Chapter 7 Do I Look Good?

The next day, Qiu Yiyao did not rush to find Qiu Shengming as she had before, choosing instead to keep her worries buried deep inside. When Qiu Shengming noticed her looking unwell and pressed her for an explanation, she brushed him off by claiming she was just missing her school and classmates.

After breakfast, Qiu Yiyao opened the back door and cautiously approached the plum tree, searching the branches for anything unusual. Yet, beyond the dark purple fruit and tender green leaves, there was nothing to be found. She gripped the trunk, which was thicker than the mouth of a bowl, and tried to shake it with all her might, but the tree remained completely motionless.

Qiu Yiyao began to doubt what had happened the night before. Between the exhaustion and the fear, she had fallen into a deep sleep, and upon waking, her memories felt blurred. She became less and less certain whether something had actually been there or if it had all been a hallucination. She reached for the phone in her pocket to check her call logs, only to find no record of any emergency call made.

"Was it just another dream?"

Feeling utterly deflated, she tapped her head. "Why have I been acting like a lunatic ever since I got here?"

A passerby glanced at her with confusion, their look of scrutiny and disdain making her uncomfortable. Deciding to put on a front, she pulled a lounge chair beneath the plum tree and sat down, fanning herself to cool off. Strangely enough, the moment she sat down, a breeze suddenly stirred in the stifling, windless alley, causing the leaves to flutter incessantly. Feeling refreshed, Qiu Yiyao set aside her fan, leaned back, and closed her eyes to rest.

Congcong came out of the house clutching a ball. Seeing Qiu Yiyao lounging so leisurely, he was filled with curiosity. He dropped his ball and toddled toward her on his chubby legs, swaying with every step. When he reached her, he reached out a plump little hand and gently touched her arm. The sudden contact made Qiu Yiyao jump, and she opened her eyes in a panic, only to relax when she saw it was just the boy.

Although this was their first meeting, she had heard Qiu Shengming mention that their neighbors were a mother and son, and that the son was plump and adorable. Seeing him now, it was true—his little arms and legs were like segments of a lotus root, so cute that one couldn't help but want to take a bite. Watching him, Qiu Yiyao reached out to pinch his soft, smooth cheek, and for a moment, she forgot her anxiety. She picked him up as adults do and retrieved a pack of small cookies from her pocket, tearing it open to give to him.

Congcong expertly pulled a cookie from the bag and popped it into his mouth. While he ate, he studied Qiu Yiyao, his little hands occasionally brushing against her face and chest. Being a child, Qiu Yiyao didn't mind; she simply held his restless hands and asked him questions. Congcong was still learning to speak, so he could only tilt his head in confusion, unable to provide any useful answers.

"Are you playing with sister Yaoyao?"

Li Zhen appeared at her doorway, and a flicker of hard-to-detect glee crossed her eyes as she watched the pair. She walked toward them, the click-clack of her high heels echoing on the stone path. Qiu Yiyao looked at Li Zhen's arched willow-leaf eyebrows, her cherry-red lips, and the modified cheongsam she wore, feeling as if she had suddenly stepped into the Republican era. Such beauty and grace—surely she must be the most attractive woman in this small town?

Seeing Qiu Yiyao staring intently at her in silence, Li Zhen seemed to read her thoughts and covered her mouth with a laugh. "Tell me, Yaoyao, although we are both women, it’s quite impolite to stare at me like that without saying a word."

Embarrassed, Qiu Yiyao felt her face flush. She sheepishly set Congcong down and stood up. "I'm sorry, sister. It’s just that you’re so beautiful that I couldn’t help but look."

Li Zhen laughed heartily, the sound bridging the gap between them. "I hadn't married into this neighborhood when you were little. Now that you're back, we’ll have plenty of time to chat." She leaned into Qiu Yiyao’s ear and whispered secretively, "Don't let my youthful appearance fool you; I’m actually quite a bit older than you. I can tell you many things you might want to know..." She winked at her with a playful, mischievous smile.

Qiu Yiyao was puzzled. Just then, Congcong tugged at Li Zhen’s sleeve. "Mommy, hungry."

Qiu Yiyao looked down to see drool leaking from his little mouth. She thought to herself that for such a small boy, he had quite the appetite; he had just finished an entire pack of cookies, and it wasn't even mealtime yet.

Li Zhen patted Congcong’s head with maternal affection. "Alright, dinner is ready." She turned to Qiu Yiyao. "Would you like to join us, Yaoyao? I made a special chicken dish—I’m sure you’ve never had anything like it."

Qiu Yiyao hurriedly waved her hands. "No, no thank you, I’m not hungry." Despite being neighbors, they had only known each other for a few minutes; she wasn't shameless enough to scrounge a meal.

"Very well, come over to play when you have time." Li Zhen took Congcong by the hand and turned back, reminding him to wave goodbye.

Watching them leave, Qiu Yiyao felt a wave of complex emotions. She had heard from Qiu Shengming that Li Zhen was an orphan. Her husband had passed away in an accident when Congcong was only a few months old, and her mother-in-law, who had supported her, had died shortly after from grief. Left alone to raise her son, Li Zhen had to manage the household and do small handicrafts to make ends meet.

When she first heard this from Qiu Shengming, Qiu Yiyao had imagined Li Zhen to be a sorrowful, dowdy woman of few words. Seeing her today had truly shocked her. Whether the fabric of her cheongsam was expensive or cheap, her spirit—a woman who loved life despite adversity and kept herself looking clean and sharp—deeply inspired Qiu Yiyao.

She looked down at her own pink nightgown with its Hello Kitty print and gave a self-deprecating laugh before heading inside. She rummaged through her suitcase, finding only jeans and denim shorts; there wasn't a single dress in sight. She used to feel like she was still a child, but in the blink of an eye, she was about to be a sophomore in college, and she hadn't worn a dress in years.

She pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of denim shorts, holding them up against the mirror. She sighed, regretting that she had cut her hair; she felt like a man dressed in woman’s clothing. She tossed the clothes aside and pinched her waist; it was firm but had a little softness. She touched her hips, finding them too thin, and noticed that where her chest should have been, there was nothing but the flat, underdeveloped frame of a child.

"No wonder they call me an 'airport,'" she said, pointing at her reflection. "How did you eat all those years? Nothing grew where it should have, and everything else grew where it shouldn't."

Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of something black flashing past. Qiu Yiyao spun around quickly, but the window behind her was tightly shut, not even a draft of wind could enter. She scolded herself for being too tense, but when she turned back to the mirror, a chilling sight unfolded.

The "Qiu Yiyao" in the mirror was now wearing the t-shirt and shorts she had just thrown on the floor. The reflection was smiling at her. Its lips parted, and it whispered with a twisted, eerie grin: "Am I pretty?"