Chapter 57: Breaktime Exercise
"Ugh… I feel awful…"
Chen Cheng slumped over her desk, arms folded beneath her, chin resting on top, staring blankly at the teacher on the podium.
She had no energy for class. She just wanted to lie there, zoning out, thinking about nothing and everything at the same time.
How did I end up as a girl?
And now, every month, she had to go through this. Three or four days of misery.
Being a girl was seriously unfair.
She thought back to her past life, when she was still a guy. Sure, there were bad days, but at least she never had to deal with this. No pain, no sickness, she barely even caught a cold. But now? She felt as fragile as glass.
The school bell rang, signaling the end of class, followed by the upbeat music for breaktime exercises.
Even just sitting and thinking had drained all her energy. Chen Cheng watched her classmates laughing and messing around as they left the room. Slowly, she pushed herself up, wobbling as she stood.
"Chengcheng, you should just rest in the classroom."
"I’ll go tell the teacher and get you excused."
Her two best friends rushed over and gently pushed her back into her seat.
Hu Wei grinned. "Want me to bring you some snacks? Something sweet might lift your mood."
"Not really hungry."
"How about a hot drink, then? Way better than plain water," Chen Shuting suggested, frowning in concern. "Why do you always get period cramps? Hu Wei and I never do."
"How would I know…"
Chen Cheng groaned and buried her face in her arms again. The classroom felt unbearably noisy, and the music blasting from the speakers only made it worse.
Hu Wei was about to say something else, but Chen Shuting tugged her arm, signaling her to stop. She glanced toward the door, An Yuan was walking over.
The two girls exchanged a knowing look. "Alright, we’re heading downstairs~"
"Mm… Wait!" Chen Cheng suddenly grabbed Hu Wei’s sleeve, hesitating awkwardly. It was hard to ask about… personal things. "Do you guys have… um, you know…?"
Her brain was so foggy today that she had completely forgotten to bring sanitary pads.
"I have some in my bag! Just grab one later."
"Thanks."
Once her friends left, only a few people remained in the classroom, along with Chen Cheng and An Yuan.
"Still feeling bad?"
An Yuan sat down beside her.
"What do you think?" Chen Cheng muttered without looking up. "Why aren’t you heading downstairs?"
"No rush."
An Yuan crossed one leg over the other, propping his chin up with one hand as he studied the pale, sickly-looking girl beside him.
He understood Chen Cheng well, but he couldn’t read her mind. He could only guess that she didn’t want to be alone but was too stubborn to admit it.
The classroom gradually emptied, and the noise from the students outside mixed with the blaring speakers, making it all sound distant and unclear.
Staring at the empty room, Chen Cheng felt like the whole world had shrunk down to just her and An Yuan.
In front of this friend, someone she had known since childhood, someone who had gone through the same strange experience of transmigrating with her, there was no need to pretend.
She turned her head and rested it on An Yuan’s arm.
She had never felt this weak before.
In her past life, no matter how anxious, depressed, or frustrated she got, she always faced things alone. But now, it felt like she couldn’t do without An Yuan. She kept relying on him without even realizing it.
The exhaustion weighing on her body and mind seemed to fade the moment she leaned on him, like a low-battery phone finally plugged into a charger.
And just like that, she started to feel a little better.
"So tired..."
Even though Chen Cheng knew she shouldn't rely on An Yuan too much, she couldn't help but speak up, hoping for some comfort.
An Yuan reached out and placed his warm hand on top of her head, gently stroking it.
That warmth seemed almost magical. Chen Cheng closed her eyes in contentment. If she were a cat, she’d probably be purring right now.
"Your period always makes you overthink everything, huh?"
"Yeah, I can’t control it… It’s not even a big deal, but my mind just keeps spiraling," Chen Cheng murmured lazily, her voice soft and breathy. "I keep wondering why I ended up as a girl. I should be used to it by now, but I still think about it. It just… frustrates me so much."
"I wouldn’t call it ‘used to it’ yet. I mean, I still struggle with my period, I don’t like wearing fancy clothes, and half the time, I forget which restroom to go to."
"My hair is way too long, washing it takes forever. And my mom keeps making me use skincare products. It’s such a hassle."
"I know I should just adapt, but no matter how much I tell myself that, some things just won’t feel normal. It’s already been a month…"
"Sometimes I feel like I’ve turned into a completely different person, like I’m not even myself anymore. And when I think about that, I just… panic. It’s terrifying."
Her voice started trembling, and she buried her face against An Yuan’s arm. Even her slender shoulders were shaking.
An Yuan could feel the cold dampness seeping through his sleeve. He wanted to offer her some useful advice, but when he opened his mouth, all he could say was something meaningless.
"Just take it one step at a time."
Hesitating for a moment, he carefully pulled her into a light embrace, slowly guiding her into his arms.
He felt her body stiffen at first, but then she softened, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her face into his chest.
An Yuan gently patted her back. "You know, crying helps. You’ll feel better if you let it out."
"No way. It’s embarrassing."
"Girls crying just makes people want to protect them. No one would think less of you."
Chen Cheng, even in her current state, still had the energy to be concerned about him. "That applies to you too. At least I wouldn’t judge you."
An Yuan let out a small laugh, responding with a simple "Yeah."
The two of them fell silent, holding onto each other. Outside, the students had started their morning run, but the noise from the playground couldn’t disturb the calm inside the classroom.
Holding Chen Cheng like this… holding her forever wouldn’t be so bad.
Lost in thought, An Yuan subconsciously tightened his embrace, as if he wanted to pull her even closer, as if he could make her a part of himself.
Compared to other girls, Chen Cheng was a bit lazy, she couldn’t even cook, but at least she was kind and thoughtful. She could easily see things from a guy’s perspective. Aside from being overly sensitive during her period, she never got upset over dumb things. They could joke around, play video games together, drink like brothers, and have deep talks…
The only problem was that she was a total homebody and hated working. But hey, she was a girl, maybe that just meant she was family-oriented.
"Chengzi…" An Yuan’s voice slipped out as he got lost in his thoughts. But just as he was about to say more, he suddenly froze.
Wait. Wait. What the hell was he thinking?! Did he like his own brother?! This is just because of her pretty face! That’s it!
If Chen Cheng ever figured it out, their friendship would be over!
"Hmm?"
Panicking, An Yuan quickly changed the topic. "You don’t like me, do you? You keep nuzzling into me."
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from the hallway.
The two of them snapped upright at the same time, like criminals caught in the act.
Chen Cheng hastily wiped her eyes, her gaze darting around in a panic, she was already considering ducking under the desk to hide.
An Yuan, being tall and having nowhere to hide, could only lie face down on the desk, hoping the window frame would block him from view.
"Chen Cheng, are you feeling better?"
What they thought was just a passing student turned out to be their homeroom teacher, who had specifically come upstairs to check on her.
The moment she walked in, she saw a boy and a girl, school uniforms slightly disheveled, faces flustered. The girl’s cheeks were red, her eyes watery, and there were still tears at the corners.
"......"