“You caught me.”
Chi Zhan was at a loss for how to respond.
“I originally thought you wouldn’t find out until much later… Was Zhou Yanxing’s acting really that bad? And that thing about Meow-Meow doing backflips—also fake.”
“……”
“You’ve been avoiding me, haven’t you?” Cen Chi’s smile faded just slightly, making him all the more unreadable. “You never answered my question from before.”
Chi Zhan hadn’t expected Cen Chi to bring up that matter first. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.
It wasn’t like him.
Cen Chi was nothing like Zhou Yanxing. Zhou always went straight to the point—even if Chi Zhan pretended not to understand, Zhou would call him out without hesitation, forcing him to face the truth.
Cen Chi, on the other hand, preferred subtleties and veiled meanings. He never revealed his true intentions outright. If Chi Zhan pretended not to get it, he’d never press—always the perfect gentleman, graciously respecting Chi Zhan’s personal space.
So Chi Zhan had only one strategy for dealing with Cen Chi: play dumb to the end.
As long as he acted convincingly clueless, he didn’t have to worry about what Cen Chi might do.
But now, with Cen Chi laying his cards on the table so bluntly, it threw him off.
“W-What?” Chi Zhan stuck to the plan, pretending he hadn’t understood. He glanced at his watch. “It’s really late—I shouldn’t keep you up. I should get going.”
He rose in a rush, but the next second, Cen Chi leaned in and held him down. The pale gray of his eyes darkened, like a storm brewing beneath the surface.
“Ah-Zhan,” Cen Chi curved his lips into a smile, though there was no warmth in his gaze. “You’re running away again. Why is it that Zhou Yanxing gets a chance, Chu Xingxiao gets a chance, but I don’t?”
The faint scent of antiseptic on Cen Chi mixed with a subtle, verdant note of greenery, a cool rainforest aroma that enveloped Chi Zhan entirely.
Though Cen Chi wasn’t using much force, Chi Zhan still couldn’t break free. He was forced to meet Cen Chi’s eyes, heart skipping a beat.
“There’s nothing going on between me and either of them.”
He knew better than to provoke Cen Chi right now. But if he didn’t make his rejection clear enough, Cen Chi might get the wrong idea. It was a minefield, and every word had to be weighed carefully.
“I already have a boyfriend, Doctor Cen. That part isn’t a lie.”
“Then don’t let him find out,” Cen Chi said, inching closer. “I told you—I don’t mind that kind of situation. If you’re really torn…then don’t choose. You don’t have to pick between him and me.”
Chi Zhan was stunned.
He’d thought Cen Chi was joking. But from the look on his face, he wasn’t.
Secretary Chi was now emotionally disoriented and morally horrified.
All he wanted was to drag the system over and shove its face into this scene—This was the supposedly “morally principled” romance target it had sold him?
“N-No. I can’t do that,” Chi Zhan said firmly. “Doctor Cen, can’t we just stay friends? I’m not looking to change boyfriends right now.” Chi Zhan turned his face away. “He’s really good to me. I like him a lot.”
Cen Chi gave a soft smile.
“No, that’s not good enough.”
So the good doctor wasn’t responding to kindness. If gentle words didn’t work, Chi Zhan would have to try something stronger.
“If he found out you were coming on to me like this, he’d totally beat you up,” Chi Zhan blurted. “He’s a national taekwondo black belt champ, Doctor Cen. You wouldn’t stand a chance. You should probably go find someone who actually likes you.”
“Then let him come,” Cen Chi replied softly, his voice hoarse and low.
He leaned in even closer, like everything was moving in slow motion. That intoxicating, vine-like scent around him grew deeper. He watched Chi Zhan’s trembling lashes—so clearly lying—but chose not to call him out. Instead, he simply stared into his eyes before lowering his head and pressing a kiss to Chi Zhan’s cheek.
Chi Zhan was caught off guard and flinched. Instinctively, he tried to push Cen Chi away, but the doctor caught his fingers mid-motion. Those long, dexterous hands laced tightly with his, pressing them down against the sofa cushion.
“I like you, Ah-Zhan.” Cen Chi’s pale gray eyes deepened, his fingers brushing over Chi Zhan’s cheek—right where he’d kissed—then turned his head and kissed him on the lips.
He tasted chocolate—sweet and lingering.
Cen Chi’s kissing style, much like the man himself, was methodical and unhurried. He began with gentle, non-threatening touches—barely brushing lips, like a small fish kissing the surface of a pond. It wasn’t passionate at first, just quietly tender.
But as Chi Zhan’s guard was slowly worn down, Cen Chi seized his moment—deepening the kiss with perfect timing. Still, he kept his pace measured, his tongue exploring with patient strokes. Every time Chi Zhan tried to push him away, the kiss would only grow deeper, making resistance harder. And when Chi Zhan’s breathing turned ragged, Cen Chi would ease off again, giving him space to recover.
He never stopped paying attention.
Like tending a pot of porridge—too much heat would burn it. Only a low, slow simmer could coax out the rice’s full aroma.
But Chi Zhan wasn’t thinking about porridge. He felt like a tiny boat in a storm, battered and nearly capsized—yet in the chaos, a strange clarity emerged.
He finally found an opening—and shoved Cen Chi away with all his strength.
Cen Chi’s back hit the sofa with a dull thud. He let out a soft hiss, followed by a sigh.
“Ah-Zhan, you really don’t go easy on me.”
“You… you—how could you do that?” Chi Zhan was so stunned he couldn’t form a proper sentence. He’d never imagined this would actually happen. That Cen Chi would kiss him. What the hell was he supposed to do now?
“I like you too much. I couldn’t help it.”
“Well, you should’ve!” Chi Zhan snapped, all pretense of calm gone. He grit his teeth and forced out every word. “I told you—I. Can’t. Be. With. You.”
Had they all lost their minds? Not even the fact that he already had a boyfriend could stop these romance targets anymore!
