Chapter 30: If I Can’t See You in a Skirt, Then There’s No Hope~
Later that night, Chen Cheng and An Yuan left the internet café one after the other.
The streets were quiet, with only a few cars passing by and barely any pedestrians in sight. The autumn wind was sharp, stinging Chen Cheng's face.
She pulled a bottle of moisturizer from her bag, bent down slightly, and used the glass door of the internet café as a mirror to apply it to her face.
At first glance, it almost looked like she was touching up her makeup.
An Yuan stood beside her, waiting. He glanced down the street and saw a lively roadside barbecue stall just below the internet café. It catered mostly to night owls and internet café gamers, staying open until five or six in the morning.
"Man, the internet café reeked of smoke. It's been so long since I've been in one. I'm not used to the smell anymore."
"Then why did you insist on coming?"
"Hey, An Yuan, do you still smoke?" Chen Cheng followed him downstairs, asking curiously. "I remember you used to go through two packs a day!"
"I'm trying not to anymore. It's bad for my health."
They had come out for a late-night snack, and they also planned to bring some food back for their classmates.
Once they reached the barbecue stall, Chen Cheng grabbed a basket and started picking out skewers from the fridge, while An Yuan walked over to a nearby convenience store to buy a few bottles of beer.
They had eaten at this stall countless times in the past. The food was great, but since they just had barbecue last night, it already felt a bit repetitive.
"Boss, how much for a chicken leg?"
"Six yuan."
"That cheap...?"
Chen Cheng muttered under her breath. Ten years later, the same chicken leg would cost at least eight or ten yuan.
She did a quick calculation based on how much money she had and ordered around 20 or 30 yuan worth of food. Since An Yuan had paid last night, it was her turn to treat this time.
Behind the stall, a few small folding tables and plastic stools were set up. By the time Chen Cheng sat down, An Yuan had already returned with the drinks.
"It's a bit cold." Chen Cheng hugged her arms around her stomach and curled up slightly on the stool. When An Yuan handed her a beer, she shook her head. "I'll pass. I don't like drinking outside."
She had always been mindful of how others saw her and didn't want to get drunk and make a scene in public. Plus, she was a girl now, drinking outside just didn't feel safe.
Even though this town had always had pretty good security.
"Alright."
An Yuan didn't wait for the barbecue to arrive. He popped open a bottle of beer and drank it quickly, taking big gulps.
"Since you're drinking, why not talk about it?"
Chen Cheng had already noticed something was off about him back at the internet café. She couldn't pinpoint what exactly, but maybe it was just their natural bond as friends.
She knew An Yuan too well. He usually carried himself with an easygoing smile, like nothing could ever get to him, like a man who could take on the world. But the only time he ever opened up was when he was drinking.
She was the same way. They both liked to keep their worries to themselves. Or maybe, like many men, they were just afraid of showing weakness, afraid of not being "man enough."
"Talk about what?"
"You seem really frustrated. Sick of senior year already?"
An Yuan hesitated, then took another long drink before saying, "It's not that bad. Just… it's been so many days, and all I've done is go to class. I feel like I've done nothing else."
"Didn't you say you'd focus on the college entrance exam first?"
"I said that, yeah…" An Yuan's gaze flickered, avoiding Chen Cheng's eyes.
Chen Cheng rested her chin in her hands and sighed softly.
She wasn't doing much better, just drifting through each day.
The barbecue was served, and Chen Cheng pulled out a tissue, using it to pick up the skewers, avoiding getting her fingers greasy.
"Is your back still hurting?"
"It feels much better now."
"You were always so healthy in high school. Could your back pain be psychological?"
"Maybe?"
After a few drinks, An Yuan finally started talking. "I just feel anxious, like I'm wasting time and can't get anything done."
"Exactly! I feel the same way!"
"And now that things have slowed down, I don't know what to do with myself."
"Slowed down? Where?!" Chen Cheng strongly disagreed. "I haven't felt this exhausted in ages! Every morning, I wake up and just don't want to go to school!"
An Yuan didn't argue. He just kept drinking and eating his barbecue. Then, all of a sudden, he let out a heavy sigh.
"I feel like a failure."
"..."
Chen Cheng didn't know what to say. Instead, she picked up her stool and moved to sit beside him.
She carefully chose her words, trying to comfort him. "Come on, how could you be? Look at me! You're way better off than I am! You're good-looking, smart, and great at basketball. And look at me, even with me being me, I don't feel like a failure!"
"Think about it, maybe us crossing over to this life wasn't random. Maybe fate saw how exhausting your last life was and decided to give you a break this time."
Just then, An Yuan turned his head to look at the far end of the street. Chen Cheng followed his gaze and saw a woman in a revealing minidress, her style a bit too flashy.
The tight minidress outlined the woman's curves, highlighting her waist, hips, and legs. Her makeup was bold, almost seductive. A cigarette rested between her fingers, and she smiled lazily, exuding an air of sultry confidence. It was clear she wasn't the type of woman you'd call "decent."
"Ohhh~" Chen Cheng suddenly realized something. "You're just frustrated because you haven't had any sex in a while, huh? No wonder!"
She had heard that a lack of intimacy could lead to low moods, though, as a 27 years old virgin, she didn't fully understand the logic herself.
An Yuan shot her an exasperated look.
"But a woman like that? No way~"
Chen Cheng nervously tugged at his arm, afraid that her friend was about to fall into self-destruction.
"It's not that… I was just thinking…"
"Thinking what?"
An Yuan rubbed his chin, then turned to look at Chen Cheng with a thoughtful expression, scanning her up and down.
"Ew—!" Chen Cheng's face went pale. She quickly crossed her arms over her chest, looking at him in alarm. "What are you doing? Why are you looking at me like that? Are you sick?"
Was he that desperate? To the point where he'd even consider his own brother?!
"I just think you'd look really good in a skirt, especially a short one."
Chen Cheng rolled her eyes and gave An Yuan the middle finger with disdain. "Why would I, a grown man, wear a skirt?"
"You're a girl now."
"Not happening. I don't have that kind of hobby."
An Yuan downed another bottle of beer. His brief moment of excitement faded, replaced by an overwhelming sense of defeat.
"I really am a failure… I worked so hard to make money, and in the end, my fiancée left me, I lost my house, got fired from my job, and my mom was in the hospital…"
"Stop, stop, stop—" Chen Cheng covered her ears and shook her head. "I don't want to hear it! Auntie's in the hospital?! Why?"
"High blood pressure. She fell and had a brain hemorrhage… Ah, whatever. This life isn't any better than the last one."
"Oh, come on! That's all in the past now."
"If I can't even see you in a cute skirt, then there's really no hope left for me..."
Chen Cheng, furious, picked up an empty can and smacked him on the head. "Get over yourself! Quit acting pathetic! I'll wear one tomorrow, okay?!"
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
Chen Cheng landed a few more hits, and An Yuan rubbed his sore head.
But then, he suddenly went stiff. Chen Cheng, slightly clumsy, used her fingers to wipe away the tears forming at the corners of his eyes. Her fingertips brushed against his skin, light, soft, and a little ticklish.
"There, there~ If you're going to cry, just let it out. I won't laugh at you." The girl's voice was gentle. "Why not just do what I do? No marriage, no kids, let's just be best friends for life!"
An Yuan's stiff body gradually relaxed, and his head rested on the girl's shoulder.
"You were joking just now, weren't you?"
"Nope. I really want to see you in a skirt."
"Screw you!"
<+>
If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind spending $5 monthly to see till the latest chapter, please go to my
Latest Chapter in Patreon:
Link to the latest chapter: