Chapter 78: Milk Tea Shop
“Don’t worry. With the clues from your parents, Chen Yi will definitely inform you. If we find a way to stop the changes or even help you return to your original appearance, I’ll help you too.”
Sitting in a newly opened milk tea shop outside the school, Yu Fan slowly ate his McFlurry while comforting Li Mu, who was sitting across from him.
The atmosphere in this milk tea shop was nice. The booths were spaced apart, so the people at neighboring tables couldn’t easily hear their conversation. This was a typical milk tea shop for couples. Aside from Li Mu and Yu Fan, the other tables were all couples.
Of course, to outsiders, they might look like a couple too.
Li Mu lowered his head, subconsciously biting the straw of his milk tea, his expression blank.
“What are you staring at?”
Suddenly, an angry shout came from a nearby table. A male student had his head slapped, and then his girlfriend angrily turned and left.
Yu Fan saw everything and leaned in closer, saying to Li Mu, “That guy was staring at your legs for a long time, and his girlfriend slapped him.”
“Mm.”
“Give me some reaction. Don’t always act so indifferent every time.” Yu Fan sat up straight and smiled helplessly. “It’s been a while now, and you should be ready for the fact that there’s no solution to this.”
“Uncle Chen Yi is already helping you get an ID card. The photo is one I secretly took of you in your girl’s clothes. You might even have to go take your fingerprints later, just in case your ‘girly’ appearance has changed them.”
“Your parents have been away for so long. They probably won’t come back, so don’t have too many expectations.”
Looking at Li Mu’s face, which was slightly red and still confused, Yu Fan suddenly felt a bit soft-hearted and muttered an apology, “I might have been too blunt, but this is the truth...”
Li Mu finally reacted, “You secretly took my picture?”
“???”
“You’re a pervert!”
Yu Fan was speechless for a long time.
After a while, he gritted his teeth and asked, “Even though you’re in girl’s clothes now, can’t your thinking not be so feminine?”
“I’m talking about your body changing and your parents! This is serious!”
“Delete my photos.”
Yu Fan helplessly deleted the photos of Li Mu from his phone and handed it to him to check.
Li Mu looked at the phone while speaking, “It’s been so long, my parents’ situation is already in the past.”
“As for my body... I’ll just take it step by step.”
Although he really wanted his body to go back to how it was before, his limbs had lost muscle, and walking now felt weak and uncomfortable. He wasn’t used to it. But he knew it was probably impossible to return to how it was. The best he could do was maintain his current state and maybe work on his muscles in the future.
After confirming that there were no photos of him left on Yu Fan’s phone, Li Mu returned it and gave Yu Fan a look of disdain. “A bunch of pervy pictures.”
“I’m a man,” Yu Fan said confidently.
“Remember to send them to me so I can criticize them.”
Then Li Mu looked down at the girl’s clothes he was wearing and felt a little more down. He sighed helplessly, “Forget it.”
After all, he didn’t feel any impulse or reaction when he saw it.
Looking at those clothes was no different from looking at himself. He could just buy clothes online if he wanted to customize his look.
His milk tea was finished, and there were only a few tables left in the shop. Most of the students outside had already left, with only a few walking home.
With fewer people around, he finally didn’t feel the constant stares at his body, except from Yu Fan.
Li Mu’s nervousness eased.
“I’m going to change clothes.” He picked up the clothing bag from the table. “Is there a bathroom nearby?”
“There’s one around here, but it’s a bit dirty.”
Li Mu stood up, holding the bag, and walked outside. But after taking a few steps, he stopped and turned to look at Yu Fan, who was following closely behind him.
This guy kept looking at his legs or his hips, and sometimes even glancing at his chest, showing a disappointed look.
The feeling of nervousness had faded, but the feeling of embarrassment still stuck around.
“Don’t follow me.”
He felt both embarrassed and angry. Before, when there were many people around, he couldn’t tell where all the stares were coming from, but now he was sure.
It’s you, you pervert!
He tugged at the bottom of his hoodie, trying to cover his lower half with it, but he wasn’t wearing a coat or skirt. Even if he pulled his hoodie down hard, it could only cover half of his hips at most.
“With the situation you’re in now, how can I be at ease?” Yu Fan smiled and said gently.
“Go away!”
Li Mu walked out of the milk tea shop with a dark face.
There weren’t many students at the school gate anymore, but after turning a corner and walking into the village, Li Mu once again felt the eyes of passersby on him.
He put his hood back on, lowered his head, and walked cautiously on the edge of the road, trying to make himself less noticeable.
But it was like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, didn’t work at all. It only provided a little comfort to his mind.
Yu Fan slowly followed behind, asking, “When are you going to learn to fake your voice? Although it’s neutral now, it still doesn’t match your girl’s clothes.”
“I’m not learning.”
“Well, you're not planning on having a ghost possess you every time you cross-dress in the future, are you?”
“As long as Xiao Jing is around, it’s fine.”
“But what if she leaves one day?”
“......”
Yeah, ghosts can’t stay forever.
Li Mu suddenly realized this.
Xiao Jing, his sister, had been staying in this world as a ghost for three years. If she stayed any longer, she might disappear.
He suddenly turned around and spoke harshly to Yu Fan, “From now on, if you catch a ghost, bring it back for Xiao Jing!”
Yu Fan was a bit stunned. Even though Li Mu’s words were firm, his gentle face couldn’t look strong. Instead, he looked a bit pitiful, like a small, grumpy stray cat begging for food.
“Alright, alright, if I can, I’ll help you,” Yu Fan said with his hands raised in surrender.
Li Mu became more serious. Although he could still feel the eyes of the passersby and Yu Fan on him, he no longer cared about the feeling of embarrassment.
His feelings for Xiao Jing were complicated. Before she died, he didn’t treat her like the kind of caring brother you see in movies or novels. In fact, he was often annoyed with her, which was common for most people with younger sisters.
But after losing her, he realized how much he missed her. Li Mu had spent three years in a daze, but ever since discovering Xiao Jing’s true identity, he had focused more on her.
He walked into the public restroom, and after a while, he changed into his male clothes, removed his makeup, washed his face, and came out.
The worried expression from earlier was completely gone, and he looked as calm and indifferent as usual.
“I’m going back to school.” Li Mu walked up to Yu Fan and lightly tapped his chest with a fist. “The school just sent a message. We passed the audition.”
“Next, keep practicing your singing. Don’t leave Xiao Jing with any regrets during New Year.”
“As long as you don’t mess things up, I’m pretty reliable.”
Yu Fan smiled and looked at Li Mu’s familiar face, but his eyes kept drifting toward Li Mu’s legs.
What a shame, Li Mu’s pants were too big, so it was hard to see his leg shape.