Chapter 7: A True Brother Shares the Struggle
"You won’t believe it. I accidentally walked into the men's restroom today. Damn! That was so embarrassing!"
"Ughhh, I just wanna go back to being a shut-in! Sleep whenever I want, do whatever I want, no worries at all. Unlike now!"
"Why did I have to turn into a woman?!"
At the fried snack shop across from the school, Chen Cheng scratched her head in frustration before downing half a bottle of beer in one go. She drank too fast on an empty stomach, and after just one bottle, her gaze was already a little unfocused.
"This is all your fault. You just had to drag me down with you..."
"Here, have a fried chicken leg?" An Yuan grinned awkwardly, offering it to her. "It was an accident, wasn’t it?"
Chen Cheng hiccuped, propping her cheek on one hand as she stared at An Yuan across the table. With a sigh full of envy, she muttered, "Must be nice for you. You just wake up, and all your troubles are gone..."
"How about this, you go to Thailand? They say true brothers share the struggle. You should join me in being a woman too!"
An Yuan quickly shook his head. "Yeah… no thanks."
"Damn! Guess we’re not real brothers then!"
Chen Cheng cursed under her breath but suddenly felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. She froze for a second before answering the call.
"Chengcheng! School ended half an hour ago. Where are you?"
"???"
"Who is it?" An Yuan asked, noticing her shocked expression.
Chen Cheng’s lips twitched slightly before she smoothly lied, "Mom, I forgot my bicycle lock key at home this morning, so, I have to walk."
"You didn’t end up being late, did you?"
"Nope, but I skipped lunch to save money for a cab. I’m almost home now."
After hanging up, Chen Cheng frowned, muttering to herself, "Since when does my mom care about what time I get home?"
Back in high school, she used to go straight to the internet café with An Yuan after school, play games for hours, and come home at midnight, her mom never said a word about it.
But even though they spent the same amount of time having fun together, An Yuan still managed to ace his exams and get into a great university, while she barely scraped into an average one.
"Well, it makes sense for a girl to head home earlier at night."
"Can you not keep reminding me..."
Chen Cheng lowered her gaze and silently finished the rest of her beer.
Just moments ago, she had been chattering non-stop, but now, her quietness felt even more heartbreaking.
"I’m just saying it from your mom’s perspective," An Yuan reassured her, trying to smooth things over. "To me, you’re still a guy."
"...Let’s go."
"Rinse your mouth first. Don’t let your mom smell the alcohol."
"Even drinking needs to be regulated now…"
She sounded like she was complaining about her mother, but really, she was frustrated with her current situation.
Chen Cheng walked out of the snack shop, squatted down on the edge of the sidewalk, and casually rested her arms on her knees, just like some rough street punk.
Yeah, this pose feels manly!
She had never thought about things like this before…
An Yuan soon returned with a bottle of water, stopping his bike in front of her. "Hurry up and rinse your mouth, then get on."
"Got it."
After getting on the bike, Chen Cheng held onto the frame under her seat instead of holding onto him. She turned her head to the side, staring blankly at the street.
Students, couples, grandparents with their grandchildren, families of three… Even though it was close to 10 PM, this small town was still lively. People laughed as they walked by, food stalls filled the air with smoky scents, and the warm glow of the streetlights stretched the shadows of everything around.
Walmart, the clock tower, the public square… Everything she saw today was familiar. The places, the people. Yet, there was this invisible barrier between her and the world, like a thick glass wall. She could see it all, but she couldn’t touch it.
Unlike An Yuan, who easily slipped back into this world from ten years ago, Chen Cheng, now in a different body, couldn’t fit in so effortlessly.
She leaned her forehead against his back.
"What? Using me as a shield against the wind?"
"What else?"
"Remember to wear an extra layer under your school uniform tomorrow," An Yuan reminded as he pedaled. "Didn’t you say your period is coming soon? Make sure to keep some pads and a heat patch in your bag, just in case."
"You might feel a bit weird in your stomach before it starts, so use a pad ahead of time. Also, after today, no more cold drinks. And..."
Chen Cheng interrupted, "Why do you know so much about this?"
"I had a fiancée once. Learned it while taking care of her."
"Oh? And did she ever take care of you?"
"......"
An Yuan hesitated for a second before continuing, "Eat lighter during your period, skip morning runs, and if the cramps get bad, just take some painkillers. Don't try to hold it in."
"Tch, having a girlfriend really makes a difference, huh..." Chen Cheng muttered.
"Haven’t you dated before too?"
"I only had one serious relationship, and it lasted a few months," Chen Cheng said proudly. "She was one of my fangirls, almost had a classic ‘fan-to-girlfriend’ moment! But I’m a responsible guy, so I held back. What a gentleman, right?"
An Yuan caught onto something suspicious. "Wait a minute... Don’t tell me you were still a virgin before all this?"
"So what if I was?! So what?!"
"I was just keeping myself pure! Not like you, changing girlfriends like changing clothes!"
"I just wanted to save myself for my future wife! Is that so wrong?! Are you laughing?! I swear you’re laughing!"
The girl sitting behind him suddenly lost it, punching An Yuan’s back several times. He tried to hold back his laughter.
"I wasn’t laughing! And for the record, I have a perfectly respectable personal life."
"Ughhh! Now I’m a woman and still a virgin!" Chen Cheng groaned dramatically, banging her head against his back.
"This is all your fault! All your fault! If you didn't go to Thailand to become a woman, I will NEVER forgive you!"
"We’re here, we’re here! Stop whining already."
An Yuan stopped in front of the apartment’s bike parking and turned back to press down on her head, gently pushing her off the bike.
"Go upstairs and get home before your mom starts worrying."
"What about you?"
"Me? I’m heading to the internet café with some classmates."
"Traitor!"
Fuming, Chen Cheng kicked his bike before storming off.
Those "classmates" he was meeting were her old gaming buddies too! She wanted to play with them, not hang out with a bunch of girls!
When she climbed up the stairs to the seventh floor, her apartment door was already open.
Panting, she leaned against the railing and peeked inside. Her mom was sitting on the couch, working on an embroidery piece. Apparently, each piece could sell for a few dozen or even a hundred yuan, an extra source of income for the family.
"Chengcheng, you're back?"
The voice came from the other end of the couch, An Yuan’s mom. She lived on the fourth floor of the same building and looked delighted to see her.
Their moms were basically best friends, always exchanging extra groceries, snacks, and fruit. Whenever one of them traveled, they’d bring back a little souvenir for the other.
"Auntie?"
Chen Cheng had assumed that in this world, their moms didn’t get along, especially since her own mom didn’t seem to like her hanging out with An Yuan.
"I heard you skipped lunch today, so I brought you half a roast duck. Hurry and eat."
"Thanks, Auntie~"
Feeling a little guilty, Chen Cheng quickly kicked off her shoes and swapped them for house slippers. She even made sure to toss her dirty socks into the sink on the balcony.
Her mom glanced at her. This daughter of hers always acted proper outside but was a total monkey at home. Yet today, she seemed strangely well-behaved.
"Eat, then take a shower and get some rest. And don’t forget to wash your hair."
Does anyone really hate washing their hair that much? To the point where you have to remind them specifically?
Chen Cheng, who was used to washing her hair before bed every night, found it odd but simply nodded in response. Then, making sure to avoid her mom’s nose, she ran toward the dining area.
Can’t let her smell the alcohol! I may be 27, but I am NOT getting my ass whooped by my mom.