Chapter 2: Chen Shiyu

Chapter 2: Chen Shiyu

Chen Shiyu.

She lived in a small coastal town in the south.

Her father was always away on business trips, her mother worked at a local deli, and she had an older brother currently studying at university. As for her? She was a second-year high school student at the town’s one and only high school.

The family was doing well enough. A few years back, they’d even bought a spacious apartment in the city—over a hundred square meters—but it still sat unfurnished and empty.

Her personality was cheerful and outgoing, her looks bright and lively. Wherever she went, she was the center of attention. Friends flocked to her, and love letters piled up… but she turned them all down. After all, she already had a childhood sweetheart.

At home, she was the picture of a good daughter, polite and obedient. But beneath that façade, she was secretly rebellious, always trying to slip in little hints to push her relationship with her childhood friend forward. Too bad he was as dense as a concrete wall. After all this time, they hadn’t progressed past holding hands.

A warm family, someone she liked, school life that was busy but not crushing—overall, a good life. Not perfect, but good enough. So…

‘Why the hell did I end up as a girl?!’

Chen Shiyu scrubbed her cheeks with both hands in frustration. When she finally looked back up at the mirror, the reflection staring back only deepened her despair.

A girl. About one meter sixty-two. Petite frame. Pretty, sweet features with just the faintest bit of baby fat softening her cheeks. A face that radiated cuteness and innocence.

Except that face was currently pulled into a tragic pout, lips drooping, eyes clouded with soul-crushing misery.

‘But I’m a man! A MAN!’

“Shishi?”

A knock on the bathroom door snapped her out of it. Shen Yan’s voice came from outside.

“You’ve been in there forever. You okay?”

‘Ugh. That gross nickname…’

Chen Shiyu splashed cold water onto her face, took a few deep breaths, then forced her hands to push up the corners of her lips into something resembling a cheerful smile. Time to put the “bubbly schoolgirl” mask back on.

“I got a stomachache! I’m fine now.”

She opened the door with a bright grin—only to nearly choke on air.

So tall.

Shen Yan stood in the doorway, broad shoulders casting a shadow over her. His height completely dwarfed her new body.

Her forced smile faltered. With a stiff little laugh, she slipped past him sideways. “I’m going to study my vocab.”

Back in her old life, she’d been one-seventy-eight. Now she barely scraped one-sixty-two. Everything looked oversized from this angle, even Shen Yan.

Shen Yan frowned faintly as he watched her retreat. 

Something about her still felt… off. But he couldn’t put his finger on it.

Chen Shiyu let out a tiny sigh of relief once she shut herself in his room.

She sat down at the desk, propping her chin on one hand and staring at the open vocabulary booklet. Her eyes looked serious, but her mind was a chaotic mess.

‘Is this another world? Or is this still Earth?’

The town names, the games, the movies—they were all the same as her past life. Theoretically, she could just hop on a train and ride two hours back to the city she used to live in. Maybe even see her parents again.

But then… did Earth have things like her? Monsters? Demons? Fox spirits?

When she’d first woken up after crossing over, she wasn’t human at all—just a tiny fox spirit living deep in the mountains. Life was hell: sneaking food from villagers, being chased around by mutts, dodging hunters.

Then, just a few days ago, she had sneaked down the mountain again to steal food. That was when she stumbled upon a girl who had fallen off a cliff—the real Chen Shiyu.

The girl had been unconscious, barely alive. At first, she just wanted to call for help… maybe even score some “sympathy points” and leech off a rich girl’s family.

Instead, something inexplicable happened. She ended up inside the girl’s body. No warning, no choice. And with it came all of Chen Shiyu’s memories.

At first, realizing she was a fox monster had nearly broken her. But now? She didn’t even know how to feel. Relieved to be human again? Or miserable that the human she became was a girl?

Either way, the top priority was clear:

Don’t. Get. Exposed.

Who knew if there were exorcists or monster hunters lurking around?!

Chen Shiyu groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose—a habit carried over from her past life.

‘Damn it. I was a gloomy shut-in before this. How the hell am I supposed to act like a sunny schoolgirl? It’s only been a few days and people are already suspicious…’

“Shishi, want some fruit?”

Shen Yan came back carrying a neatly sliced fruit platter. He pulled a chair over and sat down right beside Chen Shiyu.

“Mm.”

She gave a faint reply, skewered a piece of apple, popped it into her mouth, and lowered her head as she flipped to the next page of her vocabulary book. Her other hand rested casually to the side.

Then, out of nowhere, a warm, broad hand settled right on top of hers—giving it a gentle squeeze.

Her mind went completely blank. Her body stiffened, her expression froze, and she quickly ducked her head, letting her hair fall forward to cover her face.

Technically speaking, she and Shen Yan had never officially confessed to each other. But in practice, they were childhood sweethearts. Basically boyfriend and girlfriend.

Holding hands wasn’t unusual at all. But this time… wasn’t he being way too forward?!

If this were the real Chen Shiyu, she’d be over the moon. Her heart would be pounding like a drum, her cheeks glowing red, maybe even tearing up a little from the excitement. She’d probably melt into a lovestruck mess and tease Shen Yan back.

But the current “Chen Shiyu”?

Goosebumps. Nothing but goosebumps.

Back in her college dorm days, she and her roommates often messed around with some gayish horseplay—harmless teasing, nothing serious. But this? This was different.

The guy in front of her was dead serious. He actually wanted her body!

“In a few days, school starts again,” Shen Yan said, absentmindedly playing with her delicate fingers. They were slim and soft, nails trimmed neatly, almost translucent at the tips. He couldn’t put them down. “Have you finished your homework yet?”

“You?” She forced her voice into a normal tone, pressing down the discomfort bubbling inside her. “There’s so much.”

“Almost. I’ll finish this afternoon. Want to go out tonight?”

“Overnight date?”

Shen Yan froze, head snapping up. But when his eyes met hers, he was startled speechless.

Her gaze was hazy, damp, shimmering with moisture. She stared straight at him with a look that could only be described as—seductive. Like a fox spirit tempting its prey.

“This…”

For some reason, today’s Chen Shiyu was different when she teased him. Her eyes flickered shyly, her expression carried a natural allure. Gone was the simple, cheerful air of the girl next door—what replaced it was an almost instinctive femininity. A charm that made her even more enticing than before.

Shen Yan’s heart actually skipped.

Chen Shiyu, on the other hand, was panicking like hell.

‘What the hell?! I was just copying her old flirting style! This virgin idiot is supposed to blush and stammer, not stare at me like he’s about to eat me alive!’

In a flash, she yanked her hand back. “Y-you actually took it seriously? Pervert!”

“…Heh.” Shen Yan scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.

“Don’t joke around like that… What if one day I can’t hold myself back?”

A few days ago, that line wouldn’t have been a joke at all. The only problem was—he’d been too much of a coward.

Chen Shiyu quickly grabbed the out he gave her. “Fine, fine. I won’t say stuff like that anymore.”

When Shen Yan got up and walked over to the computer, she finally let out a tiny sigh of relief. She even rubbed her hand discreetly against her clothes, like trying to wipe away the lingering warmth.

But when she glanced back, he was already booting up CS. The speakers exploded with gunfire and shouting as another match started.

Her irritation spiked.

“I’m trying to study vocab! Keep it down!”

“Oh. Okay.”

He obediently slipped on his headphones. But watching him immerse himself in the game only made Chen Shiyu’s chest feel heavier and heavier, like an inexplicable pressure building inside.

‘Seriously? Just games again? What’s so fun about this crap anyway?’

Her lips pursed in a sulky pout, her whole face radiating dissatisfaction and quiet resentment.

Then, like a lightning bolt, realization struck her.

Her eyes went wide.

‘Wait a second—that thought just now…’

That wasn’t her thought.

It was Chen Shiyu’s!