She was called Bi Xia, male by designation, her actual gender--female.
Because her father's family originally opposed her parent's marriage, and her grandparents favored boys over girls, her mother had no choice but to hide her gender to preserve the marriage, claiming she was a boy.
The lie had already been spread, and more so, it was a monumental lie; clarifying it would be difficult, so Bi Xia had no choice but to live as a boy.
When she was seven, Xia Shi became pregnant again, and this time it was truly a boy. Thus, she had a brother seven years younger than her.
Unfortunately, even with the boy, her mother Xia Shi couldn't save the marriage. When Bi Xia was eight, her father Bi Qingyun ran away with a wealthy woman, leaving behind a house and a mountain of debt.
Gradually, living with the hidden gender and the constant fear of debt collectors, her personality changed drastically.
She became low-key and wooden, even somewhat cowardly, with a bit of obsessive neuroticism. She always lived in her own world, uncontentious, haha.
Originally, she had good grades and got into the best high school in the city, Mingyang High School, but due to her personality, she was ostracized by her class. And somehow, the secret of her family situation got out, almost driving her to suicide.
Under duress, her mother Xia Shi had no choice but to transfer her, eventually enrolling her in Yunhui High School, a private school with a terrible reputation.
Transferring schools wasn't the root solution; the cause of everything was her own cowardice, which worsened at Yunhui High School.
She had been there less than two days when Zhou Wei blocked her for protection money twice, but she didn't have much money, so she only got beaten.
Later, as she grew up, although she got into a university, she couldn't bear the scrutiny of others and didn't go to school.
And then... while working, her gender was exposed, leading to her tragic death at home.
Thinking of this, her usually cold face finally showed a slight change, her lips curled into a self-mocking smile.
This was Bi Xia, her past life, lived in bullying and avoidance.
Before coming back, 007 threw her into a learning space repeatedly to alter her personality, making her experience different lives, resulting in the person she was now.
However, no matter who she had become, she still felt lost in front of her mother.
That person, whom she had hated and pitied all her life.
The old her often wondered if she wouldn't have been so cautious and fearful if Xia Shi hadn't made her dress up as a boy.
If Xia Shi had shown a bit more strength in facing those mocking relatives, maybe she would have been strong enough to protect them.
If... she had figured things out sooner, perhaps her mother wouldn't have shed so many tears...
Seeing the woman sit on the ground, crying bitterly, Bi Xia tilted her head back, holding back her tears.
Although she had hated and resented her mother, and hadn't called her 'Mom' for a long time, she still loved her. She felt all her mother did for her, but... the barriers had grown too strong to repair.
A single "I'm back" carried all the words trapped in Bi Xia's heart.
Feeling the hand holding hers, tightly, painfully, but warmly, because it was... her mother's hand...
Slowly squatting down, she unconsciously leaned in and hugged Xia Shi, feeling Xia Shi's tense body, Bi Xia gently patted her back, softly saying, "It's okay, don't cry... Mom."
[Ding~~ Received 100 points of goodwill from Xia Shi. Faith value increased by 3 points.]
[My God!] 007 exclaimed, [Wow, host, Ms. Xia Shi's goodwill towards you has exceeded 100! When goodwill exceeds 100, not only does it add to the goodwill value, but it also increases the faith value!]
Xia Shi, trembling, looked up at Bi Xia, her eyes filled with excitement and uncertainty, "Xiaxia, did you call 'Mom'? Did you forgive Mom? Could you... say it again?"
Hearing Xia Shi's incoherent words, Bi Xia felt a blockage in her heart. She raised her hand in silence, gently wiping the woman's tears.
"I'm sorry, I was too willful before, not understanding your pain."
"I'm sorry, I was too self-centered before, thinking everything was your fault."
"I'm sorry, I was too selfish before, thinking the world had abandoned me, forgetting that you were always waiting behind me for me to come home..."
Gently holding Xia Shi, she whispered, "I'm sorry, Mom."
[Ding~~ Received 10 points of goodwill from Ms. Xia Shi, faith value increased by 1 point.]
[For resolving the long-standing estrangement with her mother, the system rewards 2 points of faith value.]
[Ding~~ Received 5 points of goodwill from Bi Yuan.]
From behind, Xia Shi's mournful cries echoed, while Bi Xia quietly watched the child who had been standing there for who knows how long.
The child's eyes were red, looking at her with a complex expression. He clenched his small fists tightly, then turned and went into the room behind him, presumably his own room.
Bi Xiaoyuan...
That was her brother, whom she had never embraced.
Bi Xia knew Bi Yuan didn't like her; in his heart, she was always the reason their mother cried, and a 'brother' who couldn't be depended on.
She remembered a moment during her learning in the space, when she glanced at her family. She would never forget the sight of Bi Xiaoyuan, who had angrily declared his hatred for her, crying harder than Xia Shi.
Taking a deep breath, Bi Xia's expression remained unchanged, though she sighed countless times in her heart. Take it slow, there's no rush.
"Alright, don't cry anymore. If you keep crying, Bi Xiaoyuan will think I made you cry again. Actually, being a boy isn't all bad; many things are more convenient."
"Think about it, with two sons at home, who would dare to bully you?"
In the past, no matter the humiliation faced, Bi Xia never cried. Maybe she had cried before, but she eventually learned crying didn't solve anything. She grew to be independent and strong, forgetting why she should cry, even disliking those who did.
But for this woman, her tears made Bi Xia's heart ache, making her want to comfort her gently.
"Xiaoxia, eat slowly, drink some water, don't choke... Oh dear!" Seeing Bi Xia coughing violently, Xia Shi hurriedly poured her a cup of water, distressed, "Eat slowly! No one's going to take it from you. Is the food bad at Yunhui? Should you come home for lunch too?"
It had been a long time since she had eaten Xia Shi's cooking. She didn't appreciate it before, regretting it later. Now, tasting it again, she got so eager to eat that she choked. Bi Xia maintained a serious face, giving no hint of the blush underneath.
With a straight face, Bi Xia lifted her head and gulped down the water, patting her chest until the food went down. She then waved her hand, "It's nothing."
"By the way, it's the weekend tomorrow. I'll take Xiaoyuan to your grandma's. You stay home and rest well."
Grandma's house?
Bi Xia didn't hide her displeasure, frowning, "Why go there? They are a bunch of monsters."
"Xiaxia?"
Her words stirred a huge reaction. Xia Shi widened her eyes at Bi Xia, and even Bi Yuan looked up at her.
Bi Xia understood that she had always disliked her grandmother's family, but she never said it out loud. She just endured it silently. Saying it so bluntly now was probably a first, no wonder Xia Shi and Bi Yuan were surprised.
She lowered her gaze slightly, swallowing the last bite of rice, and said calmly, "Mom, if you don't want to go, then don't. From the moment that person left, we had no relations with them."