Chapter 21: Glutinous rice dumplings

“Yangyang, I’ve noticed you’ve become much more cheerful lately.”

Zheng Shiqiang smiled warmly, knowing this was Wu Chun’s influence.

“A person has to look forward!” Zheng Yang laughed.

“I also feel like my old self was too repressed.”

“Seeing you like this, a huge weight has been lifted from my heart!” Zheng Shiqiang sighed with emotion.

“But Yangyang, don’t discard your own excellent qualities. It’s called ‘keeping your true self while embracing life’!”

“Keeping your true self while embracing life…”

Zheng Yang pondered the phrase, then nodded.

“Dad, you’re so eloquent! I’ll remember that! Well, I’m heading out now. Chun Chun also asked me to hang out today.”

Zheng Shiqiang watched as Zheng Yang hummed a tune and ran off, sighing again.

“Does being cheerful mean she’ll drift away from her father now?”

He shook his head self-deprecatingly.

“How could that be? Yangyang isn’t that kind of child.”

He suddenly realized that Zheng Yang’s previous “housework mania” had somewhat spoiled him.

Now that Zheng Yang wasn’t as diligent with chores, he was actually feeling a little insecure…

Zheng Yang now, though still shy about many girly things, could play happily with Wu Chun without any issues.

She even discovered that there were some things her old male soul didn’t entirely not want to do; rather, her former social identity had made her afraid to even think about wanting them.

Like swinging on a swing.

She had always considered it the exclusive domain of women and children, something completely off-limits for men.

But this time, sitting on the swing, being pushed from behind by Wu Chun, enjoying the breeze around her, she could clearly feel that it was her male soul that was receiving immense comfort.

She felt relieved.

She thought, maybe she should just carry this relief and those memories, and properly experience this new life…

Thank you, Dad…

Thank you too, Chun Chun…

Then from now on, I’ll be Zheng Yangyang!

This holiday, Zheng Yang and Wu Chun basically went wild.

The most thrilling thing for her was that she and Wu Chun practiced a simple dance routine together, wearing pink tops and white fluffy skirts, and performed it once on a dance machine in a shopping mall.

She knew more and more boys were gathering around.

She knew many people were staring at her chest and legs.

She knew even more cameras were pointed at them.

But her heart was pounding wildly, filled with immense shyness and excitement—that was her life…

After finishing, a few bold boys asked for her and Wu Chun’s WeChat.

The two girls smiled and politely declined, their faces flushed, holding hands as they ran away.

“Yangyang, look how popular you are! They were all here for you!”

Wu Chun tightened her grip on Zheng Yang’s little hand, laughing nonstop.

“Nonsense, they were clearly here for you!”

“Don’t be modest.”

Wu Chun pointed at Zheng Yang’s chest.

“You’re bigger than me. Boys like you more!”

“Wow, you’re so mean! Don’t say that again!”

Zheng Yang’s already flushed face grew even hotter as she indignantly punched Wu Chun’s arm.

Wu Chun cackled with laughter, then suddenly reached out and poked Zheng Yang’s cheek.

“You little sticky rice dumpling!”

“Why are you calling me a sticky rice dumpling!” Zheng Yang protested.

But what she cared about more was Wu Chun’s rather sisterly gesture.

Had their sisterly “hierarchy” reversed again after playing together for such a short time? Had she become the little sister?

Wu Chun explained, “Because you’re soft, white, and so cute.

Forget those boys, even I can’t help but want to eat you when I see you!”

Zheng Yang felt she was about to turn into the red-faced Guan Gong—why did she always say things that made her so ashamed!

A normal cute girl might be happy to be called that, but her… she was…

Whatever she was, she couldn’t say she wasn’t happy at all, but… it was still so embarrassing!

Zheng Yang truly discovered that when it came to bantering between girls, Wu Chun always had the upper hand over her.

But that seemed normal.

After all, her “female age,” even with its ups and downs, was less than three months.

Wu Chun had fifteen years of experience.

It would be strange if she could outdo her.

Regarding this nickname, Zheng Yang could only keep expressing her opposition.

But Wu Chun agreed verbally, then later called her “sticky rice dumpling” more and more frequently, to the point that once when playing at Zheng Yang’s house, Wu Chun took advantage of Zheng Yang’s distraction, called out “sticky rice dumpling,” and Zheng Yang instinctively turned her head:

“What?” making the triumphant Wu Chun double over with laughter.

Zheng Yang could only console herself mentally: ‘Hmph, I’ll just treat it as humoring a little girl!’

Who knew Wu Chun would become increasingly “excessive,” even taking advantage of Zheng Yang’s distraction to change her WeChat nickname to “Sticky Rice Dumpling.”

Zheng Yang didn’t hide her phone from Wu Chun anyway; her WeChat contacts were basically just her dad and Wu Chun after all the deletions.

Then, when it was mealtime, Zheng Shiqiang, finished with his work, called out: “Chun Chun, come on, bring your sticky rice dumpling, let’s eat!”

Wu Chun then pushed the bewildered Zheng Yang toward the dining room.

“Let’s go, Dumpling! Time to eat!”

Zheng Yang stomped her foot in frustration.

“I protest! I protest! Dad, how did you know!”

“Didn’t you change your WeChat name yourself?”

“I didn’t change it!” Only then did Zheng Yang realize.

She grabbed her phone, opened her WeChat profile, and looked.

“Wow, Chun Chun, was it you! You took my phone and changed it!”

“Hehe~” Wu Chun gave a mischievous smile.

“I thought this was our secret, but you actually told my dad!”

Wu Chun pursed her lips into a smile.

“So that means my sticky rice dumpling finally admits she’s a sticky rice dumpling?”

“I… I do not!”

Zheng Shiqiang, enjoying the spectacle, chimed in: “Chun Chun, may I apply to have her as my sticky rice dumpling too?”

“Dad! Look at you!”

“Of course you can, Uncle! Now it’s a secret for the three of us!”

Zheng Shiqiang laughed.

“Just accept your fate, Yangyang little dumpling!”

Zheng Yang muttered, “It makes me seem so childish, this nickname…”

“It’s cute!” Zheng Shiqiang and Wu Chun said in unison.

From then on, Zheng Yang’s nickname was officially certified by the Zheng family.

Of course, it wasn’t long before the Wu family also knew.

A few days before school started, Wu Shengli and Zheng Shiqiang met at Wuwei Ju, both bringing their daughters, as a ceremonial pre-school motivational meeting for them.

Returning to Wuwei Ju, Zheng Yang no longer felt the previous nervousness.

At the table, Wu Chun still called Zheng Yang “Dumpling” repeatedly.

Zheng Yang had long lost her temper about it, only begging her to call her by her name once school started in class.

Zheng Yang felt that after these three months of tempering, she could finally face her current identity squarely.

As for school, as long as Chun Chun was with her, she was actually looking forward to it a little.

However, when the server opened the door and asked, “What main dishes would you like?”

Zheng Yang was so frightened her pupils contracted.

Because this server was Lili.