“What’s going on? Why isn’t Jiang Chi here today?”
In the dim alley where sunlight barely penetrated, near the small entrance, Ji Yuetian waited for a long time. As the class time approached, there was still no sign of Jiang Chi. He scratched his head in confusion.
Usually, Jiang Chi would have arrived by this time.
What’s up with him today?
After waiting another fifteen minutes with no one showing up, Ji Yuetian gave up and decided not to bother anymore. It wasn’t like Jiang Chi had stood him up. He headed back to school alone, then returned to his small room and changed back into his male clothes.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Ji Yuetian noticed the thermos cup placed on the right side of the desk. He walked over to pick it up, frowning slightly as he stroked his chin and muttered to himself, “Wasn’t this cup on the left side yesterday?”
Strange.
How did it get moved to the right side?
Did the thermos grow legs? Or did someone enter the room?
After pondering for a moment, Ji Yuetian put the cup down, deciding it was probably just his memory playing tricks on him.
After all, human memory is often unreliable—like the “Mandala Effect.”
Besides, if there had really been a thief, why was the most valuable notebook still here?
It’s unlikely a sneaky thief who broke in wouldn’t steal valuables, right?
Stepping out of the number two secret base, Ji Yuetian had just taken a step outside when a detail suddenly popped into his mind.
He thought he locked the door last night when he left, but this morning, it seemed it had opened with just a gentle push.
His brow furrowed deeply, but still, Ji Yuetian instinctively quickened his pace and ran toward the second-year classroom building.
Losing some money due to a break-in at the rented place wasn’t a big deal; he could just find another room for his number two secret base. But today was Ms. Chen’s class—if he was late, he’d be in serious trouble.
“Hao Jian.”
“Present!”
“Su Tian.”
“Present!”
“Ji Yuetian.”
“Present!”
“……”
The chorus of responses echoed inside the classroom. On the podium, Ms. Chen flipped through a small notebook as she called roll. When she reached a certain student’s name, she paused.
“Jiang Chi.”
Silence.
“Jiang Chi.”
Still no sound.
“Jiang Chi!”
Ms. Chen raised her voice and called again. Then, a classmate in the front row kindly reminded, “Teacher, Jiang Chi’s mother called this morning to ask for a sick leave for him.”
Sick leave? Ill?
No one noticed, but in the back row, a delicate-looking young boy who had been staring down at his phone suddenly stiffened at this news, a dark glint flashing in his eyes.
……
“Yushu, what do you think happened to Chi?”
In the living room, Chen Mengrou sat on the sofa with a worried expression, staring toward a bedroom door. Next to her was a tall, elegant man—Jiang Yushu, who was currently on vacation.
Jiang Yushu held a small knife, peeling an apple. He too glanced anxiously toward the bedroom, gently patting his wife’s back as he tried to sound reassuring, “Maybe it’s because things didn’t go well with ‘Chan Chan’… uh, that girl. The truth cuts like a sharp knife.”
“But Chi is our child. He won’t be knocked down by a little trouble. Let him be alone quietly for a while. Although men don’t shed tears easily, sometimes crying can really help ease the heart.”
“Trust our child. He will get over this hurdle.”
He handed the peeled apple to his wife, who bit into it. He took a bite as well, but their gazes toward the bedroom remained tinged with worry.
Inside the bedroom was a mess.
“This can’t be… This can’t be…”
“He’s not her, he’s not her.”
“Ji Yuetian, I’m going to kill you!”
“Ji Qingchan, my Qingchan…”
The boy lay on the floor, eyes hollow and vacant, completely broken.
Ji Yuetian is Ji Qingchan.
His mischievous junior sister Ji Qingchan is Ji Yuetian.
How could his pure and adorable, yet sly little girlfriend possibly be a boy?
Right, impossible.
Absolutely impossible!
No way!
A height of 1.63 meters suddenly turned into over 1.8 meters, the video must be fake, it’s definitely synthesized! Technology can do that now!
“Yes, fake, fake, fake.”
The boy’s eyes suddenly flared with a blaze, fists clenched tightly. Then he sat up as if muttering to himself or hypnotizing himself.
Jiang Chi looked at the memory card in his palm, then without hesitation, threw it out the window, his eyes flashing with madness and madness.
“This is fake!”
“This is definitely fake.”
“I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it. Seeing isn’t always believing. I want to believe in science! I want to believe in technology!”
“Unless it’s genetics, no, fingerprints, everyone’s fingerprints are unique. I will prove it, I will prove, I will prove that he is not Ji Qingchan!”
The boy whispered to himself, a ferocious expression on his face. Suddenly, he jumped up and rushed toward the door, but stopped short when he remembered his parents were outside.
Jiang Chi took several deep breaths. The ferocious look slowly faded, replaced by a calm and sunny expression.
He opened the door.
“Mom, Dad, sorry, I lost control just now.”
“I’m going back to school for a bit. Can you please help tidy up the bedroom?”
The boy spoke apologetically, but where his parents didn’t notice, his slightly lowered azure eyes concealed a terrifying demonic aura.
……
“What? Shake hands?”
Ji Yuetian was baffled by Jiang Chi’s strange request. Was the guy crazy?
The first class had just ended, the bell’s echo still lingering in the air. Ji Yuetian was about to buy a grilled sausage when he saw Jiang Chi, who should have been resting at home, rush over hurriedly.
“Yes, shake hands.”
Jiang Chi’s face was flushed from the exertion, forcing out a strained smile that looked painfully stiff.
Though confused, Ji Yuetian didn’t want to refuse. He stretched out his slender, sun-kissed palm and lightly shook the other’s hand, who was wearing a pristine white glove.
Ignoring the stares around them, Jiang Chi quickly took off the glove, sealed it in a plastic bag, and then dashed out of the classroom like the wind, completely ignoring Ms. Chen’s furious shout, “Come back here! Class is not over!”
Ji Yuetian watched the bizarre series of actions in shock, scratching his head in bewilderment.
What’s wrong with Jiang Chi?
Is the illness frying his brain?
Should I take a day off tomorrow to visit him?
……
Outside the city, at the laboratory.
Dressed in a dustproof suit, Jiang Chi returned once again. But this time, his mood was completely different from before.
Bao Yue is Ji Qingchan.
They were practically made for each other, meeting online so early on!
But Ji Yuetian is Ji Qingchan… impossible!
My Qingchan absolutely cannot be Ji Yuetian!!