Chapter 3: First Day at Qingshan City First Middle School

Qingshan City First Middle School stood as one of the province’s premier high schools. Admission was fiercely competitive; beyond the prodigious scholars, only students from exceptionally well-off families or those with powerful connections could secure a place through less conventional means. Yet, even these ‘backdoor’ entrants were far from mediocre, often possessing the academic prowess to rank within the top hundred of their grade in any ordinary high school. This fact alone was a testament to the institution’s formidable reputation and strength.

Its most elite classes served as a direct pipeline, channeling exceptional talent to universities not just nationwide, but across the globe. Year after year, Qingshan City First Middle School consistently outstripped its peers in every metric, further solidifying its status as an educational powerhouse.

Stepping onto its grounds, one couldn’t shake an unsettling, intangible pressure. Perhaps it was the sheer concentration of brilliant minds, or the relentless, cutthroat competition that permeated the very air.

Taking a deep breath, I gave my rather flat chest a quick pat before heading towards the security office at the school’s entrance. I retrieved a document from my bag and presented it to the guards. After a brief perusal, they waved me through without further ado.

The school’s landscaping was clearly exceptional. As I walked along a winding path shaded by trees, the air was perpetually infused with a sweet floral fragrance. The environment was truly delightful. The verdant canopy above offered a welcome respite from the scorching sun, allowing only sporadic shafts of light to pierce through the leaves, preventing the path from feeling overly dark or eerie.

It was then that a girl with long black hair suddenly materialized ahead on the path. Only as she drew nearer did her features sharpen into focus. Her face, akin to that of a celestial maiden, bore an unmistakable hint of frostiness. Despite the slight distance still separating us, an unexpected chill emanated from her, perceptible even from afar. It was evident she was an ‘ice queen’—a beauty to be admired from a distance, never approached.

“Excuse me—”

My instincts screamed at me to keep my distance, yet with no one else in sight and no idea where the principal’s office was, I found myself compelled to seek her assistance.

She seemed to register my call, pausing her steps. In her deep, night-like black eyes, a subtle hint of coldness flickered.

“Um, Senior, do you happen to know the way to the principal’s office?”

‘Damn it, Luo Ye, Luo Ye,’ I chided myself internally. ‘As a boy, could you possibly be any more cowardly? Your voice is actually trembling just talking to a girl!’

Perhaps sensing my unease, the girl subtly softened the chill in her gaze. She offered no words, merely extending a hand to point in a specific direction. Following the line of her finger, it appeared the principal’s office lay precisely where she indicated.

“Thank you, Senior.”

Without a second’s hesitation after expressing my gratitude, I made a swift escape. Standing beside the black-haired girl, enveloped by the faint, pervasive chill she exuded, truly made me feel as though I would freeze solid. It was utterly terrifying! Considering the circumstances, I decided a hasty retreat was my best option.

As the silver-haired figure retreated into the distance, a faint, wicked smile played upon the girl’s lips.

“How interesting. So very much like *her*. Just wait, I will confirm it…”

****

A deep exhale escaped me as I finally broke free from the frigid aura she radiated. Still, I had to be grateful for her directions; otherwise, I truly wouldn’t have known how long I’d be aimlessly wandering on my own.

Upon reaching the principal’s office door, a flicker of apprehension seized me. Despite knowing the occupant was my aunt—a familiar face—the situation still made me uneasy. After all, the more acquaintances who witnessed me in women’s clothing, the greater the embarrassment.

‘Hoo, hoo, hoo, relax, relax,’ I chanted internally. After making a concerted effort to calm my nerves, I slowly pushed open the principal’s office door and beheld that familiar figure.

“A-a-a-auntie…”

My voice, for some inexplicable reason, quivered as I gazed at the middle-aged woman seated at the office’s center. Though I knew she was one of the primary instigators of my current predicament, appearing in women’s clothing before an acquaintance was genuinely mortifying.

“Oh, Little Ye Ye.”

Mu Rong Xiao’s eyes twinkled as she observed the timid, silver-haired ‘loli’ standing hesitantly at the doorway. After a careful moment of appraisal, she recognized Mu Rong Luo Ye’s true identity.

“Auntie…”

‘Damn it,’ I thought. ‘I truly don’t know how to even begin. What am I supposed to do?’

“Not bad, it seems that child Xin Xue has ‘trained’ you quite well, hasn’t she?”

‘What the heck is “trained”?!’ I fumed silently.

“No, she absolutely hasn’t.”

Upon my swift denial, Mu Rong Xiao likely discerned something from my tone, as she chose not to tease me further.

“Alright, Little Ye, come here. Before you head to class, Auntie still has a few things to go over with you.” She gestured with a wave of her hand, indicating that I should take a seat beside her.

I settled down obediently, my hands instinctively gripping the hem of my short skirt. It was crucial to listen intently to her words. After all, as a boy, I had to protect myself meticulously; a single accidental exposure and I’d surely be branded a pervert.

“Little Ye,” she began, her tone serious, “the most important thing at school is to protect yourself. Don’t accidentally reveal your identity.”

‘If it weren’t for *your* arrangements, would I even be in this predicament?’ I thought irritably. ‘Having to be so cautious just to attend school! If you’d simply let me go to my old school, none of this trouble would be necessary, honestly!’

“The class I’ve arranged for you is one of the school’s elite, top-tier groups. There will certainly be academic pressure, but I don’t anticipate any issues for you.”

“Furthermore, your homeroom teacher has already been briefed, so she is aware of your true gender.”

‘What?!’ I internally shrieked. ‘The homeroom teacher knows? Who *else* doesn’t know? Just tell me everyone right now!’

Sighing, I endured a bit more of her rambling about various other matters before she finally dismissed me. A sudden, overwhelming sense of dread settled upon me. These next three years were certainly not going to be easy.

“Wait, hey!” I exclaimed, a sudden realization striking me. I immediately spun around and dashed back into the principal’s office.

“Auntie, w-w-w-which restroom am I supposed to use?”

If I were to enter the men’s restroom in this attire, my true gender would undoubtedly be exposed instantly. And if I dared to step into the women’s restroom, ‘Hiss,’ I thought, ‘that would be a one-way trip down the path of a pervert, never to return!’ What was I to do? Unable to use either, was my only option to simply hold it in?

‘Hiss! Ahhh! I want to go home! I’m not going to school!’

“How about this…”

Observing the utterly despairing look on my face, Mu Rong Xiao pondered for a moment before handing me a floor plan of the school’s buildings.

“Look,” she said, pointing, “here’s a teachers’ restroom. Very few people use it. If you need to relieve yourself, that’s where you should go.”

I was genuinely grateful. Taking the map, it felt as though my most pressing problem had finally been resolved. Now, I could go and see the class my aunt had arranged for me.

Yet, for some reason, an inexplicable sense of unease still gnawed at me. Perhaps I was simply overthinking things, but it was always better to be cautious.