Chi Zhan stepped out onto the terrace and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Let those two chat for a bit. He’d head back once things were wrapping up.
After all, dating was supposed to be a private affair. At most, an outsider could offer a bit of support—but never play the lead role.
Still… what kind of boyfriend would Zhou Yanxing be? Would he suddenly stop showing up at the office, tossing all the company’s affairs into his lap?
The thought made Chi Zhan’s head ache.
He silently prayed that even if Zhou Yanxing turned into a love-struck fool, he’d still have the heart of a career man.
Leaning against the railing, Chi Zhan let the warm, lazy rays of the afternoon sun spill across his body. He hadn’t slept well the night before, and the drowsiness rolled in like a tide, soft and overwhelming.
So much so, he didn’t notice the pair of eyes watching him from a short distance away.
Like a speck of dust floating soundlessly through the still air—light as a whisper, yet laced with subtle curiosity.
Just as he was about to drift off, his phone buzzed in his pocket. The alarm went off.
Chi Zhan jolted awake, eyes flying open as he fumbled to shut off the sound. He spun around—and was instantly startled, stumbling back a few steps until the railing pressed against his spine.
“P…President Zhou.” Chi Zhan took a deep breath. “What are you doing here?”
“I should be the one asking you that.” Zhou Yanxing leaned casually against the wall. Who knew how long he’d been standing there? “Bathroom’s this way?”
Chi Zhan scrambled for an excuse. “It was stuffy inside, so I came out for some air.”
“You think I’m an idiot?”
All Chi Zhan could do was apologize profusely.
“President Su is still waiting, right? I’m sorry. Let’s head back.”
“No need. He already left.”
Chi Zhan blinked, sneaking a glance at Zhou Yanxing’s face. His expression gave nothing away—maybe he was actually quite pleased with how things went?
“The contract…”
“Signed.”
“The next meeting…”
“You pick the time.”
“Contact details…”
Zhou Yanxing looked him over.
“Why don’t you just be the CEO?”
Chi Zhan had wanted to ask about the details, but with Zhou Yanxing clamming up like this, he didn’t dare push further. Who knew when the man might explode?
As they stepped into the main hall, Su Ran’s bright red suit instantly caught the eye. He seemed to be waiting for someone.
Chi Zhan was surprised.
Su Ran walked over briskly, gave Chi Zhan a quick once-over, then smiled.
“Secretary Chi, where’d you disappear to? President Zhou was just looking for you. Ended up rushing the signing.”
Chi Zhan hurriedly said, “That’s my fault,” then glanced at the Favorability Panel.
21.
Tsk… why hadn’t it gone up much?
“President Zhou, I’ll take care of scheduling our next meeting and choosing the restaurant,” Su Ran said brightly. “If you have any dietary restrictions, you can have Secretary Chi send them to me.”
Zhou Yanxing gave a dismissive “Mm.” Clearly, he didn’t care.
Chi Zhan and Su Ran exchanged contact info. Zhou Yanxing had already headed to the parking garage. Now it was Chi Zhan’s turn to shine.
“President Su, I think President Zhou treats you differently than he does others,” Chi Zhan said, delivering a classic wingman line. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him smile like that.”
Su Ran blinked. “Huh? When did he smile?”
“……He smiled on the inside.”
“Oh right, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” Su Ran hesitated, then lowered his voice. “Do you know who tied President Zhou’s tie?”
Chi Zhan looked puzzled. “What?”
“I noticed it was a bit haphazard, so I casually asked him about it,” Su Ran said, pressing his lips together. “He told me… someone he likes helped him tie it.”
“……”
Zhou Yanxing, you sly bastard. What a killer move.
In the underground parking garage, Zhou Yanxing sneezed as he waited for Chi Zhan.
What’s taking so long? Chatting so animatedly with someone else… He’d texted Chi Zhan, and all he got in return was a single “1.”
Secretary Chi, you’re something else.
***
Inside the car.
“You two talked for ages. You weren’t badmouthing me behind my back, were you?”
“We were discussing your tie.”
He deliberately emphasized the last two words.
In order to salvage Zhou Yanxing’s image in Su Ran’s eyes, Chi Zhan had delivered a carefully worded explanation, half-truth and half-lie. It had been enough to leave Su Ran just uncertain enough to walk away.
So the real reason Zhou Yanxing suddenly made him tie his tie today… was to set a trap.
“Double standards, huh? You get to light fires, but I can’t even strike a match?” Zhou Yanxing showed no sign of guilt for throwing him under the bus. “Besides, you didn’t tell him the truth either.”
Of course Chi Zhan couldn’t tell the truth.
Zhou Yanxing’s “If I’m not happy, no one gets to be happy” tactic left him utterly speechless.
When they returned, it was still lunch break. Most coworkers were napping at their desks, or gossiping in the break room. The moment Zhou Yanxing entered, everyone straightened up immediately. “President Zhou.”
He gave them a polite nod and went into his office.
Chi Zhan returned to his own workspace.
He had a small office of his own right next to Zhou Yanxing’s. The two were separated by a frosted glass partition—translucent enough to blur the outlines but not clear enough to see through.
As the highest-ranking secretary, Chi Zhan had a team of assistants under him to handle the grunt work, but ultimate control still rested in his hands.
Since starting the job this past month, he’d handled every task with ease—as if he’d done it all in a past life.
…Maybe he had been Zhou Yanxing’s secretary in a previous life. Got fired, reincarnated, and came back for round two?
The more he thought about it, the more disturbing it felt.
Chi Zhan checked the time. No more minutes left for rest. He brewed two cups of coffee—one black for himself, and one sweet with milk and sugar for Zhou Yanxing.
When he entered the office, Zhou Yanxing was reviewing documents.
He always looked so full of energy—arriving early, skipping lunch breaks, sometimes even working late into the night. His level of self-discipline was wildly out of line with what you’d expect from a romance sim male lead.
Even players trying to trigger his storyline had a hard time catching him free.
“Your coffee.”
Zhou Yanxing didn’t even glance up. “Mm.”
