The alarm clock by the bed rang incessantly.
Jiang Xiaoyue got up from the bed with a weary face.
The shock from her son’s situation had been too great; she hadn’t slept all night.
The scene of her son turning into a daughter kept flashing before her eyes.
When Jiang Cheng came out of his room, he found that Mom had already prepared breakfast.
Instead of washing up, he walked into the kitchen.
The faucet was running, while Mom stood there in a daze, hands braced on the counter.
“Mom?”
Jiang Cheng went over and turned off the tap.
The distracted Jiang Xiaoyue slowly turned her head.
Her eyes were shadowed with dark circles, her face frighteningly pale.
“Mom, go back to your room and sleep for a while.”
Jiang Cheng recalled what happened last night.
After Mom stared in shock at him turning into Jiang Chen, and he explained everything from beginning to end…
Mom’s expression had shifted to sadness, and she had even cried.
Jiang Cheng had been under high pressure for a while.
After pouring out his heart, he felt relieved.
The mother and “daughter” hugged each other and cried freely.
It wasn’t until midnight that Jiang Xiaoyue told her “son” to go to bed.
“It’s fine. Mom still has to go to the company later…”
“In your current state, how can I feel at ease letting you work!”
Jiang Cheng’s voice rose.
He grabbed Mom’s arm and stared intently into her eyes.
Jiang Xiaoyue looked dazed.
She nodded along with her son’s words.
“I’ll get your phone for you…”
Jiang Cheng walked into Mom’s room.
He noticed an opened pack of women’s cigarettes on the nightstand.
Jiang Cheng picked up the pack.
Only one was missing.
Mom doesn’t usually smoke… only when she’s under a lot of stress…
He took the phone from beside the bed and walked out.
Jiang Xiaoyue was standing at the door.
She immediately noticed the cigarettes in her son’s hand.
Jiang Xiaoyue’s expression turned awkward, as if her strong facade had been shattered in front of her son, turning her into someone who sought numbness when faced with trouble.
“Mom, I made you worry.”
Jiang Cheng hadn’t slept well either.
He regretted choosing such an inappropriate time to tell her.
She hadn’t had any mental preparation.
Lowering his head, he saw the black wristband on his wrist.
Restless emotions surged again.
“Let’s eat breakfast first. You still have to go to school.”
Jiang Xiaoyue took the phone from her son, checked the time, and hurriedly grabbed her handbag to put on shoes at the door.
“The company’s project is very urgent lately. They say even our big boss is working overtime every day.”
Jiang Xiaoyue explained to Jiang Cheng.
Though nothing was made clear, Jiang Cheng could tell Mom couldn’t take leave right now.
No matter what happened, when you woke up, you still had to go to work.
Jiang Cheng felt his throat tighten, unable to make a sound.
The words of persuasion that had circled in his mind several times were swallowed back.
In the end, mother and son could only silently digest this sudden change.
Life had to go on, didn’t it?
Jiang Cheng sat on the bus, looking at the unchanging scenery outside the window.
Every blade of grass and tree in the old town was familiar to him.
The only thing that had changed was probably himself.
He checked the time.
Less than five minutes until the morning self-study bell.
He got off the bus and started running.
Ahead, another boy was running too.
“Yo, Jiang bro?”
The boy turned at the sound. It was Wang Yu.
“What a coincidence. Rare to enter school together.”
Wang Yu usually arrived on time.
Today was a rare late day for him.
The two slipped into the classroom just in time.
Homeroom teacher Ma was already at the podium.
She frowned and gestured for them to be quieter.
Jiang Cheng took out his textbook from the drawer.
As expected, he wouldn’t be able to focus on a single word today.
“Damn…”
Wang Yu muttered under his breath, looking at a newly received WeChat message.
Then his head was knocked by Teacher Ma, who had appeared behind him unnoticed.
He clutched his head as his phone was confiscated.
“I could open a phone store by now.”
Teacher Ma, unfazed, held the phone.
“Come get it at the end of the semester.”
Wang Yu stuck out his tongue.
His mind was still on the message Mo Nono had just sent.
His cousin usually had no real work around Aunt and just clocked in to slack off.
But today she suddenly told him Aunt was coming to visit his school.
Though Aunt was usually nice to him, she was still in the parent category.
Ah—his phone had just been confiscated. She’d probably find out soon.
Wang Yu felt like he couldn’t go home today.
Jiang Cheng didn’t notice the conflicted expression at the desk behind him.
He only felt extremely suppressed.
Just now, the wristband had assigned him another task.
This time it was a new task mode, with both rewards and penalties.
【Beautiful Transfer Student】
【I believe you’re already quite used to life as a girl (laugh). The next step is to further integrate into society.】
【Please spend a week at school as Jiang Chen. PS: Proof of enrollment is on your desk in your room. PPS: If the task fails, all time will be deducted.】
The bell for the end of class rang. Jiang Cheng sat blankly in his seat.
“Jiang bro?”
Wang Yu wanted to complain to his front desk but found Jiang Cheng staring at the wristband.
When he leaned over to peek, Jiang Cheng had already turned off the screen.
“Jiang bro, you’re not looking at something naughty, are you?”
Wang Yu grinned mischievously.
Jiang Cheng ignored him and took out materials for the next class from his desk.
A sound of high heels echoed in the hallway, followed by a warm middle-aged male voice.
“President Wang, your nephew’s class is right here.”
President Wang’s face appeared at the window.
She wore a pristine white women’s suit, her neat golden long hair combed back, with exaggerated large earrings.
But everyone’s first glance was at her face.
The powerful aura of the mature woman was accompanied by her assistant and several school leaders.
She looked with interest at her nephew sitting in the last row.
Wang Yu didn’t dare look at his aunt. He was feeling guilty.
“Wang Yu, ah, and Jiang Cheng—you two come out for a moment.”
The principal beckoned to the two by the window.
Jiang Cheng’s mood was much like Wang Yu’s right now.
The person he had seen just last night was now standing in front of him.
Though not in Jiang Chen’s appearance, he felt even more nervous.
“Jiang Chen?”
President Wang’s gaze turned to the slim boy.
He looked like the quiet, reserved type.
Standing before her, he seemed a bit restrained.
“You’re also called Jiang Chen…”
President Wang muttered to herself, but the principal heard.
“President Wang knows someone named Jiang Cheng too?”
“Yes.”
She didn’t want to discuss it and glanced at Mo Nono.
“Principal, we have work later. Please have the two students move to a quieter place to talk.” Mo Nono smiled formulaically.
“Yes, yes… Ah, Student Jiang, I forgot to introduce. This is President Wang, the founder of the school scholarship. You must perform well later and show the excellence of our outstanding students.”
The principal’s tone shifted after a few words, but he remembered President Wang was busy.
“I won’t take up President Wang’s time with the students. The study room up ahead is empty.”
He signaled the dean with his eyes.
The dean proactively led the four to the empty classroom.
President Wang entered silently.
The neat desks and spotless blackboard made her feel as if she had returned to her school days.
Only after the dean left did President Wang speak.
“What are the two characters in your name?”
Wang Yu, head lowered, looked up in surprise at his aunt.
He thought she would scold him first, not ask Jiang bro’s name.
“The ‘Jiang’ with three dots of water, the ‘Cheng’ of clear.”
Wang Yu blurted out.
President Wang gave him a speechless look.
“Your homeroom teacher told me—you were playing with your phone during morning self-study.”
Wang Yu immediately shut up and lowered his head obediently.
Mo Nono, perceptive, pulled him toward the door.
“What are you doing? Leaving Jiang bro alone?”
Wang Yu looked back every few steps.
“Enough. Sis wants to talk with an outstanding student. What are you doing there?”
“What do you mean ‘what am I’? I’m Jiang bro’s deskmate. And it’s your fault for messaging me—otherwise, how would the teacher catch me red-handed?”
The big and small pair bickered as they walked away.
President Wang’s gaze turned back to Jiang Cheng.
She didn’t know why she had kept this boy alone.
Making an uncharacteristic move just because of a homophonous name.
President Wang began to reflect if her obsession was too deep.
“Thank you for the scholarship sponsored by President Wang.”
Jiang Cheng’s low voice sounded.
“You have excellent grades; you naturally deserve the reward.”
President Wang didn’t think it was her credit—the scholarship money came from the group.
The two fell silent.
“Do you have… um, any relatives with the same name?”
President Wang finally asked what was on her mind.
Perhaps still holding a sliver of hope for that elusive connection, she wanted a positive answer.
“No.”
Jiang Cheng’s reply was calm.
After calming down, he had been quietly observing.
He inferred that President Wang was related by blood to Wang Yu, so he couldn’t repeat the excuse he used on Wang Yu.
He couldn’t link Jiang Chen to himself, especially not in front of President Wang.
A flash of disappointment crossed President Wang’s eyes.
She lowered her gaze and happened to see Jiang Cheng’s hand—and the wristband on it.
“That wristband of yours looks nice.”
She felt it was somewhat familiar.
Jiang Cheng’s heart jolted.
He put his hand behind his back, but this only aroused President Wang’s suspicion.
She looked at the boy in confusion.
His expression was still calm, but… his other hand clenched and unclenched.
He’s nervous?
That was President Wang’s first reaction.
Then, another image flashed in her mind.
A black wristband placed in a velvet box—