The Widow’s Role

Xu Yi found it a bit strange, but they would be assigned roles soon enough, so he would know shortly.

When his number was called, Xu Yi actually felt a hint of anticipation.

He wondered what kind of character it would be.

Taking the script from the staff member, he flipped open the first page.

Three characters met his eyes.

“Widow.”

A widow?

Xu Yi quickly closed the script. “Is there a mistake? This is a female role.”

“No mistake. Cross-dressing is common here, and roles are non-refundable—that’s part of the thrill,” the staff member said with a cheerful smile.

Xu Yi’s mouth twitched.

Fine, it wasn’t like he hadn’t worn women’s clothes before.

As everyone collected their scripts, which contained private plots, public information, and relationships, Xu Yi, Lu Xingyan, and Li Yuan got a sense of their connections while picking up costumes in the styling room.

Lu Xingyan seemed quite satisfied with his role, picking up his costume in high spirits. “I’m the son of the deceased and his ex-wife.”

Hearing this, Xu Yi instinctively analyzed their relationship.

So he was Lu Xingyan’s stepmother?

“And I have an unusual relationship with my stepmother, but the script wants me to explore it myself,” Lu Xingyan said, glancing at Xu Yi.

As if he already knew Xu Yi’s role.

Xu Yi hugged the script tighter and frowned. “The game hasn’t started yet. We’ll talk about it later.”

He didn’t want to be a stepmother with a peculiar relationship with Lu Xingyan.

Xu Yi still remembered how much Lu Xingyan hated being called gay.

He absolutely, positively could not let Lu Xingyan discover his secret.

Not wanting to say more, Xu Yi took the black women’s outfit and headed to the changing room.

Since the genders were separate, each stall was only separated by a flimsy cloth curtain.

Xu Yi was familiar with wearing skirts, though this widow’s outfit was more complicated for the character: a long mermaid pencil skirt, ornate puffy sleeves, and a black lace hat.

He wouldn’t put on the hat yet; the stylist would help with that later.

Looking at himself in the mirror, he found the outfit not bad—somewhat gothic, with dark fabric bearing elegant patterns.

Very little skin was exposed; even his hands were covered by lace gloves adorned with a ruby.

Only his pale face was left, starkly contrasted by the deep black, making it look almost ghostly.

He had never tried this style before.

Xu Yi hummed a little tune, admiring himself in the mirror.

Suddenly, the curtain behind him was lifted.

Xu Yi tensed for a moment but quickly saw it was Lu Xingyan.

He frowned. “What are you doing?”

Without turning around, Xu Yi saw in the mirror that Lu Xingyan was wearing a black suit, both of them looking as if they had just attended a funeral.

They looked like a matching couple.

For a moment, Xu Yi felt as if Princess Xiao Yi and Starfall were standing there.

Lu Xingyan said nothing, walking up behind him and suddenly wrapping his arms around Xu Yi’s waist.

His dark eyes fixed on Xu Yi’s face in the mirror.

An inexplicable chill ran down Xu Yi’s spine. He couldn’t help but feel nervous—Lu Xingyan’s demeanor seemed like he already knew Xu Yi’s identity and had come to accuse him.

When nervous, his mind went blank, unable to think.

He reflexively shook off Lu Xingyan’s hand.

“What’s there to be nervous about?” Lu Xingyan chuckled softly, his thin lips looking somewhat indifferent. His hand restlessly settled on Xu Yi’s waist, cinched by the dress. “I’m just getting into character early, Mother.”

Lu Xingyan’s voice sounded from behind his ear.

Just like when they hung up the phone at night, flirting—deliberately lowered voice, adding an ambiguous undertone.

When Xu Yi disguised as a girl, he had more intimate contact with Lu Xingyan. But now, with Lu Xingyan merely leaning lightly against him, he already felt overwhelmed.

It was the setting, or their roommate status, that heightened the sensory thrill.

Xu Yi felt as if all his senses were sealed, unable to clearly read Lu Xingyan’s expression.

A strong unease spread through the cramped changing room.

In his blurry vision, Xu Yi finally noticed that his face had turned red at some point.

He couldn’t take it anymore…

“Ah~!”

The soft flesh at his waist was suddenly pinched hard.

Xu Yi felt as if electrocuted, his strength draining away.

He unconsciously leaned into Lu Xingyan’s embrace.

A warm breath brushed past his ear, tingling and numbing.

“You… what are you trying to do…”

His voice, originally angry, turned into a pleading tone because it was weakened by the teasing.

Lu Xingyan recalled the first time they met in the game.

When Xu Yi pretended to be angry and asked him to carry him to a higher rank.

His voice when genuinely angry was cuter.

It had fewer disguises.

“Are you two done yet?” Li Yuan urged from outside. They had been in there too long.

He had drawn the beggar role, just a tattered shirt and shorts.

Lu Xingyan said he’d go urge Xu Yi, but neither had come out for so long.

Hearing Li Yuan’s voice, Xu Yi regained some rationality.

Before he could speak, he felt the hand on his waist trace lightly across his lower abdomen, almost teasingly.

“Does Mother want to be carried out like this?”

Damn it, Lu Xingyan deliberately used such a formal address while doing something so ambiguous—what was he up to?

Xu Yi suspected that Lu Xingyan might have guessed his identity.

He couldn’t stay passive.

Xu Yi pushed Lu Xingyan away and straightened his skirt.

Lu Xingyan rubbed his fingers together.

So soft.

Though thin, the flesh around his waist was still tender.

And the scent of strawberries on him was so pleasant.

Every time they went on a date, Xiao Yi would wear heavy perfume.

Lu Xingyan still preferred this sweet strawberry scent.

Just smelling it conjured up the scene of their near-kiss in his dream.

He looked at Xu Yi in the mirror, somewhat infatuated.

Even with short hair, the dress didn’t look out of place on him.

It was all thanks to that pretty face.

He really wanted to confess soon.

Lu Xingyan felt he couldn’t wait any longer.

Xu Yi seemed displeased, ignoring him and leaving on his own.

Lu Xingyan immediately followed like a shadow.

But was it really okay for Xu Yi to go out looking so tempting?

“Hey, Xiao Yi, why is your face so red? Is the skirt too tight?” Li Yuan had no idea what happened in the changing room.

Lu Xingyan couldn’t help but laugh. So this is how a real straight guy reacts.

He found that Xu Yi, usually cold and indifferent, looked so alluring when shy and delicate.

At some point, Lu Xingyan had ceased to be a pure straight man.

Since many people needed styling, they only got simple setups—no detailed makeup or wigs.

The stylist slightly combed Xu Yi’s short hair and clipped on the lace hat.

The lace veil half-covered his face, softening his features. Even without makeup, no one would likely suspect he was a cross-dressing man.

Finally, a pearl necklace and ear clips completed the look.

Li Yuan and Lu Xingyan had simpler costumes and were already waiting behind him.

Once Xu Yi was ready, they headed to the murder mystery set.

Though called a villa set, it consisted of many small rooms for investigative scenes.

Living room, bedrooms for the family of three, garden, street, and neighbor’s house.

The first scene was at the funeral hall, mainly involving Xu Yi and Lu Xingyan.

They had to receive guests coming to pay respects.

During this, a minor plot occurred.

Xu Yi’s script only said to greet guests normally and improvise for unexpected events. So when Lu Xingyan suddenly grabbed his hand and led him behind the funeral hall, his shock and confusion were genuine.

“Mother… from now on, it’s just us,” Lu Xingyan said, deeply in character, his obsessive gaze piercing the black veil and landing on Xu Yi’s face.

Xu Yi’s script didn’t have this scene, but seeing how seriously Lu Xingyan was acting, he had to improvise. “Xiao Yan…”

Before he could finish, Lu Xingyan hugged him like a child, burying his face in Xu Yi’s neck, greedily inhaling the scent of his mother.

“Mother, I will definitely support this family. You will still be the only lady of the Lu family…”

Xu Yi paused.

If the lines were from the script, then this line was strange.

Shouldn’t a wealthy stepmother and eldest son be competing for inheritance?

Lu Xingyan’s lines suggested a close relationship.

Xu Yi’s script didn’t emphasize their mother-son relationship.

Plus the phrase “only lady.”

Xu Yi quickly concluded.

This stepson had some one-sided feelings for his young and beautiful mother.

Xu Yi figured out how to play it.

He pushed Lu Xingyan away, his expression indifferent. “Xiao Yan, I’ll handle the company matters.”

With that, he turned and walked back to the funeral hall before Lu Xingyan could react.

Though it was just their private scene, the camera was still recording.

Xu Yi thought his acting was pretty good.

And… this kind of scene rejecting Lu Xingyan gave him inexplicable satisfaction.

Xu Yi continued greeting guests, each reading their scripted lines.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Then Li Yuan, as the beggar, suddenly rushed in, kneeling in the funeral hall and wailing loudly.

Maybe because of Li Yuan’s usual image, Xu Yi almost burst out laughing.

Following his character’s greedy and selfish personality, Xu Yi called security to throw the beggar out.

But the beggar suddenly pointed at Xu Yi. “Murderer!! She must be the murderer.”

The guests cast strange glances—some suspicious, some disdainful, dismissing the beggar’s words.

Xu Yi’s face showed a flicker of panic. His script didn’t say whether he was the murderer, but he certainly couldn’t be accused.

Before he could speak, Lu Xingyan stepped in front of him, his tone dark. “A madman’s words are worth nothing. Throw him out.”

Then Li Yuan was dragged out, wailing dramatically.

Xu Yi felt Li Yuan enjoyed his acting.

Seeing Xu Yi still focused on the beggar, Lu Xingyan suddenly pulled him into his arms. “Mother, it’s okay. I’ll protect you.”

“Wow…” Two players playing maids couldn’t help but let out amused smiles.

Xu Yi’s face reddened. Such plots always gave him the illusion that Lu Xingyan really liked him as a roommate.

But the role of Mrs. Lu also required a show of mother-son affection.

He nestled in Lu Xingyan’s embrace, using the prop handkerchief to pretend to wipe tears.

They were pressed close together.

Suddenly, Xu Yi felt the hand on his waist pinch him mischievously.

He couldn’t help but glance up, glaring at Lu Xingyan.

What was he doing, acting so handsy in front of everyone?!