"This... can't be *that*, can it?"

Her right fingers tensed as they reached for the bedsheets, lightly brushing a small damp patch of dark red. It still held warmth, sticky like blood but thicker and duller.

An indescribable scent hit her nose before she even brought it close.

Girls would whisper about periods, cramps, or "Aunt Flo" to describe what Ouyang now saw—and was actually happening to her.

The problem was, Ouyang stared grimly at the crumpled blackish-red fabric.

She had zero experience handling this.

Her stomach clenched unnaturally. Another wave oozed down her inner walls, utterly beyond her control.

This uncontrollable mess was truly awful...

It had to be the Bloodkin Prince’s fault.

Even if she’d sworn last night not to kill any Blood Clan members, Ouyang would never forgive him for doing this to her.

Feeling the second wave surge, she frantically grabbed tissues from her desk, rolled them into a soft plug, and jammed it in place before more could stain the sheets.

The makeshift plug was only a temporary fix.

Little Qiu, being a girl, must have *those* things—enough to solve Ouyang’s emergency for now.

That bread-like pad... Ouyang recalled it should be in the bathroom cabinet under the sink.

Trying to act normal, she planned to greet her housemates as usual, then slip away to the bathroom claiming she’d drunk too much at last night’s dinner.

With the plan set, Ouyang clamped her thighs around the tissue plug and tiptoed to her bedroom door. Just as she gripped the handle, Little Qiu’s worried voice drifted in:

"Brother Ouyang... He came back just yesterday and hasn’t come home again. Could he have been kidnapped *again*?"

"Don’t worry, sis. If something happened, I’d find him like last time."

"Somehow... Brother Ouyang seems more vulnerable out there than a girl would be."

Brother Long chuckled awkwardly at Little Qiu’s odd but caring remark. "He probably stayed at a nearby hotel so late. Didn’t want to disturb your sleep. Happened before."

"You’re right..." Little Qiu frowned, still uneasy. "But he feels... different since he came back."

She couldn’t pinpoint it, but she sensed Ouyang was hiding something.

"Don’t overthink it. When he’s ready, he’ll tell you everything."

Ouyang waited silently until their footsteps faded before easing the door open.

Seventeen-year-old Ouyang, who’d survived three years with Brother Long in the Northern District, was now being worried over by a younger, bookish Little Qiu.

*Pathetic. I’m failing as an older brother.*

She vowed silently: *No more making them worry. I have to be stronger.*

Just then—a fresh wave surged downward.

Panicked, she dashed to the bathroom, yanked open the cabinet, and spotted a box of OB tampons. Relief turned to despair as she shook it—empty.

She rummaged through the cabinet. Not a single pad or tampon left.

Then she remembered: early this month, Little Qiu had complained of cramps, avoiding icy-spicy foods, even cutting out chocolate and coffee.

A tragic realization struck.

Little Qiu’s period had just ended—and she’d used up every last supply.

Using her sister’s cramps as an excuse, Ouyang wrapped herself head-to-toe in a sun hat, sunglasses, and mask before slipping out to the convenience store downstairs.

Clueless about brands and wary of pushy clerks, she grabbed the same packaging Little Qiu used. Back in the bathroom, perched on the toilet, she studied the instructions with flushed cheeks and trembling hands.

She tore open the wrapper, pulling out the white applicator. Following the diagram, she angled her hips 45 degrees, pinched the grip with thumb and middle finger, and pushed gently with her index finger.

The intrusion felt alien and deeply unsettling—flashing her back to last night’s humiliating maze of mirrors.

Her pale face flushed. She stared miserably at the white string peeking out, then hurriedly cleaned the ruined sheets.

First priority: replace her lost phone and SIM card.

At the mobile service center, everything went smoothly until the final step—face recognition. The clerk asked her to remove her sunglasses. The system beeped:

[Verification failed. Please try again.]

Her careful disguise foiled by a lousy machine. Calmly reclaiming her ID, Ouyang excused herself for "urgent matters" and left.

Only one solution remained.

She stood in Brother Long’s office, watching his back stiffen in silence.

"Sorry for worrying you again, Brother Long."

"Why didn’t you go to Claudia’s lesson?"

Ouyang had completely forgotten Claudia’s arranged class—and absolutely refused to relive yesterday’s mirror-maze shame. Between that and today’s raging period, she forced an awkward smile.

"Actually... that’s why I came. I need to ask for a day off." She scratched her head sheepishly. "I’m on my period."

At Xiaomo, girls used this excuse all the time. Approval was guaranteed.

*Heh. Never thought I’d get to skip class like this. Kinda... smug.*

"You—" Brother Long turned, shock flashing across his face as he remembered Ouyang’s disguised identity.

"Approved. Rest well. Drink plenty of hot water."

Hearing that stereotypical advice from him—laced with unspoken tension—made Ouyang’s chest feel strangely heavy.

...