Could it be someone from the professional circle?
But before Chi Zhan could find out, he failed. Just as he turned his head, a pair of hands suddenly clasped the back of his skull and shoved him down.
His face was forcibly buried against the other man’s chest, nose brushing against the hollow there. A heady mix of lemon and liqueur filled his lungs in an instant.
…The dizziness intensified.
Clearly, the man didn’t want his face to be seen. He muttered something under his breath, but then abruptly fell silent.
A moment later, Chi Zhan felt the tension at his collar ease.
Instead of a tie, his shirt was loosely fastened with two strips of pure white silk ribbon. One gentle tug, and the knot slipped free into the other man’s waiting palm.
The cool, smooth ribbon was drawn over Chi Zhan’s eyes. Forced to close them, he did his best to remain calm as he negotiated.
“Who are you, and what do you want?”
He could sense it—this person didn’t seem to harbor malicious intent. But it wasn’t exactly benevolence either. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be pulling a stunt like this in public.
Another strip of silk soon bound his wrists. Unlike the one over his eyes, this one was tied tightly, as if terrified he might break free.
The fabric didn’t block light well. Through the veil, Chi Zhan could make out a blurred silhouette. Maybe it was the alcohol, but the image wavered before him.
…Heavy head, unsteady feet.
He shook his head, trying to fling off the ribbon, but whatever method the man used to tie it, it held fast despite its loose appearance. Chi Zhan could even feel the man’s gaze—fixed on his face with evident amusement and interest.
He had no idea just how stunning he looked in that moment.
When the eyes are covered, the rest of the features are only thrown into sharper relief—the arch of the nose, the shape of the lips, the line of the jaw. Any flaw would stand out starkly… except there were none. Everything was just so perfect.
His lips, flushed from alcohol, were full and moist. Even his breath carried a trace of wine.
Lips that practically invited a kiss.
The man cupped his jaw, tilting it as if inspecting it curiously.
“Is your face surgically enhanced?”
“……”
He gave his cheek a squeeze, as if confirming something.
“Huh. It’s real.”
There was even a note of admiration in his voice.
“…………”
Chi Zhan’s lips parted slightly. He was dangerously close to cursing aloud. But he held it in.
“If this is some kind of joke, it’s not too late to let go now. Any minute now, security will start looking for me.”
“You think I’m afraid of them?” the man scoffed, clearly unimpressed. After a beat, he finally got to the point. “What’s your relationship with Zhou Yanxing?”
So it was a rival. At that moment, Chi Zhan confirmed the man’s intentions.
“Whatever you think it is, that’s what it is.”
“I saw you. You’re his secretary. But… is there something else between you two?”
The man’s voice was still low, but not unpleasant. He was clearly using some method to mask or alter his tone.
Chi Zhan committed the voice to memory.
“I’m just his secretary.”
“What do you usually do? Manage Zhou Yanxing’s schedule?”
“If you’re curious, you can check the company’s job postings.”
“So cold. Can’t we just chat?” the man grumbled, clearly displeased. “I want to see Zhou Yanxing. Set up a meeting for today.”
“Who are you?”
“Just set it up,” the man replied, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“……”
“Well? Yes or no?”
Escape first—interrogate later. Chi Zhan gave a soft “Mm.”
But perhaps he agreed too readily, because the man immediately grew suspicious.
“Are you lying to me?”
“What would I gain from that? Let me go and I’ll take you to see President Zhou.”
“No,” the man said after thinking it over. “Call him right now. From here.”
…This guy wasn’t going to be easy to fool, Chi Zhan thought grimly.
“If you won’t even say who you are, there’s no way I’ll arrange a meeting.”
There was a 99.9% chance this person meant harm toward Zhou Yanxing. There was no universe in which Chi Zhan would let an unidentified individual get anywhere near him.
“You’re so…”
The man sounded exasperated, but then looked at Chi Zhan’s face again—and visibly calmed down.
How the hell could someone look this good?
“Let me ask you—are all the calls to the CEO’s office routed through you? Do you have the authority to reject a call?”
It was a strange question. Chi Zhan tried to guess what he was getting at, but then the man’s voice turned cold.
“Answer me.”
“If the caller makes an unreasonable request, I’ll decline the call.”
“Knew it was you,” the man muttered, clearly annoyed. “I didn’t even finish my sentence and you hung up on me. So it was you…”
Just then, Chi Zhan caught the sound of voices outside.
…It was Zhou Yanxing!
“Chi Zhan is missing. Get everyone to look for him,” Zhou Yanxing’s voice was colder than ice, enough to send chills down one’s spine. “Pull the surveillance footage. Now.”
Both Chi Zhan and the man froze.
The very next second, Chi Zhan opened his mouth to shout—but a hand clamped over it, lightning-fast. Furious, he bit down hard on the offending fingers.
“Shit—!”
This wasn’t a gentle nip. The man hissed in pain, and that subtle sound didn’t escape Zhou Yanxing’s notice.
“This is all your fault.”
The man growled, his tone brimming with frustration. Maybe it was the emotion bleeding through, but for a fleeting instant, there was something distinctly youthful in his voice.
The next moment, the world spun around Chi Zhan.
He was lifted off the ground, held by the waist, and slammed against the wall. His legs were forced to straddle the man’s hips. The pungent scent of wine flooded his senses as the man leaned in, bringing them within a breath of each other through the thin silk blindfold.
