He Wennuo was probably genuinely nervous. He planted himself right in front of Ye Yuzhe, mumbling incoherently under his breath while stealing nonstop glances at Liang Sheng, as if hoping for some useful cue from her.
Liang Sheng was nervous too. This was her first time playing matchmaker—and for two boys, no less. How on earth was she supposed to pull this off? Should she… whip out her phone and search Baidu? Or jump on Pinduoduo to snag a copy of that “Theory of 381 Ways for Boys to Flirt with Boys” with free shipping (the important part)? She had no clue, and she sure as hell wasn’t about to ask anyone. All she could do was rub her hands together anxiously.
Ye Yuzhe, by contrast—the one who usually came off as so shy—now extended his hand with graceful poise, bowing slightly as he offered it to He Wennuo. “Sir, I’m Ye Yuzhe, the model you invited, right?” To top it off, he flashed a perfect, radiant smile.
Boom! It struck straight to big bro’s heart! He Wennuo took a critical hit, smitten at second sight, nearly passing out from the sheer thrill. Talk about no backbone.
He Wennuo’s hand shook faintly—or more precisely, it vibrated like a motor: vrrr-vrrr-vrrr, vrrr-vrrr-vrrr. Liang Sheng’s own heart hammered in sync: thump-thump-thump, thump-thump-thump.
Their hands clasped together, and Liang Sheng clapped a hand over her mouth, more thrilled than the stars of the show themselves. Her cheeks burned bright red as she bounced around like she’d downed a double espresso.
Truth be told, Ye Yuzhe was shy deep down, but his joy overshadowed it, so he set his bashfulness aside and resolved to leave a strong impression on this man who appreciated his talents. Yet when he went to withdraw his hand, he discovered he couldn’t. The other guy had it in a death grip, and no amount of tugging would free it.
Was this… sexual harassment? Liang Sheng slapped her other hand over her mouth, this time in pure shock. No way. No way! Did He Wennuo have the guts for that? Groping someone right out in the open, broad daylight, full view of everyone?
Ye Yuzhe’s face wore a polite smile tinged with embarrassment as he kept trying to pull his hand free.
In actuality, He Wennuo wasn’t some creep; he was simply too hyped to recover, locked in a total brain freeze. The moment he touched the soft, silky hand of the boy he liked, he had no idea what to do next—he just stood there, face flushed beet red.
Unable to yank free, Ye Yuzhe finally looked up, locking eyes with He Wennuo for the first time. He’d never really paid attention to the guy’s looks before—maybe it hadn’t mattered, or maybe he’d been too elated to notice, or perhaps he’d already taken a shine to Su Ze.
His gaze met a handsome blond teen with a subtle blush. Those pale blue eyes mirrored his own reflection, gazing back at him with a soft, liquid tenderness. Ye Yuzhe froze. A flush crept steadily up his cheeks, and with one sharp tug, he wrenched his hand away.
Only then did He Wennuo snap back to reality. Seeing Ye Yuzhe scamper behind Liang Sheng like a spooked little rabbit—and replaying his own behavior in his mind—he was overcome with regret. Damn it, he must think I’m some kind of pervert now.
Liang Sheng squinted at Ye Yuzhe’s profile.
“Name: Ye Yuzhe
Age: 16
Height: 173 cm
Weight: 53 kg
Looks: SS
Hobbies: Sanda, cross-dressing, singing, making clothes
Traits: Trap
Features: Prettier than most girls; makeup queen, stunning looks, fights viciously
Family: Father—film company boss; Mother—renowned music artist
Favorability toward Su Ze: 78
Favorability toward Liang Sheng: 25″
Eh? Liang Sheng’s eyes went wide again. No way—when did Su Ze get tangled up with Ye Yuzhe? How had she missed that? Something was seriously off. The order had shifted so much! Butterfly effect striking again. Liang Sheng clutched her head in a headache.
Su Ze must be panicking, unable to sit idle any longer. Liang Sheng tilted her head, chin in hand, lost in concentration.
After all, she’d poached so many of his harem girls; the guy had jumped the gun in desperation. Even if he found Ye Yuzhe repulsive, he’d strike first to gain the upper hand. Yep, had to be it! Liang Sheng balled one small fist and smacked it into her open palm with a satisfying thwack, the picture of sudden enlightenment.
But there was no such thing as an unpryable corner in this world. Even if it was solid marble, she’d drill right through it with a diamond bit. Liang Sheng made her bold vow.
Caught up in her euphoria, Liang Sheng completely missed the thickening awkwardness in the air around her. By the time she noticed, the tension was solid enough to cut with a knife.
“Ahem.” Liang Sheng coughed into her fist and shot He Wennuo an urgent look.
But this “young and promising” big-shot CEO had genius-level smarts in business and zilch in people skills—like a newborn babe or a total dimwit. He just gawked at her blankly. That searching stare made Liang Sheng want to hightail it out of there. Mortifying!
“Hey, Mr. He Wennuo, take us to your studio already.” Liang Sheng had no choice but to spell it out bluntly. Being a matchmaker was hard work. She’d have to hit He Wennuo up for a fat red envelope later to compensate for all her heartfelt effort.
Only then did He Wennuo catch on. He whirled around and led the way to his car, tripping over his own feet in his haste.
Liang Sheng nodded in satisfaction. The boy’s still teachable—most gratifying!
When they arrived at He Wennuo’s studio, Liang Sheng was floored yet again. The guy had poured real thought and money into this; it’d come together perfectly in just a few days.
As the old saying goes, “A man willing to drop cash on a woman might not love her, but one who won’t definitely doesn’t.” This setup reeked of serious investment. Liang Sheng was delighted. Odds were high that He Wennuo’s feelings for Ye Yuzhe ran deep and true.
Ye Yuzhe’s eyes lit up the instant he took in the elaborate setup, his fidgeting hands drifting calmly to his sides. Ah, was this the place where he could finally wear his favorite outfits in broad daylight, strike poses, flash smiles—and no one would mock or bother him?
A genuine smile spread across his face—not the polite one he’d given He Wennuo at first, nor the awkward follow-up, but a soft, heartfelt glow of pure contentment. As he gazed at He Wennuo’s back, a swirl of complex emotions welled up inside him: gratitude, perhaps, mingled with the joy of being truly valued.
He Wennuo couldn’t help glancing back to gauge Ye Yuzhe’s reaction. Their eyes met in that instant, piercing straight through the tenderness shining in Ye Yuzhe’s gaze. Both of them startled, then hastily averted their looks, too flustered to face each other again.
Liang Sheng watched the whole exchange, tears pricking her eyes as her mind spun a full-blown romance movie: That Year, I Became the Big CEO’s Man. Blech—no, spit, what a cheesy title. Better: That Year, the Sweet Little Romance of Budding Love.
