Chapter 24: Change

Chapter 24: Change

The weather forecast had promised three days of nonstop rain.

But today? Not a single drop.

Instead, the sky just looked gloomy, and the air was so heavy with moisture that it felt like trying to breathe underwater—sticky, suffocating, and unbearably hot.

The temperature had even climbed back to thirty degrees.

Chen Shiyu lay sprawled on her desk, cheek pressed against the cool surface, desperately trying to steal some relief from the heat.

The ceiling fan overhead gave a weak, half-hearted spin. Since she’s sitting in the first row by the wall, she was far outside its range.

With a plop, Chen Jing dropped into the seat beside her and latched onto her arm, shaking it excitedly.

“Shiyu! I heard we actually have PE today! Is that true!?”

“Mhm~ yeah.”

“The PE teacher isn’t sick this time!”

“But… you’re on your period.”

“So what? I’ll just sit out!”

The girl didn’t seem to suffer from cramps at all. Her mood was perfectly fine, almost cheerful even. 

So much for the horror stories online about “hell week.”

Still, Shiyu’s nose—keen as ever thanks to her fox instincts—could pick up the faint, iron-tinged scent clinging to her friend.

Her turn was coming soon too.

Digging through the memories of her body’s former owner, Shiyu recalled that “she” hadn’t had cramps either, nor any wild mood swings. The real nightmare was the sheer duration: seven full days, with heavy bleeding that often leaked through.

Absolutely terrifying.

A whole week-long bleeding debuff—who could endure that!?

Glancing at the clock, Shiyu stretched lazily, then let out a long breath before raising her voice to the class:

“Alright, everyone! Time for PE on the field!”

Fulfilling the duties of class monitor—even though she never asked to be one.

“The teacher’s back?”

“No way, we actually have PE today!?”

“Wooohooo!!”

The classroom erupted. A swarm of students bolted for the door, leaving behind scattered echoes of excitement.

After a moment’s thought, Shiyu tucked her phone into her pocket. 

She’d just find some quiet corner on the field where no teacher could see and play on it later.

Before she could take two steps, Chen Jing was back at her side, looping her arm through Shiyu’s. More girls gathered around, giggling and chatting, following her lead as they headed downstairs.

Anyone else would’ve basked in the attention of being the group’s “center.”

Shiyu, however, wore a stiff smile.

“Class Rep~ you’ve gotten prettier, haven’t you?”

“Eh? Really?” she replied with a practiced, fake laugh.

“Totally! Your skin looks so good—let me pinch it!”

Before she could dodge, someone’s fingers sank into her cheek.

Her chubby little face squished painfully, making her eyelid twitch. But she couldn’t exactly snap at them.

“H-hey, knock it off! Go pinch Chen Jing instead!”

“So soft! You must be using some secret skincare, huh?”

“Really!? Let me try too!”

Oh for the love of—get lost already! You think this doesn’t hurt!?

Shiyu cursed in her head while ducking and weaving to avoid more grabby hands. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced back at the classroom—

And froze.

A girl sat alone, quietly packing up her things. When the rest had gone, she slipped to the back of the line, trailing timidly after the others.

The type of student every class had—withdrawn, unapproachable, and often the easiest target for bullying.

She reminded Shiyu uncomfortably of her past self.

“Hey! Enough already!”

After a beat of hesitation, Shiyu leaned out the window and called inside:

“Lingling! Hurry up, let’s go!”

The girl startled, eyes wide, before looking Shiyu’s way. After a pause, she lowered her head and followed at the very back.

Still timid. Still holding back.

Forget it. Can’t drag her along if she doesn’t want to.

Her name was Ji Lingling, if Shiyu remembered right. Definitely not a local surname. Around here, the big three families were Chen, Shen, and Lin—interwoven by bloodlines and distant relatives. Outsiders were naturally excluded.

Even without any conscious bullying, the locals naturally clumped together. They’d slip into dialect mid-conversation, locking others out without even realizing. Outgoing types could muscle their way in, but someone as shy as Ji Lingling?

She didn’t stand a chance.

“Come on, leave her be already.”

Shiyu let it go, refocusing on dodging questions about skincare as the group laughed and jostled their way downstairs.

Out on the field, students trickled into loose clusters, chatting in threes and fours while waiting for class to start.

The bell rang, and right on cue, their PE teacher appeared—a middle-aged man with a proud beer belly, striding onto the track. He’d been this class’s PE teacher since freshman year, and was more like one of the gang than a strict instructor.

“Teacher! You’re better already?”

Shi Lei’s shout drew a burst of laughter.

“Better my ass! It’ll relapse next week!” the man barked back, waving his hand. “Alright, hurry up. PE rep, lead them for two laps. After that—free activity.”

“Ohhh!”

The magic words. “Free activity” was the sweetest sound you could hear in PE.

Shiyu’s mood instantly soared. She joined the group, jogging along with the rest.

But she barely made it two hundred meters before things went south.

Ughhh. So tired My legs are killing me My heart’s about to explode~

Wait a sec— how!? Back then she’d outrun five farm dogs all at once, dodging their snapping jaws, tricking them into chasing shadows, and even stealing a chicken leg in her grand escape! She’d been lightning fast.

If her fox self had no problem… then clearly the problem lay in this body.

Sure enough, the original Shiyu might’ve been bright and bubbly, but when it came to sports? She hated exercise with a passion. Not a shred of muscle on her. Expecting her to run was wishful thinking.

The air was thick, heavy with humidity. Within a few steps, sweat beaded on her forehead, sliding down her temples. Her breath grew ragged and uneven, her back damp with sweat.

“Haaah… haaah…”

By the time they finished just one lap, Shiyu couldn’t take it anymore. She bent over, hands on her knees, panting hard.

“Worn out already?” Shen Yan slowed down beside her, jogging in place to keep his rhythm. “You really ought to start morning runs.”

He wasn’t even sweating.

“Can’t… do it… Tell the teacher I’m dying…”

Shen Yan gave her a weird look. 

This fox girl’s stamina was actually worse than a normal girl’s. After all this time, he hadn’t seen a single hint of “fox spirit” power.

Was she really someone he needed to worry about flipping the table someday?

“Then just go sit down somewhere,” he said casually.

His eyes flicked briefly to her back—her thin white school shirt was plastered to her skin, soaked through and turning translucent. The pink camisole beneath was clearly outlined.

Not much of a view. Boring.

“I’m out~”

Dragging her feet, Shiyu shuffled off the track and plopped herself down by a flower bed in the corner.

She glanced around. The teacher wasn’t paying attention. Good.

Out came her phone. Switching to the front camera, she studied her reflection.

—Huh. Her skin really did look better.

There’d been pimples and blemishes before, but now her face was smooth and pale, almost flawless.

Tugging at her collar to cool off, she snapped a selfie, then pulled up an old one from her gallery to compare.

Not only was her skin improved, but her eyes seemed slightly larger, her lashes thicker—like she was wearing light makeup even though she wasn’t.

Shiyu couldn’t help grinning. 

Sure, she used to be a guy, but even men cared about appearances, right?

The only problem was… these changes were subtle, almost imperceptible day to day. But all together, they gave her face a faint, alluring “fox-like” charm.

“Still… the original pure and cute look suited me better.”

She muttered under her breath, gaze dropping to the faint curve on her chest.

The changes in her appearance, the body’s slow second round of development—it was obvious all of it stemmed from being possessed by a fox spirit. Maybe the yang energy played a part too.

“Being prettier is fine and all…”

“But don’t you dare turn me into some sultry fox spirit, got it?”

Even as a girl, Shiyu would rather stay a flat-chested tomboy than end up a voluptuous, seductive fox vixen.

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