Chapter 10: A Familiar Face and a Familiar Dilemma

The night before their departure.

According to his editor, they would be staying at a hotel for three days, so Zhong Tian had packed his luggage in advance.

However, a pressing question now occupied his thoughts.

Should he bring his breast prosthetics?

His editor was well aware of his male identity, so wearing his usual men’s clothes seemed perfectly fine.

Still…

Zhong Tian pondered, realizing he couldn’t guarantee that no one from his school would attend this manga convention.

After all, it was a massive event, conveniently located in the neighboring city.

Just to be safe, he decided to bring them along.

Zhong Tian tucked his breast prosthetics and underwear into a hidden compartment of his suitcase.

He then packed three sets of casual women’s clothing.

Though described as women’s casual wear, these were merely white T-shirts and hot pants, well within his comfort zone and quite stylish, too.

As for skirts… those still brought a blush to his cheeks.

“……” Zhong Tian gazed at the plaid skirt hanging in his wardrobe, sinking into contemplation.

He resolved to bring it.

He carefully placed the skirt into the same hidden compartment of his suitcase.

A few simple accessories and a power bank were stowed by Zhong Tian into his canvas bag.

With that, his preparations were complete.

Zhong Tian double-checked his packed items one last time, clapped his hands together, and climbed into bed to sleep.

****

The following morning.

Zhong Tian was stirred awake by the clatter of pots and pans.

Still half-asleep, he rose and stretched with a yawn.

Sizzle—

Zhong Tian’s entire body stiffened.

The sounds emanating from outside were unmistakably those of something being stir-fried in a pan.

Had a thief broken into their home, brazenly cooking breakfast?

This possibility immediately flashed through Zhong Tian’s mind.

It was only half-past six in the morning, and the chances of his lazy sister, Zhong Jing, who usually slept until eight, waking up to make breakfast at this hour were even lower than the chances of a burglar breaking in.

Zhong Tian swiftly grabbed the portable easel from his room and cautiously opened the door.

In the kitchen, a short-haired woman with black hair was skillfully stir-frying something, while his own sister sat casually at the dining table, absorbed in her phone as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.

Zhong Tian vaguely noticed that the woman’s left temple hair appeared to be red.

“Editor Lin Chu??”

“Oh, Little Zhong, you’re awake?”

The woman, whom Zhong Tian had addressed as Editor Lin Chu, turned around and waved at him.

“No, but why are you…?”

Zhong Tian lowered his easel, his face etched with confusion as he looked from Lin Chu to Zhong Jing.

“Oh? You didn’t know?” Lin Chu said, continuing to stir-fry the rice. “Your sister and I are classmates.

Today, I simply had a sudden whim to make breakfast for my old classmate and her brother.”

“Huh??”

Zhong Tian looked at Zhong Jing, who nodded, confirming Lin Chu’s words.

“Haha, when you first submitted your work, I found you quite familiar,” Lin Chu said, placing the fried rice on the dining table with a smile.

“Later, checking your name and seeing you also shared the surname Zhong, I asked your sister about it—and what a surprise it was!

Oh, what a small world indeed.”

“So that’s how it is…”

No wonder his editor had been so considerate towards him.

Zhong Tian took a seat at the dining table and accepted his portion of fried rice.

“Thank you,” he murmured.

“Eat slowly, there’s no rush,” Lin Chu replied.

Lin Chu settled into a chair at the table, making herself at home with an air of complete naturalness.

With her chin resting in her hand, Lin Chu watched Zhong Tian and Zhong Jing slowly eat their fried rice, a motherly smile perpetually gracing her lips.

“Could you stop staring at people while they eat?” Zhong Jing shot Lin Chu a sidelong glance.

“I find watching beauties eat quite pleasing to the eye,” Lin Chu chuckled. “And handsome young men, too~”

“……”

Zhong Tian suddenly felt a pang of embarrassment, silently quickening his pace of eating.

Zhong Tian finished his meal swiftly, even faster than Zhong Jing, who still had to get ready for work.

“Um, Editor, what’s our plan once we arrive in Seaside City?”

“Since the manga convention isn’t until tomorrow morning, today’s main agenda is to scout the venue and familiarize ourselves with the seating arrangements,” Lin Chu explained, gathering Zhong Tian’s dishes.

“We should be done before lunch, leaving the rest of the day for you to arrange as you please.”

“I see…” Zhong Tian nodded.

That would be perfect for exploring Seaside City; it had been almost a year since he last returned.

He could also visit his parents.

With his plans set, Zhong Tian nodded and stood up, declaring, “Then I’ll go change and get ready to leave.”

Back in his room, he swiftly changed into his clothes.

Wait… he seemed to have forgotten to wash up… and had eaten breakfast just like that…

****

Ten minutes later, a freshly washed-up Zhong Tian and Lin Chu got into the car.

“Little Zhong, aren’t you going to pretend to be a girl today?”

“Huh?”

Lin Chu’s startling question left Zhong Tian completely bewildered.

“Your sister told me you usually pretend to be a girl at school,” Lin Chu said, turning back from the driver’s seat with a chuckle.

“I thought you enjoyed cross-dressing in your daily life too.”

“No, no, no!” Zhong Tian quickly shook his head in denial.

“There’s a reason for it at school, but personally, I don’t actually like wearing women’s clothes!”

“Oh? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with cross-dressing, especially since you’re so adorable, Little Zhong,” Lin Chu said, starting the car.

“Much cuter than most girls, in fact.”

“Ahaha…”

Faced with such a compliment, Zhong Tian could only offer a polite, awkward laugh to deflect it.

While being praised wasn’t unpleasant, this wasn’t the kind of commendation he sought.

“However, I suggest it would be best if you pretended to be a girl these next few days,” Lin Chu advised.

“Because we won’t be the only ones from Comic Hall scouting the venue a day in advance; we can’t guarantee that none of your schoolmates will show up, Little Zhong.”

“You wouldn’t want your identity to be exposed, would you~?”

“……”

You’re not even driving right now; I think you just want to see me in women’s clothing…

Yet, Lin Chu’s words held a certain logic.

Still, wearing breast prosthetics was such a hassle… and the skirt, too…

Zhong Tian found himself in a quandary.

Even without those two items, his current appearance wouldn’t immediately give away his male identity.

However, it wouldn’t align with his image at school…

Sigh—

“I’ll go back and change…”

“Alright~ I’ll wait for you outside~”

You just want to see it, don’t you!

He couldn’t fathom what was so appealing about it…