Chapter 12

“Mr. Yan, don’t…!”

Jian Anmian had spent ages examining the item earlier. After realizing that it was worn around the legs, he had removed his trousers. But even after nearly rubbing the skin off his legs while trying to figure it out, he still hadn’t made any progress.

He had even taken a photo and used an image search on his phone to identify it, only for the results to produce a pile of inappropriate BDSM images. He had nearly thrown his phone away in shock. Blushing as though holding a scalding-hot potato, he hurriedly closed the page.

Since putting his trousers back on would be troublesome, he had decided to ask the man through the door. Who could have known that the man would push the door open and come straight inside?!

In a fluster, Jian Anmian bent over to retrieve the trousers he had tossed over the back of the chair. However, the man seized his wrist, pulled him down, and forcefully pressed him into the chair.

Yan Zhimo knelt on one knee before Jian Anmian. One hand pressed against the young man’s slender shoulder, while the other grasped his narrow knee. His profound gaze swept over the young man’s legs. They were slender and snowy white, like two pieces of exquisite jade. His toes curled together nervously, and the skin from his calves upward had turned completely red. Even his knees looked as though they had been stained by peach blossoms.

Overwhelmed with embarrassment, Jian Anmian tightly pressed his legs together. His slender, fair fingers trembled as they clutched the hem of his shirt, trying to pull it down to cover himself. Yet he was afraid of damaging someone else’s clothing. Shaking his head, he spoke in a trembling voice. His mind spun so violently that he nearly fainted. “Mr. Yan, I… I can do it myself. Could you please go outside for a moment…?”

Yan Zhimo raised his head. His dark, shadowed eyes stared deeply at Jian Anmian, and his voice was as hoarse as a traveler dying of thirst in the desert. “Do you know how to do it yourself?”

Jian Anmian’s breathing was disordered, and the corners of his eyes burned red. His moist, pitch-black eyes stared at the man like a timid snail cautiously extending its feelers. He carefully asked, “Then… could you teach me?”

Yan Zhimo sucked in a sharp breath and ran his tongue over ​unauthorized copy​the tip of a tooth. Command and obedience were certainly appealing, but not this time.

“I’ll teach you next time,” he said. “Since this is your first time, I’ll put it on for you myself.”

Jian Anmian shook his head through misty, tear-filled eyes, still resisting. “Mr. Yan, there’s really no need…”

“Jian Anmian.” Yan Zhimo’s patience was completely exhausted. Frowning, he straightened, his broad palm pressing against Jian Anmian’s fragile knee. His dark gaze stared directly into Jian Anmian’s timid eyes as he slowly enunciated each word. “Don’t make me say it a third time.”

He hated being defied. The fact that he had spoken so patiently to Jian Anmian for this long was already a rare display of gentleness from him.

Jian Anmian trembled in fear. He was most afraid of the man distinctly calling his name one syllable at a time. Whenever Yan Zhimo addressed him so sternly, it meant Jian Anmian had made him angry again.

An angry Yan Zhimo was terrifying. His gaze was so deep and dark that it seemed capable of piercing straight through Jian Anmian.

Jian Anmian immediately stopped moving. Lowering his head, he tremblingly apologized. “I’m sorry…”

“It’s fine. I forgive you.” Yan Zhimo smiled and stroked Jian Anmian’s head before crouching again. Then he picked up the shirt garter beside him. One broad palm encircled Jian Anmian’s slender ankle and gently lifted one of his legs, while his other hand carefully guided the pure-black elastic strap over it. At the same time, he unhurriedly explained, “This is called a shirt garter. It fastens around your thigh and secures the hem of your shirt to prevent it from riding up. That way, formalwear remains crisp and neat.”

As Yan Zhimo explained, he slowly helped Jian Anmian put it on.

Jian Anmian covered his eyes in embarrassment with one hand while gripping the edge of the chair tightly with the other. Scalding blood seemed to burn from his toes all the way to the tips of his ears. Even his pores ​Read on BaiLianTales​trembled with heat. He deceived himself into believing that as long as he couldn’t see anything, he wouldn’t feel embarrassed.

“Once the shirt garter is positioned around your thigh, tighten it securely without making it too tight. There are several straps here. Pull them upward and use the metal clips at the ends to fasten them to the hem of your shirt.”

Each time Yan Zhimo explained a step, he performed it, allowing Jian Anmian to imagine what was happening through his description even without looking.

There was actually nothing improper or intimate about the man’s movements. Most of the time, his palms and fingers hovered in the air, doing their utmost to avoid touching Jian Anmian’s skin. Yet the more careful he was, the more impossible those tiny accidental touches became to ignore. They were like clusters of faint yet scorching flames, openly and secretly fanning the fire. Like a cat’s tail, they repeatedly brushed across the tip of Jian Anmian’s heart—impossible to shake off, yet impossible to catch.

Jian Anmian felt as though every bone in his body were melting beneath the man’s meticulous care. His chest repeatedly constricted, his heart pounded rapidly, and his scalp tingled.

“It’s on. Stand up and see how it feels.”

Finally, the last troublesome metal clip had been fastened securely to the hem of his shirt.

As Yan Zhimo straightened, he mischievously hooked his little finger beneath the elastic strap and abruptly released it. The springy black band snapped against Jian Anmian’s flesh. Jian Anmian’s body jolted, and he couldn’t help looking at Yan Zhimo with moist, pitiful eyes that carried a silent accusation.

“Mr. Yan…!”

A perverse thrill suddenly surged through Yan Zhimo, but his expression remained cold and merciless. “Stop acting cute. Stand up and walk around. See how it feels to wear.”

I’m not!

Jian Anmian didn’t even have the strength to argue. His toes tentatively touched the floor, and he braced both hands against the chair as he tried to stand. However, in the next second, he collapsed limply back into the chair and tremblingly apologized. “I’m sorry, Mr. Yan. My… my legs are weak. I can’t stand up.”

“It’s all right. I’ll lift you.” Yan Zhimo smiled and stroked Jian Anmian’s head. His strong, powerful hand wrapped around Jian Anmian’s waist and effortlessly lifted him into his arms. He bent down, picked up the suit trousers beside them, and stuffed them into Jian Anmian’s hands. “Good child. Put your trousers on yourself.”

With trembling hands, Jian Anmian accepted the trousers and obediently tried pulling them over his legs. But his hands and feet were weak and shaking, and even after several attempts, he still couldn’t get them on. Tears of frustration appeared in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Mr. Yan. I can’t put them on.”

“It’s all right. Mr. Yan will help you.” Yan Zhimo supported Jian Anmian with one arm and smoothly pulled the trousers up with the other. He eventually pinned Jian Anmian against the wall and fastened the exquisite belt he had personally selected around his waist. Next came the bow tie, cuff links, snowy-white socks, and delicate, adorable leather shoes.

Jian Anmian lowered his head and watched the tall man kneel on one knee before him again. Yan Zhimo firmly grasped his ankle, refusing to let Jian Anmian rest his foot on the available chair and insisting that he place it on his knee instead. Then he slowly pulled a pure-white sock over Jian Anmian’s bare foot. Finally, as though completing the final step in assembling a doll, he placed it inside a gleaming little leather shoe.

“You’re dressed. Come and take a few steps.” Yan Zhimo straightened, supporting Jian Anmian’s soft waist with one hand while holding his slender, fair hand with the other. He guided him through two steps.

Yan Zhimo looked into the fitting-room mirror at the young man half held within his embrace. Jian Anmian shyly lowered his head, both trembling hands clutching Yan Zhimo’s arm. Satisfied, Yan Zhimo stroked his head and praised him without reservation. “Not bad. Very cute.”

“…Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Yan.” Jian Anmian felt dizzy and dazed. Waves of tingling numbness spread across his back, and he could barely remain standing. His mouth responded instinctively.

“Since it feels comfortable, we’ll keep this outfit. Take it off and change into the next one.”

As he spoke, Yan Zhimo unexpectedly turned around and calmly sat in another chair nearby.