"There's no such thing as an ugly woman, only a lazy one"—this saying held some truth. Clearly having taken great care with her appearance, Mumu shed her baggy training uniform for a beige mini-skirt and a chic cropped jacket. The transformation was striking, revealing the delicate beauty of her slender frame.
The only flaw? Her chest remained stubbornly flat.
Yet that lean, streamlined body possessed a unique allure no curvy figure could match—a fragile, almost bone-thin grace that radiated a shy, tempting vulnerability. It stirred a protective instinct in many men, making them want to sweep Mumu onto a bed and tenderly explore every inch of her as her hidden beauty slowly bloomed.
A touch of makeup slightly masked the freckles on her face, and an enigmatic perfume clung to her skin. Nervously pacing toward Mirror October, Mumu waited with bated breath for his verdict. This was her first time dressing up so meticulously. For years, she’d been plagued by insecurity over her figure, secretly envying classmates with generous busts until it became a deep-seated wound.
"You look beautiful," Mirror October offered with perfect timing, though his tone felt oddly flat. He showed neither the awe nor disgust Mumu had braced for. His gentle, sunshine smile remained fixed like a permanent mask.
For some reason, Mumu’s heart sank.
"Is… is that all? Xiao Gege, the woman you like—I thought I might…"
*So the little beast is showing some spirit.* Mirror October’s smile deepened almost imperceptibly. The icy chill deep in his crimson eyes thawed just a fraction. With girls so naturally timid and easily swayed, he always felt… almost human.
"Beautiful," he repeated, leaning down to crowd her space with his height, forcing her to step back. His usually ascetic features twisted with sudden, dangerous charm. "I don’t give that compliment lightly, Mumu. Did you think I was some careless man?"
The shift in aura alone made Mumu whimper. His predatory presence froze her in place—her legs betrayed her, pressing closer to him even as she darted glances for an escape route.
*Wah! This is so embarrassing! Xiao Gege’s going to bully me!!*
Mumu nearly fainted from her own vivid imagination. An ascetic beauty turning seductive was lethal. Under his relentless advance, she felt metaphorically stripped bare like a trembling lamb awaiting the wolf’s feast.
"Your perfume…" Mirror October’s brow furrowed. He hadn’t noticed it at first, but as he deliberately closed the distance, an unusual sweetness beneath the fragrance registered—a subtle aphrodisiac that stirred faint desire in ordinary men. Useless on his inhuman body, yet intriguing. Given Mumu’s modest background, such perfume was beyond her means. *Who gave her this scent meant to lure men into bed?*
"A-ah! My roommate gave it to me! She said it’s super popular right now!!" Mumu blurted out, instantly selling out her friend. Before Mirror October’s domineering presence, resistance was unthinkable. A voice in her head whispered surrender, urging her to become his devoted little beast.
"Your roommate…" Mirror October’s gaze turned thoughtful. *She’s certainly… attentive.* But pushing a girl toward intimacy on a first meeting? A shadow flickered in his crimson eyes. "Give me your hand."
His tone warmed back to its usual gentleness, yet brooked no refusal.
"Xiao Gege, no…" Mumu flinched, hiding her hands behind her back like a scolded child. *Is he going to spank me?*
"Really no?"
"N-no! Don’t—wait, what do you need my hand for?" She shook her head frantically, then hesitated, sensing his intent wasn’t punishment. Mirror October’s radiant smile broke through as he ruffled her neatly combed hair, messing up her bangs.
His icy heart softened. *Humans… so flawed, yet capable of such beauty.* He clung to that belief—it was necessary.
"Since this is a date, holding hands seems appropriate. But if you dislike it, then—"
"Yes! Yes, Xiao Gege, I want to!!" Mumu nearly jumped. *No handholding? What kind of date would that be?!*
"Heh. A lady shouldn’t say ‘I want’ so easily," he murmured against her ear, his breath warm. His arms slid around her waist in an embrace that felt both intimate and possessive, effortlessly dismantling her defenses.
Utterly captivating. Even without trying, Mirror October’s experience as a male host bled through—his gorgeous face and restrained aura ensnared the inexperienced girl completely.
As their quiet, charged moment unfolded on the campus path, atop a Hero Academy building, the Porcelain King withdrew his probing gaze. "An ordinary human… but intriguing. With my old body, I’d have loved to… *chat*… with this Mirror October."
As Jing Ruosui’s brother, Central Bureau surveillance was inevitable. Yet their icy estrangement meant Mirror October ranked below Liuhua Jing in priority. This observation was merely opportunistic—a mildly interesting specimen.
*Just a pawn to control Ruosui. Though… far more compelling than that naive saint of a sister.* The Porcelain King vanished. Behind him, deep within Mirror October’s crimson eyes, a flash of murderous fury erupted.
*Traitor…!*
