As soon as the two stepped onto the street, passersby stopped to stare. Whispers spread like wildfire: "Models on a runway?" "Movie shoot?" "They're unreal."

"That girl is way too cute!" Many men around them were captivated by Ouyang Qianxue's beauty. Some even risked angering their girlfriends or wives just to sneak another glance.

Under countless stares, Ouyang Qianxue felt uneasy. His safety shorts had been swapped for women's underwear by Qian Wang. He feared someone might notice his unusual "parts" if he slipped up.

Ouyang Qianxue pictured himself exposed in public.

"Mom, that person over there is a boy like me. Why's he wearing a dress?"

"He's a pervert. Stay away from people like that." A mother and daughter by the roadside glared at him like he was trash.

"So he's a cross-dressing freak. Disgusting." Everyone around mirrored their scornful looks.

Before he could shake off their disdain, his phone rang.

"Qianxue, what happened? You exposed your gender on the commercial street? Do you know it's already spread to school?"

"How?!" Ouyang Qianxue rushed back to campus.

"Hey, isn't that him?"

"Ugh, that gross cross-dresser." Students eyed him with disgust. Then his phone rang again—Wang Shimin, the name he dreaded most.

"Qianxue, you messed up. You're useless. I was blind. From today, we're done. Pay your mom's medical bills and your sister's tuition yourself." Wang Shimin hung up, leaving Ouyang Qianxue in despair.

Imagining this, Ouyang Qianxue gripped his dress tightly, face turning pale.

Bai Yuxuan noticed his distress. She swept the crowd with an icy, lethal glare. Men who'd been leering at Ouyang Qianxue's skirt quickly looked away.

"Your bike is mine now! Ouyang Qianxue, get on!" Bai Yuxuan flagged down a cyclist, tossed a few thousand bucks at the stunned owner, and yanked Ouyang Qianxue onto the back seat. She sped off through the crowd.

"Wow, that guy is so handsome!"

"Especially protecting his girlfriend—he radiates boyfriend energy!" Women nearby sighed enviously.

Afraid the wind would lift his skirt, Ouyang Qianxue clutched it with one hand while hugging Bai Yuxuan's waist with the other. Feeling his hand, Bai Yuxuan's cheeks flushed slightly. Soon, they reached a quieter spot.

"We're here. First stop for today," Bai Yuxuan said with a smile.

Ouyang Qianxue looked up at the massive building—a marine aquarium.

"Thanks for earlier. But shouldn't this place be packed?"

"It's under renovation." Bai Yuxuan pointed to a "Closed for Renovation" sign.

"Why come if it's closed?"

"Heh, you'll see."

Bai Yuxuan knocked. A staff member opened the door eagerly.

"Young Master Bai! We cleared the whole place. No one will disturb you today." The worker stepped aside.

The aquarium was only pretending to be closed—Bai Yuxuan had booked it privately.

"Bai Yuxuan, why bring me here? Some punishment game?" Ouyang Qianxue asked warily, scanning the empty halls.

"You overthink. I just need to unwind. Being part of the White Clan isn't easy. I'm exhausted." Bai Yuxuan sighed, stretching as she gazed at tropical fish in a tank.

"Why not come alone?"

"Alone is boring. No one to talk to... Actually, no one ever talks to me." Her tone was flat, but a trace of sadness flickered in her eyes.

Watching her, Ouyang Qianxue felt a pang. From her birthday confession, he knew her loneliness—how she trusted no one, not even her father.

Staring at the black-haired girl with a small braid, he felt she blended with the deep blue water behind her. Both radiated cold, profound solitude.

"What? Staring because you're smitten with my looks?"

"Pfft. Never met anyone so shameless!"

"Kidding aside. You juggle studies and clubs too. You're tired. Let's just relax." They walked deeper into the aquarium.

First, the underwater tunnel. Stepping in, they entered a watery world teeming with fish and sea life.

"This is amazing!" Ouyang Qianxue pressed against the glass.

"Don't get excited yet." As Bai Yuxuan spoke, a great white shark glided overhead.

"Whoa! First time seeing a shark this close!" Ouyang Qianxue exclaimed.

"It reminds me of you."

"Me?" Bai Yuxuan frowned.

"It rules the ocean, but no fish dares approach. Always alone."

"Huh." Bai Yuxuan fell silent. After a long pause, she pointed. "I found a fish that looks like you." Ouyang Qianxue saw a pufferfish.

"I'm not a pufferfish!" He puffed his cheeks in anger, resembling one. Bai Yuxuan burst out laughing.

In the security room, Xiao Liu watched their feed. She was stunned—this was the first genuine smile she'd seen from Bai Yuxuan since she started working for her.