Chapter 49: The Cross-Dressing Game Streamer is Actually… (1)
The next time Huo Xian opened his eyes, he found himself in a cramped bathroom, holding two strips of pink cloth. The top he was wearing was tight and uncomfortably warm, while his lower body⌠felt a bit drafty?
He looked down, and his expression instantly darkened.
He was wearing a pink lolita dress, padded with something in the chest, and below that⌠were two long, fair, and completely bare legs. The two strips of cloth in his hands were clearly accessories for the dress, perhaps meant to be tied into bows?
âHuo Yuan, are you there?â Huo Xian resisted the urge to facepalm and called out to Huo Yuan first.
A âMew~â echoed in his mind. âIâm here.â
Huo Xian: ???
What was that?
Five minutes later, Huo Xian and the little white kitten on the desk were locked in a staring contest. Soon, the kitten began to mewl nonstop, finally covering its face with a tiny paw, vividly illustrating the meaning of utter despair.
According to Huo Yuanâs explanation, his points had finally become a positive number. Thinking about how Huo Xian wanted him to have a physical form, he contacted the officials to request an exchange for a physical body to accompany his host. The officials offered many tiers of physical forms based on points, and since he only had 100 positive points, he exchanged them for the cheapest option without a second thought.
The result was that he had turned into a catâa Napoleon munchkin kitten.
Huo Xian: ââŚâ
Words couldnât quite describe what Huo Xian was feeling right now, but after that initial shock, he found himself wanting to laugh. Especially when he saw the little kitten splayed out on the desk with its paws covering its head in a look of utter despairâit was simply too adorable!
He immediately pulled out his phone and started taking pictures. Only after snapping shots from every angle did he put his phone away and ask, âCan the exchange still be canceled?â
âIf I cancel, the points wonât be refunded. Iâm not canceling,â the little kitten meowed.
Even with a physical body, Huo Yuan could still communicate with his host in his sea of consciousness and issue missions. However, because he had a physical form, the range of their telepathic communication was limited; they had to stay within ten meters of each other to communicate without obstruction.
Huo Xian looked at the small, white, fluffy ball and couldn’t resist reaching out to pick him up and place him in his hand. Huo Yuan jumped in fright, his round, perpetually curious eyes staring straight at him, which only made him look all the more endearing to Huo Xian.
âHuo Yuan, youâre so cute.â Huo Xian leaned in, touching his nose to the kittenâs little pink one.
âR-Really?â Huo Yuan froze in his hand, the ears beneath his snowy fur flushing an alluring pink.
âAbsolutely!â Huo Xian said, wanting to carry him to the bathroom mirror to see for himself. But as he stood up, he suddenly remembered the pink dress he was still wearing. His face darkened again, and he said dejectedly, âHuo Yuan, give me this worldâs Son of Destinyâs memories first.â
Only then did Huo Yuan notice the dress Huo Xian was wearing. After a moment, he finally reacted and replied, âOh, okay.â After responding, he thought worriedly: In the last world, the Son of Destiny I chose for Huo Xian had a very aloof personality. Could this worldâs be a cross-dressing big shot?
The Son of Destiny in this world wasn’t exactly a cross-dressing aficionado; he didn’t wear women’s clothing because of a fetish, but to earn money.
The original owner was twenty-one this year, a fourth-year student at a third-rate university in the imperial capital, studying an unpopular major with mediocre grades. His parents had passed away early, and he was raised by his maternal grandmother. Last year, his grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. With no other relatives, they used up all their savings for her surgery.
This world was one where online gaming reigned supreme. Professions like game streamer, commentator, and power-leveler were common among young people. The original owner was good at games and had been working as a power-leveler since elementary school to support himself and his grandmother. Unfortunately, gaming equipment was expensive these days. A professional gaming PC paired with a VR headset greatly enhanced the gaming experience, but with the original ownerâs family situation, he couldnât afford to splurge on such things.
After his grandmotherâs surgery, their family was left completely destitute. Sensing his predicament, Yin Pei, the wealthy second-generation roommate who was rarely in the dorm, indirectly gave him his old, unused computer and a generic VR headset under the pretext that he wouldnât be using them.
The original owner was unwilling to accept, but Yin Pei simply left, saying he wouldnât be using the equipment anyway if it stayed in the dorm. While the original owner was still hesitating, another roommate, Zhao Xiyou, developed an interest in Yin Peiâs computer and headset.
Zhao Xiyou, a transmigrator, had originally been a professional esports player who had âaccidentallyâ crossed into this world after his death. Seizing the opportunity presented by the original ownerâs reluctance to use Yin Peiâs equipment, he took it for himself and began his legendary journey to the top of the gaming world.
You might ask, what role did the original owner play in Zhao Xiyouâs rise to godhood?
Oh, he was just a run-of-the-mill cross-dressing streamer. The idea to become one was even suggested by Zhao Xiyou. And to show his âapologyâ for taking Yin Peiâs computer and VR headset, he sold his own obsolete computer to the original owner at a depreciated price that wouldnât hurt his pride.
The streaming industry was indeed a fast way to make money. Although the original owner only had one game and its matching headset, his skills were incredibly sharp, which earned him a wave of fans. Unfortunately, just as he was gaining some fame and making a name for himself in the massively popular game Immortal Realm, his grandmother was brought to the dorm and saw him playing games in womenâs clothing. His grandmother was a traditional woman. In her mind, a boy wearing a dress was a pervert. In a fit of anger, her old illness relapsed, and she passed away that very night. Meanwhile, he was outed online as a man, which led to cyberbullying and doxxing.
The original owner wasn’t the type to flirt or curry favor with his audience, but he was good-looking, and his female persona wasn’t jarring. Many of his fans were drawn to his âfemale beautyâ and showered him with gifts. But when their female streamer turned out to be a man, how could they accept it?
People began to track down the original ownerâs name and address, even showing up at his school to confront him. The school expelled him for the negative impact he had caused. As his entire world plunged into darkness, his top-spending fan, unable to swallow the fact that heâd been deceived, sent people to corner him. Between humiliation and death, he chose the latter.
It was only after his death that he learned that many things had been completely altered by a single personâs casual push, and the outcome had changed accordingly.
For example, the computer Yin Pei had originally given him had all the games pre-purchased, and someone had been waiting for him in one of them. But Zhao Xiyou had coveted that person, so he swapped Yin Peiâs computer for his own old one. For another example, Zhao Xiyouâs initial suggestion for him to stream in womenâs clothing wasnât to help him attract fans and earn more tips, but was born from malicious amusement. And another: just as he was about to complete a promotion in Immortal Realm, Zhao Xiyou deliberately brought his grandmother to the dormâŚ
All these things left him unreconciled and filled with hatred.
And now, the time Huo Xian had taken over the body was the third day of the original ownerâs cross-dressing stream.
âHuo Yuan, what are the missions?â Huo Xian asked.
Huo Yuan quickly replied, âThere are three missions in this world: 1. Reclaim the Son of Destinyâs luck and perfect the worldâs laws; 2. Protect your grandmother and keep her from being harmed again; 3. Obtain the title of âFirst Immortal Lordâ in Immortal Realm.â
Given that completing the Son of Destinyâs wishes in the last world also awarded points, Huo Yuan didnât omit the latter two missions.
âThe original ownerâs wish doesnât include making Zhao Xiyou pay the price or regret his actions?â Huo Xian asked.
Huo Yuan carefully reviewed the tasks again, and after confirming there were no hidden missions, he replied, âNo, the Son of Destiny only has those two mission wishes.â
âAlright.â Huo Xian replied lazily and began to change his clothes.
The original owner of this world was a far cry from the one in the last world; the difference in family background was immense. However, Huo Xian wasnât picky. He had worn designer clothes, and he could wear cheap street stall goods too. At least it felt much better than wearing a dress.
After changing, he surveyed the dorm room. It was an ordinary four-person university dorm, but only he and Zhao Xiyou were regular residents. Yin Pei would occasionally come for a nap, and the other, a boy named Ge Yayi, was a local from the imperial capital. His family was also well-off, and he had bought a house near the school, so he hadn’t set foot in the dorm in four years.
The dorm had a loft bed setup, with desks below. Since two people were perpetually absent, Zhao Xiyou had bought a backdrop cloth online after âtransmigratingâ and learning that the original owner wanted to become a game streamer. He hung it over the two empty beds, making their streams look more presentable.
The original owner had followed Zhao Xiyouâs advice and originally scheduled his streams for three hours in the morning and three in the afternoon. Their major was basically in its internship phase by the fourth year, with only one or two classes left, so streaming during the day wasnât an issue. Zhao Xiyou, on the other hand, streamed at night and would also âteachâ the original owner how to interact with fans. Of course, their fan bases were different. The techniques he taught for pleasing female fans became methods for hooking male fans when applied by the original owner.
Huo Xian didnât start streaming. After changing, he grabbed his phone and left.
âHuo Xian, where are you going?â The cat-form Huo Yuan was naturally brought along.
This cat was actually a gift from Yin Pei to the original owner. However, Yin Pei wasn’t good at expressing himself, so he just said he âfound it and brought it back,â leaving it for the original owner to raise. But the poor original owner could barely feed himself, let alone a cat.
âTo pick out cat food for you,â Huo Xian said, stuffing him into his pocket.
ââŚHuh?â Huo Yuan was stunned, then immediately struggled and protested, âI donât want to eat cat food! I want to eat noodles, beef, fish balls, and shrimp!â
âIf you donât want your 100 points to go to waste, then youâd better obediently get this little body of yours stronger first,â Huo Xian said slowly.
Huo Yuan looked at his tiny paws. Even his hidden claws were transparent and soft. He instantly fell into a slump, not wanting to say another word.
After paying for his grandmother’s hospitalization, medicine, and caregiver fees for the coming week, the original owner only had 721 yuan left in his bank account, enough for only a month of daily expenses. Before he started streaming, he had three part-time jobs. Unfortunately, he was fired from one, and the boss of another was too stingy and exploited him, so he quit. He then decided to try streaming games according to his own ideas. Unfortunately, before he could figure things out, Zhao Xiyou came with his advice, and being soft-hearted, he put on the dress and started streaming.
However, the streaming industry was a deep pool, especially when it became a hot and competitive field. It was increasingly difficult for newcomers to make a name for themselves. But the original owner was the Son of Destiny, and on his second day of streamingâyesterdayâhe unexpectedly got featured on the homepage and gained about a hundred followers.
Huo Yuan also began to worry about Huo Xianâs livelihood. After much thought, he came up with an idea: âHuo Xian, Iâll give you the Jade Bone Regenerating Pills I got from the system. You can sell two of them for a million or two!â
Huo Xianâs mouth twitched slightly. He said helplessly, âHuo Yuan, no one is that foolish.â
âThen what should we do⌠Donât buy so much cat food!â Huo Yuanâs words were cut short as he quickly tried to stop him.
Huo Xianâs hand didnât stop, however, continuing to place kitten food into the shopping basket. âIâll pick a few more flavors. You can try them when we get back, and Iâll buy more of whichever one you like.â
Huo Yuan: ââŚâ What he wanted to eat was beef, fish balls, and shrimp, not cat food!
By the time Huo Xian had finally picked out enough cat food and even bought a few cat toys, Huo Yuanâs heart ached for his remaining balance. But after spending so many years together, he knew Huo Xianâs personality; no amount of talking would change his mind.
âHuo Xian, what are you going to do now?â he asked weakly.
Huo Xian thanked the cashier girl who gave him a discount, picked up his things, and said as he walked out, âIâm going to the barbecue stall to get my wages.â
The original owner had three jobs. The two daytime jobs were both game-related and were now gone. The last one was at a barbecue stall at night.
âAre you planning to drink the northwest wind, then?â Huo Yuan asked, stunned. After his shock, he added, âIâll check if humans can eat cat food. If so, you can make do.â
Huo Xian let out a chuckle, causing a girl walking past him to look at him strangely, then blush when she saw his face. So, so handsome.
Only after he had laughed enough did Huo Xian say, âWhy would I have to drink the northwest wind? Iâve already âboughtâ the streaming equipment; I should make the best use of it.â
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