Awakening to a New Self

Upon waking, Ye Xingmian discovered something utterly earth-shattering. How earth-shattering, you ask? This morning, as she reached into her pants pocket, she found it. Her little bird was gone!

Initially, she was bewildered. She then turned, intending to get out of bed and investigate what had happened.

That’s when she discovered the second jarring revelation.

A sudden sharp pain shot through her scalp. She had lain on her hair!

Her panic intensified, and half her drowsiness vanished instantly. The sky was still a hazy grey, likely between four and five in the morning.

She scrambled out of the old bed in her small attic room, wrapping herself tightly in her blanket. Then, she cautiously opened the door, crept downstairs, and nervously tiptoed past her adoptive parents’ and stepsister’s bedrooms before slipping into the bathroom.

In the dim light, the mirror offered a blurred glimpse of her current appearance.

Her raven-black hair, inexplicably much longer, now brushed her shoulders. Her facial curves were softer, and her skin seemed slightly improved, though still bearing the pallor of malnutrition.

The girl in the mirror appeared utterly pitiful, her slender frame adorned with a pair of beautiful, cherry-pink eyes that seemed to speak with every blink. She exuded an innate vulnerability and timidity, a submissive aura that was both ingrained and heartbreakingly endearing.

Ye Xingmian, however, found no beauty in this sight; she was genuinely terrified.

Touching her throat, she confirmed the faint Adam’s apple she once possessed was entirely gone. The soft mounds that had been gradually developing on her chest were now noticeably larger.

And below that? She had already checked that morning. All gone…

Her drowsiness vanished completely.

Though the changes had begun a month ago, she had never truly believed such a thing could actually happen.

She had become a girl.

She pinched her arm hard, the sharp pain confirming this was no dream.

She stood before the mirror, lost in a daze, until the faint click of a doorknob in the hallway jolted her back to reality. She hastily fled the bathroom, rushing back to her cluttered attic room.

Once inside, she tightly wrapped herself in her blanket, finding warmth for her body but only chaos in her mind. She simply could not comprehend how things had come to this.

More precisely, had it started a month ago, or even earlier? Her body had been growing increasingly strange. At first, it was just frequent dizziness, muscle spasms, and occasional body aches. She had endured all of it.

Then, she began to feminize further. Her voice grew higher-pitched, her facial contours softened, and even—

Even!

She had actually grown breasts!

This realization plunged Ye Xingmian, who had always been certain of being a man, into utter despair. And now, today, she had truly become a girl?

Such an absurd experience would be unbelievable to anyone she told. Yet, it had undeniably happened to her. She bit her lower lip, unable to sleep any longer.

It was her final year of high school, with the college entrance exams approaching after the New Year. What was she to do?

No one, especially her mother working far away, could ever know. She firmly resolved this.

****

At seven in the morning, a knock echoed in the hallway.

Lin Ziyan, still bleary-eyed and clad in loose pajamas, opened the door. Before her stood a “strange person,” completely shrouded from head to toe.

She paused, then her expression grew considerably colder. Frowning, she remarked with disdain, “Hey, you’re banging on the door this early, and dressed so thickly? Are you sick?”

The figure before her was, of course, Ye Xingmian. Having not slept since returning to the attic, and with school looming, she had rummaged through her pile of clothes to conceal her drastic changes as best she could.

Her hair had lengthened significantly overnight, and even her facial features had transformed. She had no choice but to find a way to hide them.

Now, standing before Lin Ziyan, the girl kept her head bowed, her face obscured by the hood of her hoodie. Aside from the profound aura of vulnerability she exuded, no other physical features were discernible.

Ye Xingmian pursed her lips, her voice notably humble.

“Sister… sister… it’s time for school,” she stammered. “I made you breakfast. Uncle and Auntie aren’t home today…”

Lin Ziyan’s frown deepened. She yawned, dismissive. “Don’t call me sister. You know you’re just a parasite living in this house. We’re not related by blood.”

“Mm…” Ye Xingmian didn’t retort, merely looking a little crestfallen. She had long grown accustomed to such words, simply turning away in silence.

“Hurry up and wash. The food will get cold.”

“If it gets cold, just reheat it.”

“Oh…”

After Ye Xingmian left, Lin Ziyan stretched, preparing to head to the bathroom. Suddenly, she frowned, sniffing the air around her.

“Strange, why is there a scent of fragrance?”

She wondered if it was her imagination, but a faint fragrance seemed to linger where Ye Xingmian had just stood. It quickly dissipated, however, and she ultimately attributed it to her own delusion, tightening her collar.

It really was getting colder lately. Thinking this, she entered the bathroom.

****

After washing up, Lin Ziyan slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed directly out the door.

“I’m off to school.”

She glanced back at the girl, who was still wearing her hood even while eating. A flicker of doubt crossed her dark eyes, but it was swiftly replaced by her usual disdain.

“Huh? But… aren’t you going to eat?”

Ye Xingmian was somewhat startled. She looked up at Lin Ziyan, who was already fully dressed, clearly not joking.

“Tsk, what’s wrong with your voice?”

“Ah?” Ye Xingmian suddenly realized something and quickly shut her mouth. Her voice was now impossibly soft, sweet, and cloying, like a little girl’s—nothing like the voice of a normal high school senior boy.

Yet, because the change had been gradual, she hadn’t consciously registered anything amiss until now.

After a moment of silence, she reluctantly put down her unfinished breakfast. As she turned to grab her backpack, a thought crossed her mind: she was surely in for another scolding tonight.

By the time Ye Xingmian reached her side, Lin Ziyan was still staring, which made her incredibly nervous. Fearing any tell-tale signs would be discovered, she buried her head even lower.

But Lin Ziyan ultimately said nothing. She casually tossed her heavy backpack to the “boy” who appeared even more slender than herself.

Ye Xingmian didn’t complain. Though heavy, carrying her “sister’s” backpack to school was a daily routine for her. By the time she painstakingly adjusted the bag onto her shoulder, Lin Ziyan had already walked a considerable distance ahead. Ye Xingmian hurried to catch up.

“Zi… Ziyan… aren’t you going to eat?”

She looked at the girl with some concern, not just worried about her hunger. She also feared that if their aunt and uncle discovered Lin Ziyan hadn’t eaten breakfast, they might blame her, leading to an inevitable scolding.

“No, I still have pocket money left. I’m going to buy cake near school.”

“Oh…”

Cake? Such a luxury was unimaginable for Ye Xingmian, who had absolutely no surplus funds beyond her meal money. She wasn’t envious—or perhaps, just a little? More than that, she simply rubbed her stomach in silence.

She had been called away too abruptly earlier; she hadn’t eaten enough to feel full…

“Oh, right. The teacher assigned homework yesterday. I forgot to tell you. Remember to catch up when we get to school.”

Last night, Ye Xingmian had suddenly fallen ill with severe vomiting and diarrhea, forcing her to take leave and recuperate at home. The teacher had asked Lin Ziyan, who was nominally Ye Xingmian’s “stepsister,” to inform her about the homework. However, Lin Ziyan had completely forgotten about it last night, only remembering now.

“Ah? But… you didn’t tell me…”

“That’s not my problem then. If you don’t finish it, you’ll just have to face the punishment.”

“…”

‘How could I possibly finish it all…’