First, the loose tie at his neck was yanked off with one hand and casually tossed onto the central glass counter of the cabinet.
The counter was made of transparent glass, and the lights inside flickered on.
Shen Ju instinctively glanced inside and saw an array of accessories.
The top layer held watches, collar clips, and some cufflinks.
The next layer down had belts, along with what looked like elastic bands and clips—Shen Ju had no clue what they were for.
“That’s a shirt clip,” Pei Yan said.
Shen Ju blinked and looked up, only to find Pei Yan already unbuttoning his dress shirt. His eyes darted uncertainly for a moment before he subconsciously asked, “What’s a shirt clip for?”
“Come here.”
Shen Ju’s feet dragged for a second.
He shuffled over slowly, head bowed.
Pei Yan seemed to chuckle lowly.
He bent down, pulled out a shirt clip from the cabinet, and said, “This clips onto your leg to hold the shirt in place.”
As he spoke, Pei Yan demonstrated simply on Shen Ju—clipping one end to his thigh, while his long fingers secured the other to the hem of the shirt that Shen Ju had just unbuttoned for the show.
“Avoids the shirt slipping out. Keeps your outfit neat and sharp.”
Pei Yan’s demonstration was vivid, his explanation concise and clear. Shen Ju understood the shirt clip’s purpose in an instant.
Especially since Pei Yan had demonstrated it right on his thigh.
Shen Ju watched, feeling his face heat up.
This thing’s use feels so erotic… He glanced once and felt too embarrassed for a second look, yet he couldn’t stop staring.
Until Pei Yan put the shirt clip away.
“But I don’t use them much.”
“Why?” Shen Ju blurted out subconsciously.
It looks pretty good.
No—looks pretty useful.
“Don’t like them.” Pei Yan stowed the clip away, shrugged off his now-unbuttoned shirt, and fixed his gaze on Shen Ju. “I don’t like restraints.”
“If there’s an occasion where I have to wear one, I just skip it.”
Shen Ju mumbled an “oh,” his eyes wandering again, unsure where to land.
He suddenly felt like following him in here had been a huge mistake.
Now he couldn’t stay… but leaving felt awkward too…
“But if you’re interested, next time I’ll put one on properly for you to see.”
Shen Ju froze.
He doesn’t like them, but he’ll wear one… for me?
“Done watching me change yet?” Pei Yan arched a brow at him, fingers drifting to his belt buckle. “Or do you want me to drop my pants too? I don’t mind.”
“AAH, Pei-ge, I’m out first!”
Shen Ju dropped the overcoat he’d been clutching and bolted.
Pei Yan watched his retreating back and tsked lightly with a quirk of his lips.
He wanted to keep going. He truly didn’t mind changing in front of Shen Ju—in fact, he wanted to pin him here, make those eyes fix solely on him.
Some things, he could do. Hell, he could push even further.
But in the end… he went soft.
Three words summed it up: Couldn’t bear to.
Seeing Shen Ju standing there awkwardly clutching his overcoat, eyes darting everywhere, limbs stiff and unsure—that melted him.
Push too far, and it’d be straight-up bullying.
Then he’d have to coax the kid back to rights.
Pei Yan chuckled lowly. If it came to that, he’d be willing… but still, he couldn’t bear to.
He’d just been testing the waters.
Pushing Shen Ju a little more.
Ever since he’d told Shen Ju he could “use” him for the engagement, this was the second time the kid had “fled.”
After that talk, he’d given Shen Ju space to process.
Plus, the boy had been running a fever then—Pei Yan hadn’t wanted to pile on, so he’d held off until Shen Ju recovered before setting up the makeup lesson.
He’d figured he’d see what attitude Shen Ju brought once they met properly again, what reactions he’d have. Instead, the kid dodged again on instinct. It nearly made Pei Yan laugh in frustration.
Blame his own damn acting.
In front of him, Shen Ju always defaulted to that “elder” deference.
No wonder the engagement talk had spooked him.
“This won’t do.”
Pei Yan murmured.
He stripped off the rest of his clothes, changed into homewear, and sauntered downstairs at a leisurely pace.
They needed some time alone.
That’s why he’d claimed overtime today—to buy time and keep Shen Ju till last.
The other four had bailed right away.
Perfect. Let him get back sooner.
He’d even dropped the surveillance hint, but the kid hadn’t caught on.
If they were playing the roleplay straight, Shen Ju should’ve been turned away at the bedroom door. But Pei Yan had opened it anyway, letting him in.
His probes were cloaked as “cooperation,” but they’d grown bolder, less veiled.
He didn’t want to scare Shen Ju off.
But he worried the kid wouldn’t get it.
Or that under the “cooperation” guise, Shen Ju wouldn’t dare—or wouldn’t—read into it.
Luckily, Shen Ju did react to the teasing.
He got embarrassed.
Flustered.
All at sea…
When alone with him, that unease showed.
Pei Yan didn’t know if Shen Ju understood why he reacted that way.
But he wanted him to.
He’d planned to hold back—not the right time, stay restrained. But he’d overestimated himself. With Shen Ju nearby, he couldn’t not want to touch, couldn’t not want to mark him.
He should’ve claimed him ages ago.
As Pei Yan mulled it over, he inwardly cursed himself. If that was the case, he shouldn’t have let Shen Ju go just now.
Even if it spooked him, banking on the mission, he’d find a way to keep him close.
But…
Pei Yan sighed inwardly.
Bully him that far, and he’d be the one aching in the end.
Downstairs, the chef had finished dinner and set the table.
Shen Ju sat in the dining room, waiting for him.
Pei Yan paused, then walked over.
Just the two of them today.
Two people.
Rare alone time.
Pei Yan took the seat across from Shen Ju.
Shen Ju swung his foot idly and glanced at Pei Yan.
He’d changed into loose cotton homewear—top and pants, both deep gray. Pei-ge always matches his tones like that.
Simple. But it looked good.
Maybe because it was on Pei Yan.
Shen Ju thought about it and couldn’t help sneaking a few more looks.
Pei-ge looked built in a suit, but this loose homewear highlighted it too.
No idea how he trained, but even pulling out a chair showed fluid muscle lines. That hurried glimpse in the closet earlier had given Shen Ju the full picture—broad back, defined arms, chest, abs. All there. Slim in clothes, ripped underneath. Pure power and presence.
Shen Ju nibbled his chopsticks, inwardly scolding himself.
How many times have I replayed what happened in the closet?
Stop thinking about it…
Pei-ge was just playing along.
Nothing else to it.
At the thought, a strange emotion flickered through Shen Ju—disappointment.
A faint unhappiness.
He blurted out subconsciously, “Pei-ge, if in the future…”
“What if the person you like misunderstands?”
