A moment

The hidden room was essentially a master bedroom. It exuded elegance despite its monochromatic theme and simple furnishings.

On the pristine white king-sized bed, Churong sat in a daze, staring at his bare feet for what seemed like half an hour. Chen Yi had led him there to wait while he called for someone to clean up the other room. Afterward, Chen Yi had gone to take a shower, but Churong hadn't noticed—too preoccupied with his spiraling thoughts and worries.

It wasn't until he heard the sound of the door opening that he realized he had been alone the entire time.

Chen Yi stepped out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, barely hiding his figure. His upper body was bare, displaying toned muscles that rippled with every step. A defined mermaid line teased its way into view, drawing attention to his lean frame. Droplets of water slid from his damp hair down his flushed skin, while his cheeks were still rosy from the steaming shower.

Churong's face turned crimson as his blood rushed up all at once. His mind screamed, 'WHO IS THIS GOD-TIER GONG?!'

Chen Yi's lips curled into a sly smile. He'd intended to tease Churong, but the latter's over-the-top reaction exceeded his expectations. Amusement flickered in his eyes, and his playful side demanded more.

He took three slow, deliberate steps forward before Churong scrambled onto the bed in a panic. Moving as far back as possible, Churong pointed at him with a trembling finger, his voice cracking. "Y-y-y-you stay back!"

Chen Yi froze mid-step, his expression instantly morphing into one of mock hurt. "What did I do wrong?"

'You're wrong! Your whole family's wrong! What kind of human looks like a literal god?!' Churong's mind raced. He seemed to have completely forgotten the fact that he himself had a face akin to a god's.

Biting his lip to keep from blurting out his thoughts, Churong couldn't help but compare himself to Chen Yi. In every way, he felt outmatched—especially when his gaze wandered toward the towel's bulge, which left little to the imagination.

At the same time, his body began to heat up.

Who could blame him? Chen Yi was radiating male pheromones uncontrollably, and the lust in his eyes was unmistakable. What kind of situation was this? Churong wasn't prepared for any of it!

Chen Yi, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying Churong's reaction. It reassured him that Churong felt something toward him, even if he wasn't ready to admit it. Still, patience was crucial if Chen Yi wanted to win him over completely. Restraining himself was necessary, so he stopped advancing and instead went to change his clothes.

Churong finally let down his guard a bit, only to nearly have his eyes pop out of their sockets when he saw Chen Yi begin changing right in front of him.

Chen Yi opened a secret compartment that revealed a selection of casual clothes. Without a hint of shame, he began to get dressed.

Churong almost looked away but quickly reconsidered. Opportunities like this didn't come often!

He shamelessly stared, eyes tracing the movement of Chen Yi's shoulder blades, the short, wet hair dripping onto a new navy shirt, and finally, when the towel came off—those firm, well-defined buttocks.

Churong pressed a hand against his nose to stop a potential nosebleed. 'Ah. Really want to videotape this,' he rudely thought, but he restrained himself to avoid appearing perverted.

Chen Yi, fully aware of the intense gaze burning into his back, took pleasure in it. When he turned around, he was greeted by the sight of a red-faced Churong holding his nose and pressing his lips together. 'So cute~' he thought with delight.

Chen Yi moved swiftly, capturing Churong before he could escape again. By the time Churong realized what was happening, he was already perched on the lap of the freshly dressed Chen Yi. Instinctively, he placed his hands on Chen Yi's shoulders to steady himself, afraid he might fall.

"Xie'er," Chen Yi murmured, burying his face into the crook of Churong's neck. He inhaled deeply, as though savoring his favorite scent. His head remained tucked in, unmoving, like he had found his perfect sanctuary.

Churong's neck burned under the onslaught of Chen Yi's steady, warm breath, which sent shivers down his spine. Occasionally, Chen Yi's lips grazed his skin, making the sensation even more overwhelming.

Unbeknownst to Churong, Chen Yi was doing it all on purpose.

"W-what about the food?" Churong's voice came out as a soft whisper. If Chen Yi's ear hadn't been so close to his lips, he might not have heard it at all.

"I've already taken care of it," Chen Yi mumbled, his head still buried in Churong's neck.

A light bulb suddenly went off in Churong's mind. 'If the food was already arranged, then why did I come here in the first place?! It couldn't be—' His thoughts trailed off, and he groaned in exasperation. "Chen Yi, when did you find out who I was?"

Chen Yi stilled for a moment. His mind scrambled for excuses—anything to avoid angering his Ling Xie. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't bring himself to lie. Gritting his teeth, he confessed, "Yesterday. Tian and I compared both your profiles side by side and became suspicious."

"Why were you comparing my profiles?" Churong asked, frowning in confusion. To the public, he had two separate identities: Ling Xie, a fourth-year college student about to graduate, and Churong, a renowned matchmaker in high society. No matter how he looked at it, the two personas should have had no connection.

"That—" Chen Yi reluctantly lifted his head from Churong's neck to meet his questioning gaze. "I was trying to figure out why I was attracted to two different people." His arms tightened possessively around Churong. "Who would have thought they'd turn out to be the same person?"

Churong blushed deeply. "I-I was just trying to keep my private life separate from outside influences. Most of my clients are high-class bachelors and bachelorettes. I needed some form of protection."

The truth was, it had been his sister's idea to disguise him as a girl. She had been ridiculously enthusiastic about the plan, and their mother had instantly backed her up. By the time Churong managed to voice his own opinion, it was already too late—he'd been ushered out of the house wearing his sister's clothes.

Thinking about it now, Churong couldn't help but wish he had knocked some sense into those two before they turned him into a cross-dresser.

"Mn," Chen Yi murmured, pulling Churong closer and tucking his face back into the curve of Churong's neck. "I understand."

The warmth of Chen Yi's embrace slowly melted Churong's initial discomfort. He let himself relax in the secure hold, the heat and comfort so soothing that his eyelids began to droop. Faintly, he started to doze off.