This neighborhood wasn’t great, but at least the public areas were reasonably clean. Yu Li climbed up the dusty concrete staircase with Lu Qing, both making their way to the fifth floor.

The Little Young Master usually had a private car waiting whenever he stepped outside, and elevators going directly to wherever he needed to go. His physical fitness was so bad he failed every 1000-meter run in school. Now, after climbing a few flights of stairs, he was already panting for breath.

Lu Qing, on the other hand, looked completely unaffected—breathing steady, full of energy—like he hadn’t just climbed five stories at all.

He’d only been to this place once before, so he didn’t even carry the key. Following the instructions sent by Qin Yue, Lu Qing bent down and fished out an old, slightly rusted key from beneath the doormat labeled “Safe Travels In & Out.”

Sure, the whole act was a bit of a show, but pulling out the key like that really sold it.

Yu Li didn’t suspect anything and followed Lu Qing into the rental apartment.

Calling it an apartment was a bit generous—it was basically a tiny room. The furniture was falling apart, and the kitchen, living room, and bathroom were all crammed into one chaotic mess. There was no layout to speak of. Half the window was bricked up, and the lighting was so bad the place looked more like a coffin than a home.

Yu Li stood at the doorway, scanning the room. He felt like even the bathroom at his place was bigger than this. He couldn’t help but wonder how Lu Qing, with that huge frame, managed to live in such a cramped dump.

If he had to live here, he’d probably write 30 farewell letters a month.

Lu Qing didn’t notice the shifting expressions on Yu Li’s face. He strode straight to the wardrobe, pulled out a few clothes Qin Yue’s people had placed earlier, stuffed them randomly into a suitcase, and turned back to Yu Li.

“All packed. Let’s go.”

Yu Li glanced at the nearly empty suitcase and raised a delicate brow. “You only have this many clothes?”

Guilt flickered in Lu Qing’s heart, but his face stayed calm. He nodded, “Most of the stuff here belongs to the landlord. I don’t really have much of my own.”

That much was true. All his clothes combined didn’t even fill one hand’s worth of hangers. Even socks and underwear were in pitiful supply.

Yu Li asked, “What about that suit you wore to the banquet last time?”

That suit was currently sitting in a massive walk-in closet on the other side of Jiang Cheng. But of course, he couldn’t say that.

Thinking fast, Lu Qing put on an awkward expression and said in a low voice, “Actually… that suit was rented. I returned it right after the event.”

“……”

Yu Li had never been around someone with circumstances this rough before. Staring at the man’s sincere face, he wasn’t sure if he should offer comfort or be shocked—either way, it felt like it might hurt his pride.

In the end, all he could say was a dry, “Let’s go.”

As they walked downstairs, Yu Li looked at Lu Qing’s broad back and finally understood why he had tried so hard to stop him from tagging along. So it was because his home situation was bad, and he was embarrassed—that’s why he tried to stop him again and again.

But now Lu Qing was his personal bodyguard. He wouldn’t need to live in that dingy place anymore.

Yu Corporation was well-known across Jiang Cheng for treating their employees well. Since Lu Qing was personally assigned to protect Yu Li, Yu Huaiyuan definitely wouldn’t be stingy with his salary.

If you worked seven years at Yu Corporation or had outstanding performance, even Yu Li’s brother would gift you a house. So even if Lu Qing didn’t stay on as his bodyguard forever, housing wouldn’t be a problem.

With that in mind, the complicated feelings that had started bubbling up in Yu Li’s heart quickly disappeared.

They exited the alley. Lu Qing lifted the light suitcase into the trunk and started the car, heading toward Epiphyllum Mansion.

The private villa Yu Xiangguo had bought for Yu Li was located in the heart of Epiphyllum Mansion. Even though it was downtown, the villa district was perfectly quiet—no city noise at all.

The Maybach pulled into the villa’s private garage. Yu Li stepped out, walked to the door, and punched in the code to unlock it. Lu Qing followed behind, one suitcase in each hand, steady as a mountain.

Yu Li glanced at the man’s arm muscles, flexed and bulging from the weight, and suddenly found his thoughts drifting back again—

If Lu Qing wore a sleeveless tank top…

He opened his mouth. “You—”

Lu Qing turned to look at him. Yu Li quickly pursed his lips and swallowed what he was about to say. “You take the stuff up to the third floor. My room’s up there. The second-floor guest room is yours now.”

Lu Qing had a feeling that wasn’t what Yu Li originally meant to say, but under the young master’s gaze, he obediently headed up the stairs.

Yu Li trailed behind at a much more relaxed pace. He pulled out his phone and sent a message to the family group chat.

Li Wants Attention: [Made it to the new house]

Li Wants Attention: [Tap-dancing pink bunny.gif]

His family always replied fast, and this time was no exception.

Cen Rujun: [(clap clap)]

Cen Rujun: [Baby, are you coming home for dinner? If not, go eat something nice with Lu Qing~]

Cen Rujun: [Transferred ¥66,666.00 to “Li Wants Attention”]

Yu Xiangguo: [Glad you arrived safe. Do you like the new place?]

Yu Xiangguo: [Transferred ¥88,888.00 to “Li Wants Attention”]

Yu Huaiyuan: [(thumbs up) Let me know if you need anything. I’ll have someone bring it over.]

Yu Huaiyuan: [Transferred ¥99,999.00 to “Li Wants Attention”]

Honestly, the most common messages in this group chat were just money transfers. Yu Li was used to it. He collected the red envelopes, replied to each of them one by one, and by the time he finished, he’d already reached the third floor.

As an art student who got into the art department at Jiang University, Yu Li’s third floor had been specially designed by a professional hired by Yu Xiangguo. Besides his bedroom, there was also an art studio. One full wall was floor-to-ceiling windows, giving the best natural light in the whole house.

Lu Qing had already arrived, walked past the studio, and entered Yu Li’s bedroom with the suitcases.

Yu Li was still texting, walking slowly. When he came in, he saw Lu Qing standing and waiting for instructions.

The little young master didn’t hesitate at all, pointing at the suitcases, “There’s a painting and some books in there. Help me hang the painting up and stuff the books into the shelf. I’ll handle the clothes myself.”

Division of labor was clear. Lu Qing handled the heavy lifting, while the young master slowly unpacked the pre-folded clothes into the closet. Done in no time.

There were only two sets of pajamas in the box. As for the rest of Yu Li’s wardrobe, Cen Rujun had already sent them over in batches during the past three days. They were now neatly arranged in the walk-in closet.

By the time Yu Li finished putting away the clothes, Lu Qing had just carefully taken out the painting.

That painting was a birthday gift sent by Qin Yue, the Second Young Master of the Qin Family, for Yu Li’s coming-of-age ceremony. It was also the final piece by Yu Li’s idol. To him, it held huge significance. He hadn’t trusted anyone else to handle it, so he waited to move it personally today.

He looked around the room and pointed to the wall next to the bed. “Hang it there, beside the bookshelf.”

Then he stared without blinking at Lu Qing’s every move, worried he’d accidentally drop it.

Lu Qing followed his instructions carefully and hung it up with gentle precision.

Then he turned and casually asked, “Young Master, you really like this painting?”

Yu Li nodded, eyes on the rose in the picture blooming under a sunshower. “Yeah. I do.”

Lu Qing’s lips curved into a faint smile. “I knew you’d like it…”

His voice was soft, but Yu Li caught the gist of it.

He blinked and turned to him. “What did you just say?”

“Ahem.” Lu Qing coughed into his hand and said, “I meant, just looking at you, I could tell you’d definitely love this piece.”

Well, he wasn’t wrong.

Yu Li smiled with his eyes and said softly, “It’s my favorite gift this year.”

Those words—favorite—stunned Lu Qing for a second. Staring at that bright, radiant smile, his heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Lu Qing’s gaze was just too intense. Even though there was no malice in it, Yu Li felt a little self-conscious.

“Lu Qing!” he snapped.

Lu Qing snapped back to reality, lowered his eyes, and smothered the emotions flashing in them. “Sorry, Young Master. I spaced out. Go rest—I’ll shelve the books.”

He apologized, and after a moment of suspicion, Yu Li let it go. He turned and headed into the walk-in closet to grab a clean outfit, then walked to the bathroom.

After going through that alley twice, he still felt like he was covered in the lingering stink of grime. Might as well take a shower while Lu Qing sorted the books.

Not long after, the sound of running water came from the bathroom.

Lu Qing stared at the door separating him from Yu Li, a dark look in his eyes. He inhaled deeply, then bent down to grab the remaining books from the suitcase.

He thought they’d be textbooks or something, but the moment he saw the cover of the first one, Lu Qing froze.

It was a black-and-white style figure drawing book. Judging from the number of volumes in the box, Yu Li had probably bought the whole series.

The cover illustration was eye-catching—not because of the face (which wasn’t drawn at all), but because of the chest. The subject was wearing a suit, but his pecs were practically bursting out of it, taking up prime real estate on the page.

Lu Qing stared at that over-pronounced chest, feeling a strange chill down his spine. He slowly opened the other volumes.

In addition to the suit, there were covers with sleeveless tank tops, tight T-shirts, black mesh, even leather harness belts snugly wrapped beneath exaggerated pecs…

Inside, page after page showed the male chest from all sorts of angles and perspectives. Next to the artist’s signature on a blank page, there was even a messy little note scribbled in pencil:

“Naizi – A man’s finest dowry.”

Lu Qing froze in place, stunned for a long moment. Then, uncertainly, he lifted a hand and pressed it lightly to his own chest.

So…

The reason Yu Li chose him out of all the available bodyguards wasn’t because of his face at all.

It was because of…

his naizi?! 😳