Today was Lu Qing’s first day officially moving into the Little Young Master’s house. He had just brought the new clothes he bought back to his room when Qin Yue’s gossip message arrived right on time.

Qin Yue: [So you just moved in all fresh and new, how’s it going? Any progress?]

Lu Qing plopped down at the end of the bed, too lazy to type, and sent a voice message instead. “It’s the first day, what progress are you expecting? If I scare him off, who am I going to cry to?”

Qin Yue also switched to voice, laughing cheekily, “True, if Yu Li finds out how creepy you are, he’ll definitely kick you out.”

Heh.

Lu Qing knew nothing good ever came out of Qin Yue’s mouth, so he didn’t continue the topic. Instead, he stood up, took a picture of the dozen or so bags, and sent it to Qin Yue to prove a point. “See this? Xiao Li bought me these clothes, over ten sets. I can wear a different one every day for two weeks without repeating.”

Opening the photo, Qin Yue’s eyes widened in disbelief, zooming in and out several times. His voice was filled with shock, “No way! These clothes must cost six figures altogether, right? It’s your first day on the job, and he buys you six-figure clothes, and you say there’s no progress? What counts as progress then?”

Listening to the voice message, Lu Qing paused, too embarrassed to say that these clothes were specifically bought by Yu Li for his chest muscles. He changed the topic instead, “That’s nothing. Xiao Li saw I wanted to work out, so he even had a whole set of gym equipment bought and placed in the villa.”

“Where there’s money, there’s love. Get it?”

Actually, the gym equipment was also for his chest muscles.

But Qin Yue didn’t know that, and he was very shocked, “Damn! Why is he so good to you? Just because you’re handsome?”

Lu Qing shamelessly replied, “Yeah, he’s really into my looks.”

Really into my chest muscles’ looks.

Qin Yue: “Are you sick? Hearing you say that makes me want to puke!”

Lu Qing: “…Believe it or not.”

Just as he sent the voice message, he heard the sound of a door opening on the third floor.

Lu Qing immediately ignored the continuous messages from Qin Yue, got up, and walked out of the room in big strides.

As he quietly descended the stairs, he grabbed the hem of his black T-shirt and swiftly pulled it over his head, taking it off in one smooth motion.

With his long legs, he quickly reached the bench press, straddled it, leaned back, and lay down.

When Yu Li came downstairs in his pajamas, he saw a man with a bare upper body, veins bulging on the back of his hands as he gripped the barbell, his chest rising and falling, arms moving up and down, easily pushing the dumbbells on the bench press.

This scene was a bit beyond Yu Li’s imagination. He paused in his steps, eyes widening slightly, his dark pupils reflecting the lines of the man’s chest muscles, stretching and contracting with each push.

“You…”

Yu Li opened his mouth, feeling both shocked and drawn closer.

The closer he got, the more pronounced the curve of the chest muscles became, constantly drawing his gaze.

“Lu Qing?” Yu Li called out softly.

Lu Qing had actually heard Yu Li’s footsteps coming downstairs, but he didn’t stop his actions until Yu Li was close. He pretended to stop, turning his head to look at Yu Li.

The Little Young Master was clearly surprised, his almond eyes slightly widened, his gaze lingering on Lu Qing’s muscle lines as he hesitantly asked, “You’re working out, so why take off your clothes?”

He had just gone up to take a shower, and now this guy wasn’t even wearing clothes?

After setting the barbell in place, Lu Qing sat up from the bench press, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his thighs.

His chest muscles were also squeezed by this action, bulging into a more prominent curve.

“Little Young Master, I’m used to taking off my clothes when I work out, so…”

He paused for a moment before continuing, “If it bothers you, I won’t do it next time.”

Yu Li’s small Adam’s apple moved slightly, his gaze sweeping over the man’s strong chest, the rounded, raised curve. He didn’t immediately refuse, just remained silent, silent.

Under the man’s gaze, he finally seemed to come to a decision, softly parting his lips:

“I don’t mind. You can…”

“Take it off.”

…

…

The night was deep, but the light in a certain room on the second floor of the villa was still on.

The sound of water in the bathroom was continuous, with a few suppressed low breaths faintly audible.

Lu Qing braced himself against the wall with his left hand, his right hand hanging down, moving back and forth somewhat roughly.

The shower water continuously washed over his strong, tall body, flowing endlessly, masking many sounds.

Lu Qing closed his eyes, his mind filled with the image of Yu Li looking down at him not long ago, that small, pretty face.

It was full of conflict and hesitation.

Yet he ultimately decided to follow his heart, agreeing to Lu Qing’s request.

When Yu Li said “take it off,” his eyes were focused, the water-bright pupils reflecting only Lu Qing’s figure.

Their eyes met, making Lu Qing’s whole body almost uncontrollably hot.

Those two words were very familiar to Lu Qing, often appearing in those dreamy, heated dreams, where it was just the two of them. The beautiful boy would sit on his waist, watching him undress, lips curling up, soft palms brushing over the man’s stubbled chin, calling him a good dog.

Lu Qing let out a muffled groan, his chin unconsciously tilting up, water droplets sliding down his sharp jawline, disappearing into the deep grooves of his waist and abdomen.

A few seconds later, he withdrew his hand, slowly standing up straight.

Yu Li liked his physique even more than he had imagined.

But the Little Young Master was well-traveled; just relying on physique was far from enough.

***

Yu Li’s summer vacation didn’t include mornings. No matter what time he went to bed the night before, he would inevitably sleep until noon the next day. Occasionally, if he slept too long, he would experience sleep paralysis, unable to open his eyes. Even after struggling to wake up, he would feel sluggish and listless all day.

However, he stayed up late last night, so waking up at noon was just right.

Rubbing his eyes, Yu Li yawned and slowly crawled out of bed.

As he got out of bed to wash up, his flat stomach let out a growl.

So hungry.

Yu Li rubbed his stomach.

The chef Cen Rujun arranged for him had some family matters to attend to and would be delayed for a few days before coming to the villa to cook. So, for the next few days, Yu Li would have to order takeout himself.

He could have moved back to the Old Residence, but since he had already moved here, Yu Li planned to stay for a while before school started to get familiar with the new house.

With no outsiders at home, Yu Li didn’t change his clothes. After washing up, he went downstairs in his pajamas.

As he walked downstairs, he scrolled through his WeChat contacts from top to bottom.

His contact list was filled with the numbers of private restaurant owners. Whatever he wanted to eat, he just had to send a WeChat message, and someone would deliver it to his doorstep.

But because he had added so many owners, Yu Li was a bit indecisive.

The seafood rice from this place was delicious, but the duck and salt and pepper steak from another place were also tempting…

Or maybe he should just order an old hot pot to be delivered?

Just as he was undecided, the sounds and aroma coming from the kitchen on the first floor immediately caught Yu Li’s attention.

The air was filled with the smell of spices, not overpowering, but enough to easily whet one’s appetite.

Yu Li wondered if he was so hungry that he was hallucinating. Otherwise, why would he smell food at this time?

After all, besides him, the only other person at home was… Lu Qing?

The kitchen was open, and as Yu Li rounded the staircase, he immediately saw the figure busy in the kitchen.

Lu Qing had his back to him, wearing a sleeveless tank top Yu Li bought yesterday, with a pink apron tied around his waist that didn’t match his rugged appearance. He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, with two strong arms exposed.

The man had one hand on his hip and the other holding a spatula, skillfully stirring the food in the pan.

On the dining table not far away, three dishes were already placed in a warming box.

Through the glass cover, the dishes looked quite appetizing.

No matter how intimidating Lu Qing looked from any angle, Yu Li saw a hint of domesticity in his silhouette.

The sight of a burly man cooking was visually striking, and Yu Li stood there for a moment before stepping to the island counter.

Lu Qing noticed him then, deftly lifting the pan and pouring the cooked spicy shrimp onto a plate. “Little Young Master, you’re awake. Just one more soup, and we can eat.”

Yu Li blinked, asking softly, “You can cook?”

Lu Qing placed the plate of spicy shrimp into the warming box, turning to look at Yu Li. “I used to take a chef’s certification during my free time. The dishes should suit your taste.”

“Chef’s certification…”

Yu Li suddenly remembered what Yu Huaiyuan had told him after his coming-of-age ceremony, that he had chosen the most well-rounded bodyguard among them all.

Originally, Yu Li didn’t feel much about it, thinking Lu Qing was just outstanding in terms of combat skills. But now he realized that being well-rounded meant this.

Lu Qing was preparing two small bowls of pork rib and pig heart soup, simmering in a pot with a few wisps of white smoke rising.

Yu Li glanced at the man’s back a few more times before heading to the sofa.

Just as he sat down, Pei Yu’s call came through.

Yu Li leaned back on the leather sofa, lazily answering the call, “Hello?”

“You’re awake?!” Pei Yu’s voice was filled with surprise. “I thought you were still sleeping and was about to call you.”

Yu Li was silent for a moment, glancing at the time displayed on his phone, muttering softly, “I don’t usually wake up that late.”

He had seen the idle chat messages in the high school group, where many classmates stayed up all night gaming and didn’t wake up until two or three in the afternoon. Compared to that, waking up at noon was already quite diligent.

“Alright, alright.” Pei Yu didn’t dwell on it, continuing, “You’re moving into a new house. Can I stay over for a few days? Do you have a room for me?”

“Sure,” Yu Li agreed immediately. “There’s a guest room. If you want to stay, I’ll have someone prepare it for you. How long do you want to stay?”

Pei Yu hesitated for a moment, answering, “Two or three days. Or I could just sleep with you. It’s not like I’m staying long, so there’s no need to prepare a guest room. Besides, school starts in half a month, and I’ll move into the dorm then.”

Yu Li and Pei Yu had grown up together, sharing a bed countless times, so he naturally had no objections.

“Great!” Pei Yu said, “I’ll come to Epiphyllum Mansion tonight!”

After they agreed on a meeting time, the last dish, the pork rib and pig heart soup, was ready.

The dishes in the warming box were brought out, and the aroma filled the entire dining room.

Yu Li looked up to see Lu Qing had already served him rice, turning to call him over for the meal.

Yu Li stood up, mentally preparing to order takeout if the food wasn’t good, and walked to the dining table, looking at the beautifully presented dishes, whispering, “Thank you for your hard work.”

Hearing this, Lu Qing paused in serving the rice, his lips curling slightly as he placed the bowl of white rice in front of Yu Li.

Except for the stir-fried greens, the dishes were mostly spicy and salty, looking very appetizing. Yu Li picked up a piece of stir-fried beef, eating it with rice.

Before he even chewed, the fresh, spicy flavor exploded in his mouth.

Yu Li’s eyes widened in surprise, his fan-like lashes lifting as he looked at Lu Qing across the table with bright eyes.

Lu Qing felt his back muscles tense under Yu Li’s gaze, sitting up straighter, a hint of nervousness and anticipation in his eyes.

The next moment, Yu Li’s delighted voice reached his ears, “You should cook at home from now on. I’ll ask my brother to give you a raise.”

Initially, he had some doubts about Lu Qing’s cooking skills, as the man didn’t look like someone who could cook, and even holding a spatula seemed like wielding a weapon.

But that bite of beef completely overturned Yu Li’s previous stereotype.

Clearly a bodyguard, yet his cooking skills surpassed even the chef hired by Cen Rujun to take care of his meals at the Old Residence.

“Cooking for the Little Young Master is part of my job.” Having been indirectly praised, Lu Qing felt secretly pleased, his previous nervousness instantly relaxing. “No need for a raise.”

Yu Li paused, repeating his words in confusion, “No need for a raise? Are you sure?”

Lu Qing nodded without hesitation.

Although cooking wasn’t part of his job description from Yu Huaiyuan, Lu Qing was more than happy to cook for Yu Li every day, so why would he ask for money?

If he took the money, it would change the nature of things.

The man’s expression didn’t seem like he was just being polite, so Yu Li didn’t insist.

After all, Lu Qing was his personal bodyguard, living under the same roof. Even without a raise, he could give him bonuses in his name.

With that thought, Yu Li agreed, “Alright,” and focused on eating.

Unlike Lu Qing, who ate quickly, the Little Young Master ate at a leisurely pace, with refined and attentive manners.

Lu Qing’s gaze remained on Yu Li’s face, thinking that Yu Li’s slow eating wasn’t about speed but because his mouth was too small and tender, making it easy to get full with larger bites… hence the slow eating.

Perhaps his gaze was too focused, as Yu Li, who was sipping soup with his head down, seemed to sense it, raising his head warily.

Their eyes met, and before Yu Li could ask, Lu Qing quickly spoke first, “Why aren’t you eating the shrimp?”

Yu Li made a sound, glancing at the plate of plump, spicy shrimp, answering, “I don’t want to peel them.”

Shrimp, crabs, and oranges were things he would eat if someone peeled them for him, but if he had to do it himself, Yu Li wouldn’t bother. He didn’t want to wash his hands, and he was just plain lazy.

Lu Qing didn’t say anything, quickly finishing the rice in his bowl, standing up to get a pair of disposable gloves from the kitchen drawer.

In no time, the bone plate was piled with golden-fried shrimp shells, while the plump shrimp meat, coated in seasoning, was neatly arranged on the plate in front of Yu Li, waiting for the Little Young Master’s approval.

With Lu Qing’s service, Yu Li felt completely satisfied with the meal.

Afterward, he happily sent a message to Cen Rujun.

Li Xiang: [Mom, no need to arrange for a chef to come to the villa anymore.]

Cen Rujun was surprised: [Why not, darling? Eating takeout every day isn’t good!]

Yu Li smiled, taking a picture of Lu Qing’s back as he carried a plate in the kitchen, sending it over: [The chef’s cooking isn’t as good as his.]

Looking at the photo Yu Li sent, Cen Rujun was a bit surprised, handing the phone screen to Yu Xiangguo beside her, “Look, the male models these days are quite skilled, even cooking.”

Yu Xiangguo corrected her, “That’s a bodyguard.”

Cen Rujun casually explained, “I just thought this photo looked like those viral macho apron photos online recently, so I said it.”

Yu Xiangguo paused, glancing at the photo again.

Then he squinted his eyes, both alert and puzzled.

Come to think of it, it is a bit strange.

Why is the bodyguard cooking with so little on?