Chapter 16: To Think It's Actually a Man

Gou Liang truly hadn’t figured it out yet. Wearing Hao Dagen’s face and returning home now, standing before Zhang Zhihan, she wouldn’t recognize him—she’d see only Hao Dagen. Gou Liang was deeply worried that Zhang Zhihan, upon seeing Hao Dagen, might throw herself into his arms, eager to become a four-legged beast and scatter the seeds of love throughout her little room.

So he made an excuse.
“Zhihan, listen to me. I’ve run into something really tricky this time; I can’t get away right now. You don’t know how much I want to see you. Once I handle this, I’ll come back right away. I still want to climb the mountain with you.”

On the phone, Zhang Zhihan’s sweet, melodious voice rang out.
“I know, I know you miss me. I saw it in your eyes that day. I believe you’ll come back, because you crave my body.”

Her words struck straight to Gou Liang’s heart—he did crave Zhang Zhihan’s body. But love between man and woman needs both affection and bread. It’s the feeling of a starving person pouncing on bread; if even that is absent, how could there be lasting companionship?

At that moment, a faint knocking sounded from outside the coffin lid.
Thump thump thump, thump thump thump.
Gou Liang’s heart trembled. If someone saw him lying in a coffin, that surely wouldn’t be good. He quickly said goodbye to Zhang Zhihan, hung up the phone, pushed the lid aside, and climbed out.

Looking up, he saw a young beauty in the mortuary’s white coat standing outside. He glanced at her badge.
Mortuary Cosmetologist: Bao Wenle

Gou Liang took one look at Bao Wenle and was instantly captivated by her appearance. Bao Wenle was tall, her face flawless as jade, brows fine and eyes like phoenixes, stunning and enchanting, though her figure was a bit too flat. Yet this wasn’t a flaw; instead, it lent her a special, fresh charm.

Her expression was calm, as if Hao Dagen climbing out of a coffin was routine. Bao Wenle possessed a profoundly deep, feminine allure; her gaze was soft and seductive as she met Gou Liang’s eyes. Then, with a delicate gesture, she smiled with pursed lips, her voice tinged with teasing softness.

“Old Hao, why do you always look at me so urgently, as if you want to devour me? You make my little heart flutter. Even though I look like a girl, my preferences are perfectly normal.”

Gou Liang took a closer look at the elegant yet arrogant Bao Wenle—and noticed that her earlobes, white as jade, had no piercings!
My goodness, such a beautiful face and figure, her allure outshining any woman, mesmerizing to the heart. He’d thought she was a girl, but she was actually a man!

No wonder they say extreme beauty tends toward androgyny—she truly inspired pity, her gender indeterminable. Gou Liang couldn’t help but complain inwardly: looking like this, it’s no wonder Hao Dagen’s face attracts so many admirers, almost confusing even his own orientation.

It was clear that Hao Dagen and Bao Wenle were very close, almost inseparable. Thankfully, their rapport hadn’t reached the point of perfection, or Gou Liang would be in real trouble.

Bao Wenle’s starry eyes were hazy with tenderness, her cherry lips gently panting, her laughter spilling out as she spoke in a sweet, melodious voice.
“Old Hao, your skin looks good today, but a bit pale. Come, let me touch up your makeup. As a man, you should live brilliantly and boldly.”

She stepped closer, opened her personal makeup kit, and deftly began to touch up Gou Liang’s makeup.

Bao Wenle was a blend of intellect and allure, her breath fragrant as orchids, her body exuding a seductive scent that carried a peculiar charm. Just watching her could inspire forbidden thoughts.

Even having her do his makeup was a pleasure—she was truly someone who could turn a straight man. Her entire being radiated a soft, feminine beauty.

Before she finished, the vehicle’s intercom sounded—the next job had come in, time to head out.

Only then did Gou Liang remember he neither had a license nor knew how to drive. Yet when he sat in the driver’s seat, he felt no awkwardness at all. The body’s memory worked like a seasoned athlete’s muscle memory, requiring no conscious thought. Click—the seatbelt fastened. The engine started, as smoothly as playing a game.

He drove onto the road, nervous at first, but soon realized his nerves were unnecessary. Hao Dagen’s driving skills were top-notch, nearly racing level. He sped along, breezing through yellow lights without incident.

His first time driving was such a thrill that Gou Liang felt elated. He glanced at himself in the rearview mirror. Bao Wenle’s makeup work was unparalleled—not only had she maximized his attractiveness, but it was so natural no one could tell he was wearing makeup.

Bao Wenle’s skills were truly exceptional—he wondered what other talents she might have. Gou Liang immediately suppressed his curiosity; that was definitely not something to experiment with. As a straight man with no deviation in preference, spending too much time with someone like her could easily lead him astray.

This job was to collect a corpse from a small motel on the outskirts of town.

The hearse sped along and arrived at the motel in less than twenty minutes.

It was his first time at this place, but strangely, it felt very familiar, as if he’d been there before.

Yellow tape cordoned off the motel entrance. A crowd had gathered, and police guarded the door. He heard that a girl had checked in alone last night, and when discovered, she was already dead in her room.

The innkeeper was a plump woman, attentive and careful. Near dawn, she’d heard constant strange noises from the room. She’d asked if the guest needed hot water; the girl inside replied only once, saying no.

Worried that the girl might have gotten into trouble after drinking, she checked in the morning. No matter how she knocked, there was no response. Using the spare key, she opened the door and found the girl dead.

The first thing Gou Liang saw was the burly auxiliary police officer at the door, whose eye had become a panda eye.

He was so shocked his heart nearly burst—what was going on? Had this guy crossed some boundary?

His nerves tightened, worried Da Tou would recognize him. Then he remembered: he was wearing Hao Dagen’s face, so how could Da Tou possibly recognize him?

Da Tou grinned at Gou Liang, waved in greeting.

Gou Liang forced a smile, nodded back, puzzled as to how Da Tou had appeared in that ghostly space. Was he a spirit?

Da Tou picked up his walkie-talkie and reported inside.
“The mortuary hearse has arrived. Should he wait or come in now?”

A woman’s voice responded on the walkie-talkie.
“Let him in.”

Da Tou nodded at Gou Liang, indicating he could enter.

“Thank you!” Gou Liang, feigning enthusiasm, stepped forward to shake Da Tou’s hand.

Da Tou’s hand was warm, with a clear pulse and heartbeat. In contrast, Gou Liang’s hand was slightly cool.

He could confirm Da Tou was very much alive, which only deepened Gou Liang’s confusion. He was utterly baffled.

Full of questions, he picked up the body bag and headed upstairs in the small motel.