If Xia Yan Became a Girl, Part 13

"When you said you'd go out with me, did you mean going to the park to play on the slide in the middle of the night?"

Xia Yan watched silently as the characters repeatedly went up the steps, slid down the slide, and then went up the steps again and slid down the slide. He couldn't help but ask a question.

"..."

"Isn't this supposed to be a trip?"

Hua Xin, who had just slid down the slide, stood up from the ground, patted her bottom, and looked serious and bewildered. It was impossible to tell that she was watching a joke or doing it on purpose.

But that's really how he thinks.

Xia Yan had probably been lying around at home for a long time, spending his days either playing games or thinking about what games to play. Unbeknownst to him, the "norm-loving soul" buried deep in his soul had already begun to burn fiercely.

However, Xia Yan's idea of going out to play clearly meant doing what most people do: strolling through shopping malls, watching movies, drinking coffee, and ideally, also visiting a secondhand bookstore to browse comics and novels.

However, Hua Xin's understanding of "going out to play" meant waiting until late at night to go out and find a park to play on the slide.

Without proper communication, neither of them realized what the other wanted to do.

When Xia Yan heard that Hua Xin wanted to take her out to play, she was very excited and thought that Hua Xin had suddenly become enlightened and dared to go out to bars and other places at night to have some fun with her. Although she had no interest in bars and KTVs and did not like them, she was sure that she would follow suit since Hua Xin was able to be a normal person for once.

In this situation, Xia Yan finally finished his day of gaming battles with Hua Xin with an "I understand" expression, and then they left together that evening with mixed feelings.

But the final outcome was that they slid down a slide under several streetlights.

"You..."

"Well..."

Xia Yan hesitated, but ultimately refrained from speaking out because she didn't want to bully special groups.

Since the child likes to play, let the child play.

After all, it's not easy to get out of the house, and for Hua Xin, going out to play on the slide is probably the simplest kind of happiness.

Thinking about it this way...

The helplessness that had risen in Xia Yan's heart gradually disappeared, replaced by a faint silence.

Judging from Hua Xin's behavior in the past few days, his psychological problems may have become more serious than his physical problems.

Suppressing painful memories can make a person more withdrawn, just like Hua Xin, who hasn't left the country in a very long time and prefers to stay at home.

There was nothing she could change anymore.

Although the things that happened to her were very bizarre and strange, it seems that apart from the changes in her body and the alteration of her memories of the people around her, nothing else has really changed or affected her.

Regardless of whether there's any chance for Xia Yan to turn back into a boy, he can only accept whatever comes his way.

In other words, she may have to continue living like this for the rest of her life.

But Hua Xin is different.

After meeting Hua Xin again in real life through this incident, Xia Yan gradually discovered why Hua Xin had those negative thoughts and why she was afraid to go out.

He said he was afraid of being a burden to her because someone like him would obviously be a troublesome friend, and being friends with someone who has some psychological issues and even Yu Yu syndrome would definitely be difficult.

If she really found it troublesome, she wouldn't have been joking around with Hua Xin online long ago.

Xia Yan could understand Xia Yan's inferiority complex to some extent.

She went through this phase herself before.

Seeing what other children have, the happy families and laughter that other classmates have, while you are always alone, you will feel sad and unable to bear it.

Hua Xin lived alone like this for many years.

"Lao Xia, do you want to come and play too? It's so boring standing on the sidelines all the time."

Hua Xin's still carefree voice came, bringing Xia Yan, who was lost in memories, back to his senses.

After looking left and right but not seeing Hua Xin, she belatedly looked up at the slide.

Suddenly, Hua Xin climbed up the slide again and stood on it, waving at her.

Seeing his silly expression, Xia Yan couldn't help but cover his face with one hand.

The emotions stirred by my recent deep reflections were instantly shattered.

"This is something only kids play with. Real men don't play with this."

Xia Yan said in a somewhat arrogant tone, clearly not wanting to associate with a certain otaku.

However, that's what they say.

But it seems like she hasn't been this "childish" in a long time.

Once again, I slid down the slide, the slight scraping sound barely audible in the deserted park.

This time, Hua Xin's face was no longer beaming with smiles. Instead, she patted the dust off her pants and walked over to Xia Yan's side, where she joined her on the treadmill in the park, doing the kind of brisk walking she only did when she was bored.

"We used to play this all the time when we were little."

"Thinking back on it, there were no cell phones or computers back then, so there were only a few things that could entertain kids..."

A cool evening breeze blew by, causing Hua Xin's long hair to sway gently in the wind, revealing a pair of somewhat silent eyes within.

Xia Yan was taken aback, and his swaying body gradually stabilized.

That's true.

Previously, they only had each other as friends, and the only way they could escape from their so-called "home" to find a brief moment of peace was to go to the park and stay there from day to night.

It is still the same now.

No one remembers that Xia Yan ever existed except for Hua Xin.

Isn't it the same now as when we were kids?

Two children, both lost about the future, both destined to live alone.

Thinking this way, a strange idea suddenly popped into Xia Yan's mind.

Is there anything else she can do?

For example, Xia Yan, who helped Hua Xin become better and stronger, was no longer a pathetic child hiding at home to escape everything.

Xia Yan didn't say anything, then got off the walking equipment and walked towards the slide.

The slide designed for children is obviously a bit too small for adults, but fortunately she is not that big, so she can walk up it by bending over slightly.

The brief acceleration ended in a flash.

It was just like everything that had happened before, vanishing in an instant as if it were just fleeting smoke.

"Your pants are covered in dust, Lao Xia. Didn't you just say you weren't going to play? When did you become a hypocrite?"

Hua Xin put her hands behind her back and said with a hint of disapproval.

Suddenly, Xia Yan, who had been silent all along, straightened up and raised his head, his eyes shining even brighter. Then, he said to Hua Xin very seriously:

"We live in a place called Elephant Barla Flower."

"From now on, we're not brothers anymore, we're boyfriend and girlfriend."

"?"

Hua Xin looked at her, somewhat bewildered, unsure of what to say for a moment.

How come he can understand these words individually, but can't understand them when they're put together?

"Haha, well, even though your situation is a bit special right now, there's no need to tease me like this..."

After a long pause, Hua Xin managed a weak laugh and said...

But seeing Xia Yan's serious expression, the awkward smile on her face slowly disappeared.

This should...

Are you kidding me?