Fingertip Cauliflower

"My luck has been terrible lately, I can't even grab a prize from a claw machine," Xiao Ai muttered to herself, carefully examining her newly done nails in the mirror. The tips glittered like tiny, unreal jewels. She had just been promoted at work, and being the “rolling king” of her department, this was a small treat for herself.

During lunch break, several female colleagues gathered around, praising her new nails. "Ai-jie, your nails are so pretty! Which salon did you go to?"

"It's the new one downstairs in the building, called 'Fingertip Art'. The service is good, and the nail artist is quite cute," Xiao Ai replied with a smug smile. She enjoyed the attention; after all, she had worked so hard to be noticed.

In the office, the sound of keyboards clacking was like a dense rain. Xiao Ai was buried in front of her computer, processing mountains of documents. She felt a slight itch in her fingertips. At first, she thought it was just fatigue and didn't pay much attention. But the itch grew stronger, and she couldn't help but scratch them a few times. She noticed tiny protrusions in her nail folds, like sprouting buds.

"Ai-jie, what's that on your hand?" Xiaoli, from the next desk, suddenly exclaimed.

Xiao Ai was startled. She raised her hand and saw that some flesh-colored, tiny bumps, like small cauliflowers, were growing on the edges of her nails. She rushed to the bathroom and took a closer look – it was true! Her nail beds were surrounded by a circle of fleshy growths, disgusting and unsettling.

She remembered the nail artist saying while applying the nail polish, "Business hasn't been good lately. I heard that the shop next door is cutting costs and not even using disinfectant." Xiao Ai hadn't paid attention at the time, thinking that the nail polish would act as a barrier. Now, she was terrified.

Xiao Ai hurriedly took leave and went to the hospital. The doctor diagnosed her with HPV, commonly known as "cauliflower." The doctor calmly said, "This virus is mainly spread through skin contact. Some unregulated nail salons have poor hygiene, making it easy to get infected."

"Cauliflower? Growing on my fingers?" Xiao Ai felt like she was the butt of a cruel joke.

Her once-sparkling nails had become the things she least wanted to see. She started wearing gloves to work, and her colleagues gave her puzzled looks. She felt like she had been branded as different. She dared not post selfies on social media anymore, nor did she dare to go to any gatherings.

Her once-proud, refined life had suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon. She felt like a ghost in the office, mechanically handling her work, a wandering spirit. And the cauliflower on her fingertips was like a persistent curse, constantly reminding her of her miserable state.

Adding to the irony, the company was carrying out a series of “beautification” activities to welcome senior leaders, requiring all employees to dress formally and maintain a good appearance. But she was forced to wear gloves, hiding her “ugly” hands.

That day, senior leaders came to inspect the company. Xiao Ai hid in a corner, watching the leaders smiling and shaking hands with colleagues. She felt out of place, like a forgotten object.

Suddenly, the leader stopped as he passed her and said with a hint of concern, "This colleague, aren’t you hot wearing gloves? Recently, the company has new regulations to improve service quality. We should strictly control the temperature of the work environment and fully consider the feelings of our employees."

Xiao Ai was stunned. She didn't expect the leader to notice her. Just as she was about to explain, the leader continued, "I see that the color of your gloves is quite unique, and it fits the company's pursuit of individuality. Next time, we can organize a group buy for colleagues!" The leader then laughed and turned to the next employee.

Xiao Ai watched the leader’s departing back. The cauliflower under her gloves was like a mocking eye, staring at this absurd world. Suddenly, she laughed, tears streaming down her face. She raised her gloved hand and wiped away the tears from her eyes. Her hand clenched into a fist inside the glove, as if grasping a ray of light in the darkness.