The in-game time in Otherworld was half a day ahead of real time. When Xu Xiaofeng logged off, took a short nap, and woke up, it was Sunday in reality.
Scrolling through her phone, she came across an interesting piece of news:
“Otherworld Development Team Collaborates with Science Institute to Launch Game Pods—Allowing Players to Stay Logged In for Up to a Week.”
So this was likely one of the main reasons the ‘developers’ had stepped in to resolve the issue yesterday.
Unresolved player conflicts would’ve hurt pod sales.
“Priced at 100,000 RDB? Isn’t that a bit expensive… No, wait—that’s way too cheap!”
Xu Xiaofeng had always been obsessed with gaming equipment. Ninety percent of her allowance went into them—so much so that she barely bought clothes. Even now, that hadn’t changed.
But Otherworld was different. It required no accessories, leaving her with money but nothing to spend it on.
Now, finally, a must-have device had appeared.
I might not need it, but I must have it.
The only catch? It wasn’t available online. Buyers had to visit physical stores for customization.
Checking the time—7 AM—she decisively knocked on her sister’s door.
“Wake up, lazy pig! The sun’s scorching your butt!
How can you sleep at this hour? How?”
After some persistent knocking, the door opened, revealing a middle finger first, followed by Xu Xiaoyue’s drowsy face.
“Bro, what now? You know I didn’t log off until past 2 AM.”
“Shopping. For this.”
Xu Xiaoyue glanced at the phone. “Can’t you go alone?”
“Going alone is boring. Don’t girls usually shop together?”
“…Huh?”
Xu Xiaoyue blinked, wondering if she had misheard, then instantly perked up.
“What did you just say?”
“Shop together?”
“Before that.”
“Going alone is boring.”
“In the middle.”
“Girls shopping?”
“That’s the one! Exactly! We should go shopping together!”
Suddenly, Xu Xiaoyue wasn’t tired anymore.
She yanked Xu Xiaofeng into her room, shoved her in front of the mirror, and declared, “I’m doing your makeup.”
“Isn’t that unnecessary? We’re just buying a game pod—”
“Looking presentable before going out is basic decency!”
“…Fine.”
Xu Xiaoyue smirked.
Who said they were only buying a game pod?
If Xu Xiaofeng knew girls liked shopping in groups, she should also know they browsed everything and bought on impulse.
After all those failed attempts to drag her out, this voluntary surrender wasn’t getting away easily.
Big brother’s getting prettier by the day. It’d be a waste not to show him off.
Xu Xiaoyue worked quickly—light makeup, an elegant hairstyle, and a floral hairband.
Paired with Xu Xiaofeng’s long golden hair, it gave off a holy vibe, like a princess straight out of a fairy tale.
It’s just that the outfit ruined it. Time for a shopping spree.
As for herself? Xu Xiaoyue opted for a low-key look, playing the green leaves to Xu Xiaofeng’s bright flower.
Not that it mattered. With that golden hair, Xu Xiaofeng would steal the spotlight no matter what.
Soon, they were ready. Breakfast was wolfed down, and they headed out.
Xu Xiaoyue handled everything at breakneck speed, as if turbocharged.
This made Xu Xiaofeng uneasy.
Was bringing Xiaoyue a mistake?
But then she remembered the sleek game pod in the promotional images and gritted her teeth.
Too late to back out now!
As for why I’m not buying it alone?
Let me clarify: I am not socially anxious.
To reiterate: I am not socially anxious.
Final emphasis: I am not socially anxious.
In-game, I manipulate thousands effortlessly. The issue is… appearing alone in crowded places like this just invites trouble. Look at me—this face, this hair. You understand, right?
Next, Xu Xiaoyue hailed a cab, gave the address, paid, and dragged Xu Xiaofeng along.
“Wait.” Xu Xiaofeng froze. “Xiaoyue, why are we at Qianda Plaza?”
Xu Xiaoyue kept pulling. “No mistake. The Otherworld flagship store’s here too.”
“But why detour to a crowded place?”
“Bigger store, better service. For something this important, you don’t want subpar quality, right?”
“…Fine.”
Then Xu Xiaoyue yanked Xu Xiaofeng into a women’s clothing boutique.
“What are you doing here?”
“Dressing you properly. Look at you now—this is an important moment. Give it your all.”
Faced with racks of dresses, Xu Xiaofeng panicked.
“Xiaoyue, one outfit is enough, right?”
“Xiaofeng, to honor the game pod’s significance, one isn’t nearly enough. Try them all.”
She handed Xu Xiaofeng a white dress, grinning like an auntie.
“No! Too much! I’ll break!”
“Then do your best before breaking!”
With that, she shoved Xu Xiaofeng into the fitting room and slammed the door.
Alone, Xu Xiaofeng stared at the dress in her hands, conflicted.
Truthfully, she wasn’t that opposed to wearing feminine clothes anymore.
Her usual outfits, though mentally labeled ‘unisex’, were undeniably women’s wear—just plain ones.
Plus, she now spent more time in-game than in reality, and her in-game avatar was always in extravagant dresses.
Compared to those, this white dress felt a bit plain.
Her hesitation wasn’t about the clothes themselves—it was the point of no return.
She felt strange, like two conflicting consciousnesses sharing her body.
Not quite split personalities—more like two faces of the same mind: an angel and a devil.
The devil whispered, “Submit. Embrace the all-powerful you. Grow stronger. Hehehe~”
The angel wept, “No… You’re just a boy who looks like a girl. I was obviously here first… Waaah!”
“Exactly. You’re a pretty boy. Learn to apply eyeliner, shape your brows, use nice perfume, and dress in lovely skirts. At this modern age, you should be competing with girls for men.”
“…You’re right.”
The angel surrendered.
Xu Xiaofeng unzipped her clothes.