Chapter 6 The Transgender Queen

Chapter 6: The Ladyboy Queen

The two stepped out one after the other, not encountering many servants along the way. Although some household staff had already left due to the elder sister's marriage, the manor was still eerily quiet, making even footsteps sound jarring.

Yuan Che wanted to ask the person following behind him, but just as they passed through the rose garden, he spotted the car parked in the distance. Unlike the black sedan from last time, Lin Zaishan was actually driving a light blue Rolls-Royce today. Yuan Che knew this car well—he had one himself. A four-seat, two-door model, it was one of his favorite cars on the island, but clearly there was no way it could fit all his luggage.

"Is this the only car here today?" Yuan Che stopped and turned around to check.

"Yes, just this one, young master." The servant caught up with him, looked at the large suitcase and bulging carry bag in his hands, and realized belatedly, "Ah... this really won't fit."

Yuan Che sighed softly. "Make arrangements and have another car sent over. Put the luggage in that car, and you come along with it."

"Young master, calling for a car on short notice might take a while," the servant said with a troubled expression. "Besides, most of the people in the manor today... have been called over to help at the Education Hall."

Yuan Che grew even more puzzled at this. No wonder the house felt unusually empty. But every year, children were born at the Education Hall—why was today so special?

"Do they need that many people for a childbirth?" he muttered, as if talking to himself.

He hadn't expected a reply from the servant, but the words had barely left his mouth when the other person answered, "I heard from my mentor... it's because the child was born on Full Circle Day."

"Full Circle Day?" Yuan Che looked up, startled.

"Full Circle Day" is the most sacred and rarest day in doctrine—it doesn't just refer to a specific date, but to an exact hour within that day. A child born at that moment is revered as a "child of God." The last one born on Full Circle Day was his elder brother Yuan Yu'an, but he had passed away five years ago.

Early death is also one of the signs of their "origin from God."

"No, no!" The servant suddenly realized he had said too much, shaking his head frantically to correct himself, "Young master, pretend you didn't hear anything! I've spoken out of turn!"

"Why are you so afraid of me?" Yuan Che frowned, studying the other's panic for the first time. "Do I look that scary?"

"No, no!" The servant waved his hands repeatedly. "It's just... I feel that as a servant, I shouldn't discuss such matters in front of you."

"Servant?" Yuan Che caught onto the unfamiliar term.

"It means... someone like me, who serves you," the servant explained quietly.

"Then I would be the 'master'?"

"Yes," the servant nodded without hesitation, then after a quick thought, corrected himself, "No... you should be the 'master above masters.'"

"Servant"... "master above masters"... these words, with their distinct hierarchical implications, felt strange and jarring to Yuan Che. As a child, he had tried talking to the household servants, but the native islanders always treated him with a businesslike attitude—polite yet perfunctory, humble yet cold. After a few attempts, Yuan Che had given up on trying to connect with them.

But this servant from outside the island seemed different. He had a vitality that the islanders lacked—he got nervous, hesitated, and occasionally let his true thoughts slip. This made Yuan Che's vague longing for the unknown world beyond the island grow even stronger. With that thought, his expression softened, and he regarded the person before him with a hint of newfound curiosity.

"So... are you a boy or a girl?" he asked the question that had been lingering in his mind.

"I'm a girl," the servant answered quickly, without hesitation this time.

"What's your name?"

"This..." She hesitated again.

"My name is Yuan Che." He introduced himself proactively, then extended his hand—a rare gesture of equal introduction on the island. "And you?"

The servant was stunned for a moment, looking down at that clean, slender hand. Then she quickly reached out with both hands to clasp it firmly, nodding repeatedly. "My name is Sun Qi! Young master!"

"Sun... Qi..." Yuan Che repeated softly. "Then from now on, Sun Qi is my friend. Is that okay?"

"Of course!" Sun Qi's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Since we're friends, don't be so afraid of me anymore." Yuan Che's tone was gentle, carrying a hint of anticipation for the future. "Let's... live well together in the city from now on."

"Live well..." Sun Qi nodded reflexively at first, but at the second half of the sentence, she suddenly stopped, confused. "Young master, aren't we going to the city to visit the young lady?"

"Of course not," Yuan Che shook his head lightly, then leaned in closer to Sun Qi's ear, whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear, "My sister left on her own. Actually... the one getting married is me. Lin Zaishan is my husband, not my brother-in-law."

After saying this, he straightened up, a look mixed with shyness and a hint of pride on his face. He glanced at the dumbfounded Sun Qi, then turned and walked toward the light blue Rolls-Royce.

"Wait here. Have someone send another car. Then take my luggage and wait for me at the dock, okay?" He turned back halfway to give instructions, then, under Sun Qi's still-shocked gaze, strode to the car, opened the door, and bent down to get inside.

But the sight inside the car made him freeze instantly.

In the driver's seat sat neither Lin Zaishan nor the driver he had seen last time, but a completely unfamiliar face.

"Who are you...?" Yuan Che asked, unable to hide his confusion, his eyes involuntarily scanning the other's face.

Unlike Lin Zaishan's rugged and handsome features, this person was leaner, with a face that was... more flamboyant. His slightly curly hair was neatly styled, and the top two buttons of his purple silk shirt were casually undone, exuding an overwhelming aura of boldness.

Yuan Che studied him without reservation, and before the other could speak, he asked first, "Are you a boy or a girl?"

He had a rough idea in his mind, but after seeing Sun Qi's appearance, he couldn't help but overthink. At the very least, he needed to clarify the gender.

The other person clearly hadn't expected such a question. He paused for a moment, then seemed amused. Pushing his sunglasses up onto his head, he leaned closer to the passenger seat and, in a teasing voice, asked back, "Do you want me to be a boy, or a girl?"

At close range, Yuan Che could see more clearly—it was a boy.

Oh no! Why a boy!

"I want you to be a girl," he answered honestly, while subtly shifting his body toward the window, deliberately increasing the distance between them.

This straightforward and obviously wary reaction made the other person freeze again. Then he let out a low, amused laugh. "I don't quite understand what you mean."

He didn't understand, but Yuan Che did. He was about to get married—how could he sit so close to another man? If the other were just a driver, that would be one thing, but given his outfit and demeanor, he clearly wasn't. He was more like the "ladyboy queen" that had been brought from Thailand for the birthday celebration of Yuan Jingtian's younger brother some years ago.

Yuan Jingtian's younger brother was named Yuan Shaoze, technically Yuan Che's uncle by seniority. The man had notoriously vulgar taste and, despite his age, was indiscriminate with his romances. Yuan Simiao had even refused to sit at the same table with him—she secretly told Yuan Che that eating at the same table as their uncle would surely make you sick. When Yuan Che asked what kind of sickness, she wouldn't say, just looked grave.

From then on, every time Yuan Che saw his uncle, he didn't even dare to greet him, afraid of getting infected. Although to this day he didn't know what the illness was, one thing he remembered firmly: a womanizer was absolutely not to be trusted.

With that thought, Yuan Che reached out and pushed the car door open, stepping out decisively. Before the man in the driver's seat could react, he circled around to the side, expertly pressed the button on the passenger seat to move it forward slightly, then bent down and sat in the back seat. After sitting down, he gently moved the front seat back into place—the entire motion was smooth and practiced, without a single pause.

"You..." The man turned around, staring at him in shock.

"Where is Lin Zaishan?" Yuan Che leaned back against the seat, getting straight to the point. He really didn't want to tangle with this person.

The other paused, then raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of nonchalance in his tone. "I'm Lin Wenjun. Lin Zaishan is my brother. What, did you mistake me for a driver?"

"Your brother?" Yuan Che's face was full of skepticism. "Lin Zaishan has a brother?"

"Cousin," Lin Wenjun replied smoothly.

"Alright, I'm sorry." Yuan Che apologized quickly, his tone polite but distant. "But I don't want to sit with you."

"Why?"

Because you look too frivolous, Yuan Che thought to himself, but he couldn't say it directly—it sounded too unfriendly. He thought for a moment and decided to stay silent, just staring back at the other with a calm, unwavering gaze.

Lin Wenjun initially met his gaze with a hint of defiance, but after a while, he started to feel a bit creeped out. Finally, he was the first to look away, somewhat uncomfortable.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged, his tone turning casual again. "If you don't want to sit there, fine. Let's go now—I've got plans tonight."

Before his words faded, he started the car. The engine roared, and the vehicle shot forward, throwing Yuan Che back in his seat and making his heart leap. In just a few minutes, he had developed an undeniable aversion to this so-called "younger brother." Not only had he gotten too close without permission, but he couldn't even drive properly—if he were a driver on the island, his sister would have fired him long ago.

"This car is really something," Lin Wenjun said, one hand on the steering wheel and the other casually resting out the window, his tone light. "No noise even at this speed. I'll have to order one myself. I heard your island has a decent little track, but I didn't expect such a small place to have such a good car collection. I underestimated it."

Hearing this, Yuan Che understood—no wonder the car looked familiar; it was rented from the club.

"Could you please slow down a bit?" He leaned forward slightly, speaking earnestly. "This car has been sitting idle at the club for a long time. The battery might be weak, and driving too fast isn't safe."

Lin Wenjun glanced at him in the rearview mirror, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "You know this car well?"

"Mm," Yuan Che nodded. "It's mine."

"Yours?" Lin Wenjun looked at the rearview mirror again, half-doubtful. "I just rented it from the club today. I got my membership card just now."

"The club is also mine," Yuan Che said flatly, as if stating something obvious.

"You're joking, right?" Lin Wenjun's lips curled into a mocking smile. "The club was recommended by a friend of mine, and the boss doesn't have the surname Yuan."

There was a hint of disdain hidden in those words, even if said as a joke. Yuan Che felt vaguely uncomfortable but didn't dwell on it. He simply asked, "Then what surname did your friend say the boss has?"

"Qi," Lin Wenjun turned the corner, his speed unrelenting. "Don't tell me he's yours too?"

"No," Yuan Che corrected seriously. "Qi Zhile belongs to my sister."

"What did you say?" Lin Wenjun's eyebrows knitted together in shock.

"I said, Qi Zhile belongs to my sister," Yuan Che repeated, his tone still calm.

He didn't understand why Lin Wenjun was so surprised. What seemed ordinary to him was like seeing a ghost in broad daylight to the other. Although it wasn't polite to judge others in his mind, he couldn't help but feel that this person seemed... rather unsophisticated.

But thinking about it, he could understand. Though the island where Yuan Che lived wasn't large, it was extremely wealthy. More importantly, not just the island itself, but the vast surrounding sea area had been effectively under the control of the Yuan family for years. Although the laws of Country A stipulated that sea areas couldn't be fully privatized, starting from Yuan Jingtian's grandfather's generation, they had achieved a high degree of control over this area—essentially by using a top-tier law firm to exploit a very subtle legal loophole.

As for the island's well-known racing club, it had been a birthday gift from Yuan Jingtian to Yuan Che ten years ago. Of course, this lavish gift had little to do with "fatherly love." As Yuan Simiao put it, the two siblings were merely "dolls" used by Yuan Jingtian to polish his image.

The original intention behind giving the club was nothing more than a carefully orchestrated publicity stunt. On Yuan Che's ninth birthday, the news of the "island tycoon gifting a luxury car club to his young son" dominated media headlines, instantly attracting countless curiosity seekers to the island. The so-called luxury car club quickly transformed into a high-end members-only racetrack, becoming a shining business card for the island.

When public interest peaked, Yuan Jingtian quietly stepped back, transferring the club's assets into a family trust, while entrusting the day-to-day operations to a local racer—the "Boss Qi" Lin Wenjun mentioned, Qi Zhile.

"Boss Qi... how can Boss Qi be your sister's? Isn't your sister marrying my brother?" Lin Wenjun kept glancing at the rearview mirror, his words stumbling due to shock. His hand unconsciously shifted gears, and the car finally slowed down.

This stammering question sent Yuan Che's mood plummeting.

The reason Qi Zhile was "Yuan Simiao's" was because he had only been allowed to stay on the island thanks to his sister's love for watching his races. Later, even after Qi Zhile became the nominal boss, Yuan Simiao still enjoyed the privilege of calling him anytime. Qi Zhile was also one of the very few on the island who didn't have to address Yuan Simiao as "Miss."

But none of that mattered anymore. What truly stung Yuan Che was this: even Lin Zaishan's brother didn't know about Lin Zaishan's relationship with him.

How could this be...

"You—" Yuan Che finally couldn't hold back, but just as he was about to speak, Lin Wenjun's phone rang.

The car had now approached the pier where the yacht was docked. Lin Wenjun glanced at the incoming call but let it ring without answering. He smoothly drove into the parking lot nearby, stopped the car amid the persistent ringing, and picked up the phone to dial back.

Yuan Che sat in the backseat, feeling a surge of unease, as if he were submerged in icy water that no one understood, struggling desperately. The image of Yuan Simiao's confident promise from last night resurfaced in his mind. The thing he least wanted to admit seemed to be happening again—

His sister had lied to him once more.

"Hello?" Lin Wenjun's call connected at that moment. He held the phone between his shoulder and ear, freeing both hands to light a cigarette. "Got him, bro. Heading back now."

Those few words immediately put Yuan Che on alert—bro? The person on the other end was Lin Zaishan!

That was his husband!

At that thought, he felt as if he had been pulled out of the icy water, and the sunshower from the day they first met seemed to warm him again—his husband had called!

"Mm, got it." Lin Wenjun took a drag of his cigarette, answering absent-mindedly.

But he soon sensed something was off. He turned around and found Yuan Che leaning forward, tilting his ear, moving not an inch, listening intently to his call.

This nosy behavior struck Lin Wenjun as amusing. He held the cigarette between his fingers and dangled the phone in front of Yuan Che, teasing him. "You want to hear him ramble?"

It was meant as a joke, but to his surprise, Yuan Che's eyes lit up instantly. Still, he maintained his composure, first saying to Lin Wenjun with great elegance, "Alright, I'll take it. Thank you."

Then, before Lin Wenjun could react, he smoothly took the phone. The entire motion was incredibly fluid, as if he had practiced it many times.

Lin Wenjun was stunned for a few seconds before snapping back to reality. He turned around in shock and nearly dropped his jaw at the scene in the backseat.

The person in the back had taken the phone and was holding it to his ear with both hands. The moment the screen touched his ear, his entire face turned visibly red. He bit his lip, his eyelashes trembling, seemingly unable to utter a single word.

"Hu... hus—" The person held the phone, stammering.

Lin Wenjun finally realized something was wrong and was about to reach for the phone, but he saw Yuan Che's face suddenly break into a radiant smile. Obviously, the person on the other end had said something to calm him down. Yuan Che's raised lips didn't drop again.

This strange, ambiguous atmosphere made Lin Wenjun deeply uncomfortable, but it wasn't a good time to just take the phone back. So he forced himself to be patient, leaned back in his seat, and puffed on his cigarette, occasionally glancing at the rearview mirror.

Just as a cigarette was about to burn out, a shy, barely audible voice drifted softly from the backseat—

"What I wanted to say just now was... hu-, husband..."