“Does Lin Wushui’s sister have some kind of conflict with their family?”
Zhang Xianyu asked this casually.
He felt embarrassed to ask Lin Wushui directly because every time he mentioned Wushui, Lin Wushui didn’t show any unusual reaction.
But after visiting the Lin Family’s home, he noticed that Wushui was almost invisible there.
Lin Mother, who was so good to her children, never once mentioned Wushui, and there wasn’t even a spot for Wushui in the Family Portrait.
So Zhang Xianyu guessed that whenever he brought up Wushui in the past, Lin Wushui probably felt awkward—not wanting him to find out about family conflicts, but also not wanting to embarrass him—so he would just brush off the topic casually.
After thinking it over, Zhang Xianyu considered this the most likely explanation, but it was still just a guess.
He decided to confirm with Xie Dingxin.
If Wushui really did have conflicts with her family, then in the future, he would avoid mentioning either Lin Wushui or Wushui in front of each other to prevent awkwardness.
Zhang Xianyu had already speculated a lot in his mind, waiting for Xie Dingxin’s answer after asking.
But unexpectedly, Xie Dingxin turned the question back on him.
“Sister? Since when does Lin Wushui have a sister? Has Auntie had a second child?”
He recalled vaguely.
He had visited the Lin Family last month but didn’t see Auntie’s belly at all.
Zhang Xianyu was stunned.
Could Wushui’s relationship with the family really be that bad?
Even Xie Dingxin didn’t know about her.
He tried to explain, “It’s Wushui, you know, with the same surname as Auntie, a few years younger than Lin Wushui. She’s currently in charge of the business in the United States.”
Xie Dingxin: “???”
His long eyebrows slowly knitted together.
“Wait, let’s sort this out. You’re saying Lin Wushui has a sister named Wushui, who’s younger than him and manages the family’s business in America?”
His expression grew serious.
“Who told you this?”
Zhang Xianyu blinked in confusion, unsure if he had asked something he shouldn’t.
Feeling a bit guilty, he said, “I’ve met her. When I first came to Jiangcheng, I rented a place in Zijing Garden, and Wushui stayed at my place for a while. She looks a lot like Lin Wushui and told me she has an older brother named Lin Wushui.”
“During the New Year, Lin Wushui also said his sister was in the U.S. and couldn’t come back for the holiday,” Zhang Xianyu recalled.
“But when I visited the Lin Family, I noticed Wushui wasn’t in the Family Portrait, so I guessed maybe there was some family conflict.”
Xie Dingxin stared at him steadily.
His face gradually twisted into something strange, and the corner of his mouth twitched before he finally burst into laughter.
“I don’t know anything about a Wushui or no Wushui. All I know is the Lin Family doesn’t have a daughter. Lin Wushui is their only son. And the Lin Family doesn’t have any business in the U.S.”
Zhang Xianyu’s pale eyes widened in surprise, finally catching on.
“You mean…?”
Xie Dingxin laughed until he was breathless, clutching his stomach, “I didn’t say anything. You’re the one guessing, it’s not my fault!”
Zhang Xianyu recalled their short month-long acquaintance and found Wushui’s behavior increasingly suspicious.
For instance, her unusually tall height—
Lin Wushui was also quite tall; the narrow neckband she always wore, just wide enough to cover an Adam’s apple; and her flat chest with a slight bulge even in loose shorts…
At the time, he found it strange but felt awkward staring at such private areas, so he just ignored it.
Before, he didn’t think much about it, but once he started, all the doubts piled up.
“Is he…into that kind of thing?”
Zhang Xianyu’s tone was complicated.
“But I lived with him in the Family Building for a semester and never saw any feminine hobbies…”
Could it be that because they were familiar, Zhang Xianyu didn’t dare suspect?
But then again, he had fabricated Wushui’s identity.
If Lin Wushui actually dressed as a woman in front of him, he probably wouldn’t have suspected either.
At last, Xie Dingxin stopped laughing.
Seeing Zhang Xianyu’s confused, clueless face, he said sympathetically, “I’ve never seen him have this kind of hobby before.”
Zhang Xianyu absentmindedly boarded the bus, forgetting even to say goodbye.
He kept thinking: does Lin Wushui cross-dress out of hobby?
If so, does his presence make him uncomfortable?
Should he move back to the dorm?
Lost in wild thoughts, Zhang Xianyu arrived at the community gate.
He hesitated, not wanting to go upstairs.
Like a grilled fish flipping nervously over a fire, he was anxious.
Finally, he took out his phone and sent Wushui a message on WeChat: [When are you coming back? Let’s have a meal together.]
After sending, he carefully added, [Do you like dresses? I saw one today that I think would suit you well.]
He wanted to gently tell Lin Wushui that he didn’t mind the cross-dressing.
However, Lin Wushui didn’t think the same way.
Seeing Zhang Xianyu’s message, his face darkened.
What did this mean?
Was he interested in Wushui?
Was this a sign of affection?
No wonder he was so attentive during the New Year, more than he had ever been with himself.
And even wanted to buy a dress?
Lin Wushui was very angry.
So he angrily replied, [My boyfriend’s in the U.S., probably won’t be back anytime soon =w=]
Poor Zhang Xianyu, who was still trying to digest the news about the cross-dressing master, now heard about a boyfriend.
He wasn’t sure if Lin Wushui was lying to keep Wushui away or if he actually liked men.
After pacing downstairs in circles until dusk, Zhang Xianyu bit his lip and thought it might be better to be upfront, telling Lin Wushui he didn’t mind his hobby and that he shouldn’t suppress himself.
Summoning his courage, Zhang Xianyu finally took the elevator upstairs.
After discussing business with Lin Father, Lin Wushui returned to the Family Building.
He waited at home for a long time, and as it grew dark, Zhang Xianyu still hadn’t come.
He wondered if Zhang Xianyu really went to buy a dress for Wushui.
Feeling irritated, his face darkened. Just as he was about to call, he heard the doorbell.
Zhang Xianyu was back.
Both of them were lost in their own thoughts.
Zhang Xianyu psyched himself up downstairs—but as soon as he saw the main person, his resolve faded.
Lin Wushui sat by the balcony holding a book, bathed in the soft orange glow of the balcony light, looking even more handsome.
Whether it was Wushui or Lin Wushui, both were very good-looking.
Zhang Xianyu took a deep breath and stammered, “I…I already know. We’re friends. You don’t have to suppress yourself.”
“????”
Lin Wushui’s heart skipped a beat.
He nearly dropped the book in his hands.
His Adam’s apple moved as he hoarsely asked, “Know what?”
Did he mean that Zhang Xianyu knew he liked him?
Zhang Xianyu’s ears flushed.
Saying such things face-to-face was always a bit embarrassing.
He closed his eyes and gathered courage: “If you like cross-dressing, you don’t have to hide it from me. I…I don’t mind. You look really good in it!”
Lin Wushui’s face instantly darkened.
The daydreams in his head were shattered.
He nearly ground his teeth, “Who said I like cross-dressing?”
Thinking he might just be shy, Zhang Xianyu continued, “Wushui is you, isn’t she?”
Now that he thought about it, Lin Wushui and Wushui’s names were homophones if you dropped the surname.
How had he never realized?
Lin Wushui: “……………”
Caught off guard, Lin Wushui fell silent for a long moment, trying to figure out how to explain.
Before he could say anything, Zhang Xianyu added, “If you’re embarrassed to do it outside, you can wear it at home. I heard repressing yourself too much can cause psychological problems.”
Lin Wushui: “……………”
After Zhang Xianyu finished, he cautiously glanced at Lin Wushui’s expression, guessing he needed some time to calm down, and kindly said, “You haven’t eaten yet, right? I’ll go cook.”
Then he ran off.
Lin Wushui’s face was so dark it could drip water.
He thought for a moment and sent Xie Dingxin a message to interrogate him, [What did you say to Zhang Xianyu today?]
At the Lin Family’s place, everything was fine, but after going to see Xie Dingxin, Zhang Xianyu suddenly found out that Wushui and Lin Wushui were the same person—and that he liked cross-dressing.
There was no way this wasn’t Xie Dingxin’s doing.
Xie Dingxin was eagerly waiting to watch the drama unfold, but now the fire had landed on him.
[Damn, Fishy betrayed me so quickly?!!!]
Lin Wushui squinted, fury rising, [It’s definitely you.]
Xie Dingxin quickly messaged back, [This has nothing to do with me. You slipped up yourself.]
Huh?
Lin Wushui pondered for a moment and replied, [Stop making excuses, I’ll settle this with you another day.]
[…]
Xie Dingxin: [Really, it’s not my fault. Your Family Portrait only has three people. They figured it out themselves. How can you blame me for you giving yourself away?]
Xie Dingxin: [I’m just an innocent bystander who knows nothing.]
Lin Wushui blackened his face and blocked him.
When Xie Dingxin kept sending messages to prove his innocence, Lin Wushui found himself already blocked.
The last message showed a bright red exclamation mark.
Xie Dingxin: …………
Scumbag!
Meanwhile, the atmosphere around Zhang Xianyu was very awkward.
He originally wanted to comfort Lin Wushui but saw his expression was off, so he found an excuse to leave.
Distracted, he accidentally cut his hand while chopping vegetables.
Holding his finger in his mouth, Zhang Xianyu had to go out to find a bandage.
Then he bumped into Lin Wushui, who was coming to talk to him.
Lin Wushui frowned at the blood droplets on his finger and naturally took the first aid kit to get a bandage.
He gently blew on the wound and carefully applied the bandage.
Zhang Xianyu’s hand was held by him.
He could feel the warmth and sweat in the man’s palm.
Lin Wushui squatted down, lowering his head, concentrating seriously on putting on the bandage.
When finished, he looked up, and in his gaze was something else.
Before Zhang Xianyu could understand, he heard Lin Wushui’s low voice: “How can you be so careless?”
Zhang Xianyu’s heart skipped a beat for no reason.
Feeling awkward, he pulled his hand back and gave a lame excuse, “The knife was too fast.”