Cross-dressing to Seduce My Straight Roommate - Chapter 8

Pei Xi had just stepped out of the shower, water still dripping from the ends of his hair. A towel was draped over his shoulder as he walked toward the balcony, roughly drying his wet hair with his hands. A faint blush colored his cheeks, likely from the steam in the bathroom. He never liked taking cold showers, insisting on hot water even during the hottest weather.

 

As a result, he ended up sweating again right after bathing, feeling as though he’d washed for nothing.

 

In September, Ningcheng felt like a massive furnace—the weather was unbearably hot.

 

Wearing thin pajamas, Pei Xi was about to step into the room to cool off under the air conditioner when he ran into Zhai Jiarui coming out.

 

The two faced each other. Zhai Jiarui’s eyes were glued to his phone screen, maneuvering his game character under a tower for cover. He glanced up at Pei Xi, let out a surprised “Huh?” and paused.

 

Pei Xi stopped in his tracks, looking at him with confusion as if asking, “What’s wrong?”

 

Zhai Jiarui set his phone down, stared at Pei Xi for a few seconds, and suddenly remarked, “You look pretty good without your glasses.”

 

It even took Zhai Jiarui by surprise. Pei Xi had a small face, and those thick-framed glasses covered nearly half of it. Combined with his bangs hiding his forehead, it was hard to see what he really looked like.

 

But just then, Pei Xi had just washed his hair, his bangs pushed back, and he wasn’t wearing those ugly glasses, allowing Zhai Jiarui to see his true appearance.

 

Hearing Zhai Jiarui’s words, Pei Xi paused his hair-drying motion, remembering the glasses he’d left on the bed. He let out an awkward chuckle. “Really?”

 

“Seriously,” Zhai Jiarui nodded earnestly. “Seems like those glasses were hiding your looks.”

 

Pei Xi didn’t know how to respond, only managing a vague “Mhm.”

 

After Zhai Jiarui headed into the bathroom, Pei Xi quickly grabbed the glasses from his bed, put them on, dried his bangs, and let them fall back into place.

 

When Zhai Jiarui returned from the restroom and passed by Pei Xi’s bed, he deliberately glanced over. “Why’d you put the glasses back on?”

 

The sound of the hairdryer drowned out most of his words. Pei Xi smiled awkwardly. “I can’t see clearly without them.”

 

Just then, Lin Shaojun interrupted their conversation. “Zhai Jiarui, where are you? We’re doing a dragon fight.”

 

“Coming,” Zhai Jiarui replied, quickly returning to his seat.

 

Pei Xi finally breathed a sigh of relief. Truthfully, he hadn’t been entirely honest.

 

His vision was perfectly fine.

 

The glasses he wore were just accessories—they had no prescription.

 

It was because Pei Xi had been beautiful since childhood, with porcelain-white skin and delicate features, like a doll.

 

Neighbors often mistook him for a girl. “Whose little girl is this?”

 

As Pei Xi grew older, he became even more striking.

 

In middle school, boys would give him love letters and even corner him at the school gate, causing quite a stir.

 

Worried that his looks might bring trouble, Mu Mu bought him a pair of clunky, thick-framed glasses and cut his hair short, making him look somewhat awkward.

 

But from that day on, Pei Xi returned to his peaceful life.

 

And from that day on, Pei Xi never took off those thick-framed glasses again.

 

Later, he started doing cross-dressing livestreams and, with some luck, gained a bit of popularity a few times, amassing millions of fans.

 

As a guy, putting on women’s clothing, wearing a wig, and applying delicate makeup—such unconventional behavior is seen by many as attention-seeking, vulgar, and a desperate attempt to go viral.

 

He didn’t want his identity as a cross-dressing content creator to affect his real life, so he never appeared in men’s clothing on his platform. Every livestream was done with meticulous makeup, and he’d even use filters to ensure no one could recognize his true appearance.

 

He planned to keep these glasses and his current hairstyle permanently fixed to his face.

 

Pei Xi tossed his changed clothes into the washing machine and pushed open the back door of the dorm. A blast of cool air from the air conditioner hit him, finally bringing some relief from the heat.

 

Lin Shaojun and the others were still playing League of Legends in a three-man squad, with occasional outbursts from Lin Shaojun.

 

“Damn, got ambushed by the enemy jungler again!”

 

Pei Xi sat on his bed and checked the time—just past 10 p.m., still early.

 

His phone on the bedside table suddenly lit up.

 

[Dad: This sweet and sour pork with pineapple must’ve been ordered by our little treasure.]

 

[Mom: Looks so delicious! A street food stall even has salmon?]

 

[Mom: Drooling.jpg]

 

Pei Xi noticed a new notification in the “Loving Family” group chat and couldn’t help but smile.

 

[Pei Xi: That was me~ It’s been so long since I had sweet and sour pork! But this stall’s version isn’t as good as Dad’s QAQ]

 

[Pei Xi: It’s a street food stall near the school. We went shopping for daily necessities after dinner and plan to check out the cafeteria tomorrow.]

 

[Pei Xi: Got to try salmon thanks to my roommate, hehe.]

 

[Mom: Did you get everything you need? Do you have enough money? Should I send you some more?]

 

[Dad: How’s the dorm? Are your roommates easy to get along with?]

 

Pei Xi snapped a few photos of the dorm and sent them over.

 

[Pei Xi: Got everything, and I still have plenty of pocket money. Don’t worry, Mom.]

 

[Pei Xi: My roommates are all really nice and take good care of me.]

 

[Mom: That’s good. Get some rest early. You must be tired after such a busy day.]

 

[Mom: Bean kiss.jpg]

 

Pei Xi stared at the screen, his eyes growing warm. He lay face down on the bed, breathing in the faint scent of soap from the sheets, and blinked back the tears welling up in his eyes.

 

He missed his parents so much, and his cozy little home.

 

Arriving in Ningcheng for the first time, leaving behind familiar surroundings, with no one he knew nearby—being in a completely unfamiliar environment always left him feeling a bit uneasy.

 

“Ding-dong—”

 

[You have a new message. Please check.]

 

Pei Xi opened Douyin to find his inbox flooded with notifications.

 

Likes 99+

 

Comments 99+

 

New Followers 99+

 

He scrolled through them one by one, glancing casually, then opened his profile. The video he’d just posted had already reached 10,000 likes.

 

[Is this what they call a manga-perfect figure??]

 

[OMG, this set of photos is absolutely stunning! I’m blown away every time by Xiao Bao’s photos! You really know how to take pictures!]

 

[So beautiful it looks like AI!!]

 

[If you’re a girl, then what am I??]

 

[I need to ask Goddess Nüwa why she was so unfair to me!]

 

[So pale it glows, skin is flawless. Drooling with envy (O﹃O)]

 

Pei Xi chuckled at the exaggerated comments and memes in the comment section. He replied to a few of the top comments, interacted with his fans for a bit, then finally opened his inbox messages.

 

The top-ranked “big brother” in the fan group replied with a “pat pat” emoji, while other brothers and sisters also sent him messages, keeping their daily chat streaks alive.

 

The fan group chat was buzzing with activity. He clicked in to take a look and was almost startled.

 

【Huh? The streamer’s IP is in Ningcheng? Does that mean the streamer attends Ningcheng University?】

 

【Really?】

 

Just as Pei Xi’s heart leaped into his throat, a sister in the group stepped in to divert the conversation, putting a stop to the topic: “Xiao Bao has said before that he doesn’t want fans digging into his real-life identity. If this happens again, I’ll have to hand out plane tickets, okay?”

 

The group fell silent for a moment before growing lively again. Some agreed, while others changed the subject.

 

But Pei Xi knew that once a seed of doubt was planted, it would take root and sprout in people’s minds.

 

Even though the sister had stopped the conversation in time, it would still spark speculation. After all, his IP address couldn’t lie—was he really studying at Ningcheng University?

 

Thinking about this, Pei Xi’s mood soured.

 

“Hurry, hurry, the Baron! The Baron!”

 

“Take out their jungler first!”

 

“Nice!”

 

“End the game!”

 

Pei Xi lay on his bed, listening to Lin Shaojun and Zhai Jiarui’s slightly excited voices as he absentmindedly scrolled through his phone.

 

He was searching for how many universities there were in Ningcheng and how he should answer if someone really asked.

 

Lin Shaojun glanced at Lu Li and said, “Why did Lu Gou leave the room? Is he done playing?”

 

Lu Li had already exited the game and replied calmly, “It’s late. Let’s continue tomorrow.”

 

Lin Shaojun checked his phone and groaned, “It’s only eleven! I usually play until three.”

 

Zhai Jiarui stood up and stretched, saying, “Too bad we’ve already started the semester. We should get some rest early tonight.”

 

Lin Shaojun: “Then I’ll go shower too.”

 

The weather in Ningcheng was scorching.

 

With ground temperatures reaching thirty-eight degrees Celsius, just two minutes outdoors could leave you drenched in sweat.

 

The air conditioner had been running since they returned, blowing cool air. Afraid he might get cold while sleeping, Pei Xi still covered himself with a thin blanket.

 

“Damn, it’s so hot. I even took a cold shower, but the water was lukewarm,” Lin Shaojun complained as he opened the balcony door, quickly slipped inside, and stood under the air conditioner to cool off.

 

Shortly after, Zhai Jiarui also walked in, shirtless like Lin Shaojun, drying his hair as he said, “Ningcheng’s summers have been especially hot these past few years. It won’t cool down until at least November.”

 

Lin Shaojun: “…Is it too late to drop out? I want to study in a different city.”

 

Pei Xi watched them from the side and silently averted his gaze.

 

He was deeply shaken inside.

 

Why aren’t they wearing clothes?!

 

And why do they look so casual about it?!

 

How could they walk around shirtless in front of a gay guy, showing off their muscles?!

 

Pei Xi didn’t dare to look at them. This was nothing like what he usually saw scrolling on his phone—seeing it in person had a much stronger visual impact.

 

He had never mentioned his sexual orientation to anyone around him, feeling it was unnecessary.

 

Even his parents didn’t know.

 

He had no particular thoughts about dating in college, so he hadn’t planned to tell his roommates, nor did he want to cause any misunderstandings.

 

He was worried that if they knew his orientation, things might become awkward in the dorm.

 

But now, ironically, it was he who felt uncomfortable.

 

The weather was unbearably hot, and since the dorm was full of guys, there was no need for modesty. Naturally, everyone thought it would be more comfortable to go shirtless.

 

“…” Pei Xi quietly let out a sigh.

 

The food at dinner had been quite salty, and he had drunk a lot of juice. Now, he needed to use the bathroom.

 

Only after Lin Shaojun and Zhai Jiarui had each settled back into their beds did he quickly climb down, push open the balcony door, and step outside—only to run straight into Lu Li, who had just emerged from the shower.

 

Pei Xi abruptly halted, his body tilting backward as he nearly lost his balance.

 

Lu Li steadied him with a light touch, his voice indifferent. “You alright?”

 

Pei Xi shook his head. Thankfully, he had reacted quickly, only stumbling a little before grabbing the door handle in time to steady himself, avoiding a truly embarrassing fall.

 

But…

 

When he looked up, his eyes landed directly on Lu Li’s bare upper body.

 

They were standing so close that Pei Xi could even feel the moisture clinging to Lu Li’s skin.

 

Fresh out of the shower, Lu Li’s hair was still dripping, his torso exposed, revealing lean and well-defined abs.

 

The sudden wave of raw masculinity caught Pei Xi off guard. His pupils dilated slightly, momentarily stunned by the sight before him.

 

Pei Xi’s mind went blank, his gaze involuntarily drifting downward. His ears flushed a visible shade of red.

 

“S-sorry,” he stammered.

 

He quickly lowered his head and stepped aside to make way.

 

Without a word, Lu Li brushed past him.

 

A faint scent of mint lingered in the air, its crisp, clean aroma slowly calming Pei Xi’s restless heart.