Mr. Pei! Don't force yourself into circles you can't fit into.

Shen Jicheng sat on the edge of the bed, his clothes disheveled, his collar slightly open, revealing a section of his fair collarbone. Seeing Pei Lin's hand reach out, he instinctively pulled back and hurriedly spoke.

"But I don't want to."

Pei Lin paused, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the person in his arms. His gaze was scrutinizing.

Shen Jicheng knew this reaction had come too quickly, so he quickly softened his tone and explained himself.

"You don't like hearing that, do you? I don't like it either. Actually, I'd love to..." He paused, a faint blush rising to the tips of his ears, his voice trailing off.

"Actually, I'd love to do *that* with you. But you know how it is, we went too far when we were on the wrong track. It's left me traumatized. So... how about... you give me some time?"

Pei Lin remained silent. His gaze fell on Shen Jicheng's slightly flushed cheeks, recalling the loss of control he had experienced those two nights; it had indeed gone too far.

At the time, he didn't know who the person in front of him was, only thinking he was a daring little swindler, and he didn't hold back at all. Looking back now, he was indeed a bit too much.

Seeing that his expression relaxed, Shen Jicheng immediately seized the opportunity, his bright, peach-blossom eyes looking over with utmost sincerity.

"Don't you... like it when I take the initiative?"

Pei Lin: "..."

He lowered his eyes, staring at Shen Jicheng's self-righteous face for a long while. Then he suddenly chuckled, leaned down, and placed a light kiss on Shen Jicheng's brow, his voice low and indulgent.

"Okay. I promise you, when you're ready."

Shen Jicheng's eyes curved into crescents, and he sweetly added, "Pei Lin, you're so kind."

He knew Pei Lin was very susceptible to this.

Sure enough, Pei Lin's lips curled up slightly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. Looking at the smiling face before him, Shen Jicheng couldn't help but swallow hard, inwardly cursing himself: "Shen Jicheng, you damned looks-obsessed person!"

Seeing that Pei Lin was in a good mood, he quickly spoke up before the other party could lose his good-natured demeanor.

"I don't like being followed. Can you please stop having your bodyguards with me?"

These words caused Pei Lin's smile to fade slightly. He frowned slightly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation, "No. I cannot agree to this."

Shen Jicheng was about to retort when Pei Lin continued, "You're not the same person I was before, being with me now. There will be danger. I can't be by your side all the time. For your safety, someone needs to protect you."

Shen Jicheng remained silent. He knew in his heart that Pei Lin claimed to be protecting him, but there was definitely an element of surveillance involved as well.

He had been locked up for so long and was finally released. Was he going to have to live in another invisible cage again? He wondered how to contact his family. Although he was now free to come and go, his cell phone was still not safe. Pei Lin could listen to every message and every call he made.

Silence spread between the two. Shen Jicheng lowered his head, not saying a word, even the smile from before was gone, and he looked dejected.

Pei Lin looked at him like this, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly sighed. The sigh was so soft it was almost inaudible, yet it carried a helpless indulgence. "Alright, I promise you."

Shen Jicheng suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide open. "Really? You're not lying to me, are you?" He really couldn't understand how someone who had just refused so decisively could change their mind in the blink of an eye.

Pei Lin raised his hand, his fingertips gently tracing Shen Jicheng's eyebrows and eyes, his voice warm and almost indulgent.

"I've said it before, as long as you don't cross my bottom line, I'll give you whatever you want."

If Shen Jicheng hadn't clearly known how dangerous and cunning this person was, he probably would have been drowning in the tenderness in those eyes right now. He was glad Pei Lin had agreed, and couldn't hide the smile on his face. He curiously pressed for an answer.

"So what's your bottom line?"

Pei Lin smiled, his voice still gentle, but the two words he uttered made Shen Jicheng's smile freeze for a moment.

"cheat."

"Hehe..." Shen Jicheng chuckled twice, avoiding Pei Lin's gaze, and tried to make his tone sound relaxed and natural. "How could I lie to you... Didn't you investigate everything? My family was poor when I was a child, and I didn't have enough to eat... I only wanted to swindle money from you at first."

He was telling the truth. From beginning to end, all he wanted was Pei Lin's money. As for his identity... he didn't care.

Once they've had their fun and Pei Lin is bored, they'll go their separate ways and each go their own way.

Pei Lin lowered his eyes, his fingertips tracing Shen Jicheng's eyebrows and down to his chin, gently lifting his face, his tone as soft as if coaxing a child, "It's okay. I have plenty of money, you can lie to me all you want."

He abruptly changed the subject, his voice suddenly turning cold, "But honey, you can't lie to others... okay?"

Her tone was so gentle it could melt hearts, but those words sent a chill down Shen Jicheng's spine. He could only force a dry laugh and nod repeatedly, swallowing his guilt.

The weather in September was still hot.

Shen Jicheng sat by the pool, his two slender, fair legs swinging lightly, his toes touching the water and creating ripples. He held an open coconut in his hand, sipping from the straw, and a pair of black sunglasses covered most of his face, revealing only his refined jawline and slightly upturned lips.

He watched the figures swimming in the pool, a wicked smile playing on his lips, his voice trailing off with a lazy tone.

"Pei Lin, what kind of shirt are you wearing while swimming? Why don't you take it off?"

If he had the desire but not the courage, he would have definitely stripped the other person naked and looked at them openly and to his heart's content.

Pei Lin swam two laps and then returned from the other end of the pool. His arms were braced against the edge of the pool, and water droplets slid down his strong shoulders and back, refracting into tiny sparkles in the sunlight.

He took off his swimming goggles, casually hanging them on his head, and looked up at Shen Jicheng with a smile on his lips. "Baby, taking off your clothes is no problem. But shouldn't you come down and keep me company? You're the one who came to swim, and now that you're here, you're not going to get in the water. That's not fair."

Shen Jicheng curled his lip. Why did he want to come swimming? It was all so he could openly and legitimately see Pei Lin's abs and feast his eyes. Countless people outside dreamed of even catching a glimpse of Pei Lin, let alone seeing his abs. He couldn't miss this opportunity. Even after he left, he could probably boast to people that he had slept with the feared Second Master Pei of City A!

It's amazing just thinking about it.

He raised his chin smugly and said arrogantly, "So what? You don't want to? If you don't want to, it means you don't love me."

This saying is useful for both boys and girls. It's a piece of advice that Shen Jicheng has learned from years of playing around. Obviously, it's useful for Pei Lin too.

Pei Lin, leaning against the edge of the pool, looked up at him. The man on the shore resembled a proud and arrogant peacock, strikingly beautiful yet not repulsive; in fact, he was exceptionally likable. He chuckled softly, decisively stripped off his shirt, and tossed it casually onto the bank. His bare torso revealed taut, well-defined abs, their smooth lines particularly eye-catching in the sunlight.

Shen Jicheng's eyes lit up instantly. He tossed aside his sunglasses, his captivating eyes sparkling, and his smile radiant.

"Brother, you're so handsome!"

He was already handsome, had a sweet voice, and was good at coaxing people. Just that one sentence was enough to make Pei Lin unable to suppress the corners of his mouth.

Pei Lin curled his lips, reached out and grabbed Shen Jicheng's ankle, which was dangling in mid-air, and then dragged him into the water without hesitation.

Caught off guard, Shen Jicheng plunged into the pool with a "plop," splashing water everywhere. He instinctively thrashed about, flailing his arms and legs wildly, bobbing up and down in the water, choking on several mouthfuls of water, looking utterly pathetic.

"Holy crap—!"

Pei Lin's smile vanished instantly. He frowned, took a step forward, grabbed Shen Jicheng's waist from behind, lifted him out of the water, and quickly brought him to the shore, helping him to lie on the edge of the pool.

Shen Jicheng lay on the shore coughing violently, water dripping down his hair, his cheeks and lips turning an unnatural pale.

Pei Lin frowned even more deeply upon seeing his expression.

"You can't swim?"