Bian’er changed into his school uniform and pulled out the full-length mirror hidden in the closet. Suddenly, he realized a big problem. He definitely couldn’t send M a photo with his head in it, but besides chests, there was another obvious difference in body shape between boys and girls: shoulders.

Boys’ shoulders are generally wider than girls’.

Bian’er’s shoulders weren’t considered wide among boys, but compared to girls, they didn’t look like a girl’s, especially in a school uniform which could easily make his shoulders look wider.

Bian’er took a picture of himself in the mirror, covering up everything above his face. His slightly broad shoulders, his flat chest with no curves whatsoever, didn’t look like a girl’s body at all.

He took several more pictures from different angles.

M: [Little Crab, you’re a bit slow]

Little Crab: [Just wait for me a little longer]

After sending the message, Bian’er stared at himself in the mirror. A bold idea popped into his mind.

He made up his mind and took off his school pants. He sat on the bed with his knees together and legs spread apart. He adjusted his loose school uniform, trying to make his chest look slightly curvy. After all, he had told M he was flat-chested.

Finally, he adjusted the hem of his shirt to cover the underwear at the base of his thighs. Bian’er raised his hand and took a picture of himself from the waist down.

Making sure it looked like a girl, Bian’er took a deep breath and sent the picture of his legs to M.

It was National Day today. One roommate had gone home, and the other two who hadn’t gone home were out in the city. Lian Jichuan was alone in the dorm. His roommates had sent a message in the dorm group chat about where they were going to celebrate National Day with the students who stayed at Huai University. Lian Jichuan replied in the group chat that he wasn’t going.

Switching to the chat with Little Crab, Lian Jichuan’s eyes instantly darkened.

Bian Yulin’s right hand landed on the doorknob of Bian’er’s room. He twisted it, and just as the door was about to open, it was opened from the inside. “Mom, you’re back?”

“What were you doing? Your face is so red,” Bian Yulin asked, frowning.

Bian’er, with a burning face, tried to sound calm. “I was just sleeping.”

“Sleeping in broad daylight? Come on, change your clothes. I’m taking you out to eat.”

“Aren’t we waiting for Uncle to come back?”

“Your uncle is going straight to the restaurant after work.”

It wasn’t just Bian’er’s family of three having dinner at the restaurant today. There were also Bian Yulin’s two friends from twenty years ago. It was just that the friends had gone abroad for work ten years ago and had only recently returned.

Bian’er had met Uncle Qin and Aunt Gu when he was younger. He still had a vague memory of them and greeted them politely.

The two elders brought gifts for Bian’er. After exchanging greetings with Bian Yulin, they smiled and said, “The last time I saw Er’er, he was only up to my shoulders. Now he’s taller than me. I heard he’s studying at Huai University. What major is he studying?”

Bian’er silently peeled shrimp beside them, not speaking.

Bian Yulin felt a bit annoyed when he heard the question about Bian’er’s major. “History. There’s no way. I wanted him to study science. There are more good jobs in the future, but he failed two out of three science subjects. When it came to choosing a university, he wanted to choose a promising major, but his scores were too low, and there wasn’t much to choose from.”

Aunt Gu comforted him, “Actually, I think history is pretty good. As long as the child likes it.”

“Likes it?” Bian Yulin scoffed. “What can you do with a history degree? Become a history teacher or a tour guide at a museum? A salary of five or six thousand a month? He’ll have to eat gruel if he relies on his likes.”

Bian’er’s lips moved, but he didn’t say anything.

When Bian’er was younger, he couldn’t accept the fact that his mother thought he was useless. He racked his brains trying to get his mother’s praise, but now at twenty, he had accepted the fact that he wasn’t good enough. So, while he was still disappointed by his mother’s undisguised dissatisfaction, he no longer felt sad.

After all, he was a waste.

“Yulin, it’s good that the child has found something he likes,” Bian’er’s stepfather, Xu Ru’tao, said warmly, placing a cup of hot milk beside Bian Yulin.

Bian Yulin glanced at Xu Ru’tao, didn’t say much about Bian’er, and turned to chat with his friends about their plans. The dinner lasted so long that it was already nine o’clock when they left the restaurant and parted ways with Qin and Gu.

It just so happened that they were near Jiangcheng’s famous commercial district. It was the off-season, and they had time tonight, so Bian Yulin decided to buy Bian’er and Xu Ru’tao some clothes before going home.

Bian’er said, “Mom, I don’t need to buy anything. I went shopping with my friends last week and bought two jackets.”

Bian’s mother didn’t budge. She took Bian’er and his father into the nearest brand-name men’s clothing store. “The clothes you bought are good?”

After ten o’clock, Bian’er returned home carrying several shopping bags. He hung the clothes and pants in the closet. After taking a shower and coming out of the bathroom, he saw a new message from M a few minutes ago.

M: [Still out eating?]

Bian’er replied while drying his hair, [Just got home!]

M: [Dinner took so long?]

Bian’er had told M at 4:30 that his mother had come home and he was going out to eat with her. Now it was 10:30. It was a long time.

Little Crab: [Mom was chatting with her friends for too long. Then after dinner, she took me shopping for clothes.]

M: [Did you buy clothes?]

Little Crab: [I did.]

M: [Show me.]

Show you? Show you what?

Show you my new clothes and pants?

Bian’er’s eyes darted back and forth between the closet and his phone several times. Bian’er had to admit that his mother had excellent taste, and with her unlimited budget, the two expensive outfits were very nice. But no matter how nice they were, they couldn’t change the fact that they were men’s clothes.

Bian’er opened the closet and finally laid the mist blue hooded sweatshirt on the bed. He took a picture and sent it to M.

It didn’t matter if it was men’s clothing. Some girls buy men’s clothing, and some clothes are unisex.

M: [Men’s clothing?]

Little Crab: [I like this style. It’s oversized.]

M: [Just bought this one?]

Of course, it wasn’t just this one, but the other jacket was unlikely to be bought by a girl.

Bian’er’s mind raced, and his fingers quickly typed, [The rest I bought are underwear.]

M: [Hmm]