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Shi Min chose the location for their date—the revolving restaurant on the top floor of the tallest building by the riverside.
When she asked Fiona to reserve a table, Fiona said, “Sis… Brother Chu is hosting a celebration banquet at our company tonight!”
Shi Min remained unmoved. At this point, her older brother held less importance in her heart than Luo Mingjing, especially since tonight, Luo Mingjing would be crossdressing.
With a calm demeanor, Shi Min expressed her decision: “We haven’t gone public yet—what’s there to celebrate?”
Fiona clearly didn’t understand her meaning and dutifully explained, “Everything that needed to be submitted has been handed in, and all the documents have been sent. We’re already in the queue. It’s almost certain we’ll go public in half a year. This is a phase victory, and Brother Chu insists on celebrating. He says it’s the final stretch. Sis, if you don’t come, it won’t feel right…”
“No,” Shi Min commanded, “Book a table for two at the Riverside Tower Restaurant tonight.”
“…Alright. What if Brother Chu asks about it?”
“Tell him you don’t know.”
After hanging up, Shi Min noticed Luo Mingjing had changed into an old sweater and brought out two basins of water. He then grabbed a bottle of shampoo and sat on a small stool near the kitchen drain.
Shi Min watched curiously until he wet his hair, realizing what he was doing. “Washing your hair?”
“Mhm.” Luo Mingjing massaged his long hair, producing a soft, foamy sound.
“What a hassle,” Shi Min said as she sauntered over.
Luo Mingjing picked up the kettle with warm water to rinse his hair, one hand holding it while the other washed, switching sides as needed.
He hadn’t told her that the shop didn’t have a water heater, nor did he want her to see him shivering while bathing.
He simply said, “It’s our first date, so I’m taking it seriously. That’s why I’m washing my hair.”
Shi Min looked down at him and slowly smiled. She took off her coat, rolled up her sleeves, and gently took the kettle from his hands. “Let go—I’ll do it.”
Luo Mingjing’s ears turned red. He lowered his head, unable to move much, and softly protested, “…Sister, this isn’t proper.”
Since learning that Shi Min was younger than him, he’d started calling her “sister” more frequently.
Shi Min pressed his head down as warm water poured over it, rinsing away the foam. Her expression remained calm as she openly massaged his scalp and asked, “Are you shy?”
Luo Mingjing sighed softly. “No, I just don’t know where to put my hands.”
His hands, rendered idle by Shi Min’s takeover, hung limply on his knees.
“Luo Mingjing.”
“Yes.”
“Why do you keep your hair long?”
Luo Mingjing replied, “I’m lazy. If I cut it short, I’d have to go back to the barber shop soon anyway. With long hair, aside from the inconvenience of washing it, everything else is convenient. It saves money on haircuts, time wasted chatting with people, and the cost of wigs…”
As he spoke, Luo Mingjing tried to distract himself from the tingling sensation spreading across his scalp as her fingertips brushed through his hair.
“I think you…” he said, “You seem eager to skip steps and jump straight into the dynamic of a couple who’ve been married for years.”
Shi Min didn’t comment but pressed his head down again to rinse for the final time.
Luo Mingjing continued, “You have strong control issues, but…”
Water splashed onto his face, and Luo Mingjing fell silent.
With his eyes closed, he thought: She wants to bypass the distance between us, to directly enter the city and achieve a result. Once she has possession, she believes everything will be settled forever.
Shi Min plugged in the hairdryer and began drying his hair.
Through the strands of hair fluttering in the warm breeze, Luo Mingjing gazed at her thoughtfully.
Shi Min.
At first, she had barged in forcefully, self-declaring their relationship established. Then, just as suddenly, she stopped all her actions, like an immature child who, upon discovering a toy they liked, bought it, claimed ownership, and held it close.
Shi Min turned off the hairdryer and rubbed his hair, saying, “Go change. I’ll wait for you.”
“Should I wear this dress? Will it be too eye-catching?”
“It’s fine,” Shi Min chuckled. “The restaurant we’re going to tonight suits evening gowns perfectly.”
“Then give me a moment.”
Luo Mingjing took the box into the inner room.
It was a long-sleeved autumn gown, with gold accents at the neckline and cuffs, modestly covering him in an elegant and graceful manner.
“Three-dimensional sleeves, Eastern elements…” Luo Mingjing murmured in surprise. “A dream come true.”
This was a piece by one of his favorite internationally renowned fashion designers, known for their understated elegance.
“A bit extravagant,” he whispered.
Luo Mingjing stripped off his shirt and reattached the silicone breasts. As he bent his head, a slender, clean hand reached out from behind, gliding along his waist and resting on his abdomen.
“…You have abs.”
Shi Min inhaled softly, her voice tinged with surprise.
At this crucial moment, Luo Mingjing caught her hand and tilted his head to meet her perpetually sharp phoenix-like eyes. “Sister, don’t go any lower. The next zone is dangerous territory—one call to 110 territory.”
Luo Mingjing pulled the dress up to his waist and slipped it over his arms, turning around to show her the fake breasts. “Look at these—don’t they look ridiculous?”
“…” Shi Min’s gaze lingered below, though she couldn’t see much. Reluctantly raising her eyes, she stared at the fake breasts for a long moment before curiously pinching them and marveling, “Very realistic.”
Luo Mingjing turned around to let her zip up the back of the dress, praising her choice. “Good pick—not a tight bodycon dress. If it were that kind of dress, we’d likely be at the police station having tea as soon as we stepped out.”
“Why?” Shi Min clearly didn’t understand this remark.
“It would expose too much of the lower body,” Luo Mingjing laughed. “Someone would definitely call the police.”
Shi Min watched him apply makeup, watching him blush as he turned to smile awkwardly at her while applying lipstick.
Shi Min picked up the earrings from the table, brushed aside his hair, and helped him put them on.
Luo Mingjing’s cheeks flushed. After applying makeup, his features softened, and he smiled at her. “I’m a bit nervous. I’ve never really gone out like this before…”
Shi Min averted her gaze, her fingers plucking a black velvet pearl choker from the box. “Here, for you.”
She leaned down, close to Luo Mingjing, carefully fastening the choker around his neck to conceal his Adam’s apple. In his ear, she whispered, “Beautiful.”
“As long as I don’t speak,” Luo Mingjing said, “even if someone suspects, they won’t be able to confirm anything.”
Shi Min knelt on one knee on the chair, closed her eyes, and slowly found his lips, gently licking and kissing them. Luo Mingjing wrapped his arms around her waist, gripping her clothes tightly.
Pushing him away, Shi Min smirked triumphantly. “Let’s go. I’m hungry.”
She left the inner room.
Luo Mingjing hesitated briefly, composed himself, exhaled deeply, touched up his makeup, and picked up the eyeliner pen to add a teardrop mole under the corner of his eye.
After closing the shop and stepping outside, Shi Min had already parked the car at the entrance. Seeing him emerge from the alley, she got out to open the door for him.
Luo Mingjing teased her, “Again?”
Shi Min raised a finger and gently hushed him. “Don’t speak…”
Under the warm light inside the car, she carefully examined Luo Mingjing. No matter how she looked at him, he was a tall, slim beauty with an elegant presence. Tonight, he appeared especially gentle, his eyes brimming with charm like blooming peach blossoms.
His hair cascaded down, the ends curled slightly, softening the angular contours of his profile.
Shi Min remarked, “If you were just a little shorter, I think no one would question your gender.”
After all, today, he had a chest.
Luo Mingjing sighed. “Are you done looking? Can I get in now?”
Shi Min grabbed him. “Wait a moment.”
Leaning closer, her phoenix eyes nearly widening into round almond shapes, she exclaimed, “You… added a teardrop mole just now?”
Luo Mingjing nodded.
“This way, people’s attention will focus on the upper part of your face,” Luo Mingjing gestured. “Because male and female bone structures are different, one can tell gender by examining the jawline closely. To divert attention, I added a little trick to my eye makeup.”
Shi Min chuckled softly and stepped aside. “Get in the car, Miss Mirror.”
“Well then, thank you, Chairman Shi.”
Before closing the car door, Shi Min suddenly leaned in, bracing herself against the seatback, and stole a quick kiss on his cheek. Rising, she even buckled his seatbelt for him.
Luo Mingjing chuckled ruefully. “No surprise attacks—if my makeup smudges, things might get really thrilling.”
Shi Min returned to the driver’s seat and, while driving, said, “Life is boring. It needs some excitement.”
“So that’s why you agreed to let me dress up and go on a date with you?”
“Partly,” Shi Min’s eyes sparkled with mirth, and even Luo Mingjing could sense her high spirits.
Shi Min rarely displayed such overt emotions.
“Luo Mingjing, since middle school, I’ve liked men with long hair,” she said. “Long hair, good physique, tall with long legs, and features leaning towards an Eastern mixed-blood look…”
Luo Mingjing silently nodded, understanding her teenage fantasy.
“With a tragic aura, suffering yet gentle,” Shi Min continued.
Luo Mingjing chuckled. “I thought you were always an A-student growing up, not someone who enjoyed reading melancholic teenage novels.”
“I was,” Shi Min said proudly, raising an eyebrow. “I maintained straight A’s until I graduated from university.”
“Sorry, I meant I thought you never had a teenage phase…”
“I did,” Shi Min quickly recalled for three seconds and said, “Maybe it was very short, but it definitely existed. During my teenage years, and even after becoming an adult, I’ve been loyal to one type—someone like you, whose gender feels ambiguous, breaking free from constraints, purely beautiful, blending retro and modern aesthetics…”
Luo Mingjing was almost amused, shaking his head. “I don’t recognize the person you’re describing. Your ideal type is truly ideal.”
Shi Min asked him, “Are you mixed-race?”
“No. You should have met my cousin that day,” Luo Mingjing said. “My uncle’s daughter. When she walks down the street, more people mistake her for being mixed-race. On my father’s side, everyone looks like that—no one is actually mixed-race or from an ethnic minority. I… resemble my father more, so I also have this deceiving appearance.”
In the dimly lit car, Luo Mingjing’s expression darkened slightly as he spoke, though his tone remained steady.
Shi Min didn’t notice and asked, “Where is your hometown?”
“…A small coastal city.”
“You came here alone to open an art studio? Why?”
“…I studied here during university and stayed after graduation,” Luo Mingjing said. “In a small city, you might not understand—it’s mostly acquaintances, information is limited, and there are fewer opportunities for growth. It’s hard to do business in places where everyone knows each other.”
Shi Min finally remembered to ask these basic details. “Which university did you graduate from? What was your major?”
“Fashion design,” Luo Mingjing said with a smile. “The best university in the country, ranked number one.”
“But I didn’t graduate,” he added.
Shi Min, ever the business-minded individual, wasn’t surprised. “Did you drop out midway to start a business? And then fail immediately afterward?”
Luo Mingjing softly chuckled.
“You’re quite similar to my brother,” Shi Min remarked when he didn’t respond. “Top-tier students, extraordinary talent, naturally ambitious—they wouldn’t follow the beaten path. Of course, my brother dropped out for what he believed was love. What about you?”
Luo Mingjing’s eyelashes fluttered slightly as he gazed out the window at the endlessly retreating streetlights. In a low voice, he said, “It’s different… I was already on the best path. What I wanted was right ahead, and I didn’t need to exert myself or give anything up. As long as I followed the rules, the destination would be my dream.”
Shi Min seemed to understand, yet not fully. She asked, “So?”
“The road ended. I had no choice but to leave,” Luo Mingjing said. “I dropped out of university.”
They arrived at the restaurant.
Shi Min handed the car to the valet and extended her hand to Luo Mingjing. “Come with me.”
The elevator doors opened, and the host greeted them enthusiastically. “Do you have a reservation? Wonderful. Two ladies, please follow me. Walk carefully—mind your step.”
They passed through most of the restaurant, arriving at a corner table. Beyond the glass windows, half the city’s night view stretched before them. The lights from cars and streetlamps on the bridge across the river formed a flowing sea of light.
“One hundred percent回头率 (turnaround rate),” Shi Min said after they sat down. “Of course, they’re probably more curious about your height, Miss Luo.”
With the waiter present, Luo Mingjing only smiled and didn’t speak.
He turned his head to gaze at the night view outside the window. His hair slid forward, hiding the tassel earrings nestled within his long locks, which faintly shimmered with a soft glow.
Shi Min rested her chin on her hand, gazing at him with evident satisfaction.
Out of the corner of his eye, Luo Mingjing caught her smile. Once the waiter left, he softly said, “Shi Min, you’re like a child.”
Like a child who had snatched their favorite candy, holding it up to show everyone: “I got my favorite flavor.”
“Luo Mingjing!”
She suddenly called his name. As Luo Mingjing turned his head, soft lips pressed against his.
Shi Min stood up, one hand on the table, and kissed him deeply.
From the nearby tables, the sound of shocked gasps rang out loud and clear.
The server pushing the wine cart froze twenty steps away, jaw nearly dropping in astonishment.
After a long moment, Shi Min released him, wiping the moisture from the corner of her mouth and smiling. “Luo Mingjing, this is what I call thrilling.”
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