virtuous wives and loving mothers.

Should anyone deviate from this framework of character—be it an effeminate man or an overly assertive woman—they would be met with rejection and ridicule from the majority.

And if someone dared to challenge the ultimate boundary of changing one’s gender, they would face the contempt and disdain of nearly everyone.

Lin Duo had long understood this harsh reality, yet every time it resurfaced in her mind, a wave of heartache and anguish would wash over her.

Just then, her adoptive mother’s voice echoed from outside the door. “Xiaoduo? Are you alright?”

Lin Duo quickly wiped away her tears, struggling to regain her composure. “I’m fine, Mom,” she called out, “I’ll be out as soon as I change.”

Lin Duo could not allow her adoptive parents to discover her secret, not now, at least. Otherwise, she knew, a scene akin to the end of the world awaited her.

After dinner, as midnight drew near, the family gathered at the doorway, lighting firecrackers and fireworks to welcome the New Year.

Yet, as the dazzling fireworks burst overhead, Lin Duo’s heart was filled with a bitter taste. ‘How many more Lunar New Year’s Eves like this can I truly have?’ she wondered.

Returning to the living room, Lin Duo remembered the custom. She had her adoptive parents sit on the sofa, then bowed respectfully.

“Happy New Year, Mom and Dad! May all your wishes come true, may you have peace and safety, may your hearts’ desires be fulfilled, may your good fortune be as vast as the Eastern Sea, and your longevity as enduring as the Southern Mountains!”

Wu Bijuan was beaming, her smile so wide it almost split her face. “Look at our daughter,” she chuckled, “getting more articulate by the day!”

“Indeed!” Yue Renhui said with a hearty laugh, handing over a prepared red envelope. “You’re in high school now, and you’ll be sixteen soon.”

“Back in our hometown, sixteen is considered adulthood—old enough to venture out into the world on your own. This money is a bit more than usual, but your mother and I know you’re sensible and won’t waste it. If you see any clothes you like, buy them! After all, our daughter is so lovely; it would be a shame not to dress up!”

The red envelope was indeed substantial, yet a shadow of doubt lingered stubbornly in Lin Duo’s heart. ‘If my adoptive parents knew my true situation,’ she wondered, ‘would they still treat me this way?’

Wu Bijuan sensed Lin Duo’s mood, asking with concern. “Daughter, are you still thinking about that boy? Ah, that whole affair is in the past now. Just be more careful when you look for a boyfriend in the future.”

“You’re still studying, so there’s no need to rush into romance. Look how beautiful you’ve become; you’ll have plenty of excellent men pursuing you later on.”

“Understood, Mom!” Lin Duo replied, nodding along to avoid raising her adoptive parents’ suspicions.

That night, lying on her familiar small bed, with the incessant crackle of firecrackers filling her ears, Lin Duo’s heart felt utterly hollow. Sleep eluded her for a long time.

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