“Because it severely disrupts work progress,” Zhou Yanxing said coldly. “There was a couple at the company before—flirting and fawning over each other during work hours. Is the company paying them to date? What is this, a variety show?”
“…Yeah, that’s fair.”
Zhou Yanxing narrowed his eyes at him.
“What, are you interested in office romance?”
“Of course not! I can’t stand people who slack off during work just to chase romance. It seriously slows everything down.”
Zhou Yanxing gave him a glance—neither approving nor disapproving. He seemed to be judging whether the statement passed muster.
A few moments passed. Chi Zhan remained by the door, not yet stepping out. The entrance kept opening and closing, bringing in gusts of frigid wind tinged with snow. He was starting to feel cold.
“He’s still not here,” Zhou Yanxing checked his watch. “Think he’s having dinner first? Want to tell him we have a cafeteria?”
The corner of Zhou Yanxing’s mouth twitched. He didn’t look impatient—more like everything was unfolding just as he expected. It was as if he was completely certain Chi Zhan didn’t have a boyfriend to begin with.
“I’ll give him a call,” Chi Zhan said, pulling out his phone—when suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the corridor.
“Sorry, I’m late.” The man was dressed in black denim, moving like a gust of wind in the dead of winter. The moment he spotted Chi Zhan, he rushed over, eyes full of apology. “Kept you waiting, ge.”
Chi Zhan blinked slowly at the approaching figure.
“I went to grab some milk tea. It’s better to have something warm in winter. I didn’t expect such a long line…” The newcomer looked genuinely annoyed at himself. Then he leaned in and kissed Chi Zhan’s cheek. “Don’t be mad at me, okay?”
Chi Zhan was handed a cup of milk tea, the sudden warmth banishing the chill from his fingers. A pair of warm hands gently enclosed his.
But—
“Why is it you?” Zhou Yanxing’s voice dripped with disbelief.
Chi Zhan was thinking the same thing—
Why the hell is it you?
Chu Xingxiao smiled brightly as he approached, utterly unbothered by the cold. One arm slid naturally around Chi Zhan’s lower back. He gave Chi Zhan a wink, then turned his gaze to Zhou Yanxing.
“I’m taking my boyfriend home now, President Zhou. Do you need anything else?”
***
The air froze the moment the words left his mouth.
Chi Zhan was in utter shock—so much so that he started to doubt whether he’d woken up at all since last night. Maybe this was all still some massive, ongoing dream.
How could X be Chu Xingxiao? They’d even spoken on voice chat—Chi Zhan hadn’t recognized him at all.
He racked his brain, but the only explanation he could settle on was sheer coincidence. After all, he’d taken the initiative to look for an online boyfriend, and the system’s customer support had recommended several candidates. His match with X had no signs of being orchestrated.
Unless… the system itself was behind it. But that would only happen if its code had gone completely haywire.
A fingertip lightly tickled Chi Zhan’s palm. Chu Xingxiao winked at him and smiled.
“Should we go home now, or grab something to eat? There’s a new restaurant that just opened—they say it’s pretty good.”
Chi Zhan reined in his stunned expression, forcing himself to maintain composure with all the acting skills he’d ever honed. Holding the milk tea, he turned to the long-silent Zhou Yanxing beside him.
“President Zhou, we’ll be heading out now.”
“Wait.” Zhou Yanxing finally spoke, his voice carefully restrained. Ever since Chu Xingxiao walked up to Chi Zhan—and kissed him—there had been a storm brewing beneath his surface. Now it came out in a cool, even tone. “Do you treat company policy like it doesn’t exist?”
The voice was calm, but the chill it carried was bone-deep. And it wasn’t directed at Chi Zhan—it was aimed squarely at Chu Xingxiao.
“What policy?” Chu Xingxiao shot back. “This whole thing was the company’s idea to begin with. Or should I say—your orders. Right? You’re the one who told me to stir up a scandal, weren’t you?”
Chi Zhan stood frozen, not daring to move. What scandal? What the hell was Chu Xingxiao talking about? His mind was a mess.
“You think I’d bother with some petty nonsense like that?” Zhou Yanxing’s presence grew even more imposing. His voice was ice. “Until recently, all your schedules were managed by the branch office and your agent. Whether you stirred up scandal or not, I didn’t care.”
His eyes landed on Chi Zhan—and the hand currently held by Chu Xingxiao. A faint, unreadable smile tugged at his lips, though his gaze was dark and sharp.
“So what you’re saying is… this is just a PR stunt?”
“Of course not! I’m serious about ge. Even though we haven’t known each other for long, I really like him. I want to be with him forever. And besides—we already live together.”
Chi Zhan’s expression froze. Zhou Yanxing’s face visibly darkened.
“Live… together?”
Zhou Yanxing spat out the words like they tasted foul. He still wore a smile, but it only made him seem more menacing.
“Yep,” Chu Xingxiao said breezily, completely ignoring the warning signs in Zhou Yanxing’s expression. He kept piling on fuel to the fire. “Ge said work has been too stressful lately. Being with me helps him relax. I mean, with such a difficult boss, life gets pretty bleak, doesn’t it?”
“……”
Seeing Chu Xingxiao getting more outrageous by the second, Chi Zhan grew genuinely concerned that Zhou Yanxing might explode and swallow them both whole. He discreetly tugged at Chu Xingxiao’s sleeve, signaling him to stop.
Sensing the gesture, Chu Xingxiao obediently shut his mouth. But his eyes still glowed with triumph. He leaned in again, clearly aiming for another kiss.
…Was this guy getting too deep into the role?
Well, at least he was dedicated.
Chi Zhan made a mental note: once they got home, he was definitely giving Chu Xingxiao a five-star rating.
Employees rushing to clock out had no idea what drama had just unfolded. All they saw was Zhou Yanxing’s grim expression. Fearing collateral damage, they scanned their cards and scurried off while sneaking curious glances. The area around the three of them felt like a vacuum sealed off from the rest of the world.
“Chi Zhan, is what he said true?”
His gaze was suffocating, and Chi Zhan could sense danger radiating off of him.
Zhou Yanxing rarely called him by his full name—usually it was just “Secretary Chi.” Hearing it now felt like being singled out in class after making a mistake.
“President Zhou, what exactly are you referring to?”
