Sleep-Inducing Tea and a Startling Revelation

Her mind was elsewhere as Xiang Qing tidied the breakfast dishes.

Her gaze drifted to the window Gu Wei had shattered. A relentless cold wind still seeped through the gaping hole, sending shivers down her neck.

The mere thought of that madwoman, Gu Wei, made her scalp tingle; she only hoped such troublesome incidents would never recur.

“Qingqing, why don’t you come over and sit for a while?” Shen Lanzhi had appeared beside her at some point, her voice gentle. “I’ve brewed some new black tea I just bought.”

Xiang Qing had initially intended to refuse, but the words caught in her throat.

After all, she had just agreed to stay and look after her; putting on a displeased face now seemed rather unreasonable.

“…Alright.”

****

Next door, at Shen Lanzhi’s home.

Xiang Qing sat stiffly on the sofa, watching Shen Lanzhi emerge from the kitchen with two steaming cups of black tea, their liquid a beautiful amber hue.

A sweet fragrance permeated the air.

“Here, have a taste.” Shen Lanzhi placed one of the cups before her.

Xiang Qing took the cup, feeling the warmth emanating from her fingertips, and was suddenly reminded of online memes, prompting her to instinctively make a joke.

“Sister Lanzhi, this… this isn’t the legendary sleep-inducing black tea, is it?”

The moment the words left her mouth, she wanted to bite her tongue; what a thing to say.

Shen Lanzhi’s hand, holding the cup, froze mid-air, her smile faltering for a fleeting moment.

It was just for an instant, so quick it was almost imperceptible.

Immediately, she regained her gentle and virtuous demeanor, casting a chiding glance at Xiang Qing. “Qingqing, what nonsense are you spouting? Why would I ever do such a thing?”

However, Xiang Qing’s heart plummeted.

‘Did she… not deny it immediately just now?’

Xiang Qing’s throat felt parched, and she involuntarily swallowed.

She lowered her gaze to the clear, translucent black tea in the cup, her mind buzzing.

‘No way?’

‘Did I really hit the nail on the head?’

‘What kind of absurd movie plot is this?’

However, Xiang Qing felt that such a thing couldn’t possibly happen in the real world. This wasn’t a film set, after all; who would keep sedatives readily available at home?

Besides, Shen Lanzhi didn’t seem like that kind of person.

Xiang Qing held the cup, the steam from the tea blurring her vision slightly.

She secretly glanced at Shen Lanzhi, who was elegantly sipping her tea.

‘Forget it, why overthink things?’

Xiang Qing gritted her teeth, picked up the cup, and drank most of it in one gulp.

The black tea was slightly bitter upon entry, then turned sweet, carrying a faint floral aroma; the taste was indeed pleasant.

She took another sip, savoring it carefully, and found nothing unusual beyond the normal tea flavor.

“How is it?” Shen Lanzhi set down her cup, her smile gentle. “I bought this online; they said it’s specifically for English afternoon tea.”

“It’s quite good,” Xiang Qing nodded, her lingering doubts completely dissipating.

Just as she was about to take another sip, her peripheral vision caught Shen Lanzhi’s expression, and her hand suddenly froze.

That smile was somewhat off.

The curve of Shen Lanzhi’s lips was slightly wider than before, and an indescribable glint shone in her eyes, as if… as if she were a child praised for some mischief.

Xiang Qing’s heart lurched.

‘No, this is definitely wrong!’

She forced herself to calm down, telling herself not to overthink things.

‘Shen Lanzhi is simply happy that I complimented her tea, nothing more.’

‘Yes, that must be it.’

Xiang Qing took a deep breath and drained the remaining tea.

The warm liquid slid down her throat, her stomach felt warm, and nothing seemed amiss.

She secretly sighed in relief, realizing she truly had been overthinking.

“Qingqing, you look a bit pale; would you like to lie down for a bit?” Shen Lanzhi asked with concern.

“I’m fine, just a little tired.” Xiang Qing waved a hand, preparing to stand and leave. “Sister Lanzhi, I’ll head back now. Thank you for the tea.”

The moment she stood, her head suddenly spun, and her body swayed.

‘Huh?’

Xiang Qing steadied herself by gripping the sofa armrest, blinking her eyes.

‘Perhaps I stood up too quickly?’

“Qingqing!”

Shen Lanzhi immediately stood, reaching out to steady her. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Xiang Qing pushed away Shen Lanzhi’s hand.

“I’m fine, I might just have been startled yesterday.”

She waved her hand, her steps somewhat unsteady as she moved towards the door.

“It’s nothing, I’m heading back now.”

Shen Lanzhi called out from behind her, but Xiang Qing didn’t look back, simply closing the door.

****

Back in her own home, Xiang Qing felt her head swimming, her entire being feeling off.

She shook her head, deciding to take a shower to clear her mind.

Turning on the shower, Xiang Qing first rinsed her head with cold water.

The icy water instantly revitalized her, and the drowsy sensation somewhat dispersed.

‘It really worked.’

She sighed in relief, then adjusted the water temperature to begin her usual shower.

As the warm water cascaded over her body, Xiang Qing suddenly remembered something.

She had been a woman for so long, yet she hadn’t thoroughly examined how her body had actually transformed.

Before, everything had been so rushed, leaving no time for a detailed inspection.

Xiang Qing hesitated for a moment, then decided to seize this opportunity for a proper examination.

First, she looked down, then reached out to touch herself.

It truly was a completely female body, devoid of any male characteristics.

‘No way…’

Xiang Qing, somewhat disbelieving, pulled out her phone, opened the front camera, and carefully examined areas she normally couldn’t see in the mirror.

The image displayed on her phone screen utterly dumbfounded her.

It was indeed a perfectly complete female body, without a single flaw.

From her breasts to other areas, everything was identical to a naturally born woman.

‘How is this possible…’

Xiang Qing put down her phone and meticulously felt her body again with her hands.

Every inch of her skin had a feminine touch, soft and delicate.

She even examined her most private parts, and the results shocked her even further.

That area, too, was entirely feminine in structure, without the slightest trace of male characteristics.

‘Am I truly, completely, utterly a woman now?’

Xiang Qing leaned against the bathroom wall, her mind a blank.

‘Why is this happening to me?’

‘I was clearly a man, and while I had a delicate appearance, I was undeniably a genuine male.’

‘But now…’

Xiang Qing checked again, but the result remained the same.

She was now a complete and utter woman, without even a trace of gender reassignment surgery; it was as if she had been born with this female body.

Xiang Qing turned off the shower, wrapped herself in a towel, and walked out of the bathroom.

She meticulously scrutinized her face in the mirror.

A delicate oval face, fair skin, ‘peach blossom’ eyes, a well-defined nose, and cherry-pink lips.

This face was indeed hers, yet not entirely.

It was more refined than before, her features more sculpted, and her skin smoother and more delicate.

She was truly a naturally beautiful woman.

However, Xiang Qing couldn’t feel happy at all; a suffocating tightness gripped her chest.

Just a few days ago, when he was still a man, he would fantasize daily about how wonderful it would be to become a true woman, never again to be called effeminate, never to be pointed at and labeled a ‘femboy’ or ‘cross-dressing pervert’.

But now that she had truly become a woman, she felt completely out of sorts.

The face in the mirror was still hers, yet no matter how she looked, it felt unfamiliar.

Xiang Qing irritably shook her head, returning to the living room to change into her clothes.

There was still some time until noon, perfect for starting a livestream and earning money.

She picked up her phone, her finger hovering over the livestreaming app icon.

‘No.’

‘That madwoman, Gu Wei, already knows her home address. What if she runs over and smashes the window again during the livestream?’

The sound of the glass shattering last time still echoed in her ears; the thought alone made her scalp tingle.

Xiang Qing stood up, casually packing a few clothes into her bag.

‘I need to find a hotel to stay in, livestream safely. Earning money is crucial.’

She recalled Shen Lanzhi’s suggestion; staying next door would indeed save money, but…

The thought of that woman crawling onto her in the middle of the night, talking about taking care of her for life, sent shivers down her spine.

She already couldn’t understand her current situation; if Shen Lanzhi were to cause any more messy complications, it would truly be adding insult to injury.

‘It’s better to stay far away.’

Xiang Qing slung her bag over her shoulder, walked to the door, and cautiously twisted the doorknob, intending to peek outside to see if anyone was there.

The moment she pulled the door open a crack, the door next door clicked open as well.

“Qingqing? Are you heading out?”

Shen Lanzhi poked her head out, her eyes filled with concern.