Chapter 5 - Puberty
After a transformative day, Kecong and Jiahao developed a strong friendship, sharing daily school experiences.
Six months later, on June 1, they found themselves at a local noodle stall after school.
"Kecong, my parents recently purchased an apartment near the school. Why not move in with me?" Jiahao proposed.
"I... I think it's best for me to stay with my mom," Kecong responded, uncertainty evident in his voice.
"But your home is so far! The commute takes over an hour, and you're often alone. I genuinely worry about your well-being and whether you're eating properly," Jiahao expressed with concern.
"I'll talk to my mom first," Kecong replied quietly.
"By the way, what does your mom do? She seems to have odd hours," Jiahao inquired.
"She... performs as a singer at a nightclub in Shanghai at night and works at a factory until 4 PM," Kecong explained, a hint of sadness creeping into his tone.
"What?! She works so much! Have you ever gone to see her? A visit might really lift her spirits," Jiahao suggested.
"That's a great idea! Her birthday is coming up! I can surprise her with a gift at the nightclub!" Kecong exclaimed excitedly.
"Speaking of birthdays, yours is also coming up. Any plans?" Jiahao asked.
Kecong fell silent, his hands tightly clenched. Jiahao held his hands and noticed they were ice-cold.
"Why are your hands so cold? Are you feeling alright?" Jiahao inquired with concern.
"I've been having stomach cramps lately. I think I should head home," Kecong replied, unease evident in his voice.
Once home, in the bathroom, Kecong desperately tried to clean blood stains from his underwear, tears streaming down his face. His aunt, Xue Er, heard his sobs and, noticing the unlocked door, entered.
"Kecong, what's going on? Why are there blood stains on your underwear? Wait! Have you started your period? I'll get you a pad!" Xue Er exclaimed, alarmed.
She quickly returned with a sanitary pad, and upon seeing it, Kecong cried even harder.
"Auntie Xue Er, please! Don't do this to me! I... I'm not a girl!" Kecong sobbed.
"Kecong, you need to accept that you are intersex! You can't avoid using a sanitary pad during your period! If you don't, it will stain your clothes and the seats. I know this is tough for you, but you must come to terms with it!" Xue Er replied firmly.
That night, overwhelmed by his emotions, Kecong took an overdose of sleeping pills and was rushed to the hospital.
The following morning at school, Jiahao noticed Kecong's absence and approached Mr. Chen's office for information.
"Mr. Chen, have you seen Kecong today? He's not in class!" Jiahao asked, worry etched on his face.
"He... he took an overdose of sleeping pills last night. He just found out about his period and couldn't cope. He's been admitted to the hospital," Mr. Chen explained gently.
Ron, a classmate, overheard their conversation and began spreading the news throughout the classroom.
After school, Jiahao visited Kecong in the hospital, accompanied by a few curious classmates.
In the hospital ward, Jiahao met Xue Er.
"Hello, who are you?" Xue Er asked.
"I'm Wang Jiahao, Kecong's best friend at school. How is he doing?" Jiahao inquired.
"The sleeping pills caused significant damage to his stomach. He's been in a coma all day. I might need to transfer him to another school to protect him from bullying. Yesterday was his first day dealing with his period, and he was incredibly distressed, crying all night until his eyes were swollen and talking to himself. I thought having friends would help him, but I never anticipated that being intersex would lead to such struggles. These days will be incredibly challenging for him," Xue Er said, tears welling in her eyes.
"Auntie, don't worry; he can always use the accessible restroom," Mr. Chen reassured her.
"Mr. Chen, it's not that simple. The challenges ahead will be daunting," Xue Er replied.
Jiahao took Kecong's hand, but Xue Er pushed him away.
"Don't do this! He might develop feelings for you! He has a fragile heart, and I don't want him to face more ridicule!" Xue Er said, her voice rising in anger.
"Auntie! I will protect him with all my heart!" Jiahao insisted, equally frustrated.
"All boys say the same thing. Look at Kecong's mother and me; all our men abandoned us! We are strong, but Kecong is not! His father abused him from the age of six, and he has struggled with mental health issues since he was seven. He may appear happy, but he's not! Plus, I checked, and your family is wealthy. Do you think your parents would accept him? They would view him as a monster!" Xue Er retorted.
Jiahao left the hospital and returned to his apartment, where his parents were already home.
"Where have you been?" Jia Cheng asked.
"I went to the hospital to visit a classmate," Jiahao replied.
"Is something wrong with Cheng Jie?" Pei Pei asked.
"It's not him; it's a new friend of mine, Lin Kecong," Jiahao clarified.
"A new friend? I heard rumors about a transgender student at your school. They say he's pretty but has female anatomy. How disgusting! How can such people exist?" Pei Pei exclaimed.
"Mum! There is no transgender student! Just an intersex guy, Lin Kecong, and he's my friend! Everyone bullies him! There's nothing wrong with being intersex!" Jiahao responded, anger flaring.
"Son! Do you understand the implications? An intersex person can easily become pregnant if they have sex with a man! In China, a man getting pregnant is unacceptable! They would face imprisonment!" Jia Cheng said, shocked.
"Did I mention anything about having sex with him? This is unreasonable!" Jiahao retorted, furious.
***End of Chapter 5***