Chapter 6 of 10

Chapter 6

5 min read1,333 words

"Let's just go with this." Liu Yingzi arrived at the front of a store that specialized in women's casual wear, and strode in. Immediately, a female salesperson warmly greeted her.

"Hello, may I ask what kind of clothes you need?"

"I want casual wear, more on the men's side."

"Sure, please follow me."

The salesperson had excellent professional skills and quickly selected a set of casual wear for Liu Yingzi based on her needs: a light blue T-shirt, a black jacket, and a pair of blue jeans. Instantly, Liu Yingzi's appearance changed dramatically. The weak and delicate aura she usually exuded was completely gone, replaced by a spirited and energetic look. Moreover, since Liu Yingzi was a man in her previous life, the change in her attire gave her an additional air of confidence and vigor.

Just by changing her clothes, the difference in her demeanor was so significant that the salesperson's eyes lit up. She couldn't help but recommend, "Miss, you really suit this type of clothing. You could buy a couple more sets. Also, I suggest you get a haircut. I think your style would suit short hair better."

"Short hair... " Liu Yingzi involuntarily tugged at her long, flowing hair. In her previous life, Liu Yingzi had kept her hair long, which cascaded down her back, a classic example of long, straight black hair.

Liu Yingzi personally quite liked long, straight black hair, but having it now made her very uncomfortable. Washing her hair alone took a long time, so getting a shorter haircut seemed like a good idea.

"Alright, thank you for your advice. I'll take two more sets of this outfit, just change the colors." Liu Yingzi immediately accepted the salesperson's suggestion and bought two more sets of casual wear for changing. The salesperson was delighted, as selling three sets of clothes would earn her over a hundred yuan in commission.

Soon, the salesperson packed the clothes for Liu Yingzi and, with a smile, saw her out of the store. Liu Yingzi then immediately looked for a hair salon.

However, she hadn't walked far when three girls, around fifteen or sixteen years old, approached. They saw Liu Yingzi and were momentarily stunned, then whispered to each other before approaching her with malicious smiles.

Liu Yingzi had noticed these three girls early on. Seeing them approach, she raised an eyebrow but said nothing, looking away and continuing on her way as if she hadn't seen them.

But while Liu Yingzi didn't want to cause trouble, the girls had no intention of letting it go. They quickly blocked her path, and the leader, with a mischievous smile, said, "Classmate Liu Yingzi, where are you going?"

Liu Yingzi frowned slightly, her gaze shifting to the girl. She had to admit, the girl was quite pretty. Though young, she already knew how to apply makeup, which gave her a fresh and clean look. However, the malicious smile on her face ruined the overall effect, making her very unappealing.

From the current situation, it was clear that the girl knew Liu Yingzi and that their relationship was likely not good. But Liu Yingzi didn't recognize her. How should she handle this?

After a moment's thought, Liu Yingzi replied calmly, "I'm going to get a haircut. Do you need something?"

It was a very ordinary response, and Liu Yingzi didn't think there was anything strange about it. But the girl was taken aback because the previous Liu Yingzi would have been timid and wouldn't have responded so calmly. Her calm expression and indifferent attitude were very different from before.

Only now did the three girls realize that Liu Yingzi seemed completely different from the timid girl they knew. She had a calm and composed demeanor, a quality they usually only saw in mature adults.

Could a fifteen-year-old girl have such a demeanor? This was not logical!

The three girls found this very strange, but their long-held perceptions made them reflexively think that Liu Yingzi was just pretending to be calm. The leader then smiled and said, "Nothing much. Just remember, after the Victory Festival, there will be a midterm exam. If you fail or don't show up, your future might be in trouble."

"Oh, I understand. Thank you for reminding me. Don't worry! I'll go to school after the festival. Besides, I have something to do, so I can't chat much. We can talk another time. Goodbye!" Liu Yingzi quickly said, then hurried away, afraid of giving herself away.

To the three girls, this behavior seemed like a sign of fear, making them pause and then exchange smiles. One of them said disdainfully, "Hmph, this bitch is just pretending. I almost thought she had really changed, but it's just an act."

"Really funny. I thought she would become more interesting after missing so many classes, but she's still just a waste of time," another added.

The leader then sneered, "Forget it, let's continue shopping! Anyway, she said she'll return to school after the festival. Then we can do whatever we want to her. Hmph, she made us get a reprimand. If I don't get revenge, I'll write my name backward!"

Liu Yingzi, of course, didn't know about the girls' conversation. After parting ways with them, she had no mood for shopping and found a nearby hair salon to get her hair trimmed before going home.

The hairdresser, seeing Liu Yingzi's long hair, thought it would be a pity to cut it all off, but Liu Yingzi insisted on a short haircut. The hairdresser had no choice but to "take drastic action."

Suddenly, a song played in the salon, and Liu Yingzi was taken aback because it was the very song she had uploaded to the internet, "With You in the Last Summer."

This song was a niche hit in her previous life but was very popular in the otaku community. It was one of her favorite songs, though it wasn't original. The original was a hit by the Japanese girl group ZONE, "Secret Base." It was later used as the ending theme for a Japanese anime, and its beautiful and lively melody and touching lyrics quickly became popular in the otaku community, leading to many cover versions. The version she had created, "With You in the Last Summer," was a cover by a net singer named Mermaid of the West.

As the music played, the hairdresser also hummed along. Liu Yingzi, curious, asked, "Excuse me, where is this song from?"

The hairdresser replied in a surprised tone, "You don't know? This song is called 'With You in the Last Summer,' sung by a net singer named Yae Kyou. It's already a huge hit online."

Liu Yingzi's eyes twinkled, "Oh, I see. I don't go online much, so I didn't know. But this song is pretty good."

"Hehe, you can listen to it when you get home. It's on the Heavenly Melody website, and it's always featured on the homepage. You'll see it as soon as you visit the site."

"Oh, okay, thank you."

"You're welcome, it's my pleasure."

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[With You in the Last Summer, the indelible memories. The smile in the setting sun, gradually fading away...]

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The song played, and the hairdresser, who was cutting Liu Yingzi's hair, also hummed along. Liu Yingzi, curious, asked, "Excuse me, where is this song from?"