The autumn rain had been falling on and off for several days.
The flowers blooming vibrantly across the campus were now drooping under the downpour, and osmanthus leaves were scattered everywhere, their rich fragrance filling the air up close.
The campus paths were carpeted with yellowed fallen leaves, damp and clinging to the ground.
In Ningcheng, November brought a sudden drop of over ten degrees in temperature, with no sign of warming even after the heavy rain.
Pei Xi, who was sensitive to the cold, had already pulled out his autumn clothes from the wardrobe the day the cold front arrived. Over the past few days, he had been stepping out in thick hoodies, and his cold symptoms finally began to improve on this sunny day.
In just a few short days, the sudden bout of illness had left Pei Xi noticeably thinner.
After a week, the sky finally cleared, and sunlight streamed into the dormitory, dispelling the lingering dampness in the air.
After classes ended on Friday, his three roommates went home. Instead of staying in the dorm, Pei Xi rented a suite at a well-appointed hotel near the campus.
He needed to complete a product shoot in the hotel.
A major brand had approached him with a generous commission, and Pei Xi had no reason to refuse. However, it was a hosiery brand, and when he received the offer, he was taken aback. After all, he was a cross-dressing blogger—wasn’t it a bit odd for a guy to promote black stockings?
But the brand had an excellent reputation in the industry, and he had purchased their stockings a few times before. Most importantly, the fee offered was enough to cover his living expenses for an entire semester. After hesitating for a few days, Pei Xi ultimately accepted the job.
Since his equipment was all at home, he had to buy new gear. The packages piled up at a nearby delivery station, as he didn’t dare bring them back to the dorm for fear of arousing his roommates’ suspicion.
Carrying a stack of boxes into the hotel, Pei Xi unpacked ring lights, phone stands, the dress he would wear for the shoot, makeup, and the samples sent by the brand.
The hotel’s heating was strong, so even wearing just a black slip dress, he didn’t feel cold.
The dress had a plunging neckline, exposing a large expanse of skin on his chest. The straps were thin strings that looked as if they might snap with the slightest tug. The dress hugged his waist, featuring a tie design, and the skirt flared out from the hips. It was short, barely covering the tops of his thighs.
The samples sent by the brand were ultra-thin and sheer.
After putting them on, he checked himself in the mirror. The black stockings complemented his dress perfectly, making his legs appear long and straight.
Once he confirmed his makeup was flawless, Pei Xi took a deep breath and started the livestream.
“Good evening~”
The moment the camera turned on, comments flooded in as usual.
【A surprise livestream?!】
【What’s the occasion today? I thought the next one would be during the New Year’s holiday.】
【Xiao Bao, I’m here!!】
【Huh? Is Xiao Bao streaming from home? It doesn’t look like it—more like a hotel.】
Pei Xi nodded. “It’s not convenient to stream from the dorm, so I came to a hotel.”
【User10557880 sent Carnival ×1】
【User10557880: You look beautiful today.】
Pei Xi paused at the comment scrolling across the screen, suddenly reminded of Lu Li’s indifferent face. It was hard to imagine how he could say something like that.
Lu Li seemed utterly unsparing in his praise for him, occasionally even coaxing him when he threw a little tantrum.
It always made Pei Xi feel like this was a novel experience.
Back in school, Lu Li hadn’t even been willing to exchange more than a few words with him.
But on Douyin, Lu Li would take the initiative to start conversations and repeatedly remind him to dress warmly as the weather turned cold.
Pei Xi’s lips curled slightly as he smiled and asked, “So, do you prefer mature, domineering women or cute, sweet girls?”
[User 10557880: Of course, I like you.]
Pei Xi’s face flushed instantly, burning with shyness. He quickly changed the subject: “The stockings I’m wearing today are from XX brand. They’re really comfortable.”
He even took out another sample pair to show the live-stream audience. “These stockings are very thin, sheer, and not prone to snagging. Even sisters with manicured nails can wear them without worry.”
To demonstrate the product, he stood up and swayed his legs in front of the camera.
[Black stockings!! So thrilling!!]
[I suggest Xiao Bao wear more outfits in this style! (drooling.jpg)]
“Thank you for your support. Today, the lucky fans who win the giveaway will receive the same black stockings I’m wearing. Everyone, please participate enthusiastically.” Pei Xi’s voice was soft and sweet, the heat on his face spreading down to his neck, turning it a deep shade of red.
“Let’s not do PK battles today, okay?” Pei Xi took a bite of a small cake, holding the spoon between his teeth as he spoke. “We haven’t chatted in a while. I’d like to talk with everyone.”
His fans knew he didn’t like PK battles or soliciting votes. Whenever he had to ask for support, he’d always act awkwardly, reluctant to let everyone spend so much money on him.
[There’s cream at the corner of your mouth—so cute.]
[You’re dressed so sexily, but you’re still adorable. How does that work??]
“Is there cream on my mouth?” Pei Xi leaned closer to his phone, glancing at the live-stream camera before instinctively licking the corner of his lips. “What I posted earlier was meant literally. It’s not that I’m lacking love. I just want to fall in love and experience the bittersweetness of romance.”
“It doesn’t have to be bitter, though. It might be sweet… My standards are quite high, so not many people meet my criteria. Don’t worry, I won’t just settle for anyone. If I do start dating someone, I’ll announce it publicly. I won’t hide it from you.”
Pei Xi casually adjusted his bangs and eyelashes, gazing at his reflection in the camera as he rambled on, wanting to reassure them.
After fixing his makeup, he finally noticed that the chat had exploded. Confused, he stared at the screen and asked blankly, “What’s going on?”
[User 10557880 sent Carnival ×1]
[User 10557880 sent Carnival ×2]
[User 10557880 sent Carnival ×3]
Pei Xi watched the pink gift effects popping up on the screen, his voice softening. “Thank you, User-ge, for the Carnivals. You really shouldn’t have.”
[Hahaha, User-ge can’t hide his little intentions]
[Did Xixi see User-ge’s self-recommendation?]
[User-ge sent so many red envelopes—trying to bribe us!]
Only then did Pei Xi notice several large red envelopes in the top left corner of his live stream, each worth two thousand diamonds.
The chat flooded with messages: I approve of this match.
His restless heart began to stir once again.
Pei Xi looked at the system avatar ranked first on the list and couldn’t help but laugh. “User Ge is a really good person. I like him a lot too.”
【Huh??!】
【Is this a “good person” card or genuine feelings?】
【So is User Ge within Xiao Bao’s consideration?】
Pei Xi didn’t answer their questions. Instead, he showed them the small cakes he had bought. “These are the little cakes User Ge treated me to. I bought three flavors—strawberry, blueberry, and chocolate.”
He clearly avoided the topic. With Milk Tea and Strawberry Sister moderating the chat, the rhythm of the comments gradually settled down.
“The next livestream time isn’t confirmed yet. Goodnight, everyone~”
After ending the stream, Pei Xi leaned back in his chair and gently touched his slightly rounded belly.
He had eaten dinner before going live, and he had also ordered milk tea and small cakes. He had been snacking throughout the stream, so he was stuffed.
“Ding dong—”
【You have a new message. Please check it.】
【User 10557880: Besides small cakes, what else do you like to eat?】
【Xixi: I like seafood.】
【User 10557880: Do you want to eat it now?】
Pei Xi suddenly felt like teasing him.
【Xixi: I’m too full right now. Can’t eat anymore.】
【Xixi: If I ever get the chance to meet you, you can treat me to seafood.】
【Xixi: I want king crab, Australian lobster, red grouper, geoduck, and bluefin tuna!】
【User 10557880: Sure.】
【User 10557880: I’m looking forward to it.】
【User 10557880: That day will definitely come.】
Pei Xi could sense his happiness, as if the earlier bit of unhappiness had completely vanished.
He always felt that Lu Li was easier to appease than he had imagined.
【Xixi: I was just joking. Anything simple would be fine.】
【User 10557880: I wasn’t joking. You can have it whenever you want. I can have it delivered to you.】
【User 10557880: Just send me any address.】
Pei Xi suddenly began to look forward to it too. If that day really came, even if he put on full makeup and wore a little dress, Lu Li might not recognize him, right?
Would there ever be such an opportunity?
Pei Xi didn’t know either.