This Tang Zhe actually didn’t wait for her to leave together.

After barely escaping Liu Shishi’s clutches, she’d figured Tang Zhe wouldn’t have left yet—just a quick underwear run, after all.

But one phone call later? Damn. He was already seated at the internet cafe next door.

Seriously, some people could make you see red. He hadn’t even gone to the supermarket upstairs. Instead, he’d bought a whole "bucket" at the KFC downstairs and was now waiting for Li Mo to join him.

Though… since he said he’d treat… she’d forgive him this time.

Head down, she power-walked out of the mall. Hard to believe her stubby legs had carried her to Tang Zhe’s side in under ten minutes.

"That was fast?"

"It’s close."

Li Mo couldn’t fathom what Tang Zhe was so shocked about. It wasn’t even far.

Unaware her face was flushed from rushing, she just felt inexplicably warm.

"I’m getting water downstairs."

No way she’d buy overpriced cafe drinks.

"Hey, this bucket meal comes with Coke!"

"You keep it."

Coke would make her fat. Not that she cared about looks—just that extra weight might ruin her disguise!

The thought made her glance down at her chest, recalling Liu Shishi’s merciless laughter from twenty minutes ago.

Her mood instantly soured.

"Boot up my computer!"

She tossed her backpack onto the seat beside Tang Zhe and stormed out of the cafe.

Tang Zhe stared after her, bewildered. Her temper was impossible to read—one second grinning, the next blazing mad. Like she was on *that time of the month*, except this girl ran on permanent cycle.

And seriously—no ID? How was he supposed to boot her computer?

He stood to help, then froze. She hadn’t given him her ID. Helpless, he slumped back down. His eyes landed on her backpack beside him.

The zipper gaped open. Lucky it was a hard-shell bag, or everything would’ve spilled out.

Muttering about her carelessness, he leaned over to zip it up.

That’s when he saw what was inside.

A beige plastic bag, its mouth flung wide from the impact.

Naturally, Tang Zhe saw its contents too.

Clothes…?

*Small* clothes…?

He knew it was wrong to touch someone else’s things, but…

The visual shock short-circuited his brain. His trembling hand reached in, pinched the top item, and pulled it out.

Admittedly cute. But the size… way too tiny. Tang Zhe was a normal guy—if this belonged to a stranger, he’d imagine a sweet-faced girl wearing it.

Reality wasn’t so kind. The owner was a *guy*.

Sure, he was cute. And short. *Really* short. But still—a guy!

*Damn.* He never realized his childhood friend’s tastes had been so thoroughly corrupted. No wonder he’d sent Tang Zhe away to shop alone.

Slowly, numbly, he stuffed the garment back inside and zipped the bag shut.

The damage to his senses—and his worldview—was catastrophic. Tang Zhe sat frozen, hollowed out.

He’d always assumed his buddy just endured his mother’s tyrannical whims, secretly hating being called girly or mistaken for a girl.

Turns out he was protesting but actually into it.

"Why isn’t my computer on yet?"

Li Mo returned to find Tang Zhe slumped over the table like a lifeless pig, her machine still dark. Fury surged.

"Y-you didn’t give me your ID. Can’t boot it without that."

"Oh. Right. Sorry."

She *had* forgotten. Her fault.

"Boot it up for me?"

"Boot up what?"

"The computer! Go swipe my card at the front desk! And top it up with twenty—consider it payment for lunch at my place today!"

"Fine, fine…"

He’d have covered twenty bucks anyway. But lately, he felt less like a friend and more like a dad babysitting a rebellious daughter who’d just turned eighteen and snuck into an internet cafe.

Li Mo wouldn’t dare go herself.

She hadn’t visited this cafe in ages. The new attendant looked like some sketchy gangster-type—not necessarily one, but just *looking* at him spiked her anxiety. Forget interacting; her paranoia was maxed out.

"ID… ID… Oh, in my backpack."

She recalled it was tucked in a side pocket—safer than carrying it loose. But she couldn’t let Tang Zhe see the bag’s contents. She shifted subtly as she reached for it.

None of it mattered to Tang Zhe now. He’d already seen too much.

"Huh."

"? What’s wrong?"

Li Mo froze. Tang Zhe braced himself—had she noticed him snooping?

"Nothing. Maybe… we shouldn’t play after all?"

"…Are you *insane*?"

They were already seated. He’d unzipped her bag! Twenty bucks down the drain?

"Then… come with me to boot it up."

"…"

This person was definitely broken.

Why panic over a simple computer boot? He’d *offered* to handle it.

He’d suspected it since the last crisis—maybe she’d grown withdrawn.

"Coming or not? I can’t play without you."

*…Damn it.*

Why look at me like that?!

Guilt over her earlier snap made her shrink inward, eyes downcast.

That expression.

To others, it was endearing. To Tang Zhe, it was poison.

But he swallowed it anyway. Better this than ending up gay.

"Twenty-hour top-up."

Only with Tang Zhe beside her did Li Mo dare place her ID face-down on the counter. The attendant shot a weird look at the guy hiding behind his friend. *Sketchy vibes.* The kid wore a boys’ uniform but radiated such girlish energy it made his skin crawl.

Then he scanned the ID.

*Even weirder.* A girl in a boys’ uniform? What kind of kink was this? Maybe he’d suggest it to his wife later.

"Done."

"Th-thanks."

Li Mo snatched her ID back before Tang Zhe could react. Thankfully, the attendant had slid it onto the counter instead of handing it over.

"*Phew…*"

She exhaled, relief flooding her.

If Tang Zhe had seen the giant "FEMALE" stamped on her new ID… her life would’ve been over.