064. Night
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Lin Nan had never stayed in an inn before—before university, he’d never really gone anywhere far, and after starting, he just moved straight into a dormitory.
So, although he’d heard tales of how shabby and chaotic smaller inns could be, he never really paid much attention. But now that he was actually in one, he began to think that the online reviews might have actually been a bit generous.
Echoes of conversations from the next room filtered through his ears, while underfoot lay what looked like a beautiful carpet. The wallpaper on the walls seemed cozy enough, but most of the furniture was old, wooden, and questionable at best. The only decent-looking thing was the double bed, which, let’s face it, was about as exciting as a soggy piece of bread.
Lin Nan grimaced as he opened the bathroom door. Sure, it wasn’t as chaotic as the dorm, but it was still below the “acceptable” mark for an inn.
He sighed deeply, shrugged it off, locked the door with a flourish, and plopped down onto a rattan chair with his phone.
The soundproofing of this inn was, for lack of a better term, nonexistent. Conversations, footsteps in the hallway, and the ramblings of a few old-timers outside all came through loud and clear as if they were having a chat right next to him.
He thought about lying down on the bed for a bit, but the cacophony was giving him a headache. Suddenly, spending the night here seemed worse than pulling an all-nighter in the dorm.
He used to think the dorm’s soundproofing was terrible since you could hear the heavy snores from neighboring rooms at night, but now he realized that it was actually a luxury compared to his current scenario.
With a lengthy sigh, he contemplated heading out for a stroll, but the outfit he was wearing filled him with dread. The constant shame that accompanied this getup made stepping outside feel like an acrobatic act on a tightrope over a pit of alligators. If even a few glances fell upon him, he’d feel like his embarrassment would spike to new heights—like suddenly being thrust on stage for a one-man show where he forgot all his lines.
However, after a while of grappling with his feelings, Lin Nan found he had somewhat gotten used to it, likely because his shame threshold had hit rock bottom.
The inn had a TV, but after fiddling with it, Lin Nan concluded it was just there for decorative purposes, much like his hopes of being a YouTube star.
With nothing better to do, he started scrolling through short videos on his phone, but his interest waned quickly. Restless, he hopped off the chair in search of some semblance of excitement.
He muttered to himself, “Should’ve brought my laptop.”
He eyed the main door of the room. Should he venture out for some snacks and a walk?
His heart waged war—shame and fear intertwining like a particularly clingy couple. On one hand, he was terrified that his outfit would draw even more attention and reveal his cross-dressing secret; on the other, he worried that he’d run into classmates and ruin what was left of his dignity.
Plus, the ensemble of a short skirt with thigh-high socks was hardly common among college students…
After much deliberation, Lin Nan eventually decided to brave the outside world. He had already endured the curious glances from passersby while sneaking out from the girls’ dorm earlier, so getting a second helping of judgement didn’t seem too dreadful.
Standing before the bathroom mirror, he inspected his appearance. His makeup was still intact, his wig was on point, and with a mask on, only his eyes would be visible. Recognition? Not on his watch!
Gathering what little courage he had, he cautiously opened the door, peered down the empty hallway (where voices echoed but no one was around), and took a deep breath as if preparing for a diving competition before stepping out and locking the door behind him.
Emerging from the alleyway, Lin Nan felt a wave of awkwardness wash over him. He quickly lowered his head, adopting the posture of a professional phone-obsessed person, all while making a beeline for the nearest street food stall.
There’s definitely a lot of eyes on me.
His senses were heightened—either a newfound sixth sense or perhaps just a healthy dose of paranoia—as he believed many pairs of eyes were glued to him, and it felt like whispers were passing through the crowd, critiquing his daring sartorial choice.
On the way here, he had hurried through as if fleeing from the law, but now he had intended to take his time, and running through the streets wouldn’t help his fashionably awkward cause.
He cross the street in a hurry and skid to a halt in front of a crepe stall.
“One crepe with bacon and chicken strips,” he commanded the vendor before instantly sidestepping out of sight, nervously peeking at the other customers through his periphery.
The vendor paused, then started preparing the order while asking, “What sauce?”
“Salad.”
Lin Nan aimed to keep it simple.
Standing by the crepe stall, he noticed quite a few people casting glances his way, but most only took a quick peek before moving on. If a few lingered, it was mostly out of curiosity rather than recognition.
It seemed no one had figured out he was, in fact, a guy, and luckily, there were no classmates in sight.
While the short skirt could look odd, it seemed most were peeking out of a blend of confusion and appreciation.
Lin Nan finally started to relax—his biggest fear when out in women’s clothes was someone spotting him as neither male nor female, but so far, that problem hadn’t materialized. The initial wave of embarrassment began to fade, allowing him to be slightly comfortable.
“Crepe’s ready, twelve, QR code’s over there.”
Grabbing his crepe, Lin Nan scanned the QR code while wandering aimlessly.
With his mindset softening, the emotional interference from Lilith also considerably weakened. Sure, the looks still made him blush, but it was far less nerve-wracking than before.
As long as he didn’t bump into any classmates, everything would go smoothly!
Glancing at the time, Lin Nan was relieved he’d acted quickly. If he waited until morning, when students began returning to campus, the risk of being recognized in his getup would skyrocket.
Although the snack street behind the school wasn’t long, Lin Nan managed to loiter there for over an hour, returning to the inn well past nine.
Inside, the inn seemed busier; he could hear sounds from nearly every room as he passed by.
When he opened his door, a small card slipped through the crack, and as he picked it up, his lips twitched, leaving him at a complete loss.
So, the inn really did have these little cards!
Seeing it for the first time left Lin Nan tempted to call the number just for kicks.
Back in his room, to unlock some sort of magical rest, he realized he’d have to sleep in this ensemble tonight.
After washing up with the compressed towel he bought earlier and the inn’s provided toothbrush and toothpaste, Lin Nan flopped onto the bed, utterly drained.
Kicking off his little shoes and shedding those thigh-highs, he felt an instant wave of relief. Although without the stockings, it felt like he was only wearing a pair of oversized shorts.
Having gotten up early and dealt with all sorts of convolutions today left him mentally and physically exhausted. After checking the door lock a few times, he didn’t even bother covering up with a blanket; choosing instead to roll over comfortably, he shut his eyes and prepared to drift off.
However, just as he was about to enter the realm of dreams, a series of rhythmic knocks sounded from above.
Startled awake, Lin Nan shot upright, eyes darting suspiciously at the ceiling.
“What’s that noise?” he mumbled, furrowing his brows in confusion.
But it wasn’t long before the knocking continued, and his prior puzzlement began to unravel.
His face went pale.
