So Xuye Cheng followed Doudou into the clothing store...

But soon, Xuye Cheng regretted bringing Doudou along.

Inside, before any staff approached, Doudou headed straight to a nearby rack. She grabbed a beige-and-cream knitted vest with a V-neck. One side of the collar had lake-blue prints, and the cuffs and hem featured alternating lake-blue and beige stripes. The whole look screamed campus chic, leaning into that Korean style.

"Wear this! It’ll look amazing on you," Doudou said, waving the vest in front of her. Xuye Cheng stared at it, then numbly took it.

No flashy nonsense. Yeah, this suited her taste just fine.

Xuye Cheng held the vest. It was knitted, making her wonder if it’d be too warm. But October had cooled things down, so she’d probably stay cozy enough.

Doudou then handed her a white graphic tee. Xuye Cheng froze when she took it.

"Why’s it so long..." she muttered in surprise.

Judging by the tee’s length, once worn, only her legs would show.

Doudou frowned at Xuye Cheng’s shocked expression.

"Haven’t you worn one before, Ningning?"

Xuye Cheng stiffened, panicking slightly. "Uh... not really. My monthly budget’s tight, so I don’t buy many clothes."

She brushed it off with a half-truth. It was honest—her wardrobe held only three sets of men’s clothes, rotated for washing. The rest sat untouched in her closet, all in black, white, or gray.

Snapping back to reality, Xuye Cheng saw Doudou gazing at her with pity.

"Your life seems so miserable, Ningning."

Xuye Cheng flinched again, uneasy under that stare.

Actually, after Doudou’s words, she didn’t feel that miserable anymore.

"It’s fine," Xuye Cheng replied wearily.

As soon as she spoke, Doudou thrust a pleated skirt at her.

Xuye Cheng froze. Doudou’s brows furrowed slightly at her reaction.

Xuye Cheng quickly masked her shock and cleared her throat awkwardly.

What the hell—this skirt was way too short!

Her expression stayed tense.

"Go try it on! It’ll suit you perfectly," Doudou urged, eyes sparkling.

She really regretted bringing Doudou.

But backing out now would raise suspicion.

Xuye Cheng took a deep breath. Her second time in a skirt—and damn, it was a mini.

She exhaled, gathered the clothes, and headed to the fitting room.

The cramped space was dim, lit only by an overhead bulb. Xuye Cheng breathed deeply, telling herself to stay calm.

Staring at her reflection, her face flushed with shyness.

She stripped off her old clothes. Though not her first time seeing this body, her head still felt hot.

Slipping into the white tee, the fabric covered her torso completely, leaving only her legs bare. Under the loose fit, her pale, slender legs looked even more alluring.

Xuye Cheng’s cheeks burned. Her hands gripped the hem nervously as she stared at her legs. They were smooth and delicate now—no trace of muscle definition remained.

Hurry up and change. Doudou might get suspicious...

She grabbed the vest and pulled it on.

Next, the skirt...

Xuye Cheng eyed the pleated skirt, shame swirling inside her.

Whatever. She’d worn dresses before. She’d shown herself in women’s clothes. Just a bit more skin—what’s the big deal?

Stop being so timid. Real men don’t fear cross-dressing. What kind of man am I?

Her thoughts grew weirdly defiant.

She took another breath, bent down, stepped into the skirt, and slowly pulled it up. The fabric brushing her skin felt utterly strange.

Is this it...? Xuye Cheng studied her reflection. Her long hair spilled over her shoulders. In this outfit, she looked smaller, younger—radiating a fresh, youthful vibe unlike the long dress before.

Her gaze drifted to her face in the mirror. Same person, same features, yet she seemed bursting with energy.

Still...

She pressed down the hem. Such a short skirt left both legs fully exposed. It felt bizarre.

The thought of a grown man like her wearing a mini-skirt, dressing like those "pure-but-sexy" girls from short videos, made her face redden again.

Doudou waited ages before Xuye Cheng finally emerged.

Xuye Cheng froze at the sight of her.

"Holy crap, sis! You look stunning—perfect for you!" Doudou gasped. "Wow, those legs, that waist..."

Xuye Cheng cringed as Doudou’s loud praise drew stares from nearby shoppers.

Her expression turned shy instantly.

"Stand up straight! Why hunch over..."

Xuye Cheng sighed, straightening up—and thrusting her chest out too fast. A jolt shot through her.

Her cheeks flared crimson again.

Doudou couldn’t understand it. With such high looks, why hide? This beauty acted like an extra glance would cost her a piece of herself.

"Get this set," Doudou declared cheerfully.

"Uh..."

"It’s gorgeous! Why not buy it? I checked—the whole outfit’s only two hundred bucks. Super cheap."

"Fine, fine," Xuye Cheng relented wearily.

She couldn’t pick clothes anyway. Glancing at the racks overflowing with styles and colors, her decision paralysis kicked in.

Whatever. It’s not ugly, and the price is okay...

"Try this next~" Doudou chirped, handing her another outfit.

Xuye Cheng stared at the ripped, hole-ridden piece. Primal fear flickered in her eyes.

"What’s wrong? Are nice clothes... really that scary?"