The typhoon had caused significant damage to the city.
When Lin Nan and Chen Yao got into their ride-share car and looked out the window, they realized that the typhoon from two nights ago had been even more violent than they had imagined.
What happened at school was almost replicated throughout the city's streets. The greenery on both sides of the streets was in disarray, and occasionally they could still see a few fallen trees. Thick layers of fallen leaves had accumulated on the ground, but no one had come to clean them up even today.
They were probably still focusing on dealing with other more important places.
The distance from school to the bullet train station was really too far, and since Chen Yao didn't like taking buses, the two simply called a ride-share, though the price was a bit expensive - almost approaching a hundred yuan.
With the crowded buses avoided during the journey, their trip home was relatively comfortable. They went directly from the train station to the small county town, then hailed a private three-wheeler on the street and comfortably went to their respective homes.
Compared to when he returned to school in September, Lin Nan felt this journey was much easier.
When he reached his front door, it was already late at night.
But when Lin Nan took out his keys to open the door, he suddenly hesitated - he didn't know how to face his parents.
Previously he had been fairly determined to come back and see them, not wanting to be treated as a stranger by his parents after completely becoming a girl. But when it really came down to it, he chickened out.
Would he be beaten and thrown out? Mom shouldn't be that cruel, right?
Would he be treated as a stranger? They weren't home very often, and it had been almost two months since they'd seen each other - maybe they'd think he was a thief?
They'd probably take him for medical examinations and psychological counseling, right? Would they think he had a male body but female heart?
All his previous worries suddenly flooded his mind, making Lin Nan increasingly guilty, and he even had the impulse to rush back to school immediately.
Dad's in the hospital, and Mom should also be at the hospital taking care of him, right?
Lin Nan suddenly realized he might not need to face his parents so soon, which gave him some relief.
He picked up his keys to open the door, but saw the iron gate suddenly being pushed open from inside. He looked up and saw his mother inside holding a garbage bag, and instantly felt the urge to turn and run.
"You are..." His mother paused, looking at the short girl outside the door, then looked down at the keys in the girl's hand and that familiar suitcase. "Nan Nan?"
Nan Nan was not only the nickname his roommates had given him, but actually also the pet name his parents called him.
"Mm..." Lin Nan lowered his head, not daring to look at her, staring at his shoes with his hands hidden behind his back, nervously fidgeting with the hem of his clothes.
He felt his mother's gaze was unbearable to meet directly. He felt extremely guilty, always feeling that his increasingly girlish self had let his mother down.
"Come in." His mother casually placed the garbage by the door, stepped back two paces to make room, and took out a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet. Her tone was almost without fluctuation. "Your dad is still staying at the hospital. Why did you suddenly come back?"
This tone made Lin Nan feel even more afraid. He timidly picked up his suitcase and walked into the house, his whole body tense with muscles. Usually unable to feel temperature, he now felt the room was unbearably hot and stuffy, and his forehead began to sweat continuously.
He was afraid this was the calm before the storm.
Perhaps other families' children had experienced times when they didn't know how to tell their parents about failing exams and needing signatures, but Lin Nan had never had such an experience.
His heartbeat became increasingly violent, his ears seeming to hear the pounding of his heart. The act of walking into the house and changing shoes seemed to slow down countless times in his perception.
"Want some water? Why didn't you say anything before coming back?" His mother walked to the small coffee table in the living room, poured a cup of water from the kettle and placed it on the table, then looked up and said, "Will you go to the hospital tomorrow to see your dad?"
"I'll take a look..." He answered in a low, soft voice, then dragged his suitcase and hid in his bedroom.
However, as soon as he entered the bedroom, he realized that the room that originally belonged to him was actually in a lived-in state. The blanket on the bed was neatly spread out, and there was also a faint scent of perfume in the room.
He was confused for a moment, but his mother pushed open the door and entered the room, explaining: "I've been living in your room while you weren't here."
Had their relationship deteriorated to this extent?
Lin Nan actually didn't have deep feelings for either of his parents, but learning of this situation still made him inexplicably heartbroken.
He placed his suitcase in the corner of the room, opened it, and took out the laptop he had brought back.
There wasn't much in the suitcase - a computer, two sets of summer clothes, taking up about half the space. Lin Nan quickly organized his luggage, but when he turned back, he saw his mother still standing at the door observing him. There was a bit of gloom between his mother's brows, as if she was still thinking about something.
She definitely noticed.
Lin Nan pressed his lips together and took a breath, but didn't know what to say to his mother.
"How is dad?" Lin Nan asked quietly.
"Should be okay." His mother sat on the edge of the bed and patted beside her, indicating for Lin Nan to sit over.
He immediately became extremely nervous, feeling his heartbeat start racing again, but he didn't dare disobey his mother's wishes. He timidly walked over and sat beside his mother.
"If your dad and I get divorced, who would you go with?" His mother suddenly asked.
Lin Nan's brain froze for a moment, but he quickly reacted and answered: "I'm already eighteen, there's no question of going with anyone, right?"
"True, anyway your dad will at least support you through finishing school."
He didn't know what to answer. Although his view of family affection was very thin, he at least wanted a complete and harmonious family.
His mother was obviously troubled about the divorce, but Lin Nan felt that his parents' affairs should be resolved by themselves - he shouldn't interfere too much. Anyway, his parents had never informed him about buying a house, and any important decisions had always been made by his parents. He had no say in anything.
But fortunately, because of this, his mother hadn't paid much attention to his changes, right?
Lin Nan was secretly relieved, but then heard his mother ask: "How did you become so much prettier after not seeing you for two months?"
The word "prettier" in his mother's mouth was neutral, which could be used for both men and women in the dialect, making it impossible for Lin Nan to guess her thoughts.
He didn't know if this was criticism or praise.
He pressed his lips together, kept his head down, and after thinking for a long time, didn't know where to start.
He couldn't tell his mother that he had encountered something from another world and was being gradually turned into a girl, could he?
"Your personality is also like a girl's. You'll suffer losses in society later if you're like this." Seeing that he hadn't answered for a long time, his mother reached out and began stroking Lin Nan's hair, sighing: "Your hair has grown so long and you don't know to cut it..."
Lin Nan noticed that his mother's tone seemed to carry some guilt toward him.
But he didn't dare trust his ears, and even felt uncomfortable all over due to the close contact with his mother.
At least in his memory, there were almost no scenes of close contact with his parents.
"Don't worry about your dad's side. I hired a caregiver who will take good care of him. It's already so late - should I tidy up the bed for you so you can sleep early?"
Lin Nan nodded eagerly, then hesitantly looked at the medical report sandwiched between his clothes.
The room was quickly tidied up. The bed was changed to bedding that Lin Nan usually used, and after helping to sweep the floor, his mother prepared to leave the room holding her own bedding.
"Mom..." Lin Nan somewhat impulsively called out to her.