**288. Zheng Qian**
It seems today is the day most schools around here have their opening reports.
This walking street is practically a sea of people, filled with young students wandering around in groups.
Since Lin Nan started wearing girls’ clothes, she had never faced such a crowd. The moment she got off the bus, she tensed up and hurriedly hid behind Chen Yao without a second thought.
The evening breeze was a bit stronger than it was during the day. Lin Nan’s hair, which had never seen any styling products, was instantly transformed into a bird’s nest as the wind blew. Strands of hair fluttered chaotically in her face, even blocking her eyes, which only made her feel more panicked. She lowered her head and frantically tried to tame her hair.
Why is it that other girls’ hair flows beautifully to the sides in the wind?
But mine? It chooses to fly free?
A few guys were chatting animatedly about recently released single-player games, brainstorming what games the dorm could play this semester. Lin Nan trailed behind the three of them, struggling to manage her hair into some semblance of order.
“Chen Yao.”
She quickened her pace to catch up to Chen Yao and lightly tugged at his shirt.
“What’s up?”
“Is my hair a mess?” Lin Nan asked in a whisper.
“Not really. How about we stop by a dollar store to grab a hair tie?” Chen Yao glanced at her and gently pushed some hair away from her forehead. “Or maybe you could get a hairstyle at a salon?”
Tu Junhui, standing nearby, watched their interaction, and it was almost making his teeth rot from sourness.
Xiong Da seemed unfazed; perhaps his failed romance from last semester had completely extinguished his desire to find a girlfriend.
“I tried tying it up once, but it didn’t look good. Made my face look big.”
“If your face is big, I fear most women would be on s*icide watch,” Tu Junhui couldn’t help but retort.
Lin Nan had probably gotten so used to her hair covering her cheeks that when it was pulled back, it just felt wrong.
She had no idea how to solve this dilemma. If she went to a salon to get a hairstyle, she wouldn’t even know what would suit her, let alone trust the stylist to make the call.
Back when she graduated from middle school, she wanted a new hairstyle and foolishly let the stylist decide. The result? She didn’t dare step outside for half a month.
“Let’s go to Wanda and fix it up in the restroom; the indoor wind won’t mess it up,” Chen Yao said to comfort her.
Lin Nan nodded, head down, trying hard to blend into the crowd.
But why are so many people looking at me?!
Sure, her hair was a little messy, but did every passing person need to stare at her for two seconds?
Her eyes darted around, noticing most passersby sneaking glances her way, and her anxiety spiked.
Is my outfit dirty? Messy? Or maybe it’s just the combination that’s utterly bizarre?
A white coat paired with denim jeans isn’t odd, right?
Can they tell I used to be a guy?
Her face should no longer have any masculine traits, right?
Any time she noticed someone staring, her mind would spiral into chaotic thoughts, making her even more nervous, which was no small feat for someone already a bit socially awkward.
With both hands shoved deep into her coat pockets, she fixated on Chen Yao’s shoes, hurriedly trying to keep up with him, hoping his tall frame would shield her from the prying eyes, or at least reduce her visibility.
“How about hot pot at Wanda?” Tu Junhui suggested, “I remember there’s a good Chaozhou hot pot place.”
“I like Little Sheep,” Xiong Da replied flatly.
After a moment of pondering, Chen Yao nodded, “Sure, let’s do hot pot.”
“How about a revolving hot pot? Forty-nine per person, you can eat whatever you want!” he added eagerly.
“You’re REALLY stingy, aren’t you? Spending too much time with Lin Nan has turned you into a miser!” Tu Junhui shot him a glare. “What’s so great about that? Four people would still cost you around two hundred, why not pitch in a bit more for actual hot pot?”
Xiong Da nodded in agreement.
Lin Nan almost jumped in to back up Chen Yao, but while her head was down, she suddenly spotted a coin on the ground.
See? Walking with my head down has its perks!
Forgetting about her earlier worries and anxiety, she cheerfully picked up the coin and flashed it at the others, “Look! One yuan!”
Her grin was wider than her face, and without waiting for a response, she quickly stuffed the coin into her pocket as if someone would try to rob her for it.
Tu Junhui’s lips twitched; he couldn’t shake the feeling that Lin Nan’s behavior was really embarrassing.
With so many people on the street, she couldn’t be the only one to notice the coin, yet she was the only one who would actually pick it up.
“Have you thought about trying to tamper with her tendency to collect money?” Tu Junhui whispered to Chen Yao. “I wouldn’t say you’re hurting for cash, right?”
“Revolving hot pot will do; if we go for a decent hot pot, we’re looking at at least four to five hundred, and we still might not be full,” Lin Nan finally piped up, backing up Chen Yao.
Chen Yao looked surprised, “Isn’t that kind of cute?”
“More like dumb cute.”
Out of nowhere, someone piped in. The group looked up in confusion to see a haggard Zheng Qian staring back at them.
“Zheng Counselor,” Tu Junhui said quickly, waving a hand. “Want to hunt some monsters? I’ll take you along!”
“Ah, Zheng Qian,” Chen Yao’s demeanor instantly changed. Without hesitation, he pulled Lin Nan into his embrace.
Lin Nan was still buzzing from finding the coin; her eyes darting around searching for more treasure to find, and then she was suddenly enveloped in a hug.
She looked at Zheng Qian, confused, and noticed the counselor seemed a bit off—his face looked like it had just chewed on a lemon.
“Zheng Counselor, what a coincidence!” she exclaimed, lifting the coin she found. “Look! I just picked up…”
But before she could finish, Chen Yao pressed her head down, stepping forward to shield Lin Nan again, his expression serious as he addressed Zheng Qian.
“She’s already my girlfriend,” he declared.
Zheng Qian nodded, looking at the closeness of the two. He then saw Lin Nan’s confused yet unresisting expression. With a heavy sigh, he patted Chen Yao’s shoulder and turned to leave.
For some reason, after finding out Lin Nan was a girl, his interest in her suddenly dropped a notch.
I used to be a straight guy; shouldn’t I be happier knowing Lin Nan is a girl?
His mind filled with questions, he furrowed his brows and walked into a small, unassuming bar.
He casually found a spot at the bar and sighed.
But suddenly, he realized he was sitting next to a sweet-looking… boy!
That fire in him reignited instantly!
Thoughts of pursuing, dating, marrying, adopting, retiring, and traveling the world flooded his mind…
