Chapter 31: Self-Adjustment

After parting ways with Fu Yi, Yu Qing sat in the cafe for a while, then got up and left.

After thinking it over, he realized there was nothing he needed to do.

Rather than wandering outside and getting roasted by the sun, it was better to return to the dormitory and lie down.

He opened the dormitory door.

Sunlight lazily slanted in, stretching long bands of light across the empty floor.

Yu Qing locked the door behind him with a click, sealing himself off from the noise outside.

Only after turning on the air conditioner did he feel like he’d finally come back to life.

“This damn place, why is it still so hot in autumn? And this damned school—even built the dormitory as a six-floor building just to avoid installing an elevator. It’s ridiculous.”

Grumbling, he wiped the fine sweat from his forehead with a tissue and collapsed into a chair, letting out a satisfied sound from deep within.

At this time, the dormitory was empty.

Yu Qing pulled out his phone and sent messages to each of his roommates, asking if anyone would be coming back around mealtime and could bring some food for him as well.

With this hellish weather, he truly didn’t want to step outside.

The replies came back quickly.

Sadly, the earliest roommate to return would be after eight in the evening.

In other words, until eight o’clock, he’d be alone in the dormitory.

So…

“Since I got taken advantage of, I should at least collect some interest from somewhere else, right?”

The frustration from being manipulated by Fu Yi gradually faded from Yu Qing’s heart, replaced by a familiar thrill and nervousness.

An empty dormitory naturally called for doing something enjoyable!

With the decision made, Yu Qing couldn’t wait.

He reached to the deepest part of his bookshelf and took out the cold metal box where the Black Pearl was stored.

After entering the password and unlocking it, he removed the mysterious bead.

The moment his fingertip touched the Black Pearl, a familiar strange sensation washed over him.

In an instant, Yu Qing transformed into Fu Yi once more.

But this time, the transformation seemed a bit different from the previous ones?

The cold feeling was still there, but it felt much shorter.

And the subtle restructuring sweeping through his body seemed lighter too—like a breeze passing by.

In the blink of an eye, the transformation was complete.

Yu Qing opened his now delicate palm, examining the Black Pearl in his hand.

It still looked deep and pitch-black, the sunlight seemingly absorbed into it without reflecting any light.

But… it seemed smaller than he remembered?

A suspicion rose in Yu Qing’s mind.

The Black Pearl was actually the materialization of the Camera’s energy.

Its power wasn’t infinite—every transformation consumed some of it, and each time also remodeled his body a little.

If this continued, maybe after a dozen more transformations, the bead would vanish completely.

Then what?

Would he become Fu Yi forever?

Or would something else unpredictable happen?

The unknown brought fear, but also opportunity.

If things were as Yu Qing speculated, and after the Black Pearl disappeared he turned entirely into his junior, the benefits would outweigh the drawbacks.

But those drawbacks were significant.

If he completely became the junior, what would happen to his original self?

Yu Qing had considered this before.

He’d even thought about turning the junior into himself.

But that would be improper—essentially handing his secret and life over to someone else.

Unless it was someone he could truly trust, he would never reveal the Camera’s secret.

The best way Yu Qing could think of was to secretly confess to his family.

Not about the Camera, but that he’d inexplicably become the junior, and the original had disappeared.

Without a doubt, it would be hard to believe.

But if he stayed missing long enough and tried hard enough, maybe one day they’d accept it.

Or, more simply, just abandon the original family and integrate into a new one, saying farewell to the past altogether.

Of course, this idea made Yu Qing hesitate.

It was a difficult decision.

But in the end, everything had to start with the task at hand.

First, get used to the junior’s life, to avoid being seen through by those who knew her in the future.

Then, build up the junior’s trust, so it’d be harder for others to suspect when the time came.

Simple in summary, but troublesome in practice.

“Looks like I have to use this sparingly.”

Yu Qing muttered to himself, gripping the Black Pearl tightly and glancing at the Camera in the wardrobe’s corner.

A flash of light crossed his eyes.

“Or maybe… try a new roll of film?”

From past experiences, the physical changes from transforming seemed to accumulate.

The first few times, the effects were minimal.

If his theory was correct, this could be a way to alleviate urgent problems in the future.

Pushing the thoughts of the Black Pearl aside for now, Yu Qing focused on his wardrobe—or more precisely, on a piece of clothing inside.

He opened the wardrobe and took out a carefully wrapped package—a set of Cosplay Costume he’d splurged on online a few days ago.

The moment she’d seen the character in the game, her XP had been instantly struck.

A cool and intelligent scientist clad in a classic, elegant Qipao.

That blend of rationality and classic beauty, intelligence and gentleness, was irresistible.

She couldn’t wait to shed her clothes, exposing her pale body.

The chill of the air made her shiver reflexively.

She took a deep breath, cheeks flushed, and carefully pulled each piece of the exquisite outfit from the box, putting them on one by one.

The process was a bit troublesome, but Yu Qing felt no impatience.

The upper Qipao was mainly dark blue with delicate patterns, the silky fabric clinging to her figure and accentuating her waist and hips.

The high collar made her neck seem longer, and the high slit on the side revealed her long, stocking-clad legs as she moved.

Over the Qipao, she put on a sheer, matching long-sleeved jacket, the cuffs embroidered with silver Molecular Structure Patterns.

There was also a pair of dark blue Gloves and some metal accessories resembling precision instruments.

When Yu Qing fastened the last accessory to her chest and secured the wig, she stepped in front of the full-length mirror.

Her breath stopped.

It was perfect!

Yu Qing was left speechless.

Just thinking that the cold beauty in the mirror was now herself filled her with joy and excitement.

As she imagined, Fu Yi’s already striking features matched perfectly with the cool outfit.

The air of aloofness seemed magnified, the eyes in the mirror calm and deep, as if hiding endless knowledge and cosmic mysteries.

The tailored Qipao highlighted her figure’s strengths, both slender and exuding an alluring sense of restraint.

Long black hair was tied at the back with an ornate hairpin, a few strands falling to her cheeks, adding distance and mystery.

Even without makeup, she was breathtaking.

But even this wasn’t the body’s full potential!

Yu Qing took out the makeup she’d bought earlier.

To get better, she’d watched online videos and practiced.

Though still clumsy, she managed a simple, light look.

She moved a chair in front of the mirror, lifted the Qipao, sat down carefully, imitating the junior’s mannerisms she’d observed before.

Facing the mirror, Yu Qing began her makeup routine—foundation, eyebrows, eyeliner, blush, then a touch of pale pink lipstick.

When finished, she looked again.

This time, she couldn’t look away.

The person in the mirror was almost a perfect copy of the game character.

The only difference was, she was real.

The other was fictional.

But it didn’t change the fact that this cosplay was an incredible success—a breathtaking beauty, as if the 2D world had come alive.

A strong sense of satisfaction and vanity warmed her whole body.

Yu Qing reveled in the self-indulgence, turning lightly in front of the mirror, mimicking the character’s pose, her lips curving ever so slightly.

She picked up the included Ruan Xian, holding it close.

She couldn’t really play it, but posing was enough.

She sat upright before the mirror, slender hands caressing herself through the silk Gloves, the tickling sensation teasing her nerves.

Occasionally, brushing sensitive spots made her heart race, a faint blush coloring her cool cheeks.

Time passed.

When Yu Qing finally broke away from her trance, it was already past three.

She’d been sitting before the mirror for nearly an hour.

Now, the time for self-indulgence was over.

It was time to get to work.