Baby's Breath

Chapter 2

"You little rascal, what's the matter with you! Didn't I tell you to wait for Mom at the hospital?! How come you ran off on your own!" He Xiaoyou scolded, gripping her son's shoulders and bending down to look him in the eye.

Xue Youka's face flushed with embarrassment upon seeing his aunt follow through the door. He hadn't yet taken off the dress he was wearing.

He explained, "I...I got hungry, so I left."

His aunt interjected, "Then why didn't you call your aunt? I would have come to pick you up, especially after you just had your little brother...surgery. How could you run off on your own!"

The term "little brother" coming from an adult's mouth made young Xue Youka blush even more.

"I'm sorry, Aunt, I was numbed with anesthetic...it was too numbing, I forgot, but I'll remember next time." He knew his aunt had little patience while playing Mahjong, and moreover, Xue Youka had fled the hospital in a complete panic.

"Are you feeling alright? Let Mom take a look," He Xiaoyou said, frowning as she spun him around, pretending to lift his dress.

"No! I'm fine," he protested, shouting, "Mom, I'm going back to my room!"

Xue Youka couldn't run properly, limping into his room like a crab. As he closed the door, he heard the adults talking.

His aunt said, "Mi Mi is such a thoughtful child, don't be harsh on him. Look, he even cooked rice, probably waiting for you to come home and eat."

He Xiaoyou, with sweat on her forehead, sighed, "Sometimes he's thoughtful, other times he's a real handful. I'll go cook; let's call Qing Qing to bring Gao Gao over for dinner, Mi Mi can't go anywhere like this."

Xue Youka took off his dress, drew the curtains, turned on the desk lamp, and looked at his wound with a heavy heart.

Will it get bigger? He sat on the bed with his legs apart, looking down at his "little brother" wrapped in a paper cup, sighing like an adult.

Being a man is so hard.

Barely awake and about to fall asleep, Xue Youka removed his headphones upon hearing the door close, thinking his dad had come home. Then, he recognized the voice of his cousin, Fang Liqing, speaking.

"Did the last one fit him? I've packed a few more; Auntie, let Mi Mi try them on... He's about my height, so they should fit."

"They fit perfectly. He wore the one we got from you today, and it looked really good on him. Our colleagues at the department saw Mi Mi today and said he looked pretty, like a little girl."

His aunt replied, "That's because Mi Mi inherited the good genes from both of you, his nose from you and his eyes from my brother..."

Their voices faded, becoming indistinct through the door.

Until footsteps approached the door, and with a "click," Xue Youka quickly pulled the blanket over himself, annoyed, "Mom! Can't you knock before you come in?"

"It's time for dinner; I haven't come in yet," He Xiaoyou stood outside, cracking the door open, "Hurry up, your sister is here."

"Close the door; I'm changing!" He never spoke like this usually, but today, feeling wronged and as if he'd been deceived, he was unusually irritable. Knowing he was uncomfortable, He Xiaoyou tolerated it helplessly.

"Try this on," He Xiaoyou pushed a tote bag through the door crack, "Your sister Liqing specially brought these for you."

Seeing several dresses inside, Xue Youka broke down: "I don't want this; tell her to take it back!"