Chapter 2: The Daily Ordeal of a Cross-Dressing Boy

Forget about that perverted older sister for now.

Slipping out of my nightgown, I folded it neatly and placed it in my wardrobe. Aside from a pair of panties, I was completely naked.

Gazing at my reflection in the full-length mirror, if one were to ignore the slight bulge below, I truly looked like an adorable, soft loli. Only, my chest seemed rather… lacking. It was a far cry from Mu Rong Xin Xue’s.

‘Pah, pah, pah! I’m a boy! How could I possibly have *those*?’

‘Honestly, wearing girls’ clothes for so long, my thoughts are starting to drift in that direction. *Hiss*, it’s truly terrifying.’

Quickly averting my gaze, I turned and walked to my wardrobe. What greeted my eyes was a uniform collection of women’s clothing. JK uniforms, Lolita dresses, sailor suits, Hanfu, Gothic attire—a bewildering array of styles.

‘Hmph! As a boy, my wardrobe is exclusively filled with girls’ clothes. This is all thanks to that perverted older sister!’

With a sigh of resignation, I pulled out a short skirt and a white blouse. After quickly donning them, I then slipped a pair of white over-the-knee socks onto my thighs.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I genuinely resembled a soft, adorable loli.

‘Alas, what can I do?’

‘As a boy, it’s one thing to wear girls’ clothes at home, but to have to wear them to school too? What kind of farce is this?!’

Having originally been accepted into a prestigious high school in another city, I had believed I could finally escape Mu Rong Xin Xue’s clutches and return to being a true boy. Who would have thought that the newly appointed principal of the city’s top high school would turn out to be my maternal aunt?

That conniving sister, after secretly plotting with Auntie, actually managed to get me enrolled in this school—and as a girl, no less.

‘Does this mean I’ll have to wear girls’ clothes every single day for the next three years? Spend all three years of high school as a girl! Aaaargh!’

‘Sigh, no matter how unwilling I am, there’s nothing I can do. I can only hope Mom and Dad come back soon so I can escape this misery. Until then, I’ll just have to endure it. A true man knows when to yield and when to stand firm. Endure for a moment, and the storm will pass; take a step back, and the world opens up. I’ll endure.’

Once fully dressed and certain of my safety, I bolted out of the house without a backward glance.

‘Hmph, that stinky sister, still expecting me to make her breakfast? Go eat the northwest wind! No, wait, it’s a south wind today, so you can’t even have the northwest wind.’

Watching the receding silver figure, Mu Rong Xin Xue couldn’t help but cover her mouth and chuckle. Suddenly remembering something, she rushed to the window.

“Hey, Xiao Ye, come back! Make breakfast! Do you want to starve your sister to death?”

There was no reply. Mu Rong Luo Ye simply chose to quicken his pace, sprinting towards the nearby bus stop.

As I ran towards the bus stop, a certain part of my body suddenly protested. Blushing, I halted my steps and couldn’t help but gently rub my stomach.

‘Hmph, it’s all that perverted sister’s fault. If it weren’t for what happened this morning, I’d probably be making breakfast right now. Ugh, my stomach is so empty. No, no, I can’t skip breakfast. Since I’m not going back to make it, I’ll just go to that steamed bun shop I used to frequent. It’s been a long time since I’ve been here. I miss it a little.’

Just a few months ago, this shop was a regular haunt for me and that perverted sister. However, after Mom and Dad left, and I was forced into girls’ clothes, for some inexplicable reason, I suddenly awakened a whole host of skills. Like culinary skills, for instance. And then, my sister practically forced me to make her breakfast every single day. Consequently, I gradually stopped visiting this shop.

If it hadn’t been for that perverted sister’s antics this morning, I wouldn’t have had the chance to visit this shop again. I must admit, I truly missed it.

The sky was still early, a crimson sun slowly ascending from the east. At this hour, the queue wasn’t particularly long.

However, when it was my turn, the chubby master of the steamed bun shop suddenly paused his movements. After several months, the chubby master remained just as I remembered him: simple, and unfailingly polite to his customers. That’s why his business had always thrived.

“You look somewhat familiar.”

Gazing at the silver-haired ‘loli’ before him, the chubby master’s face registered a hint of confusion. This person resembled someone he remembered, yet in his memory, that person was a boy. But the one standing before him was clearly a girl. However, the chubby master suddenly considered another possibility: perhaps this person was the boy’s older sister.

As the chubby master’s gaze fixed on me, I felt a pang of panic.

‘H-h-he didn’t recognize me, did he? Aaaargh, being recognized by an acquaintance while cross-dressing on the street—how utterly mortifying!’

“Mu Rong Xin Xue? You and your brother haven’t been here in a long time.”

‘Eh, Mu Rong Xin Xue? He called my perverted sister’s name. He must have mistaken me for my sister. After all, with long hair and girls’ clothes, my perverted sister and I look quite alike, save for our height. Plus, it’s been months, so his memory must be a bit hazy, leading to the mix-up. Phew, dodged a bullet there.’

“Yes, Uncle. Xiao Ye recently picked up some cooking skills, so he’s been making breakfast every morning. That’s why we haven’t been coming here.”

‘Since I’ve been mistaken for that perverted sister, I’d better just play along. It would be too embarrassing if he found out.’

“Ah, I see. A man should always learn a few skills. Here, take these. They’re on me, Uncle’s treat. Remember to bring your brother by often when you have time.”

The chubby master was as kind as ever. Taking the freshly steamed, still-warm buns, I offered a simple thank you and turned to leave.

‘Everything turned out fine, all things considered.’

Pulling out a bun, I took a small bite. The familiar taste once again assaulted my taste buds.

‘The craftsmanship hasn’t changed; it’s still as wonderful as ever. From now on, I should just bring that perverted sister here to the chubby master’s shop. That way, I won’t be pestered into making her breakfast every day.’

I devoured the first bun in a few bites, then pulled out a second and started munching. By the time I estimated I’d reached the bus stop, the second one was also gone. However, looking at the remaining buns in the bag, I found myself troubled.

‘As a boy, my appetite is a bit too small, isn’t it? Just two buns, and my stomach is full. Ugh, never mind. I can’t waste the chubby master’s kindness. Since I can’t eat anymore, I’ll just tuck them into my backpack. When I get home tonight, I’ll heat them up and give them to that perverted sister.’

I didn’t have to wait long before the Number Three bus appeared and stopped at the station. Perhaps because it was so early, besides a few students my age, the only other people waiting for the bus were those heading to their early shifts. With few people waiting for the bus, it was naturally quite empty inside.

‘Well, that’s good. Fewer people on the bus means I don’t have to worry about anyone trying to take advantage of me. Not that there’s anything to take advantage of anyway.’

Approximately ten minutes later, the bus came to a stop. Stepping off the bus, my destination appeared before me: Qingshan City First High School.