Chapter 257: Unexpected

“Beep… beep… beep…”

In the dim bedroom, the phone tossed casually onto the bed flickered with a blue glow.

Lin Yu didn’t even bother to lift his eyelids.

He lay sprawled across the messy bed, staring blankly at the rain-blurred night outside the window.

“…My life is over.”

He felt like only those five words could describe his current, utterly shattered state.

How should he put it…

The feeling from the past few days had really been… incredible.

After completely abandoning his dignity as a man and embracing that power—

In his magical girl form, he had felt practically omnipotent.

The absolute strength to instantly kill B-rank contaminants…
The shocked approval of his seniors…
The admiring gazes…
And that forbidden, heart-pounding thrill.

All of it felt like sweet, strawberry-scented bubbles of love, wrapping around and filling up his once poor, insecure, shriveled heart.

He really had found a reason to become a magical girl.

But now… the bill for that “reason” had come due.

“Why did it turn out like this…”

Lin Yu rolled over painfully, clutching his head as if it might explode.

“After transforming into a magical girl… it feels like my entire way of thinking… has naturally shifted into that of a woman…”

“…As if my identity as a man—my restraint, my pride, even my sexual orientation—was all wiped clean by that pink light…”

“…Even after returning to this original body, those memories as a magical girl are still so vivid…”

“If it weren’t for Xiaoxue…”

Lin Yu shuddered.

“I might have just stayed like that forever… lived my whole life as a girl… and even ended up with that guy…”

“T-That’s… that’s terrifying!!”

He shot upright, breathing heavily.

His gaze fell onto the gray crystal brooch on the table.

Fear surged instantly.

“Smash it…!
Destroy this thing that’s corrupting my soul!”

He grabbed the brooch and raised it high—

But just as he was about to smash it against the floor, his trembling, vein-bulging hand froze midair.

He didn’t dare.

That thing was extremely expensive company property. Destroying it would mean astronomical compensation.

How much?
A million? Ten million?

Whatever it was, there was no way he could afford it.

And besides…

That weightless body after transforming…
That effortless control over absolute power…
That illusion of being cherished and adored…

It was intoxicating. Truly intoxicating.

In a daze, his gaze drifted toward the mirror on the wardrobe.

In the dim light, the reflection wasn’t his worn-out male face—

But the faint image of a girl.

Long silver-gray hair cascading like a waterfall.
A slender, fragile, beautiful figure—like a pale, lonely moon.

She was smiling at him. Sweetly.

“…No.”

Lin Yu lowered his head abruptly, staring hard at his real feet.

Thick joints. Rough skin. Dirt still trapped under the nails.

“…These are my hands.”

“How disgusting.”

“Ugh—”

He gagged.

A sickening thought began to creep in—

Maybe… this sweaty, foul-smelling male body…

…was the one that shouldn’t exist.

“I should transform… quickly…”

Say the incantation…

Return to that pure, flawless body inside the gray crystal…

Return to that shell filled with love and power…

“W-Waaah… wuu… wuu…”

“Damn it…”

“What the hell is wrong with me?!”

His legs gave out, and he collapsed heavily onto the cold floor.

“Damn it… damn it… why is this happening?! Why am I like this?!”

He cried as he clawed at his own hair.

“Which one is real… which one is fake?! Someone tell me!!”

“Dad… Mom… Xiaoxue… I’m sorry… wuu…”

“I can’t tell anymore… I really can’t tell anymore—!!”

Slap!

He struck himself hard across the face.

“Wake up!”

Slap!

“You’re a man!”

Slap!

“You’re Lin Yu!”

Slap!

“You useless piece of trash!”

He didn’t know how long it went on.

His face was swollen and burning, the pain almost numb now.

He slumped against the bed, gasping for air.

“…I’ve decided… I’m quitting.”

Even if he didn’t know whether this “voluntary resignation” could still count as a workplace injury claim.

Even if this job—with a monthly salary of 40,000 and bonuses in the millions—was something he once dreamed of keeping.

Even if quitting meant massive penalties, crushing debt, and possibly being held accountable by the company.

None of that mattered.

Because the cost of becoming something fake—something he couldn’t recognize anymore—was far worse.

There was no other choice.

If he kept sinking into that shell and became a woman…

How could he ever live as a man again?
Face his parents? Build a life?

“Beep… beep…”

Just as he made up his mind—

The contract bracelet on the bedside table rang stubbornly again.

It was still Luo Shaotian calling.

Lin Yu slowly stood up, wiped away his tears and sweat with the back of his hand, took a deep breath, and answered.

“Hello? A-Yu…”

The voice on the other end was hoarse, exhausted.

“I want to talk to you…”

“There’s nothing to talk about! Nothing at all!”

Lin Yu cut him off immediately.

“Sorry, Shaotian! Just think of me as a coward! A complete coward! I’m useless—I really don’t dare to see you again…”

“Thanks for everything before… really… I’ll thank you on Lulu’s behalf too… I know you’re angry, but in the end, it was my fault… I was the one who seduced you… I’m trash, I’m disgusting!”

“But that’s exactly why we can’t keep making the same mistake! I swear I won’t transform again—never! I’m done! Completely done! From now on, there won’t be any ‘Gray Crystal’ in Dawn Company!”

“Fine! Consider me owing you! Too bad I’m not actually a girl—I’ll repay you in the next life! Goodbye!”

Beep—

He hung up decisively.

His trembling fingers tapped Luo Shaotian’s profile—

Blocked.

Watching the chat disappear completely, Lin Yu collapsed weakly against the bed.

It felt like the tangled mess in his heart had finally been cut apart.

For the first time, he felt… lighter.

Finally free.

Yeah…

Finally free.

“Good!”

Strike while the iron is hot!

Call Manager Qian right now—tell him he’s quitting!

Even if he had to beg, kneel, or cling to his leg, that fat bastard should let him go out of consideration for all his hard work… right?

Lin Yu took a deep breath, trembling as he reached for his phone—

But suddenly, an unknown number popped up at the top of the screen.

“Ugh… who is it this late? Sales call? Delivery?”

Annoyed, he rejected it without even looking.

Beep… beep… beep…

The number called again, relentless like a death sentence.

“…Damn it.”

He reluctantly answered.

“Hello? Who is it?! What do you want at this hour?!”

A woman’s voice came through.

“Hello, is this Mr. Lin Yu?”

“Yeah, that’s me. What’s up?”

“This is the ICBC loan recovery department. I’m the agent in charge of your case.”

Recovery?

“Regarding Mr. Lin Jianguo’s loan with our bank, it is now one full month overdue. As his relative, are you available to handle it on his behalf?”

“…Who? What?”

Lin Jianguo?

That was his father’s name!

“Yes, your father, Mr. Lin Jianguo.”

Lin Yu let out an angry laugh.

“You’re kidding, right? When did my dad take a loan from you?! If you’re going to scam—”

“We have complete records. Your father took out a business mortgage loan in Q3 last year, using the house jointly owned with your mother, Zhang Lihua, as collateral. The mortgage registration is fully legal. This debt cannot be avoided.”

Lin Yu’s eyes widened.

He paced the room, teeth clenched.

“Fine! He owes money, right?! How much?!”

“The principal is 5 million, with an annual interest rate of 5%.”

“…What the hell?! Did you add an extra zero?! Are you scammers?!”

“The contract clearly states the amount. Once overdue, penalty interest is applied at multiples of the original rate, with compound interest accumulating daily. The longer it’s delayed, the more it grows.”

She paused.

“This is the final notice. If repayment is not made, the mortgaged property will be auctioned.”

“…!”

The contract bracelet slipped from his hand and hit the floor.

“Mr. Lin? Are you still there?”

“I—I’m here…”

He picked it up, hands shaking, sweat covering his body.

“Alright, alright! Don’t rush! I’ll talk to my dad! We’ll pay it back! Our family can afford it!”

“Good. But time is limited.”

After hanging up, Lin Yu rushed to the bathroom and splashed water on his face.

“…Why now of all times…”

His expression twisted in pain.

After a moment, he dialed a number.

“Hello… Xiaoxue…”

“Are you hiding something from me?”