Clothes, well…
Standing in front of the mirror, it was clear: I had to dress more like a man.
I grabbed a simple pure white shirt, then a pair of slim-fit jeans, and for shoes, just a pair of white canvas sneakers.
“Tsk, tsk, this look is truly dashing and handsome, no matter how you look at it,” I mused, striking a rather narcissistic pose.
Actually, I had originally intended to wear a white dress, but just as I was about to put it on, I suddenly remembered: ‘I’m a man!’ To think I instinctively reached for a dress!
No, I couldn’t continue to sink into the abyss of cross-dressing.
Though I genuinely loved that white dress, I gritted my teeth. My male pride had triumphed over my affection for the cute little skirt.
Ready to depart, I grabbed a wide-brimmed fedora. I placed it on my head and, as an afterthought, cast “Divine Art: Chaos”—a spell designed to make others perceive my general appearance incorrectly—before stepping out.
At the main gate, where was Central Park again?
And walking there was out of the question…
A bus? The mere thought of being jostled and pressed so closely against others made me shudder.
It seemed a taxi was my only option. How did they hail a taxi in movies, making it appear and stop? Ah, right, extend a hand!
And so, by a deserted road, a cute girl stood with an outstretched hand, creating a truly picturesque scene.
This wasn’t a main thoroughfare, so few cars passed by. Thus, I stood by the roadside for half an hour.
Finally, a black sedan drove past. The driver, seeing my outstretched hand, assumed I was in an emergency and seeking help. He pulled over, rolled down the window, revealing a handsome man in his thirties.
He looked at me, asking with a hint of confusion, “Little sister, is something wrong?”
I was even more puzzled. ‘I remember taxis aren’t this color,’ I thought. Seeing the man, I couldn’t help but feel a little scared.
“I… I’m waiting for a taxi.”
He, for his part, didn’t know why he felt an inexplicable affinity and goodwill towards me. He simply smiled.
“Little sister, a taxi won’t likely pass through a place like this. It’s quite difficult. Where are you headed? I can give you a ride.”
I was somewhat surprised. ‘Could this be one of those helpful good Samaritans the internet talks about?’
He looked handsome and was dressed impeccably, not like a villain. So, I replied,
“C-Central, F-Flower, Garden.”
I stumbled over those four words twice. It was my first time interacting with a “living Lei Feng” like those online, and coupled with my ‘human phobia,’ I was nervous and afraid, naturally making frequent mistakes.
I pulled the door open and got in. But kids, please don’t imitate me! After all, even if he were a bad guy, ten of them couldn’t handle me.
If it were other children, they might wake up after getting in the car to find strange things done to them, or even a few organs missing.
In the car, I huddled silently in the backseat.
The driver, in the front, couldn’t help but touch his face. ‘Am I really that scary?’ he wondered. ‘I think I’m quite handsome.’
The journey passed in this peculiar awkwardness.
“Screech!” The car stopped. I opened the door, tossed a hundred-yuan bill into the vehicle, and then darted out like a rabbit, vanishing from the driver’s sight in the blink of an eye.
The driver watched my retreating figure, a wry smile on his face. ‘This… surely not…’
His confidence in his appearance utterly shattered, the driver slumped in despair.
****
I held my phone, GPS-locating the Central Garden Fountain Plaza. This time, I successfully reached the plaza, waiting quietly in the very center. I glanced at the time.
AM 9:20.
I was quite early. I decided to wait patiently. As the crowd around me grew denser, my waiting spot gradually shifted from the center. Soon enough, I found myself tucked away in a corner.
AM 9:54.
A black-haired woman, around twenty years old, tapped my shoulder. Immediately, my entire body tensed. My wings almost burst from my back, ready to flap and carry me away.
She observed my reaction, then looked at my face, tilting her head. “Big Dream Lord?” she asked, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
“Hm? H-how did you recognize me?” I was utterly astonished. ‘Could my Divine Art: Chaos have failed?’
“I almost didn’t, actually. But that figure, and I remember you saying you’re afraid of people. Seeing you shaking outside the crowd, yet seeming unable to leave as if you had something important to do, I thought, ‘This must be Big Dream Lord.'” She chuckled brightly, then snatched my hat off.
“G-give it back,” I stammered. My habit of getting tongue-tied whenever I spoke to someone was impossible to break. ‘If only I had the eloquence I have in my live streams.’
She grabbed my hand, leading me outside, her smile unwavering as she spoke cheerfully.
“Since you’re afraid of people, let’s go somewhere quieter to talk. There’s a nice dessert restaurant over there; we can go there.”
I wanted to tell her I didn’t like sweets, but after a moment’s hesitation, I remained silent.
The dessert restaurant wasn’t lavishly decorated, but its exquisite detail was its charm. Various ornaments adorned every corner, and the spacious hall contained only ten tables and chairs. A faint, pleasant sweetness permeated the air, making it incredibly comfortable to breathe.
She led me directly through the hall. There were five private rooms inside, and she guided me into the leftmost one, closing the door behind us.
She pressed the call bell on the table, and a moment later, a waiter in a butler’s uniform entered.
“May I take your order?” the waiter asked, bowing, a pen in one hand and a notebook in the other.
Liu Han tilted her head, looking at me. “Is there anything you’d like to eat?”
I paused, startled. “I don’t know much about desserts. You decide. I don’t particularly care for sweets.”
She looked slightly surprised, pouting. “It’s definitely because you don’t go out, so you haven’t tasted the desserts here. It’s impossible for any girl not to like the desserts at this place. Since you don’t eat many desserts and don’t know what you like, let’s just pick a few popular ones.”
She paused, then told the waiter, “Two macchiatos, two mousse cakes, and two cocoa mousses.”
‘I chuckled bitterly to myself. Even if it were true that no girl could resist these, at my core, I am indeed a boy.’
After the waiter departed, she smiled. “Let me formally introduce myself. My name is Liu Han, female, 23 years old. I never expected Big Dream Lord to be so… young?”
I gave an awkward laugh, saying nervously, “My name is Ye Menghan, 18 years old. I never expected my fan to be a girl. And… so beautiful…”
My voice trailed off toward the end.
She chuckled after hearing me. “I’m the one who’s surprised! Big Dream Lord is actually a girl? Tsk, tsk, and so cute, a legal loli even! But, your appearance feels so different from your streams, doesn’t it? If one looks closely, they can tell it’s you, but a casual glance makes you seem worlds apart from your live broadcasts.”
Before I could reply, a knock sounded at the door. Liu Han said, “Come in.”
The waiter, pushing a trolley, entered and gently placed the two coffees, sugar, and four cakes from the trolley onto the table.
Bowing, he exited the room. It had to be said, the waiter’s movements were remarkably graceful, every action exuding elegance.
Liu Han pushed a cocoa mousse towards me. “Try it. I believe no girl can refuse this.”
‘But I’m a boy,’ I grumbled internally. Nevertheless, I picked up my fork, cut a piece, and gently placed it in my mouth.
What was that? “No girl can refuse”? Clearly, boys couldn’t refuse it either!
Why? Because I felt utterly powerless to resist it. Rich chocolate was hidden within the cake, and with each bite, my mouth truly filled with its fragrant essence.
Liu Han watched my reaction with satisfaction. “I told you no girl could refuse it, especially not a little girl like you.”
And so, I forgot my earlier declaration of disliking sweets, rapidly spooning the cake into my mouth, bite after bite.
After watching me finish, she chuckled softly. “So, Miss Ye, what did you want to meet me about?”