An Han rolled up his pant leg to the knee, ice pack in hand, applying it to his ankle with a look of utter despair.
Ren Chi, standing nearby, let out a soft sigh. “Seriously, how do you sprain your ankle just walking downstairs?”
“It was an accident.”
“If it’s not better by class time, call me—I’ll handle your leave.”
“Mm.” An Han turned his head away, shooing him off. “Go on, finish moving. I’ve got this.”
“Try not to put weight on your left foot for the next two days.”
He nodded impatiently. “I know, I know~” Ren Chi’s repeated reminders were giving him a headache.
“So… I’m leaving?”
“Go, go, go!”
Still uneasy, Ren Chi double-checked the ankle. The swelling had subsided slightly from the ice and the clinic’s massage. Only then did he leave, glancing back with every step.
The moment the door clicked shut, An Han tossed the ice pack onto the desk, stood, and hopped on one foot to the dorm mirror.
After the last task, the system had added a new attribute.
“Skin & Bone?” He leaned close, studying his skin.
Yeah… something had changed.
The upgrade had smoothed out flaws. His skin had always been decent, but up close showed blackheads on his nose and faint acne scars. Now? Gone. Only slightly enlarged pores remained—probably unnoticeable after another upgrade. His sallow tone had lightened too.
“A beauty filter?” He rubbed his smooth chin. “And my beard’s totally gone?”
His coarse daily-shave beard had slowed to fine fuzz after earlier boosts. Now? Nothing.
He touched his jaw. Even the birthmark mole was gone. A faint mole remained below the outer corner of his eye—flat, smooth, oddly alluring. *Knowing the system, this one’s staying.*
Bracing against the bunk frame, he stepped back to see his full reflection.
“Petite now…”
“Hips wider?”
“Shoulders narrower?”
“Face softer?”
“Icy skin and jade bones?”
The phrase flashed in his mind—then fury erupted.
Without the short hair, that reflection was *female*! Damn it!
Was “Skin & Bone” just Appearance + Physique repackaged?! Slap a fancy name and boost two stats at once?!
Thankfully, his chest hadn’t grown. Changes stayed skin-deep and skeletal. Before, he’d been a petite guy. Now? A woman with slightly broader bones.
“Oh no—when Brother Long gets back, I’m doomed!”
“And winter break?! I’m doomed at home too!”
Panic seized him. He’d been a feminine-looking guy. Now? Barely masculine.
Then he remembered—the upgrade gift.
The Transform Camera. Adjusted clothes, hair, *and* auto-makeup.
If he imported an old photo… would it recreate his past look?
But the side effect?
Anxiously, he hopped to the desk, pulled out the camera, and transferred a six-month-old selfie—beauty-filtered: lighter skin, smoothed flaws, sharper chin, oval face.
Back then, he’d thought it handsome. Now? Cringey.
“How did I ever use beauty filters?! Didn’t it feel… girly?!” He muttered, importing the photo and activating Transform.
A flicker. A light sensation on his face.
He hopped back to the mirror.
“Perfect!”
“Unreal! Exactly like the photo! This makeup skill rivals A-list celebrity artists!”
Only his face was enhanced—the selfie covered just that.
He leaned closer, grinning. “Compared to two weeks ago? Just fairer skin. How?!”
The makeup hardened his softened features, restoring masculinity.
But the thrill faded fast. Head bowed, he whispered, “...What’s the cost?”
The chest binder passively attracted men. What about this?
No immediate effect. He glanced at the door.
*Test it on someone?*
Su Peng wouldn’t return till evening. And his ankle…
He dialed. “Brother Ren~”
Ren Chi’s voice sharpened. “Spit it out.”
“Thirsty~ Can’t go downstairs. Bring two bottles?”
“Boil water.”
“Coca-Cola. Sugar-free. Please.”
“Demanding.”
“Sprained my ankle *helping you*.”
Silence. Then: “Twenty minutes. Just moved a box in.”
“Got it!”
An Han sat, left leg propped, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.
Tricking others *was* fun.
But right now? The system was tricking *him*.
“How tragic~” The smile vanished. He slumped onto the desk with a sigh.
As minutes ticked by, worry coiled tighter.
What if the side effect… was something he couldn’t bear?
