14:23:49
As Jiang Cheng stood there in a daze, the countdown on the wristband continued ticking.
The wristband is faulty!
That was Jiang Cheng’s first thought, but when he took it off, the countdown kept going, and he still didn’t revert to his original form.
He grabbed his phone from the room and checked WeChat. The contact with the black profile picture hadn’t sent any messages since yesterday.
Jiang Cheng typed a “?” and sent it, only to be met with a red exclamation mark.
He’d been blocked.
The 250 yuan transfer at the top of the chat felt like a mocking jab.
Calm down, I need to stay calm. Jiang Cheng’s heart raced. She took a deep breath, slowly steadying herself.
“Xiao Cheng?”
Jiang Xiaoyue’s voice came from the door. She’d just returned from an overnight shift and noticed her son’s shoes by the entrance.
Jiang Cheng quickly shut the door and dove under the covers, pulling them over her head.
“You didn’t go to school?” Jiang Xiaoyue asked, slipping into house shoes and walking to her son’s room.
“I’m feeling a bit unwell, so I’m taking the day off,” Jiang Cheng replied, instantly regretting it. Her voice was high-pitched and soft, almost sticky-sweet.
Luckily, Jiang Xiaoyue, standing outside, didn’t catch it clearly.
“Did you catch a cold? Can Mom come in?” Her hand rested on the doorknob.
“No!” Jiang Cheng’s voice came out sharp and anxious.
Jiang Xiaoyue frowned, noticing something odd in her son’s voice.
“Is your throat inflamed? Have you taken any medicine? Let Mom take a look at you.”
She pushed the door open. The curtains were drawn tight, leaving the room dim.
Jiang Xiaoyue reached for the light switch but was stopped by Jiang Cheng’s voice.
“Don’t turn on the light… I just need to sleep for a bit.”
His head was buried under the covers, his voice muffled and nasal.
Jiang Xiaoyue went silent, standing at the doorway, gazing at the figure on the bed.
“Are you still mad at Mom? I… I’m not trying to control you. I’m really touched that you want to help ease the family’s burden, but I just want you to focus on your studies first.”
“Mm…” Jiang Cheng mumbled softly in response.
“If you still feel unwell after taking medicine, I’ll take you to the hospital. Rest for now. I’ll handle calling in sick for you at school.”
Jiang Xiaoyue rummaged through the living room’s medicine box and returned to her son’s room.
Through the covers, Jiang Cheng vaguely saw his mother’s silhouette by the nightstand before the door was gently closed.
She poked her head out, using her phone’s light to see a loaf of bread, milk, and a cup of cold medicine on the nightstand.
It was the kind of bread her mom loved.
She sat quietly for a while, then ate the breakfast and took the medicine.
14:22:59
With WeChat blocked, Jiang Cheng had no choice but to fiddle with the wristband.
She roughly figured out what the countdown meant.
Days/Hours/Minutes
Each number on the display corresponded to one.
Is this the time I’ll stay as a girl? If I really have to live like this for half a month, what do I do?
Jiang Cheng gripped the wristband tightly, her finger accidentally tapping the screen.
The numbers shattered, replaced by a line of text.
[Welcome to the Life Change Wristband]
[This wristband is designed for users craving a transformation in their life. You are currently experiencing the Teenage Girl Life (lol)]
Jiang Cheng glared at that last word, irritation flaring.
[Below are the precautions for using this wristband]
[1. Any subsequent effects caused by using this wristband are unrelated to the wristband or its developers]
[2. The system provides a buffer period for new users, during which you can revert to your original body]
[3. The buffer period can be extended by completing tasks]
…
The rest was a list of wristband instructions. Following them, Jiang Cheng pressed the red button on the back, and his body instantly shifted.
Pressing it again, he turned back into the pink-haired girl.
Jiang Cheng was sensitive to time changes and noticed something the instructions didn’t mention.
In girl mode, the countdown ticked at normal speed, but in male mode, it sped up.
If that’s the case, I need to plan a schedule to minimize using my male body.
Then there was the matter of tasks. If they could be done online, it wouldn’t be an issue, but if he had to go out, his identity and clothes…
His male clothes didn’t seem equipped to handle this… expanded figure.
Beep—beep—
The wristband chimed, and Jiang Cheng saw an envelope icon on the screen. Tapping it revealed a pickup code.
Do I have a delivery? Jiang Cheng checked his phone but found no text messages.
It must be from the wristband’s developer.
He hurriedly changed clothes, tiptoed out of his room—his mom’s door was closed, likely as she caught up on sleep—and carefully pushed the front door open, leaving it slightly ajar before heading downstairs to the delivery station across the street.
Jiang Cheng found his package on the shelf. The label listed the sender as “black,” with an address…
106 Old Factory Street
His pupils dilated slightly. The sender was in his neighborhood?
No, wait! Jiang Cheng glanced across the street at the noodle shop he frequented. That was the address.
He clutched the box and ran to the noodle shop. It was nearly empty. The owner looked surprised to see him.
“Little Jiang, no school today?”
“Yeah… I took the day off.”
Jiang Cheng glanced toward the kitchen, catching the owner’s attention.
“Something up?”
“Nothing, boss. I’m heading back.” Jiang Cheng averted his gaze.
Of course. Someone who could develop this wristband wouldn’t be an ordinary person. The address is probably fake.
“Oh… take care, then.” The owner scratched his cheek and returned to the kitchen to prep.
Back in his room, Jiang Cheng cut open the box. The first thing he saw was an ID card.
It showed his female form, with the name “Jiang Chen.”
Beneath it were various clothes, including underwear.
Jiang Cheng picked up a thin black lace dress, unable to imagine an occasion for wearing it.
He sorted the clothes and cleared a section of his wardrobe to store them.
Nearly an hour passed in the process.
Jiang Cheng glanced at the time, annoyed. I should’ve switched to girl mode first.
He hurriedly grabbed the wristband to switch forms but noticed a new task had just appeared.
[Jiang Chen’s First Experience]
[Arrive at the presidential suite on the top floor of Lihua Hotel before 11 p.m. to meet a guest surnamed Wang. P.S.: You must wear the black lace dress.]
Jiang Chen reread the text, her mind buzzing.
So not only do I have to live as a girl, but now I’m supposed to… be an escort? Or worse…
The thought made her nauseous. A wave of dizziness hit, and Jiang Chen took deep breaths, steadying herself against the bed.
Looking down, she saw the countdown on the wristband.
Do I have to live as a girl forever? Abandon my original identity and exist as this… fabricated self?
Would Mom accept this? Her child suddenly becoming a stranger?
It felt like she had no choice.
“Xiao Cheng? Are you feeling better?” Jiang Xiaoyue’s voice came from the doorway. Jiang Cheng hurriedly pressed the button, climbed back into bed, and shut her eyes tight.
Jiang Xiaoyue gently opened the door and stood by her son’s bed, watching him for a long time.
Then she grabbed a sticky note from the desk, wrote a message, and placed it by his bedside.
“I love you,” Jiang Xiaoyue whispered, kissing Jiang Cheng’s forehead before leaving the room.
Jiang Cheng opened his eyes and looked at the note.
[Mom has to go back to the company. I left food on the table for you. I’ll probably have to work late tonight. Call me if you’re still feeling unwell.]
Sigh…
Jiang Cheng pressed the red button.