Chapter 23

In that instant, Bai Zining’s mind buzzed, as if he had been struck heavily with a mallet. Before he could even process what was happening, a sharp scream escaped his lips.

He turned around quickly, coming face to face with Zhu Shizhou’s slightly amused but unsurprised expression. Instinctively, he moved his hands downward to cover the evidence, but the gesture was as futile as covering one’s ears to block out a bell, completely useless.

As Zhu Shizhou approached, Bai Zining managed to calm down slightly.

This skirt, he had only posted it twice. Zhu Shizhou might not recognize it, and even if he did, there was no reason he’d connect it to Bai Zining being Cai Ning.

Zhu Shizhou spoke with a hint of surprise, “What’s this?”

Seeing that Zhu Shizhou didn’t show any other reaction, Bai Zining barely managed to keep from panicking. Forcing himself to act composed, he retorted confidently, “It’s a personal hobby. What about it? Are you discriminating against me? If you dare tell anyone, you’re dead meat!” He even tacked on a threat at the end for good measure.

He had thought Zhu Shizhou would leave or at least look away, but to his surprise, Zhu Shizhou remained standing right in front of him, staring at him intently.

The gaze was too direct, and Bai Zining turned his face away, muttering under his breath, “Why aren’t you leaving?” Then, he shifted his body, intending to retreat to his bed.

But just as he took a step, Zhu Shizhou grabbed his wrist. “Why are you avoiding me? Weren’t you going to wear it for me to see?”

Bai Zining froze for a moment, stunned, unable to grasp the meaning behind Zhu Shizhou’s words.

Zhu Shizhou abruptly pulled him closer, holding onto Bai Zining’s waist and lifting him onto the desk. Then, Zhu Shizhou forcefully positioned himself between Bai Zining’s legs, putting them in an intensely ambiguous posture.

The entire process happened so quickly, less than two seconds, that Bai Zining’s mind turned fuzzy. He even found himself thinking, Good thing I cleaned the desk yesterday, it’s so neat and tidy. Otherwise, sitting on it would’ve been really uncomfortable.

In the next moment, Zhu Shizhou’s hand landed on Bai Zining’s thigh. His hand was dry and warm, and the touch sent a shiver through Bai Zining, making his body tremble slightly. Then his hair stood on end because Zhu Shizhou’s hand wasn’t staying still. It was slowly moving upward along the skin of his thigh.

It felt like a feather crawling over his skin, or perhaps a swarm of unknown, ticklish cells coursing through his blood. It was itchy, soft, and indescribable. Whether it was due to his muddled thoughts or something else, Bai Zining unexpectedly detected a hint of something sensual.

Soon, the wandering hand stopped moving. Zhu Shizhou’s index finger came to rest precisely on the mole at the center of Bai Zining’s thigh.

“Meimei’s legs are fair enough, you don’t even need filters,” Zhu Shizhou said softly.

“What did you just call me?” Bai Zining snapped back to his senses. A grown man like him being called meimei? What an insult!

“Don’t be mad, I was complimenting you,” Zhu Shizhou said calmly. “Have I ever praised your legs before?”

Bai Zining instinctively shook his head. What a pervert.

“Then I’ve truly been ungrateful.” Zhu Shizhou chuckled, his index finger gently stroking Bai Zining’s skin. “Ningning meimei’s legs are so fair, so slender, so straight.”

The moment the nickname was spoken, Bai Zining’s eyes widened, and he even forgot to breathe.

He’s found out!

Three golden, flashing characters lit up in his mind, accompanied by a deafening 100-decibel loop screaming: I’m doomed!

When did Zhu Shizhou figure it out? Had he realized he was being played and come for revenge? What should he do? Fighting was out of the question, there was no way he could win. Should he cling to Zhu Shizhou’s leg, confess deeply, and swear never to do it again? Or should he stubbornly deny everything, even if it might lead to an even worse outcome? In just a few seconds, Bai Zining’s mind was flooded with questions.

The earlier hint of sensuality had completely vanished. The way Zhu Shizhou was touching him now felt more like he was sizing up a piece of meat ready for slaughter.

Sitting on the hard, unyielding desk, wasn’t this the perfect embodiment of man is the butcher, I am the fish?

Couldn’t a savior like Fan Zeng^[1]Fan Zeng (范增) refers to a historical figure from the late Qin dynasty, a strategist and advisor to Xiang Yu, the famous warlord and king of Western Chu. Fan Zeng was known for his intelligence … Continue reading just drop from the sky to rescue him?

“W-what nonsense are you talking about? I don’t understand,” Bai Zining tried to argue, though it was hard to ignore the slight tremble in his body.

Perhaps finding Bai Zining’s frightened demeanor amusing, Zhu Shizhou laughed again. His laughter was pleasant to the ear, but to Bai Zining, it sounded more like the ominous notes of a death knell.

Zhu Shizhou stepped back slightly, his tone serious as he thanked him: “Thank you for wearing the skirt for me. It’s beautiful, I really like it.”

Bai Zining timidly raised his eyes, meeting Zhu Shizhou’s gaze.

There was no anger, no interrogation, not even a hint of displeasure. Instead, his eyes carried a faint trace of amusement.

Something was off, this was far too abnormal. Zhu Shizhou must have gone mad, driven to the brink by being deceived so thoroughly that he couldn’t accept the truth. He must have snapped.

This seemed like an even bigger problem, Bai Zining thought grimly. It would’ve been better if Zhu Shizhou had just beaten him up. Sure, he’d suffer a bit physically, but he’d recover in a few days. That was far preferable to Zhu Shizhou’s current highly unstable mental state. What if he never returned to normal? Wouldn’t that mean Bai Zining would have to take care of him for the rest of his life?

Suddenly, the flesh on his thigh was pinched. Zhu Shizhou’s large hand exerted a bit of force, and Bai Zining reflexively closed his legs together—only to trap Zhu Shizhou right in the middle, creating an even more intimate position.

“So eager?” Zhu Shizhou countered.

At this moment, Bai Zining’s back was pressed tightly against the bookshelf above the desk. He tried to push Zhu Shizhou away but froze when a stern “Don’t move” stopped him in his tracks.

From the moment he was caught until now, barely ten minutes had passed, but his emotions had been on a rollercoaster. His muscles were already stiff, and after hearing Zhu Shizhou’s command, he was so terrified that he didn’t dare make another move.

Zhu Shizhou seemed very pleased with his obedience. Curling his hand, he casually lifted the edge of the skirt slightly, and his gaze landed on the mole on Bai Zining’s thigh. After an indeterminate amount of time, he finally said, “It’s just as beautiful as the last time I saw it.”