Chapter 24: On Consensus
“You’re saying you’re actually a female version of me from another world?”
This woman, who called herself Zi’ai An, told me something I’d suspected since realizing it. She seemed to believe she transmigrated from another parallel world.
Of course, I didn’t believe her. Such a thing was too absurd. Rather than a bizarre, hentai-like plot of “my parallel world self transmigrated from the bathroom,” I’d rather believe she was a delusional pervert who’d escaped from a mental hospital and ended up in my bathroom.
However, to say she *was* me seemed to have some basis.
That was because I couldn’t see my own title.
If she really was me, then the fact that I couldn’t see her title could also be explained.
Furthermore, I distinctly remembered my dad mentioning that Grandpa had given me two names. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even know the name ‘Zi’ai.’
“This is the only way I can think of it now. Of course, there are other possibilities, like maybe I’m a clone and had false memories implanted, but then there would be many contradictions… In short, the highest probability is what I just said: I’m another you from a parallel world.”
I nodded repeatedly at her words because they made perfect sense.
If it were me, I would definitely think the same way… This further confirmed that she was me. Not only that, but she was also quite attractive. Her long black hair, though a bit messy, didn’t detract from her overall presence. I had already seen her figure earlier; she was tall and slender. Her features were exquisite, making her a “beauty” by any standard.
Wait. Does that mean I actually have a woman’s face?!
Mourning this sudden realization with a sigh, I covered my face.
“Oh? Discovering that you’re actually more suited for cross-dressing?”
An… this girl’s annoying way of speaking is also very similar to mine.
“In any case, let’s dry off and get back to the room. We can’t stay here ‘frankly exposed,’ can we? I saw my clothes on the washing machine were gone, and only yours were there.”
Naturally. If there were still women’s clothes on the washing machine, I wouldn’t have failed to notice.
“But my little ducky in the bathtub transmigrated with me. The shower gel I casually threw away is from this side. Although the location and brand are the same, the ‘amount’ is different. This way, we can confirm the scope of the transmigration phenomenon is roughly around the bathtub… wait, first, we should prove the transmigration phenomenon itself. I’m not sure if I’ve really transmigrated yet.”
She pinched her chin and muttered to herself, walking past me and naturally heading upstairs. After taking two steps, she turned back to me.
“Hey, why are you still standing there? Don’t tell me you’re trying to peek at me from below? I’m not very familiar with men’s thoughts, but ‘you’ wouldn’t have that kind of vulgar taste, right?”
“How could I… I’m just a bit surprised you could calm down so quickly.”
I followed her up the stairs, saying this.
She linked her arms and snorted.
“Hmph, what’s the use of panicking and shouting? Since things have turned out this way, we naturally have to calmly consider solutions and reflect on our own mistakes.”
“As expected of myself, unfazed by events.”
“Praising yourself?”
“Well, because ‘I’ am not a humorous guy.”
“You’re really ‘self-aware’ (aren’t you)?” x2
In perfect synchronization, she and I said the same thing again, only the endings differed slightly. But the tone and speed were identical.
This was definitely not a coincidence.
It was a very strange feeling. This was beyond the level of twin telepathy. I dared say that even clones would have differences in thought. But between her and me, there was no sense of discord. Her words earned my approval, and I could fully understand her thoughts simultaneously.
It was almost like…
“It’s like talking to myself.”
…
“Why the look like you want to say something but can’t? Ah, ahh, I get it. You were about to say this just now, weren’t you?”
It wasn’t a question anymore. She said it with certainty.
I shrugged and said nothing further. In any case, she probably knew what I would say.
She didn’t say anything else either, but opened the room door and walked into my room.
After turning on the light, she looked around, a slight smile on her lips. I thought I could guess why she was smiling.
Well, anyway, I’ll get her some clothes and “that thing.”
She scanned the room and paused as she watched me taking clothes out of the closet, then declared confidently.
“No matter how I look at it, this is my room. Hey, you’re the stalker, aren’t you? Have you been acting all along? I knew I couldn’t have remembered wrong! You’re the one with the delusion and the perverted voyeuristic tendencies!”
Perhaps seeing the room gave her confidence, and since she hadn’t truly believed me before, she started doubting me again.
It was completely within my expectations.
I knew she would think that.
After all, I had thought the same thing just now.
SF Light Novel
So, while taking out the clothes, I showed her “that thing.”
Which was… an album.
“Here, this is the most powerful evidence.”
“…How… could…”
Seeing the photos in the album, whether it was the picture of Xinran and me taken before Dad’s remarriage, the photos from my birthday, or those from Dad and Mom’s remarriage ceremony… the person appearing in them was me, the male version of me.
“I… I understand! This is a dream! This must be a dream! Wake up… me!”
Ah.
Just as I was about to say that I had already confirmed this matter, she slapped herself nonetheless.
And it wasn’t a light slap; she even got a nosebleed.
“What the… So my entire life until now… and… Could it be that the life I thought was reality was all…”
She fell into a state of confusion. …How should I put it? Watching myself fall into confusion was genuinely pathetic.
It was like repeating the same mistake.
In the end, even though our genders were different, our thoughts were still quite similar.
“I got it! This is Keling’s prank, right? It’s all a conspiracy you hatched to trick me since she started calling me brother! Well, that child is a bit black-bellied, maybe she just wanted to scare me and played this prank… Ahahaha, it really took effort, even photoshopping all the family photos! It must have taken a lot of time! And analyzing my thought patterns and behavior, she’s really dedicated! Alright, alright, male actor, you can go now. I’ll pay you double… So! Get out of my room right now!”
After hearing this, I didn’t offer any refutation. I just patted her shoulder, covering my face.
“I have to say…
“…What are you doing!”
“…Incredible!”
I suddenly looked up and said with a smile.
“I didn’t expect you to discover this! That’s right, I’m an extra actor temporarily hired by An Keling. Since you’ve seen through me, there’s nothing more for me here. I’ll be going first. Oh, and the unfinished yogurt is still in the living room. Don’t forget to put it back in the fridge if you don’t drink it.”
“Oh, ohh… I was planning to drink the other half after I finished my bath…”
At my sudden words, she was also utterly bewildered.
Then, without further ado, I should get dressed and call the police!
Just as I put on my pants, without even finishing my shirt, I hurried to leave the room.
But as soon as I opened the room door, she grabbed my shoulder.
“Hey! You! You’re going to call the police, aren’t you!”
“What ‘cut’ is that! Alright, alright, I won’t doubt you anymore! So please, don’t call the police, okay!”
“Damn! Don’t hug me!” or “Ouch, my little toy”
“We’re both ourselves anyway, what’s the big deal!”
“You’re a woman! A woman! No, even if you were a man, don’t hug me!”
“Oh, are you having a physiological reaction to yourself? Humph, in the end, you’re just a shallow…”
“Can I throw you out?”
“Sorry! Sorry! It’s my fault!”
After a bit of a commotion, we both decided to temporarily halt this pointless argument.
She put on the T-shirt and shorts I handed her, tying her long hair into a low ponytail with a hair tie.
“Oh, my clothes fit you perfectly. Speaking of which, you’re… about my height, aren’t you?”
I’m not particularly tall, only a little over 1.7 meters. I don’t know if I’ll grow anymore. For her, as a woman, this height appeared quite stately. Among the women I’ve met, the only ones who were tall were Lily and the principal, that Succubus mother and daughter. To have their perfect figures, their heights would naturally be much greater than average women. Lily is taller than me even without heels. With heels on, my face would be buried…
“That’s natural, isn’t it? We’re essentially the same person.”
“But if you wear heels, you’re taller than me…”
“I don’t like high heels; they hurt my feet, so I usually wear flat shoes. Your clothes are a bit wide on me, and the pants are baggy too.”
She looked up at my body and mumbled, “Your physique looks pretty good…” I guess she was somewhat satisfied.
“But will my clothes be okay for you? I can get you some more.”
“Xinran and Keling’s clothes are not my size, and their undergarments aren’t either, though I could borrow some panties… Never mind, I don’t want to be a perverted older sister who wears her younger sister’s underwear. It’s safer to wear my own clothes.”
“Why aren’t you talking?”
“You’ve said it all, what else can I say?”
“Even if it’s just a pretense, please say something. Otherwise, if only I’m talking, I’ll feel my sense of presence diminishing…”
I felt the same way.
“Then let’s continue the previous topic. Now that it’s confirmed I’m not an hired extra, and you’re not a delusional girl, it must be the initial theory, right.”
“Although it’s hard to believe, the me from a parallel world is actually a….”
“I understand how you feel, but can you please not show such an undisguised expression of disgust?”
“No, but, the thought of myself turning into a… is unbearable.”
“I feel the same way!”
“Let’s decide on our mutual address first. It’s not good to always call each other ‘you’ or ‘hey’…”
She sat cross-legged on the bed, while I sat upside down on the sofa, my arms resting on the backrest.
Looking at her sitting there, I strangely felt like it was her bed, a wonderful sensation.
“Just call me Xiao Ai. It feels a bit like trying to act cute, but it’s better than Zi’ai. If you call me Zi’ai, it might sometimes be mispronounced as ‘self-love.’ It’s fine with others, but if you say it… you understand, right?”
“…That’s true—”
That’s her. If I accidentally called her ‘self-love’ when saying her name, it would indeed be a bit awkward.
“Juncheng is fine. But mispronouncing it is also okay. Many people call me Chengjun.”
“Oh? You’re willing to let others mispronounce your name? I don’t like it! Because of this, I’ve been mistaken for being Japanese several times. Every time someone calls me Aiko, I strongly refute them.”
“No, I don’t like others mispronouncing my name either. Chengjun also sounds like a Japanese name… But, well, in short, someone often calls me that, so I got used to it.”
It’s like Lianbing always calls me Cheng…
Speaking of which, if the me from that world is a woman, then Lianbing has become a man? Ugh, a masculine Lianbing is truly hard to imagine-.
A young master from a rich family? Fell in love with a commoner girl?
Wow, where did this shojo manga plot come from!
“Is that so? Then you are truly submissive. Although I won’t provoke anyone, if someone pushes their luck, I won’t remain silent.”
“I’m the same…”
“Then you still let people mispronounce your name!”
“What could I do? She’s my girlfriend.”
“…You have a girlfriend!!!”
Xiao Ai showed the most surprised expression since she appeared, her mouth gaping open.
Huh? What kind of reaction is that? Is there a need to be so surprised?
Why can’t I have a girlfriend?
“Wait, I see… I thought they were all gender-bent in this world too, but actually only I am…”
Zi’ai muttered to herself, pinching her chin for a while. I seemed to have heard some crucial information.
Only she was gender-bent?
“Doesn’t that mean this world’s… An Juncheng, you’re living a fantasy life like a harem anime protagonist?”
I rolled my eyes and replied noncommittally.
It’s super cool, jk< So cool that I died once and became a zombie!
