“Meow?” Little Tangerine looked up with innocent eyes.

Feng Yijiu looked at the two girls. For a moment, she felt like she had something to say, but the words died on her lips.

“Aw, come on. So what if Yijiu likes wearing menswear?” Cen Man patted Feng Yijiu on the shoulder. “Your classmates?”

“Mm.” Feng Yijiu’s voice was as soft as a mosquito’s buzz.

“Then how about... you go pet the cat over there?” Cen Man smiled and pointed at a quieter row of seats nearby. “I’ll go buy you some water.”

Feng Yijiu instinctively reached out and grabbed Cen Man’s arm.

Save me, save me. qaq

Cen Man just smiled, flicked her sleeve lightly, and left without a trace.

“So, Yijiu, you’re a girl, right?” Zhou Wenyao asked softly.

“Mm.” Feng Yijiu hugged Little Tangerine tightly. Even when she sat down on the stone bench by the roadside, she looked stiff and restrained, barely sitting on the edge.

“I knew it. A girl as handsome as Yijiu had to be a girl.” Qingqing had already wrapped both arms around Feng Yijiu’s slim waist.

Feng Yijiu shuddered all over.

“Don’t mess around.” Zhou Wenyao reached out and lightly smacked away the mischievous little hand.

Feng Yijiu pressed her legs slightly together and lowered her head, staring at the tips of her shoes.

As a husky among wolves, she felt like she was about to blow her cover at any second.

“Um... could you... could you... could you not say anything at school?” Feng Yijiu looked at the two girls in front of her, her eyes full of pleading.

“Huh?” Qingqing didn’t quite get what she meant at first.

“I mean... that I’m... a girl.” Feng Yijiu lowered her head. Her hands felt freezing cold, but the tips of her ears were burning hot.

“Why?” Qingqing tilted her head. “Yijiu, you’re really pretty.”

“I just... I just...” Feng Yijiu’s hands had already clenched tight. She bit her lip with her teeth, but still couldn’t explain herself. The shame was so intense that she felt like she might faint on the spot.

“Alright, Qingqing, stop making it hard for her.” Zhou Wenyao came over and held Feng Yijiu’s icy little hand. “We won’t tell anyone.”

“Th-thank you.” Feng Yijiu let out a long breath of relief.

“But... Yijiu, even if we don’t say anything, you probably won’t be able to hide it for long, right? Things like the sports meet and the class info forms will have it on record.”

Zhou Wenyao looked at Feng Yijiu. “Are you worried people will laugh at you for liking menswear?”

“Mm... k-kind of.” Feng Yijiu lowered her head. She knew this was just wishful thinking, just self-deception on her part. Still, she treasured this “fake boy” life she had now.

“We can keep your secret, no problem. But...” Qingqing grinned. “From now on, you’re one of us! Hehe.”

“Huh?” Feng Yijiu looked up at Qingqing.

“On Sundays, come out with us when you’re free. Do homework, go shopping.” Qingqing took Feng Yijiu’s hand as she spoke. “Otherwise...”

“Stop it, Qingqing.”

“I... I agree, okay.” Feng Yijiu nodded helplessly and signed this unequal treaty.

“Yay! Free tutoring from the top two students in the grade!” Qingqing cheered.

Zhou Wenyao gave Feng Yijiu an apologetic smile. “Qingqing... she doesn’t mean any harm. She’s just loud and excitable by nature. You’ll get it once you spend more time with her.”

“I understand.” Feng Yijiu lowered her head, then transferred all her nervous energy onto Little Tangerine.

“Then... Yijiu, do you want to go ride bikes with us later?” Zhou Wenyao invited her.

“I...” Feng Yijiu had just been about to refuse when Cen Man came back carrying a bag of bottled water and answered for her, “Sure. Then Yijiu, go have fun with your classmates a little longer. I’m going to buy groceries. Let me take Little Tangerine back too.”

Seeing that, Feng Yijiu could only stamp her foot lightly.

Zhou Wenyao couldn’t help but laugh. She’d met plenty of girls before, but one as shy as Feng Yijiu was really rare.

“Do you guys come out every weekend?” Feng Yijiu got on a shared bike. As the soft river breeze brushed past her again and again, the embarrassment on her face gradually faded.

“Pretty much. We do homework at the library in the morning, then come out and move around in the afternoon,” Zhou Wenyao said. “What about you, Yijiu?”

“Me?” Feng Yijiu thought about how she spent every day jungling in the Rift and dropping in as a parachute trooper... and couldn’t help feeling a little ashamed. “Uh, I usually just stay home. I only came out this afternoon to get some exercise.”

“Then you don’t usually go out with friends?” Qingqing turned her head to ask.

Critical hit. Straight to the heart.

Feng Yijiu felt awkward. After all, she was a newcomer here, and right after arriving she’d gotten disarmed and shoved into the hospital. It wasn’t that she had no friends. It was more like she probably didn’t even have ten acquaintances.

“Um... I’m kind of a homebody.” Feng Yijiu could only answer vaguely.

“No wonder your skin is so nice.” Qingqing looked at Feng Yijiu’s fair skin with envy. “Hey, Yijiu, what skincare products do you usually use?”

Feng Yijiu froze.

Wait... did Dabao body lotion from her previous life count?

“Uh... I probably don’t use much.” Feng Yijiu felt like this halfway-converted girl persona was about to fall apart.

Somehow, her room had filled up with all kinds of bottles and jars at some point. But Feng Yijiu had basically glanced at the labels once and left every single one of them untouched.

I mean, what kind of grown man messes with that stuff?

The limit of what she could accept was lip balm, okay?

...

Meanwhile, Li Hao was immersed in his own “journey through mountains and rivers.” The mountains were mountains of books, and the rivers were seas of knowledge. Damn you, Feng Yijiu. Do you know what it means to sleep on brushwood and taste gall?

At the midterms, you’re definitely wearing girls’ clothes!

Not even Jesus will save you then! I said so!

Li Hao ground his teeth as he scribbled furiously. Don’t think teaching me how to flirt means I won’t come for you.

Hmph. Hmph. When you put on girls’ clothes, you’re definitely gonna look amazing.

Li Hao gritted his teeth and steeled himself. At this point, he didn’t care about basketball anymore, and he’d even given up the Rift.

Go big or go insane!

Hmph. Hmph. What’s “crossdressing bondage”? Li “Ruthless Beast” Hao declared that as long as everyone crossdressed, then it was the same as nobody crossdressing.

To motivate himself even more, he even took a black permanent marker and wrote the three big characters “Feng Yijiu” on his study desk, then drew a huge red X over them to show his determination.

He, Li Hao, was a demon-slaying celestial master!

At home, Dong Shu watched her idiot son sink so deep into studying he couldn’t pull himself out. She felt both gratified and a little regretful. Such a nice girl, and in her son’s hands she was practically turning into his mortal rival.

Kid, your path’s getting narrower and narrower.