Chapter 24: (part 2) Three-in-One – Everything He Wanted to Do to Shen Shuyi Was Also…

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 “I heard Enigmas have a strong desire to control, born as demons. They can make a Beta grow glands, turning them into a non-O, non-B monster that can only be marked by them. Is that true?” Shen Shuyi casually asked.

Xie Chenzhou’s throat was dry. After a moment, he whispered hoarsely: “It’s true.”

“Then Mr. Xie, if you were an Enigma, would you do that?” Shen Shuyi asked, genuinely curious.

In their social research class, they studied Enigmas as a gender. Professor Dai was a semi-expert in this area. Since Enigmas are rare, and many hide their gender, the sample size is small. To most people, Enigmas remain mysterious and dangerous.

If there were really an Enigma nearby, Shen Shuyi’s first thought wasn’t fear, but research.

How does such a person resist the physiological instincts of high-level pheromones? If they don’t go insane under powerful control and biological instincts, how do they act in daily life?

“What kind of thing?” Xie Chenzhou suddenly asked.

“The kind with extreme possessiveness and control. If they like someone, they constantly think about how to mark them, how to make them their possession…” Shen Shuyi recalled the textbook descriptions of this gender.

“I would,” Xie Chenzhou closed his eyes and said. “I just thought about how to lock you up…”

Xie Chenzhou opened his eyes. His gaze, dark as an abyss, fixed on Shen Shuyi: “So you can’t talk to that Omega.”

Shen Shuyi laughed.

He knew Xie Chenzhou was joking.

Impossible. How could Xie Chenzhou be that kind of person?

He wasn’t an Enigma and wouldn’t do such things.

“But I wouldn’t do that kind of thing,” Xie Chenzhou said. “I will respect the person I love.”

“He belongs to himself, not to me, nor to anyone else.” Xie Chenzhou looked at Shen Shuyi, and what he said sounded almost like a confession.

Shen Shuyi didn’t know why, but his heart suddenly became chaotic.

He didn’t dare look at Xie Chenzhou, his gaze flicking elsewhere.

“I… um…” Shen Shuyi pressed down his racing heart and said to Xie Chenzhou, “Shall we head back? It’s really hot outside. Mr. Xie, you’ve worked hard… both for me and for Xiaxia…”

Xie Chenzhou fully accepted Shen Shuyi’s gratitude.

He signaled the driver to bring the car over, and when it stopped, he politely opened the rear door for Shen Shuyi.

Enigmas could make Betas grow glands, they were born demons…

Shen Shuyi’s words kept echoing in Xie Chenzhou’s mind.

He fully respected Shen Shuyi, because Shen Shuyi was the person he loved.

Xie Chenzhou kept reminding himself.

But sometimes, reason could hardly overcome instinct…

Leaning back in the car seat, Xie Chenzhou slowly opened the eyes he had closed to calm himself and mask his emotions.

Everything he said was true.

But unfortunately, everything he wanted to do to Shen Shuyi… was also true.

The day before his second sister’s birthday, Shen Shuyi was in the wardrobe room of the Xie residence, picking out the clothes he would wear to the birthday banquet the next day.

His relationship with his second sister was distant. He didn’t really want to dress up carefully, but if he didn’t wear something decent, his father and stepmother would complain that he looked shabby. Not wanting to be criticized at such an occasion, he had to take it seriously.

Fortunately, during this period, Xie Chenzhou had arranged several custom-made formal outfits for Shen Shuyi for important occasions.

Perhaps because Shen Shuyi had so few proper clothes in his wardrobe, and now that he was interning, he would face more occasions like tomorrow where formal or evening wear would be needed.

Xie Chenzhou had been extremely thoughtful, each outfit fit perfectly and complemented Shen Shuyi’s skin tone.

How could he make every single piece look so flawless?

Shen Shuyi really had a hard time choosing.

Holding two outfits in front of him and comparing them, he suddenly noticed the wardrobe’s surveillance camera move slightly, emitting a faint “zzzzz” sound.

Several of the Xie residence’s cameras had automatic human tracking. When someone passed through the camera’s field of view, it would automatically follow. Shen Shuyi hadn’t paid much attention to the cameras since moving in, so he hadn’t thought to turn them off when entering.

He suddenly realized there was someone else in the house who could help him choose the outfit more suitable for tomorrow’s banquet.

Shen Shuyi picked up the two most undecided outfits from his wardrobe and left the wardrobe room, taking the elevator down to the first floor. At the stairway to the basement, he hesitated, then took out his phone and sent Xie Chenzhou a message: [Mr. Xie, are you busy right now?]

Soon, Xie Chenzhou replied: [Not busy, come down.]

Shen Shuyi held the two outfits, still in dust bags, and slowly descended the stairs.

At the basement stair landing, there was a study with decent lighting. Of course, it couldn’t compare to the upstairs study, but Xie Chenzhou somehow preferred working here.

Shen Shuyi reached the study door and noticed it was half-open. Xie Chenzhou should be inside.

He knocked on the study door: “May I come in? Mr. Xie?”

There was a response from inside, and Shen Shuyi pushed the half-open door.

Sure enough, Xie Chenzhou was there, sitting behind a sleek black-and-white marble desk. A computer was on the desk.

Shen Shuyi said apologetically: “Mr. Xie, am I disturbing you?”

“I can’t really decide what to wear tomorrow. Can you help me?” Shen Shuyi placed the two outfits on the nearby sofa.

Xie Chenzhou set aside what he was working on and walked around the desk.

He didn’t speak, but his actions said everything.

Shen Shuyi unzipped one dust bag: “This one is a light-colored satin set, probably to pair with a ruffle-collar shirt.”

He then unzipped the other: “This one is a dark blue patterned three-piece suit with a curved hem…”

Xie Chenzhou’s gaze fell on the three-piece set.

Shen Shuyi followed his gaze: “You think the three-piece suit is more suitable?”

He picked up the suit: “Then this one?”

Xie Chenzhou nodded and said, “Try it on.”

“Ah?” Shen Shuyi hadn’t planned to try it on here.

“You’ve never worn the clothes I tailored for you. How can you know if they fit?” Xie Chenzhou asked.

“I planned to try them upstairs…” Shen Shuyi scratched his cheek. “Should I try them on here for you now? If it doesn’t fit, it’s too late to change anyway, right?”

“We can have the tailor come over.”

“Now?” Indeed, money can make anything happen.

Shen Shuyi didn’t hesitate anymore: “Then I’ll change in the dressing room over there.”

Xie Chenzhou nodded.

The basement had a shower and dressing room for Xie Chenzhou. Shen Shuyi went straight in and changed.

He didn’t know the basement dressing room also had a camera.

If he were upstairs, Shen Shuyi would have gone to his bedroom to change. The bedroom camera had been off since he moved in, and Xie Chenzhou hadn’t thought to secretly turn it on.

He wanted to leave Shen Shuyi some space, letting him lower his guard.

He wanted to be a proper and considerate partner.

But not right now.

After Shen Shuyi entered the dressing room, Xie Chenzhou went into the surveillance room.

He had already known that Shen Shuyi was picking outfits and knew Shen Shuyi would come downstairs with the clothes for him to consult.

Shen Shuyi wasn’t good at picking these things.

His wardrobe previously had very few formal or evening outfits. As the person who had customized them, Xie Chenzhou naturally became his first-choice consultant.

After all, he had previously hinted to Shen Shuyi that he didn’t want him too close to Qian Shu.

But most of what Xie Chenzhou told Shen Shuyi was true. He hadn’t intentionally lied, though he had withheld more important matters, choosing to conceal them.

Xie Chenzhou walked heavily to the surveillance screen.

He adjusted the view to the dressing room.

The camera with human-tracking functionality was operating.

“Zzzz…”

Was it just his imagination? Shen Shuyi seemed to hear the camera turning in the dressing room.

There’s a camera here too?

Shen Shuyi froze.

But he didn’t dare go ask Xie Chenzhou. After all, this was Xie Chenzhou’s most frequented place, his territory.

Forget it. Just finish changing quickly…

Fortunately, there was nothing on his body that needed to be hidden.

Besides, it’s not like Mr. Xie has time to sit around watching surveillance footage every day… right?

What Shen Shuyi didn’t know was that Xie Chenzhou didn’t have time to watch every day.

But right now?

He had time to watch the live feed.

Shen Shuyi took off his pajamas, slightly turning his body so that his front was out of the camera’s view, and began putting on his shirt.

After finishing the shirt, he started changing his pants.

Xie Chenzhou stared intently at the surveillance screen, his Adam’s apple moving up and down.

The pajamas fell off Shen Shuyi’s shoulders, revealing smooth, fair, slightly pink, rounded shoulders, then the flowing line of his back, and a waist that could be grasped with a hand.

Once the shirt fully covered his upper body, he started taking off his long pants.

His buttocks were firm and round, almost exaggeratedly so.

Xie Chenzhou began to feel something.

He wanted to touch.

His long fingers traced the HD blue-light screen, inch by inch, virtually mapping Shen Shuyi’s body through the screen.

Shoulders, waist, and the two rounded curves.

Xie Chenzhou’s breathing grew heavier, and he released an excessive amount of pheromones.

Feeling the danger, he closed his eyes, calmed himself repeatedly, and once he regained control, cut the screen and turned to leave the surveillance room.

Shen Shuyi finished changing and was about to come out of the dressing room.

“This outfit…” Shen Shuyi stepped out of the dressing room, still adjusting the buttons of his suit. “It looks simple, but it feels a little complicated to put on…”

He looked up and saw Xie Chenzhou coming from the opposite direction of the study.

A faint hint of curiosity flashed in Xie Chenzhou’s eyes. He gestured for Shen Shuyi to follow him to the nearby beverage counter, showing the can of iced cola in his hand.

Oh, he had gone to get a drink for himself.

Having cola lifted Shen Shuyi’s mood. He followed Xie Chenzhou to the counter.

Xie Chenzhou took an ice cup from the counter fridge, scooped some ice from the ice machine, and poured Shen Shuyi’s cola into the cup.

Shen Shuyi took the cup, drank a sip, and looked up to see that Xie Chenzhou had poured a cup for himself as well. He hadn’t even added ice yet, so he tilted the can and took a large gulp.

“Mr. Xie, are you feeling hot?” Shen Shuyi asked.

Xie Chenzhou paused slightly, then put down the cup: “A little.”

“Is the air conditioning not cold enough? It has been pretty hot these past couple of days.” Saying that made Shen Shuyi feel a bit warm too.

“Your button is fastened wrong,” Xie Chenzhou diverted the topic.

“I’m not very good at wearing…” Shen Shuyi looked down at the jacket of his suit along Xie Chenzhou’s line of sight. “This button… is supposed to cross over?”

Xie Chenzhou waved him over: “Come here.”

Shen Shuyi put down his cup and walked over.

Xie Chenzhou was tall. Helping Shen Shuyi with the buttons required bending down awkwardly. He moved back a few steps and perched on a bar stool at the counter, the angle just right.

The warm-toned lights above the counter illuminated his facial features, creating a clear light-and-shadow effect.

Shen Shuyi remembered how his third brother had once become interested in sketching and self-taught lighting and shading techniques.

He had once told Shen Shuyi, “When taking photos, if you want the model’s features to look more three-dimensional, lighting is crucial.”

Now Shen Shuyi understood.

Why lighting is so important.

Xie Chenzhou’s facial features, naturally sharp and sculpted, now appeared somewhat softened under the lights.

He lowered his gaze, his thick black lashes moving up and down with each blink.

Completely focused.

Noticing Shen Shuyi was standing too far, he pinched the lapel of Shen Shuyi’s jacket, gently pulling him and the jacket closer.

Shen Shuyi was pulled forward a step, his chest nearly touching Xie Chenzhou’s face.

“I’ll teach you,” Xie Chenzhou looked up at him and said slowly, “watch carefully.”

“Oh… oh…” Shen Shuyi lowered his head slightly, not daring to get too close, but also unable to move too far away under Xie Chenzhou’s control.

His long fingers followed as the buttons were fastened one by one, moving slowly from the jacket collar down to the hem near his abdomen.

It was just a completely normal action.

But perhaps because they were so close, the overhead lighting made Xie Chenzhou appear exceptionally handsome, and the faint scent from him reached Shen Shuyi’s nose.

It gave an odd feeling.

As if Xie Chenzhou wasn’t helping him put on clothes, but was instead helping him take them off.

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Translator note: 📌

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