Chapter 10

After thinking for a while, I ultimately decided not to wear that dress.

The boss Shuo Yan was standing right next to me—if I put it on, my reputation would be in shambles.

Besides, deep down, my mindset was still that of a guy.

Now, after being gender-swapped, I could endure wearing slightly girly clothes, but a cute little dress? Sorry, I just couldn’t do it.

In the end, I borrowed a beige hoodie from Shuo Yan and paired it with some tight-fitting women’s denim shorts.

As embarrassing as it was, I still wore the undergarments. Otherwise, the odd sensation on my chest would be really uncomfortable.

Once I finished getting dressed, I quickly said goodbye to Shuo Yan and hurried downstairs from the dormitory.

At this time of year in summer, the sky was beginning to darken.

The red glow of the setting sun was gradually fading, and the silent darkness slowly settled in.

The streetlights lining the passageway below flickered on, casting a warm light, as if sensing the change in atmosphere.

And then, I saw her.

There she stood, bathed in the last red light of the sunset, slowly being enveloped by the encroaching darkness.

The warm glow of the streetlamp made her look like a dreamy, enchanting fairy.

In the interplay of light and shadow, the girl stood there in a white gauzy dress, her long hair falling smoothly around her, lightly swaying in the summer evening breeze.

The long dress gently hugged her slender and graceful figure, with a red bow pinned at her chest, making her look both pure and sexy.

I lost myself in the darkness, as if transported back to the moment I first met her. My heart raced uncontrollably.

It wasn’t until she walked up to me with light, graceful steps that I snapped out of it.

Unlike her bare-faced look in high school, she was now wearing light makeup, which only made her already pure and stunning features even more captivating.

Right now, her bright, clear eyes held a hint of reproach, and her small lips puffed up in a cute, pouty way.

“Xiao Li, didn’t we agree you’d wear the dress I gave you? Why are you still in a hoodie? Hmph, I’m mad.”

Though I felt a little guilty for deceiving her, I used the excuse I had prepared in advance, “Le Ya, I accidentally got it dirty. I’m really sorry. I’ll clean it up and wear it next time, I promise.”

Unexpectedly, Le Ya paused for a moment, then showed a worried expression. She gently patted my head, looking down at me.

“Xiao Li, are you feeling unwell? You usually call me Yaya-jie. Why did you suddenly use my full name? Did I do something to upset you?”

Now it was my turn to be surprised. In this world, aren’t Le Ya and I supposed to be best friends? Why would I need to call her “Yaya-jie”? We’re the same age, only a few months apart.

“Ah, no, no. I’m just really tired from earlier. Don’t worry about me.”

“Are you feeling really unwell, Xiao Li? We should head to the school clinic right away. There should still be a doctor on duty at this hour. Can you still walk, or should I carry you there?”

Le Ya looked at me with concern, placing her pale hand on my forehead to check my temperature.

For the first time, I was seeing her up close, her clear and bright pupils, the delicate arch of her brows, her long eyelashes slightly fluttering. Her flawless, fair skin had a faint pink hue, and her thin lips, as delicate as rose petals, seemed soft and inviting.

If I kissed her, it would probably taste sweet.

Suddenly, the thought of defiling this beauty crossed my mind.

No, I can’t let this go on. If I continue like this, I won’t even be able to remain friends with her. Yuli, you can’t forget the painful memory of that dark confession from the past.

I clenched my fists, digging my fingernails into my palms. The sharp sting brought my mind back to clarity.

“It’s nothing, really. I’m just super excited about having dinner and watching a movie with Yaya-jie. I’m just too happy, that’s all. Let’s get going, shall we?”

I forced a smile.

Hadn’t I already decided back then that I’d only watch over her from afar?

Now that I was her best friend and could be even closer to her, wasn’t that enough to make me happy?

So, for her sake, I had to keep pretending to be the ‘Yu Li’ she imagined me to be.

Until this whole gender-swap incident was over and everything went back to normal.

“Xiao Li? Are you really sure you’re okay?”

“Mhm, mhm. Let’s hurry up and head out. We don’t want to be late.”

I smiled, taking her hand—or, well, with our current height difference, it probably looked like she was the one holding mine.

Seeing my smile, Le Ya finally relaxed. Happily, she held onto me.

Her long, slender fingers intertwined with mine, her soft hand warmly and intimately enclosing my smaller one.

On the surface, I remained calm and composed, but inside, my heart felt like it was about to burst. I could practically feel my heart beating rapidly in my chest.

I… I’m holding Le Ya’s hand right now. It’s so soft. I used to dream about holding her hand and pulling her into my arms. Today, at least half of that dream is coming true.

A faint scent of lavender wafted from her, passing through my nose and into my mind, overwhelming the logic I had so carefully maintained.

Thankfully, Le Ya kept starting little conversations along the way, distracting me enough to suppress the excitement in my heart.

She was lively in front of me, happily sharing amusing stories from her day. The radiant smile on her face was something I’d never seen before. It was so beautiful, it made my heart skip a beat.

As we walked down the campus path, people kept sneaking glances at us, both guys and girls.

Holding her hand, I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of satisfaction.

It was as if, right now, I possessed her.

By the time we passed through the school gates, night had completely fallen. Across from the campus was a bustling pedestrian street.

On the street, colorful lights illuminated the night, and you could see couples holding hands, strolling around, or groups of friends laughing and chatting together.

This street mainly catered to students, so most of the shops had stylish decor to attract the high expectations of young people today.

I usually only came here for group dinners, finding a random hot pot place to chug drinks. The life of a single guy was just that simple and unadorned.

Suddenly, Le Ya shook my hand, signaling me to look ahead.

“Xiao Li, it’s right there. Let’s go.”

I looked up in the direction she pointed, and not far away, there was a brightly lit sign for a BBQ restaurant, packed with a lot of people.

It looked a bit expensive though. Hopefully, my poor little wallet could handle the pressure.