The Gender-Swapped Awakening

“The seventh national census data for Yongchang Kingdom was released recently. Our nation now boasts a population of 622 million, with 510 million males and 110 million females. The gender ratio is becoming increasingly imbalanced…”

Qirong jolted awake from the strange broadcast. He groggily scanned his surroundings, noticing his classmates were still chattering noisily.

“Lu Mengyuan, how much longer until class starts?”

Qirong instinctively asked his female deskmate.

“Ten minutes.”

However, a boy’s voice replied from beside him.

Qirong stiffened, all traces of sleep vanishing. He stared at the bespectacled male deskmate beside him and demanded, “Whoa! Who are you?”

“I’m Lu Mengyuan. Are you dense?”

His male deskmate looked at Qirong with a puzzled expression.

“Bullshit! My deskmate Lu Mengyuan is clearly a fair-skinned, beautiful girl with long legs. How could it be you, you foot-picking… er… pretty boy?”

Qirong cursed, though he reluctantly admitted that the bespectacled boy in front of him was indeed somewhat handsome.

“Have you gone mad thinking about girls? Are you that desperate, looking like a girl yourself?”

The male deskmate scrutinized Qirong with a bewildered gaze, then sneered.

“I look like a girl? What’s your prescription? Ditch those glasses; you can’t even tell men from women. You’re beyond saving.”

Qirong shook his head pityingly. How could he not know what he looked like?

“I apologize, truly. I used to be able to distinguish between men and women. But after encountering a deskmate like you, I’ve lost that ability. What kind of boy doesn’t have stubble or an Adam’s apple?”

The male deskmate sighed theatrically.

“I don’t have stubble? I don’t have an Adam’s apple? Haha…”

Qirong burst into wild laughter, as if he’d heard the funniest joke imaginable. He reached for his chin, only for his fingers to meet skin as smooth as silk, utterly devoid of stubble.

“Whoa, I’m seeing ghosts!”

Qirong’s smile froze instantly. He frantically touched his neck, only to find, just as the boy in front of him had said, there was no Adam’s apple. If not for the undeniable masculinity between his legs, he would have suspected he’d undergone a s*x change.

“Do you have a mirror?”

Qirong asked in a panic. He was convinced he’d encountered a ghost; how else could his body have changed so drastically after a nap?

“Don’t you carry a mirror every day yourself? Why are you asking me?”

The male deskmate rolled his eyes and scoffed, “Do you think every guy is as vain as you, bringing a makeup bag to school?”

“I bring a makeup bag to school? Which eye did you see that with?”

Qirong retorted agitatedly. How could a pure man like him carry such a feminine item?

“What do you call this if not a makeup bag, huh?”

His deskmate impatiently pulled a blue bag from Qirong’s desk.

“Whose is this?”

Qirong opened it hesitantly, revealing several bottles and jars, mostly cosmetics by their labels, along with small items like combs and mirrors.

“Are the things in your desk mine, then?”

The bespectacled boy rolled his eyes again.

Ignoring the argument, Qirong hastily pulled out a mirror. In its reflection, a delicate, oval-shaped face appeared. Pale green eyes shimmered like translucent amber, and a small nose possessed remarkable definition.

Cherry lips gleamed with an alluring luster, as if frozen, tempting one to take a bite. Coupled with a head of light golden, ear-length hair, the overall impression was that of a mixed-race individual.

“Who are you?”

Qirong stared, dumbfounded, for the face in the mirror was not his own. To be precise, it was an incredibly neutral face, possessing little masculine vigor save for its somewhat rough and dull complexion.

Qirong quickly realized something profound. With trembling hands, he flipped open the book on his desk, revealing three large characters on the first page: “Chen Xuanqiu.”

“I’m Chen Xuanqiu?”

Qirong asked his male deskmate, his voice devoid of emotion.

“If you’re not Chen Xuanqiu, then am I?”

The male deskmate replied with a hint of impatience.

Qirong abruptly stood up, gazing around in bewilderment. Everything before him had transcended his understanding. He had merely taken a short nap during the break, only to awaken to a world utterly transformed.

After observing for a moment, Qirong’s heart leaped into his throat. He noticed that many female classmates were missing from the classroom, their seats now occupied by numerous unfamiliar male students, as if they had been replaced out of thin air.

“Are you really Lu Mengyuan?”

Qirong composed himself, then tremblingly asked his deskmate.

“Student ID, Lu Mengyuan; National ID, Lu Mengyuan; Cafeteria Card, Lu Mengyuan.”

The male deskmate tossed all his cards onto the desk, each bearing his headshot.

“Your name hasn’t changed, but in my memory, you were clearly a girl!”

Qirong slumped back into his chair, utterly distraught.

“Hey, hey, hey, how do I look like a girl? Was I really that effeminate in your memories?”

The male Lu Mengyuan demanded excitedly, his pride seemingly wounded.

Qirong’s mind was a chaotic mess, leaving him no energy to reply.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Lu Mengyuan asked with concern, noticing his deskmate’s pale face.

“I want to be alone.”

Qirong replied irritably.

“What kind of attitude is that? If you weren’t so good-looking, I wouldn’t bother talking to you.”

Lu Mengyuan sternly rebuked him.

“Hey, hey, hey! I’m a guy! Are you interested in guys too?”

Qirong bellowed, unable to tolerate it any longer.

“So what? Look at the news yourself. In our Yongchang Kingdom, the male-to-female ratio has already reached five to one. What else am I supposed to do if I don’t look for a guy?”

Lu Mengyuan glanced at the LCD TV next to the blackboard and retorted.

“Yongchang Kingdom?”

Qirong thought he had misheard. He finally turned his attention to the news, only to find its content utterly alien to him. A faint suspicion began to form in his mind: he might have transmigrated into a parallel world.

Perhaps it was the fear of the unknown world, but Qirong huddled into a ball, like a fledgling chick newly emerged from its nest.

For the remainder of the class, Qirong heard nothing. Even the Chinese teacher, who had originally been female, becoming male, no longer surprised him.

After class, Qirong’s mind had somewhat calmed. Curiosity quickly overcame his fear, prompting him to tentatively step out of the classroom.

“What’s wrong with that guy today?”

Lu Mengyuan’s puzzled voice echoed.

Qirong walked into the corridor. Class 1-5, being on the sixth floor, offered a panoramic view of the entire campus. He noticed that the environment of City First High was identical to his memories. The only change was the significant reduction in female students; it was as if some invisible entity had suddenly gender-swapped them.

‘It seems I truly have transmigrated to a place akin to a parallel world.’

Qirong was largely certain of this now. A wave of confusion washed over him. He knew nothing about this world, nor even the circumstances of the body’s original owner, leaving him unsure of what to do next.

‘Can I go back?’

Qirong was utterly lost. If there were any way to return, he would spare no effort.

“Look, isn’t that Chen Xuanzhu, the campus belle?”

“Who else could it be? Such long, fair legs, taller than many of the boys.”

“Such a tall figure, yet with such exaggerated measurements! Truly a mixed-race beauty, combining all the best qualities of East and West.”

****

Just then, Qirong faintly heard the boys around him murmuring. He followed the sound and saw a tall girl approaching from the end of the corridor. She possessed wavy, dark golden hair and delicate, three-dimensional features.

Her expression was as detached as a goddess looking down upon mortals, yet her red lips burned intensely like fire, giving her an icy allure beyond her years. Coupled with the height advantage from her long, beautiful legs beneath her school uniform skirt, she was enough to make most young boys feel a profound sense of inferiority.

‘Fortunately, our campus belle hasn’t gender-swapped in this world. That would have been a real pity.’

Qirong thought foolishly, knowing she was one of the school’s most vibrant sights. Her absence would indeed be a tremendous loss.

Chen Xuanzhu walked gracefully down the corridor, like a female general reviewing her troops. Along her path, male and female students alike stood on both sides, offering a respectful gaze. Qirong, of course, did the same.

Chen Xuanzhu did not pause beside anyone. As she passed Qirong, however, her beautiful eyes subtly flickered in his direction.

‘She seemed to glance at me just now? No, she definitely looked at me.’

Qirong was overjoyed, for he believed the campus belle’s glance was ample proof of his current charm.

‘It seems transmigrating isn’t entirely bad. At least this pretty face is quite popular with girls.’

Having received the campus belle’s apparent approval, Qirong inexplicably felt a surge of confidence.

The final class passed peacefully. Qirong ambled slowly towards the school exit. Unaware of the original owner’s circumstances, he naturally couldn’t “go home.” His only option was to wait at the school gate for parents to pick him up.

Upon reaching the school gate, Qirong stood rooted like a log, his heart a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

‘I wonder what Chen Xuanqiu’s parents are like? Will they recognize that I’ve usurped their child’s body?’

Qirong’s mind raced with wild thoughts. Time slowly ticked by, and the number of students at the school gate steadily dwindled.

After waiting for roughly an hour, Qirong noticed a red sports car, resembling a Ferrari, pull up in front of him. As the car door opened, a mature, fragrant scent wafted towards him. A stunning foreign woman with a fiery figure, golden hair, and blue eyes leaned out, chiding, “Qiu, why aren’t you coming home? Don’t you know how worried Mama is?”

‘This foreign auntie is my mom?’

Qirong stood rooted to the spot, like an idiot.