Come to think of it, this hair’s getting in the way now.

It wouldn’t be bad with proper styling, but Li Mo refused to do it herself—and honestly, she sucked at it anyway.

If Mom handled it? She’d definitely give her some girly hairstyle. Seriously infuriating.

Frustrated, she swept the bangs blocking her vision aside. Since she wouldn’t cut it… maybe just wear a wig?

Truth was, after high school graduation, she’d have to present as female anyway. Everyone she’d meet would be strangers. Even if she avoided deep connections, she couldn’t exactly walk out with a buzz cut.

Guys and girls alike wanted to look sharp when stepping out, right?

………Might as well just bite the bullet and learn to style herself properly.

Staring at the short-haired girl in the mirror—dressed only in a matching underwear set—Li Mo steeled herself. She finally pulled out the new clothes from the bag and started trying them on.

This cat-print bra set… was actually kinda cute. She liked it.

Embarrassing as it was to admit.

The girl in the mirror looked shy, cheeks flushed slightly. If Li Mo were still Li Mo the boy? Yeah, he’d totally lose his cool right now.

Just needed longer hair to be perfect… for her old self, anyway.

“Mo Mo! Done showering? Come check the stove for me!”

Suddenly, the door swung open again.

Li Mo locked eyes with her mom’s knowing smile. Her own eyes lost their spark. Deadpan, she muttered, “Ms. Wang, when will you learn to knock before entering your adult child’s room?”

“Oops, next time for sure.”

“You say that every time!”

“Alright, alright, I’ll be careful next time,” her mom dodged, stepping in to inspect her daughter. She nodded approvingly. “Hmm, adorable. Perfect fit. Pattern and size both.”

“…………Do we really need to mention the size to continue this conversation?”

“…………Sorry.”

From a woman’s perspective, her daughter’s measurements were a perfect inheritance from her own school days.

Kinda pitiful.

She’d thought Li Mo didn’t care—but seeing this reaction? A flicker of relief. Her kid was trying to change after all.

“It’s fine. It’ll grow. I was the same. Look at me now—”

“You’re still flat. That guy prefers modest busts anyway.”

“………So we’re declaring all-out war today, is that it?”

Blood really was thicker than water.

Ms. Wang cared deeply about this too.

……………

……………

“She actually went for it…”

Rubbing her throbbing head by the boiling kettle, tears welled in Li Mo’s eyes. She’d seen that knuckle rap coming the moment her mom’s face darkened.

Pain was pain. Whether she could endure it? That was another matter.

But weird—Mom eating instant noodles?

Li Mo had never seen her touch the stuff since childhood. Mom even banned *her* from eating it. Yet here she was, slurping it at midnight. Made zero sense.

“Mom! Water’s boiling!”

“Just pour it over the noodles and leave it on the table!”

The shower drowned out most of it, but Li Mo caught the gist.

“Oh.”

Her least favorite—*his* favorite—Master Kong Sour Cabbage noodles.

The smell alone made her stomach turn.

Wait. If that’s the case… could it mean…

*Knock knock knock!*

A sudden rap at the door cut her thoughts short.

“Mo Mo! Open up~”

Could it be…

*Click.*

Mind racing through possibilities, Li Mo numbly shuffled to the door and cracked it open.

She locked eyes with the exhausted man standing there, luggage piled at his feet. Five seconds of frozen silence.

Only when his gaze drifted downward—and his brow furrowed—did she realize: alone with Mom all day, she’d forgotten to wear pants.

Her oversized sleep shirt barely covered anything. And somehow, that made it *worse* for him.

*BAM!*

She slammed the door shut without a flicker of emotion, sealing him outside.

“Hey! Leave the door open!”

His roar from the hallway didn’t even ripple her calm. Huffing back to her room, she locked the door tight.

Good thing he had keys. With all that luggage, he’d have been stranded until Mom finished showering otherwise.

“This kid!”

Li’s dad grumbled at the dining table, shoveling noodles. Remembering the scene, he was glad he hadn’t fully stepped inside. That door would’ve smashed his face.

“Enough. You’re back after months away, and you start fighting with Mo Mo?”

Mom sat across from him, handing over a glass of water after tidying up.

After vanishing for so long—returning at midnight—he should be grateful for instant noodles. Yet he picked a fight with their child. Next time, she’d skip the noodles entirely.

“………A young lady shouldn’t open the door in just her underwear!”

“Yeah, I’ll talk to her. But don’t forget how hard this is for her. A teenager adapting to… this? You need to change your temper. Mo Mo now…”

She glanced at the shut bedroom door. She’d already tried calling Li Mo out. No answer. No opening. She gave up.

“Drop it. She’s got school tomorrow. Needs sleep. You too—exhausted from traveling. Finish eating, shower, rest.”

“Fine, fine.”

Truth was, Dad knew heart-to-heart talks with his son—no, *daughter*—were impossible short-term. Even as a boy, Li Mo clashed with him constantly. Boys were tough. Girls? Far more complex. Especially *this* girl. After tonight’s incident? If she didn’t glare at him tomorrow morning, he’d count it a win.

*Sigh.* Tough gig.

He also worried about school. From what Mom said, she still presented as male—but hanging out with delinquent boys? Absolutely not for his daughter.

“Relax,” Mom said when he voiced it. “She’s not really mixing with them anymore.”

“How’d you know?”

“Our neighbor’s kid told me. She’s practically glued to him now. Inseparable.”

“What???”