Chapter 14: Indistinguishable Between Male and Female

“Tang—”
“Did that lunatic Jiang Huai-ting bully you? Don’t be afraid. I’m back now—I’ll take care of him for you.”
Li Jiu-wei let out a soft laugh. “Alright, I’ll be waiting for you to stand up for me. By the way, when are you arriving? I’ll come pick you up.”
“I’m already home. Come to the banquet tonight—I really want to see you.”
“The Shen family’s welcome banquet is quite punctual this time.”
“It’s all just for show. Are you bringing your little darling?”
Thinking of Feng Su, she declined politely.
Shen Tang didn’t press further.
After the pleasantries, Li Jiu-wei began considering what gift to prepare for Shen Tang.
Her phone rang again—Feng Su’s name on the screen. She hung up once more.
A long while later, a text message arrived from him.
[Sis, my heart aches—I need your love to heal.] Attached was a rather bold photo.
Li Jiu-wei’s lips twitched.
His methods for grabbing her attention were quite risqué.
Li Jiu-wei didn’t reply. Instead, she retrieved a gift from her suitcase, intending to give it to Shen Tang.
Downstairs.
Jiang Huai-ting was carefully supporting Li Xin-chun, his voice gentle. “Careful with your belly.”
“Oh, you only care about the child, not about me?” Li Xin-chun pouted.
A moment later, Jiang Huai-ting’s soothing tone could be heard.
“I care about the baby because she’s ours—yours and mine.”
Struck by this sweet talk, Li Xin-chun lowered her head shyly, her voice coy and tender. “Huai-ting… people might hear us.”
“Who would dare say anything?” Jiang Huai-ting cast a meaningful glance upstairs at Li Jiu-wei, who simply shrugged and carried her gift downstairs.
Li Xin-chun looked embarrassed. “Sister, don’t mind what Huai-ting says.”
“Of course I don’t care about your nonsense. A scumbag and a mistress—if I cared about your words, it would be the greatest insult to myself.” She noticed the subtle change in their expressions. Were they so fragile?
Just as Jiang Huai-ting was about to insult her again, Li Xin-chun lightly tugged his arm, making a subtle gesture. Jiang Huai-ting understood and shot Li Jiu-wei a cold glare.
“Tonight, I’m taking Xin-chun to the Shen family’s banquet—you go by yourself.”
“I never said I’d go with you. I’d rather not dirty my eyes!”
With that, she left with her things.
In the courtyard, Jiang Huai-ting’s agitated voice could still be heard.
His temper had truly changed.
Li Jiu-wei shook her head and drove off toward the Shen estate.
The banquet was held at a villa in the hills—an event of some grandeur.

Everywhere lanterns and streamers were hung.
It was even more elaborate than when Shen Tang first returned to the Shen family.
Li Jiu-wei glanced around as guests arrived one after another.
She found a quiet corner to sit.
From the moment she appeared, she drew numerous glances—both from men and women.
“A country bumpkin like her actually showed up here. I feel my own status dropping.”
“Keep your voice down. No matter what, she’s still a Li family daughter.”
“Her family doesn’t even like her—I heard she nearly killed her own sister as a child.”
“What? That’s just vicious.”
People whispered among themselves.
They made no effort to lower their voices, and every word reached Li Jiu-wei’s ears.
She remained composed, savoring her pastry.
“Jiu-wei—”
Looking up with a smile, Li Jiu-wei met the gaze of the newcomer.
She wore black cargo pants, a white T-shirt layered with a black utility vest, her signature wolf-cut mullet, and a white sports headband—her appearance strikingly androgynous.
Li Jiu-wei smiled, studying her closely. “Tang, you look thinner since I last saw you.”
Shen Tang strode over, slinging an arm around Li Jiu-wei’s neck and clasping her hand affectionately. “I may seem thinner, but I’m tougher.”
“Are you staying this time?”
“For now, yes. Things are settled over there.” Shen Tang’s lips curled up as she rested her head on Li Jiu-wei’s shoulder. The two looked exceedingly close.
“Did you get hurt?”
“A little, but I’m fully recovered now.”
Li Jiu-wei glanced at Shen Tang. They were best friends. A year ago, Shen Tang went abroad to study, and Li Jiu-wei had been worried ever since—especially since Shen Tang loved underground boxing rings.
Their friendship began in childhood, and no one could have guessed that Shen Tang was the long-lost daughter of the Shen family.
Three years ago, the Shens found her, but her days with them were far from easy.
Her birth mother passed away in deep sorrow a few years after losing her. Her father remarried his first love, who brought along a son and a daughter—not his own blood, but cherished as if they were.
Shen Tang laughed softly, “Jiu-wei, as long as you care for me, that’s enough. I don’t care about anyone else. Even if one day I can’t stay with the Shens, I can always go back to boxing—and besides, you’re here. Jiu-wei, if I ever end up on the streets, you’ll take care of me, won’t you?”
Her tone was playful.
Li Jiu-wei replied, “Of course.” During those ten years in the countryside, it was mostly Shen Tang’s black market fights that supported her.
Those memories, Li Jiu-wei would never dare forget for a moment.
“Honestly, Shen Tang is so androgynous—if she were a man, I’d chase after her for sure.”
“Your taste is low. Even if she were a man, I wouldn’t pursue her—maybe just have a one-night stand. Shen Tang’s not worthy of me.”
“You’re all delusional.”

“Hmph, two women clinging to each other—how shameless. Anyone who doesn’t know them might think they’re a couple. So indecent.”
“Look—Shen Mo-xu has arrived.”
…
As the guest of honor, Shen Tang invited Li Jiu-wei to mingle with her.
Shen Tang despised such occasions.
“Uncle,” Shen Tang greeted coolly.
Shen Mo-xu nodded. “You’re back. Have a good rest.”
“Yes.”
Standing beside Shen Mo-xu was a woman clinging affectionately to his arm, as if to proclaim her status. Shen Tang ignored her completely.
The “Aunt” she had hoped to call was never uttered.
Li Yu-ci’s gaze shifted to Li Jiu-wei, her lips curled in a half-smile. “Jiu-wei, seeing your aunt and uncle, shouldn’t you greet them? Even if you spent ten years in the countryside and missed out on high society etiquette, basic manners are still expected.”
Since one should never turn hostile to a smiling face, Li Jiu-wei responded with a polite smile. “Aunt, Uncle!”
That one word “Uncle” instantly delighted Li Yu-ci.
Her look toward Li Jiu-wei softened, the disdain fading a little.
Li Yu-ci’s smile widened. “Jiu-wei has always been a polite child.”
Shen Tang barely managed to suppress an eye roll.
Shen Mo-xu, however, fixed her with a deep, searching gaze.
Li Jiu-wei’s smile was poised and impeccable; no one could find fault.
As they walked inside, Shen Tang sneered, “She’s so fake.”
“When dealing with hypocrites, it’s sometimes best to flatter them right back.”
“A trap of praise—my dear Jiu-wei, you truly are clever.”
Li Jiu-wei only smiled.
Li Yu-ci had been with Shen Mo-xu for five years, but he had never spoken of marriage.
The longer it dragged on, the more anxious Li Yu-ci became.
She was desperate to assert her place by his side, flaunting her identity as Shen Mo-xu’s woman wherever she went.
“Sister… care for a drink?”
At some point, Li Xin-chun appeared behind her.
Shen Tang frowned. “Trying to harm Jiu-wei again?”