Chapter 25: The Disguise Drops

Ji Zhi had originally wanted to signal Fu Huixu to let him go. However, before he could make a sound, Fu Huixu spoke up. “Baby, it’s me.”

Only then did Ji Zhi remember that Zhi Zhi had never actually met Fu Huixu in person. He quickly acted as if this were their first encounter and introduced himself accordingly.

Though he wasn’t sure if Fu Huixu remembered his roommate’s name, Ji Zhi played it safe and gave a fake one.

But as it turned out, giving a name didn’t matter. Fu Huixu still called him Baby.

It helped that Ji Zhi had grown used to hearing it over their phone calls. Otherwise, he was sure he’d have given himself away.

Ji Zhi could feel Fu Huixu’s gaze settling on him, followed by a slight furrow of his brows.

Joy surged in Ji Zhi’s heart. Fu Huixu clearly didn’t like it.

With ulterior motives in mind—and since Fu Huixu wasn’t in the dorm, giving him plenty of time—Ji Zhi had put extra care into his outfit this time.

The black dress clung to his slender waistline, its hem just barely covering the insides of his thighs.

The skirt was so short that even Ji Zhi felt a little uncomfortable in it. To compensate, he paired it with tall Martin boots and a leg cuff, covering a bit more skin.

He had almost lost that leg cuff to Jiang Yaolin before. Not knowing how much longer it would stay on him, he decided to make the most of it.

Even though he had picked an early time when fewer students were around to leave campus and taken a cab the whole way, he still drew plenty of stares after walking just a few steps.

Ji Zhi was grateful now that he wore a mask. Otherwise, if his identity as a crossdressing vlogger got exposed, he’d have to sneak out through the sewers from then on.

And this was the Ji Zhi that Fu Huixu saw.

Fu Huixu had arrived early and waited on the other side. Despite the mask, he recognized him right away and approached without thinking.

He had anticipated this meeting with Zhi Zhi so many times in his mind that, upon seeing the figure, Fu Huixu even wondered if it was all a dream.

After all, such a scene had only ever appeared in his dreams before.

Fu Huixu touched Zhi Zhi cautiously. Thankfully, this time his fingertips met warm, real flesh.

His heart pounded wildly. By the time he came back to himself, he had already pulled Zhi Zhi into his arms.

But before Fu Huixu could say anything else, he noticed Zhi Zhi’s outfit—

The long black hair fell as smoothly as ever, the black mask leaving only a pair of beautiful, innocent dark eyes visible.

Fu Huixu had told him the day before that Zhi Zhi could wear men’s clothes if he wanted, but the other had said he preferred dressing up as a girl. So Fu Huixu had known a skirt was coming.

Yet when his gaze landed on Zhi Zhi, it froze—

He was wearing far too little.

The black miniskirt barely covered his thighs. That stretch of skin was already so pale it was nearly translucent. The leg cuff cinched around it, making the soft flesh dip in slightly with a faint pink tint—as if any more pressure would leave a mark. Between the boot tops and the cuff, his calves showed smooth, rounded lines that tensed into alluring curves with every movement, each step silently drawing the eye.

The thin chain dangling from the leg cuff swayed lightly in the breeze, occasionally clinking against the boot with a faint “clink,” tightening the throat inexplicably—like a secret signal hinting at the dangerously captivating allure hidden beneath the delicate ensemble.

Fu Huixu immediately recalled the video Zhi Zhi had sent in a panic when he had mistakenly thought the other was cheating.

Even through the screen, those legs had made him want to leave his own marks on them. But along with that desire came intense frustration. He wanted to adorn Zhi Zhi from head to toe with collars, bracelets, rings, and even anklets engraved with his name—so that anyone who saw him out and about would know exactly who Zhi Zhi belonged to.

He had been too busy lately to follow up on the leg cuff, though.

Now, it seemed he needed to put it back on the agenda—and fast.

Fu Huixu’s throat tightened. He schooled his expression into a frown and glanced around instinctively.

Fortunately, it wasn’t the weekend, so few people were hiking, and no one else had seen for the moment.

Fu Huixu released Ji Zhi and reached for his phone.

Ji Zhi had no idea what was going through his mind. He only knew that Fu Huixu had pulled away. “I’ll have the butler come over first. We can buy you some proper clothes and then come back to hike.”

To avoid interrupting their date, the butler was waiting in the car at the base of the mountain.

But Ji Zhi misinterpreted the gesture as rejection, like a glimmer of hope dawning.

He gritted his teeth and, against his better judgment, spoke up. “No need. I like dressing like this.”

Fu Huixu frowned. “Baby, you wear this in front of other people too?”

He still called him Baby like always, but his voice had suddenly deepened.

Ji Zhi caught a whiff of danger. His instinctive nod halted, turning into a vigorous shake of the head.

He had already sensed the unmistakable pressure from Fu Huixu over the phone and through video calls when asked that question.

Now, face-to-face, it was even stronger. Those dark eyes stared intently, reflecting only his own figure—locked solely on him.

Ji Zhi even felt that if he nodded, he’d be rooted to the spot, unable to move an inch.

Fu Huixu’s gaze lingered on Ji Zhi, as if weighing whether he was telling the truth.

He spoke again soon enough. “I told you, you can only dress like this in front of me.”

“I’ll pick out women’s clothes you’ll like.”

Ji Zhi remembered that Fu Huixu had indeed said that. Guilt washed over him. “I just wanted to try a different style.”

“And buying clothes would take time. I’d rather hike with you…”

Going to a women’s clothing store to try things on would be a nightmare. If someone recognized him, it would be disastrous.

Hearing that Zhi Zhi would rather spend time with him, Fu Huixu paused, then relented with a step back.

Still, he had the butler bring an overcoat—one Fu Huixu had left in the car earlier.

Seeing the oversized coat cover the miniskirt satisfied him.

But then something occurred to him, and his tone turned regretful. “If we’d gone shopping, the butler could have brought the collar and bracelet I bought before. We could even check out new leg cuffs…”

His gaze fell on Ji Zhi’s bare neck and wrists.

Fu Huixu had wanted to bring them, but Fu Qingyang—who had been advising him on the date—had shot it down, saying there was no need to rush. Since Fu Qingyang had more dating experience, Fu Huixu had listened.

Now, he regretted it.

Ji Zhi: “…”

Good thing he hadn’t agreed!

Ji Zhi had grown used to Fu Huixu mentioning such things in his usual casual tone, as if he’d just bought a bouquet of flowers. But when had leg cuffs come into the picture?

Didn’t he already have one?

Though doubts swirled in his mind, Ji Zhi had no intention of asking. He didn’t want to hear an answer that would sap his will to keep hiking with the man.

The two soon set off up the mountain.

Thinking of how close he’d come to hiking with a collar, bracelet, and weights, Ji Zhi still felt a lingering chill. He stayed quiet for a while, not making a move.

Ji Zhi had assumed that while the online Fu Huixu was chatty, the in-person version would be quieter.

To his surprise, offline Fu Huixu talked just as much.

He clearly hadn’t forgotten about the poor soundproofing in Ji Zhi’s apartment. He asked if Ji Zhi had found a better place yet. Then, as if struck by a thought, he added, “Baby, if you come to A City in the future, you have to tell me. I want to be with you.”

Ji Zhi: !!!

There was a future?!

He had nearly forgotten his own plan to take the initiative amid the collar-and-bracelet scare. Fu Huixu’s reminder snapped him back.

After a quick mental pep talk, Ji Zhi reached out and laced his fingers tightly with Fu Huixu’s.

He could feel the difference from his previous attempts at closeness. As he drew near, Fu Huixu’s body went visibly stiff.

Ji Zhi: !

It worked even better than he’d imagined!

If Fu Huixu weren’t right there, Ji Zhi would have messaged Chen Xingwen on the spot to confirm the guy’s advice.

To his disappointment, though, Fu Huixu didn’t pull away. Instead, he gripped Ji Zhi’s hand tighter, a thin flush creeping up behind his ears.

Ji Zhi: “……”

This reaction was nothing like what he’d expected.

Ji Zhi regretted it and tried to pull his hand free, but it wouldn’t budge. Fu Huixu looked over with puzzlement.

Caught in those pitch-black eyes, Ji Zhi forgot what he was doing. He quickly said it was nothing, just that he wanted to stretch his fingers.

Ji Zhi soon realized this outing was nothing like he’d pictured.

He tried initiating a few more times, but it backfired. Their distance only shrank, Fu Huixu’s gaze growing deeper. He even asked, “If you don’t want to hike, we can go somewhere else.”

Ji Zhi eyed Fu Huixu’s reddened ear tips warily, then flicked a quick glance lower down.

No reaction yet, but he refused all the same.

Before long, though, Ji Zhi remembered the crucial detail he’d overlooked—

His stamina.

High school had axed morning exercises and PE to focus on studies. Over the summer, he’d been too busy streaming for cash to work out. In college, he’d picked the easy aerobics class, and outings with Chen Xingwen meant driving everywhere.

This mountain, though, was the tallest in A City.

Every time Ji Zhi thought the summit was near, he’d look up and see a long stretch still ahead.

He already regretted choosing to hike, but imagining how much worse he’d feel if he quit midway, he gritted his teeth and pushed on.

In a way, though, he had achieved his goal.

After all, Ji Zhi’s slower pace had delayed them considerably. He and Fu Huixu had already spent a good chunk of time just climbing the mountain. Making it back down before nightfall would be a win, let alone detouring to any other spots.

This was Ji Zhi’s one small consolation.

They finally reached the summit. Seeing no one around, Ji Zhi pulled off his mask.

A thin sheen of sweat had beaded on the tip of his nose, and he lifted his hand to wipe it away.

But Fu Huixu moved faster. His long fingers gently pinched Ji Zhi’s chin while his other hand grabbed a tissue and dabbed away the sweat.

Ji Zhi looked up at Fu Huixu’s face, which showed no sign of fatigue—just like before the hike—and felt a pang of envy.

He relaxed a moment later, though, remembering the sculpted abs he had glimpsed earlier.

Fu Huixu clearly worked out regularly, unlike him, whose longest “workout” was trekking to the door to grab a delivery package.

Still, watching Fu Huixu wipe the sweat from his brow stirred something in Ji Zhi. He decided to make one final bold move—

If it didn’t work, he’d throw in the towel for the day.

He truly had no energy left, and he still had to figure out how to get back down the mountain.

With that in mind, Ji Zhi snatched the other half of the tissue from Fu Huixu’s hand, intending to return the favor and wipe his sweat.

He didn’t dare announce his intention first—if Fu Huixu rejected him outright, where would that leave things? So he just reached out.

To his surprise, Fu Huixu reacted even quicker. In the next instant, he seized Ji Zhi’s wrist and yanked him forward. Ji Zhi stumbled straight into his arms.

Ji Zhi’s heart jolted. Fu Huixu’s reaction was bigger than expected, and he opened his mouth to apologize.

But the words caught in his throat.

Fu Huixu leaned down.

Ji Zhi dodged on instinct, though he could still feel the man’s lips brush his cheek before trailing down his neck.

What was Fu Huixu doing?!

Alarms blared in Ji Zhi’s mind. He blurted out in a panic, “Wait—my stomach hurts…”

That did the trick. Fu Huixu released him at once and reached to check his stomach, a flicker of tension in his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ll call a doctor…”

To stop Fu Huixu from actually summoning one—which would expose his lie—Ji Zhi cut in hurriedly. “It’s better now. Probably just from pushing too hard on the climb…”

Only then did the worry fade from Fu Huixu’s expression. But as if struck by a sudden thought, the corners of his mouth curved up. A hint of softness warmed his usually icy features. “You were that exhausted, and you still tried to kiss me.”

He had mistaken Ji Zhi’s earlier lean-in for an attempted kiss, thanks to his recent boldness. Impatient for Ji Zhi to take the lead, Fu Huixu had seized the moment instead.

Ji Zhi hadn’t dared bring it up, terrified it might provoke another advance.

He never imagined Fu Huixu would mention it first—and turn the tables on him, no less.

Ji Zhi: ?

No, Fu Huixu had been the one leaning in for a kiss. If he hadn’t dodged in time, he would’ve lost his first kiss right there.

As that thought crossed his mind, realization dawned. Ji Zhi whipped his head toward Fu Huixu.

Wait—had Fu Huixu mistaken his tissue-wiping attempt for a kiss?

The epiphany hit him like a thunderbolt. He never dreamed the culprit behind his near-loss of innocence was himself.

With that, Ji Zhi’s last ember of initiative flickered out. He just wanted to escape the scene.

After a short rest, the two set off down the mountain.

Ji Zhi was much quieter this time, making no proactive moves like before. He let Fu Huixu lead him by the hand all the way.

Fu Huixu chalked it up to exhaustion and thought nothing of it.

If anything, he wished the path stretched on forever. Zhi Zhi had mentioned needing to rush home for a livestream; once they reached the bottom, they’d have to part ways.

He wanted to keep walking with Zhi Zhi like this.

They finally made it down, and Ji Zhi felt utterly drained.

Fu Huixu offered to drive him straight to the neighboring city, but Ji Zhi didn’t actually live there. After firm refusals, Fu Huixu relented—on the condition that Ji Zhi text him upon arrival.

Ji Zhi nodded eagerly.

He had wanted to return the jacket—it looked expensive—but Fu Huixu insisted he keep it.

Too wiped out to argue, Ji Zhi simply left wearing it.

Descending was easier than the climb, but he still felt bone-tired.

If taxis could enter the campus, he would’ve begged Fu Huixu to drop him at the dorm.

Exhaustion won out. After a hasty wash-up, Ji Zhi crashed, planning to update Chen Xingwen on the fruitless investigation the next day.

He woke refreshed, most of the fatigue gone.

Glancing at the time, he saw he still had hours before the livestream and felt no rush.

First, he checked messages on his alt WeChat account. Fu Huixu had sent photos of various leg rings.

True to his word, the man was shopping for them. The styles were wildly diverse—some with chains, others dangling little bells. Ji Zhi had no idea what went through the designers’ heads.

The sight dredged up yesterday’s memories. Thinking of everything he’d done, Ji Zhi fell silent.

He dragged himself through a slow morning routine, then pondered brunch.

Scrolling takeout apps on his phone, he spotted a message from Chen Xingwen checking in.

Perfect—Ji Zhi could invite him over to eat and hash out plans in person, saving a voice note explanation.

He was thumbing a reply when he heard noise at the door. The click of a key in the lock rang out sharply in the quiet room.

For a split second, Ji Zhi wondered if Chen Xingwen was so in sync with him. But no—the guy didn’t have a key.

Realization hit, and his heart skipped. He knew exactly who it was.

Sure enough, the door swung open to reveal Fu Huixu, whom he’d seen just yesterday.

The man had swapped back into the familiar white dress shirt. His expression cool and detached, he strode in without a word to Ji Zhi.

Ji Zhi was startled by the sudden return, but seeing no luggage, he figured Fu Huixu had only come back for something forgotten.

Relieved, he decided to play invisible.

With his black-rimmed glasses on, Fu Huixu’s attention wasn’t on him anyway.

That illusion of safety lasted until Fu Huixu halted abruptly.

Ji Zhi followed his gaze. The man had stopped in front of the other bed.

He froze.

Wasn’t Fu Huixu’s bed empty? What was he staring at…?

Ji Zhi: “…”

It was over.

When he saw what lay on the bed, his heart nearly stopped.

Exhausted the night before, Ji Zhi had stripped off his clothes and tossed them haphazardly onto Fu Huixu’s vacant bed, figuring he’d tidy up later since the guy wasn’t coming back.

In his morning rush to wash up and order food, he’d clean forgotten all about it.

There they were: Fu Huixu’s jacket and the short skirt from yesterday, lying quietly on the bed.