Chapter 9: A New Beginning and a Surprising Offer

During dinner, the Yue couple mostly discussed business matters, such as which fruits to stock more of or which wholesaler offered better goods. Lin Duo remembered it being the same when she lived at home; her parents would talk about work while she quietly ate, then washed dishes and did her homework. However, the Yue couple seemed more attentive to her. Wu Bijuan proactively placed a piece of meat into Lin Duo’s bowl.

“Eat more, look how thin you are; it seems a gust of wind could carry you away.”

Lin Duo nodded obediently. Although she wasn’t particularly fond of greasy fatty meat, she swallowed it whole.

Wu Bijuan gazed kindly at the delicate, slender, yet strong and earnest ‘little girl’ before her.

“I know you were a student before, sitting in a classroom every day. It must be hard to suddenly do so much physical work, but everything takes time to adapt. When I was sixteen, I went to work in a factory down south, and I’d often stand for fourteen hours straight.

“For the first few days, I felt like my legs would break. Every night, I would cry in the dormitory, missing home. But after working there for a long time, I gradually adapted. Now, even if you make me stand all day, I won’t feel too tired.”

Yue Renhui added to her point.

“Indeed, factory work is far more exhausting than what we do here. They’re called sweatshops for a reason; did you think the name was chosen idly?”

“I understand everything you’ve said, and I’m incredibly grateful you’ve given me this opportunity for a trial!” Lin Duo’s gaze was exceptionally earnest. “Though I’m still a beginner, with much to learn and many mistakes I’ll surely make, I promise to do my utmost to excel at this job!”

The Yue couple exchanged a smile.

“Alright, alright. We’ll see your performance. Just don’t let your enthusiasm only last three days.”

In truth, Lin Duo remained incredibly diligent and hardworking over the next few days. On one hand, her employers treated her well, and she harbored a desire to repay their kindness. On the other, she was driven by the pressure of survival.

Lin Duo had begun to grasp the harsh realities of society and the workplace. Losing this job would likely mean ending up on the streets, so she naturally dared not be negligent.

Nearly a week had passed when Wu Bijuan noticed a problem.

“Duoduo, why do you always wear the same outfit? Didn’t you bring any other clothes?”

Lin Duo lowered her head, looking disheartened, and offered no reply. She yearned for the beautiful women’s clothing in the shops, but did she truly have the financial means to buy them?

Being a veteran of society, Wu Bijuan instantly recognized the root of the problem. She pulled out a stack of banknotes from her purse and handed them over.

“Here’s 1,200 yuan. Consider it a pre-payment for your first month’s trial period salary.”

“Aunt Wu, are you… are you trying to send me away?” Lin Duo’s large eyes filled with apprehension.

Wu Bijuan affectionately patted her head.

“No, it’s just so you can go out and buy some pretty clothes. Look how naturally radiant and pretty you are; what a shame not to doll yourself up a bit! I’ll watch the shop. Go on, just don’t come back too late.”

“Thank you, Aunt Wu!” Receiving the banknotes, Lin Duo bowed slightly, filled with gratitude.

However, after getting the money, Lin Duo didn’t immediately seek out a clothing store. Instead, she logged into QQ on her phone and quickly contacted her medication vendor, ordering a five-month supply at once. The rest was the usual procedure: specify the delivery location, send a postal money order, and then wait.

Lin Duo’s decision to buy such a large quantity was carefully considered. Firstly, the gum container she used to store her medication was almost empty. Secondly, her current job meant she spent virtually the entire day with the boss and his wife, leaving her with little personal space or freedom.

Therefore, it was better to buy more at once to prevent any accidental exposure midway through.

Lin Duo couldn’t imagine how they would react if they ever discovered she was actually a boy. They would most likely fire her immediately, wouldn’t they?

Next, with some money still remaining, she headed to a clothing store to browse. Due to her tight finances, she only bought a few ordinary, inexpensive T-shirts with cute patterns and a pair of denim shorts for changing.

After all, this was the south, and it was June; the weather would only get hotter, so something cool and comfortable was definitely a good idea.

Upon returning to the shop, Lin Duo went upstairs to change into a newly bought white T-shirt with a lace collar and a bear print. She admired her reflection in the mirror with satisfaction before heading back downstairs.

Unexpectedly, Wu Bijuan’s expression changed. She pulled Lin Duo into the break room, a look of reproach on her face.

“For a girl, you’re far too careless!”

Seeing Lin Duo still looking bewildered, she helplessly poked Lin Duo’s chest.

“Here, you can tell at a glance that you’re not wearing a bra.”

Lin Duo looked down and only then noticed that the chest area of her T-shirt was indeed slightly bulging. On closer inspection, two small, raised points were discernible.

Ever since she started taking the medication, Lin Duo’s chest development had been very slow; after three years, only the skin there had become slightly loose and swollen. Yet, in the month or so around the time she ran away from home, her chest suddenly sprang to life.

Unbeknownst to her, it had grown to the size of an egg. Previously, Lin Duo had worn baggy hoodies, so no one had noticed. But once she changed into a thinner, more form-fitting T-shirt, it became apparent.

Lin Duo knew what ‘nipple protrusion’ implied, and her face flushed crimson as she covered her chest. Seeing her like this, Wu Bijuan was both exasperated and amused.

“My dear girl, what am I to do with you? Never mind. It’s lunchtime, and there aren’t many customers anyway. Let the old man watch the shop; I’ll take you to buy a bra.”

And so, Lin Duo entered a lingerie shop for the first time in her life. The myriad styles of exquisite intimate apparel left her dizzy with their variety.

As her gaze passed a plastic lingerie mannequin, she couldn’t help but stare enviously at the full shape of its chest, dreaming of the day she could wear such intimate apparel herself.

“Alright, these bras are too early for you. Come over here.” Wu Bijuan pulled Lin Duo to a nearby display rack. “These are all training bras, suitable for someone just beginning to develop. Pick out two sets, one for changing.”

Her small face flushed with embarrassment, Lin Duo deliberated for a long while, eventually choosing a white pure cotton training bra and another with sponge padding at the front.

Immediately after, Wu Bijuan asked, “What about your underwear? Do you need to buy a few pairs of those too?”

This time, Lin Duo’s small face truly turned the color of a ripe red apple. She lowered her head, fiddling with her slender fingers. Wu Bijuan didn’t press further, instead picking out a few pairs of breathable cotton underwear suitable for young girls, and paid for them all.

On the way back to the fruit shop, Wu Bijuan couldn’t help but offer some advice.

“Duoduo, these are things a girl naturally has; you don’t need to be shy at all. It’s your parents who’ve been utterly derelict in their duties, neglecting your puberty education all this time! To have such a beautiful and lovely daughter, yet they have no idea how to cherish her!”

Wu Bijuan had always had a good temper, but by her last sentence, her voice held a hint of gritted-teeth anger.

Back in the shop, Lin Duo slipped back into her bedroom and, for the first time, put on a complete set of girls’ underwear. Due to years of medication, her “little stick” below had remained quite dormant, almost completely disappearing with a slight squeeze.

Looking at the beautiful girl in the mirror, with a subtly rounded chest and a flat lower region, Lin Duo’s eyes welled up slightly. Wasn’t this the life she had always yearned for?

The fruit shop was open almost all year round, and Lin Duo slowly adapted to her new rhythm of life amidst the arduous work. Although her physique hadn’t become robust, working an entire day was now far less exhausting than when she first started.

With endless tasks each day, time also flew by particularly fast. In the blink of an eye, July arrived, and Lin Duo awaited her employers’ final verdict.

That evening, after closing the stall and rolling down the shutter for the night, Yue Renhui and Wu Bijuan did not retreat upstairs as usual. Instead, they both looked utterly serious.

Affected by the solemn atmosphere, Lin Duo also felt a little uneasy.

“Uncle Yue, Aunt Wu, please speak freely. Even if you decide not to hire me permanently, it’s alright. This month of work has already taught me so much knowledge I couldn’t have learned in a classroom.”

Wu Bijuan offered a faint smile and nudged the man beside her.

“Old man, look how serious you are; you’ve frightened the poor girl. Hurry, just say it directly.”

Yue Renhui took a deep breath and slowly began.

“Lin Duo, would you be willing to be our adopted daughter?”