11:30 PM. The dormitory, forced into darkness, had settled from chaos into quiet.
Zhou Ruiyang’s Room 302 was arguably the most health-conscious on campus—all thanks to Meng Xianyong, the fitness guru whose schedule ran like clockwork.
His discipline rubbed off on everyone else.
Not by choice. By necessity.
After all, Meng Xianyong was a "frail scholar" with 43cm biceps. An accidental arm-squeeze around someone’s neck would be... awkward.
So by 11:30, all four roommates were sound asleep.
Mujin nestled in Zhou Ruiyang’s palm, eyes closed, breathing softly.
She had her own tiny bed, but its emptiness felt like sleeping in an open park—too vast, too exposed.
(Just like how even mansion owners sleep in small bedrooms: space kills security.)
Zhou Ruiyang’s warm hand was safer. Cozier.
*Beep. Beep.*
**[WARNING! WARNING!]**
**[Host has not transformed into human form for 30 minutes today. Forced humanization in 3 seconds.]**
**[Three.]**
**[Two.]**
**[One.]**
Mujin slept too deeply to hear.
Had anyone been awake, they’d have gasped.
The sparrow in Zhou Ruiyang’s hand swelled rapidly—feathers melting into smooth skin, wings stretching into limbs, a cascade of chestnut hair spilling over his arm.
When the countdown ended, a plump sparrow vanished. In its place lay a naked chestnut-haired girl, eyes shut, draped over Zhou Ruiyang’s chest.
His half-open palm now cradled her full curves perfectly.
Zhou Ruiyang frowned in his sleep. Something had changed in his hand. Something heavy pressed on him.
*Dream logic kicked in.*
He was pinned under a weight. Before him floated a half-sphere with a pink button. *Press it. Freedom.*
He pressed. Nothing.
*Why isn’t it working?*
Frustrated, he jabbed the button—poking, pinching, stretching it.
Weirdly soft. It snapped back even when pulled two inches long.
“Mmm~”
A faint ache made the girl whimper. She shifted, draping a thigh over Zhou Ruiyang.
They settled again, tangled.
Seconds later—her eyes flew open.
*Wait. What did I just press against Zhou Ruiyang?*
She looked down. Stared at her bare, flawless body.
*Holy crap!*
*Why am I a girl?! I didn’t chant the spell!*
*If Little Yang finds out—*
Mujin wasn’t scared of exposure. She was terrified of losing her quest progress. Starting over? Unthinkable.
*People accept gifts. They never accept loss.*
A tingling warmth shot through her chest. Her knees weakened.
*Zhou Ruiyang! What the hell are you doing?!*
*Point guard at school, huh? You handle the ball real tight!*
Slowly, she pried his fingers off her. Slid free.
One bare foot stepped over his waist. Her palms braced on his pillow. *Just... sneak away.*
She held her breath, eyes locked on his face.
*Naked. On him. If he wakes up and recognizes me—*
*He’ll think I’m gay. All my progress—gone.*
*Little Yang, I’m begging you. Don’t open your eyes.*
*Knock knock.* Fate laughed.
Zhou Ruiyang’s brow furrowed. In his dream, the weight wasn’t an object—it was a person. Blurry. Unseen.
The blur made him strain harder to see.
His eyes snapped open in reality.
Through sleep-hazed vision, he saw long hair spilling over him. Full curves swayed gently with gravity. Soft peaks brushed his chest. Warm. Real.
Mujin froze. Staring back.
*It’s over.*
*Goodbye, quest progress...*
*Goodbye, my straight reputation...*
Then—Zhou Ruiyang shut his eyes. Rolled over.
*...Was that a wet dream?*
*Why dream about a naked girl on me?*
His wake-up had been forced. Exhaustion dragged him under again.
He’d seen Mujin—but his mind filed it under *dream*.
Mujin stayed frozen. *Don’t wake up again. Please.*
When his breathing deepened, she scrambled off him. Tip-toed to her own bed.
Pulled the blanket to her chin. Eyes wide. No sleep now.
*One peek under this blanket,* she thought, *and I’ll become someone’s cam girl.*
How could she sleep with this adrenaline?
The clock read 24 minutes left. *Twenty-four minutes of terror.*
*System! Are you glitching?! I didn’t chant the spell!*
**[System functioning normally. Review reward description. Read carefully.]**
Mujin pulled up the text:
*Daily 30-minute human transformation...*
*Wait. Is this mandatory every day?*
**[Bingo. Host must choose a daily 30-minute human window. Default: 11:30 PM.]**
*This is a trap!*
The chestnut-haired girl clenched her fists, teeth gritted. Fury burned—but helpless.
*System, if you ever show your face... I’ll show you why roses are red.*
**[This system looks forward to it.]**
---
Midnight. Hao Ren woke with a full bladder.
He rubbed his eyes. His bunkmate across the room seemed fast asleep.
Silently, he slipped out of bed. Headed to the dorm toilet.
After relief, he sighed, zipping up.
Then—his eyes widened.
*Wait. Isn’t my bunkmate... Mujin?*
*Didn’t Mujin take extended leave?*
*Then who’s sleeping there—?*
A chill shot through him. Wide awake.
