Chapter 5: He Wants to Woo Me!

Beside the main road stood the Xiaoyang Noodle House.

Perhaps because it was not quite mealtime, the noodle shop was far from crowded—counting the owner behind the counter, there were only six or seven people inside.

Yet at this moment, the once lively eatery had fallen into a strange hush.

Everyone’s attention, obvious or subtle, was fixed on the window seat.

There sat a beautiful girl.

With a delicate nose and rosy lips, features as if painted by an artist, she was stunning even without a trace of makeup. Her long hair was simply tied back, and she wore a white T-shirt and light-colored casual pants. At that moment, her dark brows were furrowed as she tapped away at her phone.

In a world accustomed to heavy makeup and digital filters, people had long forgotten when they last saw such natural freshness in a young woman.

“I used to think thirty thousand yuan would last a long time, but I never realized how expensive girls’ things are! No wonder they say women’s money is the easiest to make…”

The girl, whose worried frown stirred pity, was none other than Bai Xian.

Taking advantage of the early hour, Bai Xian had gone to a nearby mall to pick up some essentials.

Three sets of clothes, three sets of lingerie recommended by the sales clerk, two pairs of shoes, and, on a whim, several packs of large bandages…

Just these few items had cost her over three thousand yuan.

At this rate, her savings would not last long.

Slurping down the last of her noodles, Bai Xian stood up and scanned the code to pay.

“Old Liu, I’ve transferred the money.”

“Ah, got it.”

The plump owner poked his head out of the kitchen, watching her graceful figure as she left.

The owner’s wife appeared behind him like a specter.

“Was she pretty?”

“What are you thinking?” Old Liu hurriedly explained, “Do you know that girl? How did she know my name was Old Liu?”

His wife frowned in confusion, “Now that you mention it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her before… What would you like to eat?”

A new customer interrupted their conversation, and as the couple busied themselves, the small incident was soon forgotten.

Bai Xian, laden with bags, ducked into a nearby alley. After making sure she was alone, she focused her mind.

The new clothes in her hands vanished into thin air, reappearing in her “personal stash.”

This was one of two rewards she’d received after completing the “Green Book” task.

In simple terms, it was like an item inventory in a game—though only as spacious as an ordinary backpack, it was now stuffed to the brim with a few sets of clothes.

The other reward was called “Dragon’s Egress,” a skill in game terms.

It was a lethal move that required a polearm weapon, usable only against monsters and demons.

More than that, Bai Xian had noticed an increase in her strength and speed—though her body looked slender, she could now muster the strength of a grown man.

No doubt, this too was a result of the Green Book.

All the way back to her apartment, Bai Xian drew many admiring glances, but fortunately met no troublemakers.

She tossed her new clothes—and the set she was wearing—into the washing machine, then walked naked and barefoot into the bathroom for a full-body inspection.

Recalling what she’d seen in certain art films, Bai Xian was sure she had truly become a girl—everything that should be gone was gone, and what should be there was present…

After all that, flushed red from head to toe, she finally curled up beneath the covers, and soon her steady breathing filled the room.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, Bai Xian was awakened by the shrill ring of her phone.

She reached out from under the blanket and answered by habit.

“Hello?”

“…Holy—!”

On the other end, after a brief silence, came a startled exclamation.

The girl shot upright in bed and hung up as if shocked by electricity.

But it was too late—the apartment door was soon assaulted with thunderous knocks, and Liu Yi’s voice rang out.

“Bai Xian, open up! Don’t pretend you’re not home—I already heard you inside!”

Sitting on the bed, the girl covered her face. Clearly, she would need much more time to get used to this new body.

“If you don’t open up, I’m calling the police!”

The knocking continued. Bai Xian could only turtle up, determined not to open the door today under any circumstances.

At last, the footsteps outside receded, as if the visitor had given up.

Just as Bai Xian breathed a sigh of relief, the lock clicked and the door swung open.

Liu Yi had used the management’s spare key to easily unlock the security door.

“I knew something was up with you—soliciting prostitutes…”

The next moment, the aggressive Liu Yi and the girl in the baggy T-shirt on the bed locked eyes—the key slipped from his hand and clattered to the floor, but he seemed not to notice.

Once he was sure that, aside from the girl, the room was empty, Liu Yi’s expression changed again and again.

“S-sorry, I must have the wrong place!”

He quickly retreated and closed the door behind him.

Taking several deep breaths to steady his racing heart, Liu Yi triple-checked the room number—he hadn’t made a mistake.

The name at reception matched as well.

But why was there a girl in his friend’s room?

He’d only been on the police force a little over a year and hadn’t yet developed the keen eye of a veteran, but he was certain the girl on the bed wasn’t the prostitute he’d imagined.

As he hesitated, debating whether to knock and ask, the security door opened again.

Bai Xian, expressionless, said, “Come in, let’s talk.”

Liu Yi’s shouting had already drawn the attention of the neighbors—Bai Xian could imagine how her reputation would suffer after this.

“Okay.”

Sitting primly on a chair, legs together like a scolded schoolboy, Liu Yi stared straight at his slippers.

On the other side, Bai Xian appeared calm as she sipped a glass of water, poured another for Liu Yi, but her mind was racing.

She’d thought she could put off the issue of her new identity, but now, on her second day back, she’d run into someone she knew. How should she explain?

“Have some water.”

Liu Yi took the glass, sipped, and once again found his gaze drawn to Bai Xian. The faint, fresh scent of a girl drifted to his nose, and he found himself taking a deep breath.

Seated opposite, Bai Xian finally settled on an excuse. “You must be Liu Yi. I’ve heard my brother mention you.”

“Your brother… Bai Xian is your brother?”

Bai Xian nodded. “Yes, my name is Bai Xian—spelled with the feminine character, different from his.”

“I only ever heard Bai Xian say he had a younger brother—when did he get a sister?” Liu Yi asked, suspicious.

“A distant cousin. He probably never mentioned me.”

Liu Yi accepted this explanation for now.

He and Bai Xian had been high school friends. Back then, it wasn’t unusual not to introduce distant relatives.

Then a thought struck him. “Where’s your brother, then? Why is his phone here with you?”

“He went to XZ on vacation. Didn’t want to be pressured about marriage, so he didn’t take his phone. He probably won’t be back for a couple months.” Bai Xian forced herself to answer.

Liu Yi frowned, about to press further.

But just then, someone knocked at the door again.

From outside came the apartment manager’s voice: “Officer, is there a problem inside? Do you need any help?”

Bai Xian muttered, “Officer?”

Liu Yi smiled awkwardly. “When no one answered, I borrowed the spare key from the front desk. I’ll go explain.”

He went out and spoke quietly with the staff.

Soon after, Liu Yi returned to the room.

The interruption had eased the tension. With a smile on his handsome face, Liu Yi said, “Let’s start over. I’m Liu Yi, your brother’s good friend—as you can see, a proud officer of the law, not some suspicious character.”

Bai Xian looked at her friend with a strange expression, as if meeting him for the first time.

Back in the day, he’d always been the most unserious one of their group—she’d never seen him act like this.

With a flourish, Liu Yi continued, “Have you had lunch, cousin? Let me treat you, on your brother’s behalf.”

Bai Xian’s smile faded.

One look and she saw through him—this broad-browed, wide-eyed guy definitely wanted to hit on her!

Feigning nonchalance, she glanced behind him, a smile curving her lips. “Sure, what do you want to treat me to?”