173. Chen Yao
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In sage mode, Zheng Qian couldn’t help but doubt if he had just been possessed by a ghost.
He stared hesitantly at the guarantee letter that he and Lin Nan had just signed, completely baffled.
How did he suddenly develop feelings for his student?
And was it love at first sight? As if he had lost his mind, he had happily agreed to Lin Nan’s request and even uttered some lines that sounded suspiciously like s*xual harassment!
But this student was a guy! Yet somehow, in the context of that lovey-dovey scene, it was still tantalizing.
After Lin Nan left, he finally snapped back to reality. Still, that ridiculous notion of being in love at first sight lingered, stubbornly refusing to dissipate.
There’s no way I’ve really fallen for my student, right?
While the counselor was caught in a whirlwind of existential doubt, Lin Nan joyfully returned to the empty dormitory.
But as soon as she thought of her runaway self, her smile instantly collapsed.
All she had done was solve the problem of not living in the dorm, and she had even sold herself short. What was there to be happy about…
Suddenly, Lin Nan’s mood took a nosedive again. If it weren’t for necessity, she wouldn’t have wanted to leave the dorm to live off-campus all by herself.
Besides, she was running low on cash.
Lin Nan glanced at the bank text on her phone, and her face darkened.
Recently, she’d been working a part-time job handing out flyers every weekend. The pay was just enough for food, but as a student, her other expenses were also piling up.
Just a week ago, Cola had a fever, and the hospital bill was over two hundred bucks.
A month ago, when she bought Cola’s cat food and toys, it cost her over three hundred.
Not to mention the utilities bill, daily expenses, and the occasional snacks to improve her meals…
Lin Nan always calculated her spending, and originally thought she’d have leftover money by winter break, but if she rented a place, her funds would almost certainly run dry.
“Money really is the most important thing…” Lin Nan mumbled to herself, unable to think of any other way to make extra cash.
Moreover, finals were approaching, and she also had to study using magic; otherwise, if she failed a class, she’d have to pay for retake fees next semester.
Or maybe, she could charm her uncle for a little cash?
As her magical powers became more effortless, Lin Nan grew accustomed to solving every problem with magic.
Plus, she had become a girl now, so using magic would only make her more beautiful—a reward in her eyes.
After all, there was no turning back to being male, so she might as well embrace being a pretty girl.
Even though she tried to comfort herself, tears still poured down her cheeks uncontrollably.
For her, no matter how beautiful she became—like a goddess or a fairy—it could never compare to returning to her previous ordinary male identity.
With a deep sigh, she helplessly touched that strange part of her body again, her mouth twitching before she collapsed onto her desk, utterly loveless.
“If only this were a dream…”
Lin Nan knew she shouldn’t wallow in despair, but come on, she only transitioned to female a month early! With her mental resilience, shedding a few tears should suffice instead of sulking like a genuine little girl.
“Time to find a place to rent.”
She wiped her face with a towel, concealing the redness around her eyes, and then pursed her lips as she left the dorm again.
Now that the problem had arisen, she had to find a solution.
But the issue was…
As soon as Lin Nan stepped out of the dorm building, she looked up and found herself surrounded by a horde of students flooding the campus from who-knows-where.
She stiffened, her expression frozen, then sheepishly retreated back into the dorm.
No way she could face the world right now…
Earlier, during class hours, the campus had been a ghost town, and she could sneak past with her head down. But now, it was just past ten, the typical post-class rush hour.
Lin Nan couldn’t articulate why she felt so paralyzed by the gaze of others; perhaps deep down, she always considered herself a freak, and the thought of being watched made her instinctively anxious. She feared her deepest secret would be unearthed.
“Lin Nan!”
Suddenly, the dorm room door burst open. Lin Nan turned to find Chen Yao, who had sprinted back during the ten-minute break between classes.
“What’s up?”
She turned her back, cautious not to let Chen Yao see her puffy eyes.
“Nothing, just checking in.” Chen Yao dropped a takeout bag from the cafeteria on Lin Nan’s desk. “And bringing you lunch.”
“It’s only ten.”
“You didn’t eat breakfast.” He frowned, worried about Lin Nan’s state.
Ever since they’d gone out to meet Dong Juan yesterday, something seemed off with her. He suspected it might be due to her monthly cycle, but still, he couldn’t shake his concern.
“Are you okay?” he finally asked hesitantly.
While he knew he couldn’t fix her problems, if he could just provide an ear to listen, maybe it would help alleviate some of Lin Nan’s stress. Otherwise, who knew how long she’d remain in this funk—she might end up with depression!
But Lin Nan, who had finally collected her emotions, burst into tears at his question, her nose getting all stuffy, and a rush of grievance overwhelmed her.
She tried to appear strong, turning away, but tears kept welling up uncontrollably, and soon she was sobbing.
Chen Yao watched as Lin Nan’s shoulders trembled, his heart ached. He never expected his question would make her cry. He rushed to grab some tissues, mentally cursing himself.
Why did I have to ask out of nowhere?!
As he felt immense sympathy for Lin Nan, he stood there clueless on how to console her: “Uh, um… don’t cry.”
Stuck in indecision, he wanted to walk over and comfort her, but today Lin Nan carried an unfamiliar aura.
Usually, no matter how she changed, she exuded a familiar essence, but today, there was something indescribably different that left him feeling a bit lost.
“How about I treat you to something nice?” he suggested tentatively.
Lin Nan’s sobs subsided for a moment, and Chen Yao finally felt reassured that the girl in front of him was still the one he knew, not changed at all.
“Why don’t you just go to class?” Lin Nan shook her head, refusing.
“Then… okay, I guess.” Chen Yao glanced at the time, realizing he had only a couple of minutes before class started. He hurried to the dorm’s exit but couldn’t help looking back at Lin Nan anxiously. “If you need anything, let me know. Even if we can’t solve it, you can at least vent.”
“Uh-huh.”
With Chen Yao’s footsteps fading away as he closed the door, Lin Nan turned back, forcing a pathetic smile that resembled a crying cat’s face.
“Did you really just leave?”
She plopped down tiredly in front of her computer, gazing at the black cat sitting on her desk, sighing softly, she reached out to pet Cola’s head.
The cat cooperatively dipped its head slightly, meowing as if trying to comfort her.
