The Inconceivable Flame: A Fallen Angel“s Disguise

Xiao Zhiren turned to see her impassible gaze trained on him. He felt like he was caught snooping around and even had a lingering feeling that she might throw him out of the house.

But nothing of that sort happened. Ru simply took a couple of steps closer to him and asked again, "What are you looking for?"

Being honest was the best tactic in Xiao Zhiren’s mind as he answered, "There is a room missing on this floor. I’m looking for its door."

Ru’s brow quirked up slightly. "Why do you think that? Maybe there are only two rooms on this floor." She spoke blandly as if none of this was interesting at all.

Xiao Zhiren shook his head persistently. "I can’t be wrong this time."

"And why is that?" She retorted.

"Because there is an ’H’ missing in this whole house." With his words, Xiao Zhiren saw Ru’s lip curling upward again in an inconspicuous way. It was hardly noticeable.

He saw her turning to face the wall and lifting her hand. It looked like she randomly was touching the wall but suddenly, he saw the wall part in two and a wooden door came into his view. Just as he had predicted, there was a bold ’H’ letter engraved on it.

"So, I was right. It does make a combination of ’SHADOW’." Xiao Zhiren mumbled seemingly pleased with himself as his own hand lifted unconsciously to touch the door but Ru’s body was nimble than his as she swatted his hand away.

"Just because you can see it, doesn’t mean you can touch it as well." Xiao Zhiren rubbed the back of his hand where she mercilessly hit him and scowled at her pitifully. "Also, are you done with the cleaning?"

"I’ve cleaned every spot except for that room," he pointed towards the last room at the end of the hallway and continued, "And this hidden room." Taking a pause, he added, "By the way, that last room is also locked. Can you open it?"

"Raven, get everything back in order." Ru didn’t bother replying him and instead gave her orders to Raven. Xiao Zhiren saw the wall again coming in place making it seem like a part of the hallway as if there was really no room here.

Then she turned on her heels and walked away from Xiao Zhiren. Seeing her leaving, he followed after her, "Hey! You didn’t unlock the other room."

"Those two rooms are off-limits. Don’t bother with those." Ru finally gave him an answer.

With her being so mysterious, Xiao Zhiren was really bothered. He could guess that the hidden room would be like her study where no one was allowed. He also didn’t like anyone snooping around his own study, how could she be okay with it? Especially, considering she was in an even more dangerous line of work than himself.

But that last room’s mystery was even more intriguing. What could be behind that closed door? In his own thoughts, Xiao Zhiren didn’t realize that Ru had stopped and he bumped straight into her back.

"Watch where you’re going!" Ru snapped at him through gritted teeth.

"Sorry!" Xiao Zhiren apologized immediately.

"Are you that curious?" Her question really surprised him as if she could read his mind and the thought was a bit scary. Nonetheless, he still dared to nod in agreement. "What if I have weird fetishes? Wouldn’t wanna scare you now."

Xiao Zhiren was unfazed by her words. He had a feeling she was just trying to scare him. Whatever he’ll just let her play. As long as it makes her happy.

"Your reaction or more like lack of it is really a turndown," Ru muttered while looking around in her apartment.

"Are you bored?" He asked looking at her expression.

"I am." Ru decided to answer honestly. "I’m not much of an indoor kind of a person."

"Why don’t you go out then?"

Ru looked at him like he was a fool and said, "I’m trying to lay low. Don’t you know I’m being hunted?"

"Since when did this little chili was scared? Don’t you like hunts yourself?" Xiao Zhiren even dared to pinch her cheek as he called her ’little chili’. Ru had the urge to bite his handoff. He was treating her like a kid.

"I love hunts as long as I’m the hunter," Ru answered him plainly to curb his curiosity which was growing indefinitely.

"Aren’t you still the hunter? After all, all the hunters after you are being slaughtered by you."

Ru looked at him with a deep gaze as she said softly, "I don’t want to lose myself in this hunt."

Those words were ambiguous but it seemed to have clicked everything in Xiao Zhiren’s mind. Last night’s events came to his mind as he remembered her condition, he just knew that was her breaking point. No wonder she was looking so distrait and muddled.

"How about I take you somewhere then?" He suggested in an effort to distract her.

Now, however, Ru was sure that he was the one who lost his mind. "Didn’t you just hear me? I’m laying low. Meaning I can’t go out."

Xiao Zhiren put his arm over her shoulder pulling her to his side as he said, "Aiyo! My little chili, we’ll keep a low profile."

"You want me to put on a disguise?" She asked incredulously.

"Nah!" he shook his head in negation making Ru frown. He rubbed her hair saying, "The best disguise for you is... Being your real self."

Ru’s frown grew deeper. "This is the real me." She answered matter-of-factly.

Xiao Zhiren shook his finger before her eyes saying, "Nope. This is what you are comfortable with. But today, we’re going to make you comfortable in your real skin..." He leaned closer to her ear and whispered, "We are going to make you comfortable in your real gender."

Ru’s eyes widened dramatically as she stared at him in disbelief. No one had ever suggested something like that before. Well, considering how only one person knew of her real gender it was a given that no one suggested something this absurd.

But why wasn’t she finding his words absurd? Wasn’t she supposed to? It was a given, right? She should be repulsive or more so disgusted by this idea. But she wasn’t. Why wasn’t she?

"Let’s head to your closet? We’ll look for something appropriate." Ru didn’t answer but apparently, Xiao Zhiren didn’t need her answer as he had already held her collar from behind and started pulling her along.

Oh, he hadn’t done it for a while and Ru almost forgot how he loved to treat her like a sack full of potatoes. He was one infuriating man!

’Then why are silently following him?’ Her conscious asked and Ru could feel it smirking at her.

Now, Ru was wondering who was more irritating, Xiao Zhiren or her own stupid conscious.

’I’m following him because... I also want to see what he can find in the closet that’ll be appropriate.’ Obviously, Ru wasn’t even convinced with her own reply how could her conscious be?

Sure enough, finding something appropriate in Ru’s closet was like looking for a needle in a crowd or the invisible man.

Everything was orderly arranged but not a single piece of cloth could be considered as ’appropriate’ at least not for a girl.

Getting tired of it, Xiao Zhiren finally sighed in exasperation. "Wait here. I’ll be back soon."

Ru watched him leaving and turned to look around her closet. Wasn’t all her clothes appropriate? Why was he acting weirdly?

Obviously, her brain didn’t work like his at all.

About twenty minutes later, Xiao Zhiren was back with a couple of bags in his hand. He passed her the shopping bags and said, "Change in these. Faster. We’ll be late otherwise."

Ru first eyed him suspiciously then moved her eyes to the bags in his hands and snatched them from him with a huff. She just wanted to leave this apartment without being noticed.

She came out after a couple of minutes in washed-up jeans along with a black t-shirt. It must have been the very first time that Ru wore something from the female section. Even though it was just a simple pair of jeans and a shirt.

"Come and sit here," he beckoned her to sit at the chair and she did so with a slumped posture.

Then she saw him pulling out a wig and immediately shot up from the chair. "Keep that thing away from me. I don’t like long hair."

Xiao Zhiren pushed her back on the chair and said, "Although girls also have short hair, your peculiar ones will be a dead giveaway. Just wear the extensions. There is no harm at all." Ru tutted at him annoyance and watched him messing her gorgeous fluffy hair into those long locks that fell over her shoulder.

Looking at her grumpy face, Xiao Zhiren was amused. He tapped her nose and said, "Stop brooding and wear these colored lenses."

Ru looked at the brown-colored lens and shook her head saying, "I’ll wear my own." Saying that she pulled out her own pure black lens and wore them with ease.

Xiao Zhiren looked her up and down as his eyes sparkled with an obvious glint. This had to be the first time he saw her wearing something of her own size that allowed her figure to be prominent.

’It’s gonna be an amazing day.’ Xiao Zhiren thoughts to himself with a smile.