Compared to the others, Chi Zhan seemed… unremarkable. He had no standout strengths, nor glaring weaknesses. He was like the most typical office worker. And yet, somehow, he fit seamlessly into every version of Zhou Yanxing, complementing even his sharpest edges.
After spending time with Chi Zhan, Zhou Yanxing was left with only one impression:
Peace of mind.
Whether it was the steady, unhurried tone he used in work reports, the uniform simplicity of his daily button-down shirts and black slacks, the morning coffee he brewed without fail, or the flicker of guilt in his eyes when caught slacking off—it all amused Zhou Yanxing to no end.
He was like a guy with zero dating experience, clumsily toying with the person he liked because he didn’t know how to express it any other way.
Deep down, Zhou Yanxing’s subconscious had already made up its mind—this was the one.
This position existed because of Chi Zhan. No one else could ever be a better fit.
“You should go now,” Zhou Yanxing said, issuing a subtle dismissal.
Cen Chi took no offense.
“You look pretty busy today. I drove here anyway—might as well take Secretary Chi with me.”
“No need, you—” Zhou Yanxing cut himself off mid-sentence, his ears twitching at a faint sound. His gaze snapped to the side, voice low and sharp. “Who’s there?”
It was Susu—who had stealthily followed the three of them into the office.
Currently lost in daydreams about the visual feast that was the CEO and the doctor, Susu had pulled out his selfie cam to sneak a few pictures of this male beauty duo. But he’d forgotten to mute the shutter sound. Zhou Yanxing, with his keen hearing, caught it instantly.
Panic surged. Susu bolted—but fate, or maybe Cen Chi’s mischievous intent, had him standing right at the door, blocking the exit. And to make matters worse, Susu’s invisibility timer was about to run out.
Sweating bullets, Susu had no time to think. He darted sideways into a half-open lounge—just in time for his body to reappear—face to face with Chi Zhan, who was lying on the bed.
Susu was stunned. Wasn’t this Zhou Yanxing’s office? Why was there someone in the lounge? And why was that person wearing the CEO’s clothes, pale as a ghost? Don’t tell me… No, it can’t be what I’m thinking, right?
“Wh-who are you?” Susu whispered.
The whole scene was undeniably awkward. Chi Zhan kept his flawless professional smile, quickly scanning the panel and identifying Susu as a player.
As the saying goes: a smile is the best defense. Chi Zhan didn’t say a word, but Susu’s imagination was already spinning a melodramatic soap opera in full HD.
“You… You’re a player too, aren’t you? Don’t tell me Zhou Yanxing loves you but can’t have you, so he’s locked you up here?”
“……”
Susu was an avid fan of over-the-top romance novels—the obsessive kind, full of tragic misunderstandings and obsessive love: “You love me but I don’t love you, you spiral into madness and become a cold tyrant,” or “you’re so in love you keep smashing into walls for me, even across three lifetimes…”
Chi Zhan interrupted flatly, “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“Don’t play dumb. You have to be a player!” Susu said with envy, eyes sparkling. “What cosmetic item did you buy? It looks way more natural than my ‘Peerless Beauty’ mod! Must’ve cost a fortune, huh?”
Susu had always thought his looks were top-tier among players—until he saw Chi Zhan. Those eyes, that bone structure, that skin… Compared to him, Susu felt like a cheap knockoff influencer.
“And the CEO and the doctor…” Susu’s voice trailed off as his expression shifted, suspicious now. “You’ve already romanced both of them? Damn, no wonder no one else can get anywhere! You didn’t even say anything on the forums. If you’d spoken up, we would’ve backed off and let you have them.”
He leaned in and added in a whisper, “You’re not planning to go after Chu Xingxiao too, are you? He’s impossible to crack. Total brat. I think these two are great already. Good luck, I’m switching servers after this anyway.”
Chi Zhan hadn’t even had time to respond before Susu vanished, logged off and gone.
“……”
At this point, Chi Zhan didn’t even bother denying it anymore. Being mistaken for a player was becoming routine. Didn’t these players have some kind of code word among themselves? Or… did he really just not look like an NPC at all?
Still, Susu had let something important slip:
Chu Xingxiao was a romance target.
Which meant… getting too close could lead to disaster.
Chi Zhan didn’t consider himself especially charming, but just in case, it was probably best to keep his distance.
He sighed silently.
His phone buzzed.
It was a call from Chu Xingxiao. When Chi Zhan didn’t answer, a text followed.
Chu Xingxiao: Gege, are you hurt? Is it serious? Where are you? I’ll come find you.
He’d just seen the company group chat saying that someone had barged into the CEO’s office that morning, causing an altercation that left Secretary Chi seriously injured—and possibly fighting for his life.
The original message had only said: “An intruder entered the CEO’s office this morning. A scuffle broke out. Secretary Chi was injured, but fortunately not seriously.” But after being passed around tenfold, it had somehow turned into “his life hangs in the balance.”
Chi Zhan typed out a reply, then deleted it.
In the end, he sent: I’m fine. Don’t worry. Focus on your classes.
The moment the message was sent, another call came through from Chu Xingxiao.
Chi Zhan didn’t answer. He silenced the phone, letting the screen light up… and then fade back into darkness.
The best course of action now was to keep his distance from all the romance targets. No more run-ins like this.
Because each time something happened, he had to lie. And Chi Zhan had never been good at lying. Pretending to have a boyfriend just made things worse. Someone always got hurt. Better to avoid it all from the start.
Still, a pang of regret lingered.
He looked down at the now-still screen. Chu Xingxiao’s name had faded, no longer flashing with urgency.
What he’d thought might be a new friendship was already headed for the path of strangers.
A few minutes after Susu left, the lounge door opened. Zhou Yanxing stepped inside, glancing around.
“Did you see anyone suspicious come in?”
Chi Zhan gave him a puzzled look.
“No.”
Zhou Yanxing’s face twitched like he’d seen a ghost. He could’ve sworn he heard a camera shutter earlier. No way it was his or Cen Chi’s phones taking pictures on their own… but no matter how he searched, he couldn’t find anyone.
