Chapter 15

[Ah? Pulling this move.]

[I thought he was a good guy at first for saving our treasure, but now he’s waiting here?]

[The chance the two bodyguards were fighting over ended up getting snatched by the dog.]

[Taking the chance to grope…]

Zhong Nian’s surprise was no less than that of the viewers. He had thought the body search was over.

Last night, Red-haired Qian had met with an accident, and he had an alibi. This man should have known he wasn’t a suspect, so why insist on searching him personally now?

He found it strange and inexplicably resisted. “Mr. Sheng, there’s nothing on me that could threaten you.”

“Who knows?” Sheng Chu dismissed it, his tone flat yet irrefutable. “Even without a weapon, you might have slipped something into my breakfast, so a search is necessary.”

“…” The reasoning was airtight. Zhong Nian had nothing to say.

He could only let Sheng Chu proceed.

With his back to him, his vision limited, he couldn’t see Sheng Chu’s movements clearly. So when two hands gripped his waist from both sides, he was thoroughly startled.

He had been mentally prepared, but the man’s palms were large. His thumbs pressed right into the dimples of Zhong Nian’s lower back, sending an indescribable ache spreading through him. He shuddered uncontrollably.

Sheng Chu naturally didn’t miss the reaction. His eyes darkened a shade, and after a brief pause, his thumbs maintained their pressure, grinding and shifting position.

Even through the black-and-white uniform, he could feel the flexible body beneath his hands. He wouldn’t overlook the slightest reaction from its owner.

As his palms slid up to the ribs, the trembling had stopped. Then they moved to the front, to the flat abdomen—clearly nothing could be hidden there even without touching—but Sheng Chu still kneaded it.

The young man shuddered again.

Clearly, this was another “sensitive zone.”

Next, his hands slid downward, gripping the youth’s slim, defined hip bones. His fingers swept into the pockets.

The pockets were empty. All he felt was the warm, soft flesh beneath the thin fabric.

“Hiss…”

An itchy sensation rose in an area rarely touched by others. Zhong Nian’s legs instinctively clamped together. “Mr. Sheng, if you suspect something in my pockets, I can empty them out for you… No need for this.”

Sheng Chu ignored him and continued. “I need to s… search inside the vest.”

Zhong Nian froze.

If he wasn’t mistaken, that pause had been before “touch”?

Before he could recover, Sheng Chu’s hand was already inside.

One hand slipped under the vest’s hem. The vest was tailored slim, with non-stretchy fabric, so the large hand made it taut and hard to maneuver.

Zhong Nian didn’t understand. If he feared something hidden between the vest and shirt, why not just have him take off the vest? Why go to such trouble?

As he groped, the vest was pushed up above the waist. The shirt inside, neatly tucked into the pants, became disheveled. Part of the hem lifted, revealing a glimpse of snow-white skin at the small of his back.

Sheng Chu’s hands were not only large but scorching hot. Zhong Nian’s entire back was thoroughly explored, leaving only his chest untouched.

It felt less like a search and more like palpating bones.

Seeing the hands trending forward, Zhong Nian quickly called out. “Mr. Sheng.”

Sheng Chu’s hand paused above the youth’s ribs. “What is it?”

Zhong Nian wanted to tell him that was enough, but just as he opened his mouth, the doorbell rang.

After two chimes, the video screen at the entryway automatically displayed the outside image, along with a voice.

“Sheng Chu, open up.”

It was familiar. Pinned to the wall, Zhong Nian strained to turn his head. From the distance, he could only vaguely make out the visitor’s silhouette on the small screen, but that head of golden hair was unmistakable.

It was Zong Xing Yi.

After last night’s ordeal, Zhong Nian had no desire to face the Eldest Young Master.

Sheng Chu made no response.

For a moment, the room fell exceptionally quiet, as if the two of them didn’t exist.

But if the people outside barged in, they would witness an unbelievable scene.

Their posture had long exceeded normal boundaries. The youth’s waiter uniform was disheveled, his hands raised beside his face as he pressed against the wall, his expression one of forbearance mixed with shame—like he’d been thoroughly bullied.

The man behind him wore a loosely tied bathrobe. The notable size difference nearly enveloped the youth, pressed extremely close, with one hand still stuffed inside the vest.

No one walking in would think this was a body search.

It looked more like some coercive unspoken rule.

Suddenly, another familiar figure appeared on the video doorbell.

“Still not up?” came a lazy, luxurious voice—Guan Shan Yue.

Zong Xing Yi mocked, “You think everyone lazes in bed like you? He never oversleeps.”

Guan Shan Yue replied, “Not necessarily. After all, he was busy until dawn last night.”

“True… So many messes on this voyage.”

The device’s audio pickup was too good; it sounded like they were face-to-face inside.

Despite the room’s top-tier soundproofing, Zhong Nian instinctively lowered his voice, fearing they might be overheard. “Mr. Sheng, your friends are here.”

“Mm.” Sheng Chu acknowledged, but his body made no move.

Zhong Nian choked. “…Can you let go of me now?”

His request went unanswered.

As he waited, his patience wore thin. He’d already been cooperative with the search. With nothing found, why linger like this?

Standing pressed against the wall was exhausting; his waist ached.

He no longer kept his hands raised in passive compliance. One elbow nudged backward to push the man away, while the other hand tugged at the one inside his vest.

Surprisingly, the man didn’t press harder. Zhong Nian easily pulled free, gaining space to turn around.

Zhong Nian met the man’s unfathomable dark eyes. Calm and polite, he said, “Mr. Sheng, I have other work. I’ll take my leave. Enjoy your breakfast.”

Sheng Chu nodded toward the door. “Xing Yi’s right outside. You sure that’s fine?”

Zhong Nian halted.

“I know. He’s smitten with you at first sight. Last night, he even called you to his room.”

Sheng Chu’s voice betrayed no emotion. “What happened during those twenty minutes? Enough to make you flee in panic.”

Zhong Nian was inwardly shocked at how well-informed he was, but he kept a composed facade. “Nothing much. He wanted to give me a gift, but I refused because it was too valuable.”

“Is that all?” Sheng Chu’s tone rose slightly at the end, laced with doubt.

Zhong Nian bit his lip and nodded.

“But last night, he came to me drunk and crying that you’d rejected not just his gift, but his marriage proposal.”

“…”

Zhong Nian was speechless for a moment, then gave an awkward laugh. “You two are really close.”

“Though I don’t quite understand why you rejected him, it’s done. He’s lost his chance to court you.”

As he spoke, Sheng Chu suddenly closed in. Zhong Nian was forced back against the wall again, his spine chilling.

Outside the door, Zong Xing Yi and Guan Shan Yue continued chattering.

Inside, Sheng Chu’s gaze burned as his hand caressed the youth’s face.

“Now, would you consider me?”