Ning Chu's blurred vision gradually became clear, and the first thing she saw was the stark white ceiling.
"She's hyperventilating."
"Hyperventilating?"
"Hyperventilation syndrome, a physiological and psychological reaction triggered by excessive anxiety or stress."
The voices of Wen Yang and a stranger echoed in her ears, sounding distant yet close.
Ning Chu turned her head sluggishly toward the door, where the conversation was coming from.
So, I made it out of the bathroom?
Good thing I had the presence of mind to pull my pants up in time…
Ning Chu felt a wave of relief. If she hadn't been quick, everything would've been seen.
She tried to push herself up, but her arms gave out almost immediately, and she fell back onto the bed.
The noise startled the people outside, and Wen Yang rushed in, his face full of concern as he hurried to her side. "You're awake? Are you alright?"
"Maybe," Ning Chu mumbled, still feeling a bit out of it. "What happened to me?"
"The doctor said you had hyperventilation syndrome."
"What's that?" Ning Chu asked, still confused.
She wriggled around, trying again to sit up, but it wasn't until Wen Yang helped her that she finally managed to do so.
She looked up at his anxious, caring face. "Shaoqing and Wang Jie didn't come with us?"
"They went to pay the fees," Wen Yang replied. "It was terrifying. I thought something really bad had happened to you."
He was still shaken.
The sight of Ning Chu lying on the bathroom floor, with blood all over her pants, had nearly given him a heart attack.
It looked like a crime scene straight out of Danganronpa.
Ning Chu shot him a glare before scanning the small hospital room, her eyes finally landing on the white bed sheets.
What did I forget?
She couldn't put her finger on it.
"Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah, just a bit weak." Ning Chu pressed her hand to her forehead. "What time is it?"
"A little after ten. We just got you to the hospital, and you woke up soon after," Wen Yang explained.
"Oh..." Ning Chu slid her legs out from under the blanket, but just as she was about to stand up, her eyes fell on the large, deep red stain on her pants, which had spread all over her shorts.
Right... I forgot the sanitary pad…
I couldn't have fainted after putting it on?
Ning Chu's face turned as pale as paper in an instant.
She instinctively pulled the blanket back over her legs, clenching it tightly between her thighs.
Her body froze, and her breathing quickened.
She nervously raised her eyes, locking onto Wen Yang's face.
"I already figured out that you're a girl, so don't worry," Wen Yang said gently, his voice soft and soothing. "Relax, don't be so tense. You're breathing too fast again..."
"What about them?" Ning Chu asked, her voice tight.
"They don't know. I kept it from them." Wen Yang reassured her. "We left campus in a hurry, so they didn't have time to realize anything."
Ning Chu finally exhaled a breath of relief.
She'd known for a while that Wen Yang had been trying to figure out her gender, and when she had asked him to buy sanitary pads earlier, she'd already decided not to hide it anymore.
Outside, the voices of Shaoqing and Wang Jie could be heard as they returned from paying the hospital fees.
Wen Yang handed Ning Chu a bag and then headed toward the door. "Go ahead and change your pants."
The door closed behind him, and Ning Chu could hear Shaoqing's loud voice outside, "Oh, damn! Is Ning Chu alright? He didn't kick the bucket, did he ?"
"Can you say something positive for once?"
"Is Ning Chu feeling better?" Wang Jie asked, concern in his voice.
"He should be fine now. Let him rest a bit," Wen Yang answered.
Hearing that Wen Yang had taken care of everything, Ning Chu finally relaxed fully.
She massaged her temples, glanced around the room again, and noticed a small bathroom in the corner.
"The plot's getting closer..." she muttered.
Ning Chu opened the bag Wen Yang had given her and found a pack of sanitary pads, along with her clean underwear and pants.
Wen Yang sure is thoughtful…
But the more considerate he is, the more anxious I get.
She headed into the bathroom, trying to push aside the jumbled thoughts in her mind.
She looked down at the package of sanitary pads in her hands.
How do you even use these?
Do you just stick them on?
After staring at it blankly for a moment, she finally pulled out her phone and searched for a tutorial online.
So, you stick it to the underwear, not directly on yourself.
When she caught another glimpse of her new body parts, Ning Chu realized it wasn't a dream after all.
She had truly, fully become a girl.
She had periods, could give birth, and was now biologically functional in every way.
Thinking back on her life so far, it all felt surreal.
Her life had split into two distinct halves: the introverted, shut-in guy she used to be and the newbie girl standing here now.
"Don't overthink it. Just run away..."
She had enough plot conditions now. She was a girl living in a boys' dormitory, and Wen Yang had found out her secret. Plus, he liked her.
It's only a matter of time before things escalate!
Ugh...
As terrifying as the unknown future might be, staying felt even more dangerous.
Running seemed like the better option, even if it meant facing who-knows-what.
As for breaking Wen Yang's heart... well, that was just a fantasy. She couldn't even kill a chicken, let alone kill his affection.
After hastily changing her clothes, Ning Chu, now feeling groggy and disoriented, walked out of the bathroom.
As soon as she stepped into the room, her three dormmates rushed over to her. Forcing a faint smile, she said, "Let's go back."
Wen Yang, seeing the troubled look in her eyes, felt his heart clench. "Are you sure? Maybe you should stay and rest a little longer?"
"No, I just want to go back."
A doctor came in to check her over, and once he confirmed there were no serious issues, he allowed her to leave.
The four of them walked out of the hospital together, the usual banter between them already in full swing.
"Man, we lost that comeback match!" Shaoqing grumbled, clearly heartbroken. "We were so close to winning after 50 minutes! Just one more fight!"
"Yeah, that sucks," Wang Jie added, equally bummed. "And now we're probably going to get reported."
Wen Yang frowned, irritated. "Why are you still talking about that? You didn't have to come."
"If we didn't, how would you have paid?" Shaoqing shot back before turning to Ning Chu. "Hey, want to order something to eat to get your strength back? You look weak as hell."
"How much was the bill? I'll pay you back."
"What, you think I need your money?"
"..."
Ning Chu didn't respond.
She slowed her pace, letting the others walk ahead, and discreetly threw her bloodstained clothes into a nearby trash can.
"Hey, what did you just throw away?" Wang Jie asked.
"Nothing," she replied quietly.
She looked up at the three boys laughing and joking under the streetlights, their shadows stretched long and distorted. Her heart sank further.
I should really leave... but a part of me doesn't want to.
<+>
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 Ko-Fi[1]
Latest Chapter in Ko-Fi: Volume 2 Chapter 1 / Chapter 281: January[2]
Link to the latest chapter: https://ko-fi.com/post/Volume-2-Chapter-1-Chapter-281-January-U7U31FVPEE[3]
https://ko-fi.com/marion1[4]
[1] https://ko-fi.com/marion1
[2] https://ko-fi.com/post/Volume-2-Chapter-1-Chapter-281-January-U7U31FVPEE
[3] https://ko-fi.com/post/Volume-2-Chapter-1-Chapter-281-January-U7U31FVPEE
[4] https://ko-fi.com/marion1