The full moon silently crept into the night sky.

On the cluttered balcony, Huang Yingdie leaned against the smooth wooden railing, wearing cute rabbit slippers. Her face looked weary as she gazed at the glittering city ahead.

"Dad told me that before I was born, they’d had a son. But complications during childbirth forced them to let him go. When I was born, it was the same struggle—Mom didn’t make it through, but I miraculously survived."

"I was their late-in-life child. From a young age, Dad never let me play with other kids. He signed me up for endless after-school classes—even taekwondo. The more strangers I met, the more withdrawn I became. My entire elementary school holidays were spent in cram schools."

"Thinking back now, most parents in this wealthy neighborhood are like that. They’d never let their kids run wild outside anyway."

"My grandma passed away shortly after I started middle school. Already bad at talking to people, I grew to hate chatting with strangers. I skipped classes, surfed the web, got into fights—and that’s how I met Huang Qinghao’s crew. At first, they tried to rob my internet fees. I beat them all down one by one. They became my lackeys, and Huang Qinghao even called me ‘sis’."

"Slowly, I grew to love that life. But the more ‘friends’ I had, the emptier I felt inside. Back then, I was so naive—I’d believe anyone’s sweet words, thinking they could truly make me happy."

*Aren’t I still being silly now?*

"Yi Yao, after hearing all that, don’t you have anything to say?"

"Respond?"

I smiled flatly. "I’m just curious—why do you trust that I can protect you now?"

"I… I don’t know…"

Under the moonlight, the girl turned her gaze away. "But I just feel like… if it’s you, Yi Yao, it’ll be fine. You always act like nothing matters. Even though you’re only a few months older, how can you be so strong? I envy you."

"Envy me?"

Keeping my tone steady, I stepped beside Xiaodie. "My family isn’t as peaceful as you imagine."

"Our clan has a deep preference for sons over daughters. Your dad pushes you to study for your future. Mine wanted me to drop out of high school and work to pay for Mom’s medical bills—just because I’m a girl. Since middle school, Dad’s allowance hasn’t covered my daily needs. I’ve had to work nights at a dojo to earn extra. Did you know any of that?"

Huang Yingdie turned around, disbelief written all over her face. "Preference for sons? People still think like that today?"

I nodded. "Plenty do—at least here in Shangjing City."

It wasn’t just son preference. These stubborn, superstitious customs were everywhere.

Like forcing a pregnant woman to hold back labor for an "auspicious date" picked by a fortune-teller—ending in the deaths of both mother and child.

Or trusting quack healers over hospitals, carrying patients home for "exorcism rituals" to drive out ghosts and demons—only to cause lifelong disabilities from delayed treatment.

"I always thought…"

"I always thought the mayor’s daughter was a kind, cheerful, beautiful girl," I finished for Huang Yingdie. "Like a princess from a fairy tale."

"Ugh."

Pouting, she stomped back inside. Seeing I didn’t react, she paused by the sofa. "Yi Yao, won’t this bother you? Don’t you have your own things to do at night?"

"No."

I followed her to the living room and playfully hugged her from behind. "My family doesn’t care where I go anyway. Besides, keeping such a pretty, lovely young lady company? I’m happy to do it."

*That was honest. Humans are visual creatures—and Xiaodie’s personality isn’t that bad.*

"You…" Her body trembled slightly as my warm breath brushed her ear. "Do other girls do this too?"

"Hmm?" I tilted my head. "Do what?"

"Holding hands, hugging… Online, people say our country’s lucky—elsewhere, two girls holding hands gets labeled as lesbian."

I countered, "What do you think it is?"

"That’s why I’m asking! My classmates hate me, call me stuck-up. No one talks to me. Yi Yao, you’re my first female friend."

*You’re asking the wrong person. I’m not a girl in my past life—how would I know girl stuff?*

"Is that so…" I leaned close to her porcelain cheek. "Imagine whatever you want about us. I don’t mind."

*Legend says most girls are bisexual—especially ones like Xiaodie, hurt by men multiple times. I don’t know the source, but she definitely has those tendencies.*

"Hmph, fine, don’t tell me!" She shoved me away, pretending to be angry as she headed for the stairs. "I’m showering. If you’re bored, read comics in my room. The PC password is 20160502."

*May 2nd… isn’t that the birthday of that Railgun princess?*

I followed her up the loft stairs. Outside chaos reigned, but Xiaodie’s room stayed as tidy as the first time I saw it. She grabbed pajamas, a shower cap, and a towel, then dashed into the ensuite bathroom. The moment the磨砂 glass door shut, the shower hissed on—I could vaguely make out her silhouette through the frosted glass.

*She really has zero modesty just because I’m a girl.*

Her bookshelf held comics: *A Certain Scientific Railgun*, *Is the Order a Rabbit?*, *Puella Magi Madoka Magica*, *Riddle Story of Devil*… To my surprise, several were yuri manga—pure girls’ love stories with no male leads.

Last time, injured, I hadn’t noticed her room details. I’d only known she was a bit of a shut-in anime fan.

*Turns out she’s more than that.*

I booted up her PC, browsed Skyfire Forum, and answered all the unsolved questions. As I closed the screen, Xiaodie emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a pale yellow towel.

Skin like fresh snow, waist-length silky hair, a face flushed from hot water. The towel barely covered her chest—clearly showing a teenage girl’s budding curves—and her long legs stretched below. She seemed naked underneath, whether on purpose or not.

*Physically, I’m a girl now too… but her sight still made my body react strangely.*

"This pajama set’s new—I washed it but never wore it." She pulled out a light blue, cute sleep dress and handed it with a towel. "Bathroom’s all yours. Use anything. We’re moving out in a few days anyway."

*So you planned to have me stay over all along?*

"Thanks."

I took the clothes and stepped into the steam-filled bathroom she’d just left.

This ensuite bathroom felt private—unlike our shared family one. Shelves held distinctly girly items.

*What will my future look like?*

I stripped, facing the mirror. My reflection: a slightly boyish face on a clearly feminine body. Familiar yet alien.

That girl had entrusted everything to me—a stranger.

Her future. Her memories. All given without reserve.

I touched my chest lightly. The softness under my fingertips, the nerves tingling—this was my body now.

Yi Yao’s memories were simple: muddled school days from elementary onward. Rebellious in middle school. School indifference and family scolding piling up. Until despair over her own existence drove her to give up.

She was so innocent—no memories of intimacy at all.

*…Well, neither do I.*

"Better solve today’s problems first."

Washing with mixed emotions, I realized too late—I had no spare underwear here. My soaked ones were unusable. I dashed out in just the sleep dress.

Xiaodie had dried her hair and was sprawled on the bed reading comics, her feet swinging idly with each page turn.

"Um… do you have new underwear… or anything…"

I approached, cheeks warming. The dress felt drafty between my legs.

"New ones? Nah. We’re sleeping anyway—doesn’t matter. Do you usually wear underwear to bed, Yi Yao?"

She turned, eyes wide, lifting her sleep shirt slightly. "Books say going without helps chest growth. I’ve kept that habit."

*What weird books are you reading?*

*Well, the host doesn’t mind—I won’t fuss either.*

"Do you always stay alone like this?"

I grabbed the hairdryer from the vanity.

"Mm."

A faint reply came from behind me.

Moonlight spilled through the window, dappling the room in silver.

…

*I’ll probably be sleepless tonight.*