“Are you Xiao Luo?” the ponytailed girl asked, her eyes shimmering with hopeful anticipation.

“Ah… I go by Xiao Luo,” Ling Luo replied instinctively—flustered by the sudden familiarity.

“Eh? It really *is* you, Xiao Luo! I thought I’d mistaken you. After all these years… I’m… well, kinda emotional,” Xiao You said, clutching Ling Luo’s small hands.

“Huh? Uh… uh…”

Totally bewildered, Ling Luo’s face froze in confusion, mumbling incoherently—*blah blah* might’ve slipped out next.

*Who is she? Why does she act like she knows me? Did we even meet?* A barrage of questions flooded her mind.

Noticing Ling Luo’s blank stare, the girl brightened: “It’s me—Xiao You! You probably don’t recognize me. Ten years is a long time… I’ve changed a lot. Height-wise? Not so much…” She gestured above her head with a sigh.

*Well, matching my loli mom’s height does make her short,* Ling Luo mused. She studied Xiao You: petite frame, modest B-cup (unlike her own A-cup), and claiming a decade-old connection. *She must’ve been at least six back then… maybe even our age now. Could she be a student here too?*

*Mom’s a legal loli. I’m one. She barely qualifies. Is there some loli magnetism thing going on?*

“Come to think of it, Xiao Luo, you haven’t changed much. We were the same height before—I’m taller now.”

*Try standing next to my male form,* Ling Luo thought dryly. *I’ll show you “a full head shorter.”*

“You’re even prettier now—super cute!” Xiao You gushed.

“R-really?” Ling Luo stammered, embarrassed, fingers brushing her nose.

“Your face saved me from missing you. At first I doubted it was you—that’s why I asked if you were Xiao Luo. Never imagined you’d stick with cross-dressing all these years… wild, right?” Xiao You chattered on, oblivious to Ling Luo’s stiffening expression.

“Wait—*cross-dressing*?! Are you saying I’m a *boy*?!”

“Aren’t you? *You* told me you were a boy back then,” Xiao You said matter-of-factly.

Ling Luo’s temper flared. *I’m a real girl now!* “How dare you call me a boy just ’cause I’m flat-chested?! I *have* breasts—verify it yourself!” Heat rushing to her face, she grabbed Xiao You’s hand and pressed it firmly against her chest. Xiao You yanked back a beat too late—the soft, genuine warmth already seared into her palm.

*Huh… soft… real… She’s definitely a girl.* Logically convinced, Xiao You still flushed crimson. *No girl’s ever been this bold before…*

“Ah… I-I see you’re a girl. Must’ve mistaken you. Sorry…” Xiao You bowed slightly.

Ling Luo’s irritation softened. *Reuniting with an old friend on campus… yeah, joy makes people messy.*

“It’s fine. You helped me earlier—we’re even.” She smoothed her rumpled clothes. “I’ve got things to do. Gotta go.”

“O-okay. Sorry again for the mix-up.”

Ling Luo walked off without looking back. Xiao You lingered a moment, emotions tangled, then left too.

Alone, Ling Luo tried recalling Xiao You—nothing. *Girls I’m close to? Countable on one hand. Unless… age seven? Eight?* Memories that old were hazy. *Who remembers first-grade playmates? Kids played together regardless of gender back then… Wait—TEN YEARS AGO?!*

*Oh no.* She *had* secretly cross-dressed around then. Buried deep as cringey black history. *Why dig this up?!* She forced the memory—still no Xiao You. *If I can’t remember, I can’t remember. Whatever.*

Shaking it off, she tiptoed along the campus path.

“Ugh… why won’t they quit?!” she grumbled from a building’s shadow. Peeking out earlier, she’d spotted the group still hunting her. Without hat or sunglasses? No way she’d show her face.

“Sigh… disguise time.”

She shifted back to Luo Ling—then froze mid-step, crouching in despair.

“Agh! I *let* a girl grope my chest?! That’s borderline harassment! How could my original self be so shameless?!” he wailed inwardly. Apologizing? Impossible—only awkwardness. *Leave it.*

“Wait—Mom said widening the gap between forms risks split personality. So… accept my original self? Accept her actions? Accept—*accept my ass!* The problem’s *her*! No. When I switch back, I’ll rein myself in. No more wild moves.”

Resolve hardened.

Composed, Luo Ling returned to the fall spot. Trampled sunglasses. Mud-stamped cap. *Laugh or cry?*

No strolling as Ling Luo today. Unfamiliar area, no clue where to buy shades. *Tomorrow.* For now—explore campus.

He tossed the broken shades, dusted the cap, tucked it away, and moved on.

“Hmm… this building’s… the library! Perfect spot.”

He gazed up at the grand structure.

Truth was, Luo Ling hunted locations to seed an urban legend—lure ideal contract candidates *to him*. After chasing contractors himself? Brilliant. No running streets. Targets come willingly. *Made for a lazybones like me.*

The plan was ready. Waiting only for campus.

Soon, a new urban legend would bloom in this city.