Ben10: A Romantic Adventure with a Gender-Swapped Class

Consciousness slowly rises from the dark sea like a sunken ship.

The clear and melodious birdsong, like tiny silver needles, pierced the veil of slumber, waking Mo Bai from her slumber.

He frowned, his senses not yet fully returning to normal, but a continuous warmth came first to his right arm, as if a small, warm iron was pressed against his skin.

He slowly lifted his heavy eyelids, and the cool morning light flooded his vision.

Looking down—it's sunlight.

Large swaths of unobstructed golden morning light were pouring in unrestrainedly through the window he had forgotten to close, generously showering the bed and his bare right arm.

My skin felt slightly warm from the sun, even turning a very faint pink. The lingering chill from last night was completely dispelled by the stubborn heat, leaving only a slightly languid discomfort from being tightly embraced by the sunlight.

"Hiss..." He silently complained in his heart about his negligence last night, and the lingering drowsiness was completely evaporated by the warmth.

He sat up, his bare feet touching the cool floor, and walked toward the bathroom.

The cold water splashed on his face, jolting him awake and washing away the last trace of drowsiness. His face, reflected in the mirror, was clear and sharp with the vigor of early morning.

He picked up his phone; the screen's cold light seemed somewhat dim in the morning light. His fingertips swiped quickly across the screen, dialing those two familiar numbers.

After a while, he pushed open the door. The morning air, carrying the moist coolness of awakening plants, rushed towards him, invigorating him.

Kevin's modified car was already parked steadily on the side of the road, like a lurking steel beast.

Kevin himself leaned lazily against the driver's side door, his posture so relaxed it was almost boneless.

He held a half-eaten hamburger in his hand, the golden bun covered in sauce and sesame seeds, chewing slowly as his gaze aimlessly swept across the street scene.

Seeing Mo Bai approach, Kevin raised an eyebrow, nestled more comfortably into the soft car window frame, and spoke indistinctly, his voice hoarse from just waking up.

"Want some?" He casually waved the food in his hand, which was bitten into unevenly, revealing a dark brown beef patty and melted cheese inside, and handed it to Mo Bai perfunctorily.

The morning light fell on the greasy surface of his fingers, reflecting a faint glow.

Even though she knew the other person was probably just teasing her, looking at the food that had been bitten beyond recognition and whose edges were even showing the sauce seeping out, Mo Bai still instinctively felt a slight discomfort in her stomach, as if something had gently stirred it.

His face clearly showed disgust, his brows furrowed slightly, and he turned away as if avoiding something unclean.

"No"

"You should keep it for yourself as a late-night snack..."

Kevin's lips immediately curled into a smug, roguish smile, as if he had been waiting to see Kevin's reaction.

He deliberately took another big bite of the hamburger, his cheeks puffed out, chewing with satisfaction. After swallowing, he slowly spoke, with a hint of mockery in his voice.

Just kidding, where's your breakfast?

He didn't even bother to turn around and confirm the direction. He simply used his left index finger, like a conductor's baton, to lazily poke at a point far to Mo Bai's right.

Mo Bai turned her head to look in the direction Kevin was pointing, a hint of doubt in her eyes.

Not far away, amidst the dappled shadows of the trees along the sidewalk, a familiar figure was jogging towards him.

The brown ponytail bounced and swayed playfully in the morning breeze.

She was carrying a white plastic bag with the logo of a time-honored shop. The thin plastic was bulging from the hot steam inside, and the outlines of the small steamed buns, with their thin skins and generous fillings, could be vaguely seen inside.

It's a small class.

She also saw Mo Bai's gaze, and her face instantly blossomed into a radiant smile, like the rising sun suddenly leaping over the horizon and dispelling the morning mist.

She immediately waved her free hand at him with joy, her arm drawing a vibrant arc in the air, every movement brimming with pure happiness.

That vibrant figure and untroubled smile, like a warm current carrying the temperature of sunshine, unexpectedly and gently flowed into the depths of Mo Bai's tranquil heart, rippling out circles of subtle yet clear waves.

He himself was unaware that a smile, as gentle as melting snow, had quietly crept onto the corners of his slightly pursed lips, softening his somewhat hard features.

This subtle change went unnoticed even by himself, yet it was clearly reflected in Kevin's eyes.

In the blink of an eye, Xiao Ban had already run up to him, slightly out of breath, his unremarkable chest rising and falling gently with his breath.

The light sweat in the early morning gave her fair forehead and the tip of her nose a fine, glistening sheen.

She held the bag of fragrant steamed buns high in front of Mo Bai, almost touching his nose, the crisp sound like pearls falling onto a jade plate.

"What are you looking at so intently?" She tilted her head deliberately, blinking her mischievous green eyes. "Are you craving xiaolongbao?" Her tone carried the unique charm of a young girl.

Mo Bai's smile remained unchanged, appearing even clearer and more genuine in the gentle morning light, as if some kind of solid ice was silently melting.

He didn't answer the teasing question directly, nor did he look at the tempting food so close at hand.

He reached out and gently pushed aside the edge of the steaming plastic bag that was blocking his view.

His gaze passed over the bag of breakfast and landed directly in the little boy's clear green eyes.

His gaze was focused and deep, as if he wanted to clearly imprint her reflection in the depths of his pupils.

“I’m watching you,” he said softly, his voice low and steady.

There was no deliberate attempt to evoke emotion; it simply stated a basic fact, yet in the current atmosphere, it possessed an indescribable penetrating power.

The air seemed to be sucked away from all sound in that instant. The sounds of traffic, birdsong, and the subtle movements of Kevin chewing his hamburger all seemed to have been muted.

Their eyes met, and time stretched out infinitely.

Something indescribable, warm, flowed silently between the two of them, permeating and entwining them.

The temperature wasn't scorching, but it was enough to make the surrounding air thick and ambiguous.

The smile on Xiao Ban's face froze for a moment, and then a clear blush spread up her slender neck at an astonishing speed, quickly staining her fair cheeks and delicate earlobes, like clouds completely dyed by the morning glow, radiating an amazing heat.

Her green eyes flickered, and she tried to look away in a panic, but she was drawn by some invisible force and could not truly escape those deep, unfathomable eyes that were watching her.

A cough! A deliberately amplified cough, laced with a strong sense of mockery, shattered the sweet atmosphere like a boulder thrown into a lake.

"There's more than just the two of you here, okay?" Kevin's voice rang out, full of mockery and a hint of feigned displeasure. He even exaggeratedly fanned his nose with his hand, as if trying to dispel some kind of "sour smell."

The two of them were jolted awake as if electrocuted.

The focused, gentle light in Mo Bai's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a fleeting hint of embarrassment and barely perceptible annoyance.

He almost frantically snatched the bag of piping hot xiaolongbao from Xiaoban's hands, his movements carrying a hint of rudeness, as if the bag were burning his hands.

He lowered his head as if to cover up his discomfort, quickly pulled a plump steamed bun from the bag, and stuffed it into his mouth without even looking at it, trying to use food to cover up the sudden unease.

With precise bites, the thin, delicate skin of the dough bursts open on the tongue, releasing scalding hot, incredibly flavorful meat juices that explode like molten lava.

The rich aroma of meat and the unique wheat fragrance of the dough instantly surged through my closed mouth, filling every taste bud cell.

The scalding juice made his tongue tingle slightly, yet it also brought him an almost masochistic, extreme sense of satisfaction.

The burst of freshness in that instant seemed to possess a magical power, instantly dispelling all the heaviness and worries that had accumulated in my heart.

His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed the scalding hot delicacy with some difficulty, letting out a long breath, the lingering aroma still on his lips and teeth.

Only then did he lower his head slightly, looking at Xiao Ban beside him with a hint of inquiry, her cheeks still flushed, her eyes still somewhat unfocused, unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. Her voice returned to its usual gentleness, but there seemed to be a trace of unnaturalness at the end: "Aren't you going to eat?"

Xiao Ban seemed to be pulled back from some small world by his voice. She suddenly raised her head and met Mo Bai's gaze. The blush on her face seemed to have deepened.

She tried to make her voice sound relaxed and natural, but there was still a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

“I’m on my way… I’ve already had a double cheeseburger.” She tried to shrug, making a nonchalant gesture.

Upon hearing this, Mo Bai's brows furrowed slightly, as was his habit.

He could almost picture the heavy feeling of the greasy hamburger patty and melted cheese in her stomach.

Without a word, he casually picked up another plump and piping hot xiaolongbao from the bag, his movements carrying a touch of domineering force, and precisely stuffed it into Xiaoban's slightly open mouth, his fingertips inadvertently brushing against her soft, warm lips.

"Eating such greasy food so early in the morning," he said, his tone tinged with reproach, yet also with barely concealed concern. "Aren't you afraid of turning into a pig?" His gaze swept over her slender waist.

As soon as he finished speaking, Kevin, who was standing next to him, coughed loudly and assertively!

The cough was louder than before, carrying a strong implication and a silent accusation—after all, he had just devoured the same greasy burger, and had been enjoying it immensely!

However, Mo Bai and Xiao Ban's attention was firmly drawn to each other as if by an invisible magnet. The air was filled with a subtle atmosphere that was difficult for outsiders to penetrate, and neither of them gave him even a glance at his deliberate reminder.

The little boy was caught off guard when a piping hot xiaolongbao was stuffed into his mouth. He made a soft "uh" sound and instinctively took a bite.

The scalding juice made her squint slightly. She chewed slowly and carefully, sucking in small sips, while glaring at Mo Bai with her beautiful green eyes, like an annoyed kitten.

She struggled to swallow the food in her mouth, her voice carrying a hint of grievance at being burned and a touch of defiant defiance.

"So what?" She deliberately dragged out the last syllable, with a hint of coquetry, "You won't want me anymore if I get fat?" She paused, her green eyes staring directly at Mo Bai with an almost obsessive searching, "Or... do you think I'm not pretty anymore if I get fat?" As she finished the last word, she slightly raised her chin, with a touch of stubborn probing.

Upon hearing this, Mo Bai's expression actually froze for a moment, before she put on a serious, thoughtful look.

He habitually stroked his chin with one hand, his brows slightly furrowed, his gaze like a scanner, moving down from her smooth forehead, her pert nose, and her rosy lips, slowly sweeping across her slender neck, finally settling on her shapely waist and abdomen, clad in a well-fitting T-shirt.

His gaze was focused and evaluative, as if he were truly sketching out her "fat" image in his mind.

“I wouldn’t abandon you…” he murmured, as if carefully choosing his words, his voice low and slow, carrying a peculiar seriousness.

He paused, then refocused his gaze on her still slender figure, adding with a hint of inquiry.

"Will it look bad... um..." He dragged out the last syllable, as if he were really struggling to weigh this "important" question in his mind.

Seeing that he was actually seriously "considering" the possibility of gaining weight, and even conducting an "aesthetic assessment," the little bit of food in Xiao Ban's cheeks instantly lost its flavor.

A surge of emotions, a mixture of embarrassment, annoyance, and a feeling of being mocked, rushed to my head.

Her fair cheeks swelled up again at a visible speed, like a small pufferfish suddenly filled with air, and her green eyes widened as if they were about to spit fire.

"You've actually been thinking about this seriously?!" She practically squeezed out each word through clenched teeth, her expression sharp and agitated, as if a sore spot had been hit.

She suddenly straightened her back, put her hands on her hips, trying to increase her imposing presence, with a hint of territorial pride and an eagerness to prove herself.

"How could I possibly get fat?!" She patted her flat, firm stomach hard, making a soft sound. "Running around every day, with that amount of exercise, my figure is just too slim, okay~" She deliberately dragged out the last syllable, emphasizing her "advantage".

Seeing her adorable appearance—both angry and annoyed, eager to prove her innocence, with her cheeks puffed out—like a squirrel whose tail had been stepped on and eager to show off its still agile nature, the last trace of feigned seriousness in Mo Bai's eyes finally crumbled completely.

He could no longer contain himself, and a low laugh resonated from his chest, which then turned into a clear and joyful laugh. His eyebrows relaxed, and the morning light fell on his smiling face, as if it were gilded with a soft golden edge.

“I know,” he explained with a smile, his voice carrying the ease of a mischievous triumph and a hint of barely perceptible indulgence. “I just wanted to tease you.” He reached out, seemingly wanting to habitually ruffle her hair, but stopped halfway, his hand still oily. Instead, he pointed to her puffed-up cheeks. “Look, like a little pufferfish.”

Realizing that his entire journey—from worry to self-justification to outburst—had been observed and used as a source of amusement by this guy, Xiao Ban was instantly furious.

Her clenched fist was no longer a symbolic threat, but was filled with the power of "revenge," and she unceremoniously delivered a solid "critical strike" to Mo Bai's unsuspecting waist!