Chapter 38: The Sweetheart’s Promise and a Looming Encounter

The phone screen illuminated, showing a new message from [Xiao Moyuan].

[Xiao Moyuan: I was just busy!]

These four simple words, punctuated by an exclamation mark, arrived a full two hours after Su Mian had sent his questioning message.

During those two hours, Su Mian felt as though he had been tossed into a cauldron of boiling oil, repeatedly seared by a relentless onslaught of terrible imaginings.

Two hours… so much could have transpired in that time.

Could Xiao Moyuan truly be with Shen Zhixia, engaging in “interaction” for an entire two hours?

Su Mian felt a suffocating tightness in his chest, his breath catching in his throat.

A potent cocktail of grievance, jealousy, and a reckless, devil-may-care impulse surged within him.

He retreated to his room, locking the door behind him. As if acting on a whim of pure spite, he pressed the voice message button with unusual force.

Unbeknownst to him, the carefully crafted sweetness of his usual fake voice had significantly diminished, replaced by an unmistakable undertone of complaint, vulnerability, and a distinct tang of jealousy.

“Brother, you’re not spending time with another girl, are you…?”

On the other end, Xiao Moyuan raised a subtle eyebrow upon hearing the unexpected voice message.

He hadn’t anticipated the other party initiating a voice message, nor had he expected the emotions conveyed within it to deviate from the usual stylized coquetry. Instead, it resonated with a genuine, almost possessive, hint of jealousy.

‘Had his acting improved, or… was this genuinely his true emotional outpouring?’

This thought stirred something within him, and almost instinctively, he initiated a voice call.

The call connected almost the instant it began to ring.

A profound silence filled the receiver, broken only by the faint sound of breathing.

After a brief silence, Xiao Moyuan was the first to speak, his voice carrying an indescribable depth as it traveled through the connection. “Why do you think I’m spending time with other girls?”

Su Mian pressed his lips together, that wave of grievance washing over him once more. His voice was muffled, carrying a distinct difference from his usual tone that he himself failed to notice.

“It’s just a feeling… I’m so afraid Brother will ignore me and go spend time with other girls.”

His words were a blend of truth and fabrication. While his fear of Xiao Moyuan being with “other girls” was genuine, the specific person he truly feared him being with was a secret only Su Mian himself held.

Through the receiver, Xiao Moyuan’s voice seemed less rigid than usual. His tone softened slightly, carrying an almost reassuring, explanatory quality. “No, that won’t happen. I was simply handling some matters just now; I wasn’t with any other girls.”

For reasons he couldn’t quite articulate, upon hearing this assurance—though far from overtly sweet—Su Mian’s anxious heart inexplicably settled. The suffocating pressure in his chest also dissipated significantly.

‘Had Xiao Moyuan’s voice ever been… this gentle before?’

As his emotions gradually settled, a touch of playful impudence, born from being appeased, resurfaced. He blurted out, almost without thinking, his voice tinged with a spoiled charm,

“Then Brother has to promise me that you weren’t with any other girls just now, or else… or else you’ll become impotent!”

The moment the words escaped his lips, Su Mian himself froze, his cheeks instantly flushing a furious crimson.

‘Heavens! What absolute nonsense was he spouting?!’

‘His “relationship” with Xiao Moyuan surely hadn’t progressed to the point where such a brazen joke was acceptable, had it?’

‘What if Xiao Moyuan felt offended and simply cut him off?’

However, neither the anticipated cold sarcasm nor an abrupt hang-up occurred.

A two-second silence hung in the receiver, followed by Xiao Moyuan’s low, steady reply.

“Very well. I promise you.”

Su Mian was utterly dumbfounded.

Considering Xiao Moyuan’s usual demeanor, he could have easily dismissed such an unreasonable request, or coldly diverted the conversation, or even seized the opportunity to admit something purely to provoke him.

Yet he had actually… agreed?

And in such a serious tone, no less?

‘Could it be… he truly hadn’t been with Shen Zhixia just now?’

An unexpected wave of sweetness subtly spread through him.

The suffocating sensation from moments before vanished entirely.

Su Mian felt a profound sense of ease wash over him. Even his apprehension about meeting tomorrow diminished, replaced by an ineffable, secret anticipation.

“Alright, Brother, I believe you.”

His voice regained its usual soft, sweet quality, now imbued with a genuine, lighthearted laugh. “I’ll be back at school tomorrow, and then… I’ll definitely wear a beautiful little dress to meet you.”

Even Su Mian himself was somewhat surprised; he had truly mustered the courage to meet Xiao Moyuan tomorrow.

Of course, he quickly formulated a “reasonable” explanation for his newfound courage: it was all for Shen Zhixia. He had to personally keep an eye on Xiao Moyuan, to prevent him from “stealing the home” in his absence.

‘Yes, that’s exactly it! Everything is for Zhixia!’

“Mm, I look forward to meeting you tomorrow,” Xiao Moyuan replied, his voice still calm. Yet, that single word, “look forward,” made Su Mian’s heart skip a beat.

The voice call ended.

Su Mian held the still-warm phone, exhaling a long, drawn-out sigh of relief.

However, with the relaxation came a far more pressing reality: tomorrow, he truly had to meet Xiao Moyuan while cross-dressing.

This realization sent his recently settled heartbeat racing once more.

On the other end of the line.

Xiao Moyuan rubbed his temples.

Listening to that voice just now, had he actually, subconsciously, agreed to such an absurd promise?

‘When had he, Xiao Moyuan, become this kind of person?’

‘Could it be that he truly harbored feelings for them?’

Xiao Moyuan slowly closed his eyes, choosing not to dwell on the matter any further.

***

The following day, Su Mian, pulling his suitcase, checked into a hotel conveniently located beside N University.

He gazed at the pink camisole dress splayed across the bed, alongside the wig and cosmetics, his emotions a tangled knot of complexity.

‘Was he truly going through with this?’

‘It wasn’t too late to back out now…’

Yet, the words had already been spoken, and Xiao Moyuan was still awaiting “Sweetheart Marshmallow.”

Moreover… deep within him, a faint voice stirred with curiosity, wondering about Xiao Moyuan’s reaction upon seeing “himself” in this guise.

He approached the mirror, observing his reflection: a young man in ordinary men’s attire, his eyes obscured by bangs.

Taking a deep breath, he removed his black-rimmed glasses. Then, with careful movements, he used a hairpin to gradually pin back his overgrown bangs, revealing a smooth forehead and his complete, delicate features.

The person reflected in the mirror possessed fair skin and exquisitely delicate features, though their eyes were clouded with hesitation and an inner struggle.

‘Su Mian, you can do this. This is merely part of the plan.’

He whispered words of encouragement to his reflection, as if the act alone could quell the unfamiliar flutter of excitement and profound shame stirring within him.

He picked up the long, chestnut-colored wig, carefully placing it upon his head. He meticulously adjusted the hairnet and the edges, striving to make the wig appear as natural as possible.

As the soft, flowing strands cascaded over his shoulders, the demeanor of the person in the mirror transformed instantly, imbued with an undeniable touch of feminine grace.

Next came the makeup. It wasn’t his first attempt, yet this time, an unusual nervousness gripped him.

Foundation, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, blush, lipstick… he executed each step with meticulous precision, as though crafting an exceptionally vital work of art.

He observed as the “girl’s” features in the mirror gradually blossomed into vibrant charm. Her eyes, accentuated by the makeup, appeared clearer and more innocent, yet subtly held a flicker of unease.

Finally, he slipped into the pink camisole dress.

The cool fabric adhered to his skin. The skirt’s length still made him feel a touch uncomfortable, yet he couldn’t deny that the well-tailored dress beautifully accentuated his slender waist and his somewhat delicate but gracefully contoured figure.

He donned the matching black stockings and round-toed leather shoes, then stepped before the mirror once more.

What stared back was a beautiful “girl” with exquisitely delicate features, her pure demeanor tinged with a hint of timidity.

This was “Sweetheart Marshmallow.”

This was the person Xiao Moyuan was about to encounter.

A powerful wave of absurdity and intense nervousness swept over him.

He repeatedly practiced smiling, meticulously adjusted his walking posture, and rehearsed his fake voice, determined it wouldn’t falter at a critical moment.

His palms grew faintly damp with nervous perspiration.

The two had arranged to meet at a restaurant.

The restaurant was situated atop the Twin Towers.

As the appointed time drew steadily closer, he finally exited the hotel, each step he took imbued with cautious uncertainty.

He garnered an almost perfect rate of turning heads; anyone who passed by him couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances.

Thus, he made his way to the base of the Twin Towers, his heart filled with an unsettling mix of anxiety and anticipation.

He began to seriously suspect that he had inadvertently revealed some flaw, otherwise, why would so many people be staring at him?

The moment this thought took root, Su Mian’s composure completely unraveled.

He hastily grabbed his phone and composed a message for Xiao Moyuan.

[Sweetheart Marshmallow: Brother, I seem to be feeling a bit unwell, perhaps we should meet another time.]

No sooner had the message been sent than a familiar voice echoed from behind him.

“What’s wrong? Are you truly so afraid to meet me?”