Chapter 2: Has been discovered.

The school Ye Xingmian and Lin Ziyan attended was the Prestigious High School in the city, where many students were either rich or held high status.

When they arrived at the school gate, Lin Ziyan ran off with some money to buy breakfast, leaving Ye Xingmian all alone for the day. Staring at the bustling entrance, she suddenly felt a bit nervous. Or perhaps… guilty?

Her shoulders were aching from the weight of two backpacks. She rubbed them, pulled her hoodie even tighter, and now not even her profile could be seen by others. Only then did she lower her head and silently step through the school gate.

Her slightly odd attire naturally drew quite a bit of attention, and she could feel plenty of people sneaking glances at her. Those looks were probing and curious. Her skin was thin, and she felt her cheeks begin to burn, so she quickened her pace without a word.

She climbed the stairs, panting by the time she reached her classroom. Glancing around, it seemed there weren’t many people yet. She slipped in, avoiding the gazes of a few girls chatting at the front, and made her way to her seat in the last row, tucked into the corner beside the trash can. She silently set her own bag down, then placed Lin Ziyan’s bag at a desk in the very first row.

Having done all this, she felt a weight lifted off her shoulders and let out a long breath at her desk.

Great, it seemed she hadn’t attracted any extra attention along the way!

The corners of her lips curled into a faint, involuntary smile—a tiny but genuine sign that she’d cast off her burdens. As she started pulling out her makeup assignments from the desk, she thought to herself.

If things stayed like this, maybe hiding forever wouldn’t be so hard after all…

Getting into this Prestigious High School had been an immense challenge for her. Even though she worked hard, her grades always hovered near the very bottom.

But even so, she had a small dream.

To attend college in the city where her Mother worked, to be reunited with her mom…

That had been her goal ever since she started high school.

She massaged her aching shoulders, cheering herself on in her heart.

Keep going, Ye Xingmian!

Time passed, second by second.

Ye Xingmian focused on catching up with her homework, as more and more people trickled into the classroom. The growing hum of chatter merged into a blurred background noise. Still, the girl worked frantically, wanting to finish before class began.

But gradually, she sensed something was wrong.

The noisy chatter diminished, faded, until at last the room was silent—except for faint whispers. Confused, she looked up, wondering what had happened.

Was the teacher here already? But at this hour… that couldn’t be right…

But what she saw chilled her to the core.

Everyone was staring at her.

Boys and girls alike. With pity, with sympathy, with schadenfreude. She even saw her Younger Sister, the black-haired girl sharing cake with her deskmate. In those dark eyes was an indescribable look—if one had to name it, perhaps it was pity and malicious delight?

Ye Xingmian felt a bone-deep chill.

She quickly ducked her head, trying to escape whatever it was, feigning calm as she kept writing. But reality wouldn’t let her go.

Footsteps sounded to her right. Her heart quivered, mind a tangled mess, and she couldn’t write a single word. A cold scent drifted past her nose, the footsteps stopped beside her, and she froze.

“Come with me.” That voice was cold.

The girl walking ahead was Qin Haiyue. She was tall, well-developed, her proud figure towering over the petite Ye Xingmian by more than a head.

It was cold outside the classroom.

And this time, Qin Haiyue was alone.

Yet Ye Xingmian was so nervous she nearly burst into tears—the reason was simple: the blonde, blue-eyed girl who’d called her out was the infamous School Bully of this school.

Many students passing by gave her looks filled with schadenfreude, as if to say: “Look, it’s that unlucky one again—she’s doomed!”

And most of the time, things ended exactly as they expected.

Qin Haiyue led Ye Xingmian all the way to the stairwell by the rooftop, where there were no security cameras.

Few people ever came here; the floor was layered with thick dust.

Qin Haiyue naturally cornered Ye Xingmian at the bend in the stairs.

“Why didn’t you come last night?”

The petite girl trembled like a frightened deer, her head lowered, hidden beneath her hood so Qin Haiyue couldn’t see her face.

“S-sorry… I wasn’t feeling well yesterday, so I took leave…”

Her voice was delicate and fragile, like a flower petal battered down by rain, broken and helpless. Qin Haiyue frowned, a flash of confusion flickering in her always-sharp, cold eyes.

Ye Xingmian’s voice sounded different from before. So she thought.

“Why do you keep wearing that hat? Take it off!”

Her order was ice-cold.

The girl’s body stiffened.

Take off her hat? No… she couldn’t… If she did, then she’d know…

Her mind spun rapidly, searching desperately for a way out.

Right… that’s it… money…

Qin Haiyue had sought her out for money, so as long as she handed over the money, Qin Haiyue would let her go.

Realizing this, Ye Xingmian hurriedly unzipped her jacket and pulled fifty yuan lunch money from an inner pocket.

“Um… here… here’s the money…”

Her voice trembled like a scared little deer, with a hint of pleading and flattery.

She kept her head down the entire time, never daring to look Qin Haiyue in the eye.

This, naturally, made Qin Haiyue sense that something was wrong.

Those blue eyes narrowed dangerously, her gaze fixed on the girl’s hands—fair and slender, nails neatly trimmed, trembling and tinged with a cute cherry-pink glow. Not at all the hands of a boy.

“I told you to take off your hat.”

She folded her arms, repeating herself, now with a clear threat in her tone.

“Huh? But… the money…”

Qin Haiyue didn’t take the bill from her fingers, just kept staring at her hood. Ye Xingmian was confused—wasn’t Qin Haiyue here for money? Why was she so obsessed with her hat?

“Didn’t you hear me?”

This time, the voice rose several notches, dripping with menace. Ye Xingmian bit her lower lip, realizing she might not escape this time.

At last, she could only resign herself and slowly took off her hat.

Qin Haiyue’s gaze followed her movements. When the hood fell, soft, shoulder-length hair appeared, along with the shy, delicate, cold-flushed face of a girl. Qin Haiyue’s breath caught slightly.

Her expression became subtly complicated.

“You’re Ye Xingmian?”

Ye Xingmian glanced up at her, her cherry-pink eyes full of fear and grievance. She didn’t linger, quickly avoiding Qin Haiyue’s sharp, invasive gaze and lowering her head again.

She opened her mouth, about to say something.

“Don’t even think about lying, or I’ll beat you up.”

Ye Xingmian flinched, then nodded timidly.

“You’ve turned into a girl?”

Qin Haiyue’s expression brightened with amusement.

But at her words, Ye Xingmian shook her head frantically, stammering, “N-no! Don’t say that!”

“I told you, don’t lie to my face.”

The tone went cold, as if the earlier shift was a mirage. Ye Xingmian froze, instinctively looking up, only to see Qin Haiyue stepping closer.

“What… what are you doing… Don’t come any closer! I already gave you the money, please don’t bully me anymore…”

Qin Haiyue ignored her, steadily closing the distance, forcing the girl to retreat step by step, until her back hit the wall—nowhere left to run.

Naturally, Qin Haiyue leaned in, raising her eyebrows. She pressed a hand on Ye Xingmian’s shoulder, leaving her no chance to resist.

Was she… about to be hit? Even though I already gave her the money…

Ye Xingmian squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for pain.

But nothing happened, no matter how long she waited.

Perplexed, she was about to look up to see what was happening when suddenly she felt a strange sensation below her waist.

“Ugh!”

It was like an electric shock; her body jolted, instinctively wanting to collapse. Qin Haiyue’s arm stopped her. Ye Xingmian stared in disbelief at the golden-haired girl, who now wore a particularly delighted smile.

Qin Haiyue had just touched her there. Even through thick clothes, as expected—it was completely empty.

No——thing——there——at——all——

Interesting, far too interesting. Qin Haiyue had never imagined she’d encounter a scene from a comic or novel in real life. An idea flashed through her mind.

Could it be… pseudohermaphroditism?

Well, whatever.

At this moment, the look she gave Ye Xingmian was like she’d discovered a new continent—or maybe… a fascinating new toy…?

Like a victor, she raised her other hand and waved it in front of the girl.

“So… what else do you have to say for yourself, Ye Xingmian?”

Ye Xingmian’s face went utterly white.

She opened her mouth, but for a long time, no words came out.

“Hmm… if I remember right, you’re living in the Dormitory at your adoptive parents’ home, and your Mother works alone out of town to earn money for your tuition and living expenses, right?”

She reached out with a cold hand, gently pressing it to Ye Xingmian’s warm cheek.

“You wouldn’t want your Mother, who’s working so hard far away, to find out you’ve become a girl, would you?”

Ye Xingmian’s eyes flew wide open.

“No… please… I’m begging you… please don’t tell…”

Seeing Ye Xingmian’s reaction exactly as expected, Qin Haiyue smiled slyly, as if her plot had succeeded.

“Of course, as long as you do what I say, I won’t tell anyone~”

“W-what do you want?”

Her voice was tiny, full of fear and unease.

“It’s simple. From now on, just live as a girl.”

“Let’s start with… going to the restroom~”