Chu Xingxiao finally understood.
Chi Zhan knew. He knew that Chu liked him.
Was it because of that slip-up—the “brother in law” comment?
Dejected, Chu let out a soft “Oh,” and murmured, “I get it… you don’t want to see me anymore. But—”
Chi Zhan cut him off. “I know it was an accident. I’m not blaming you. It’s just… for now, let’s keep our distance.” After a moment, he added, “As for what you mentioned… I’ll pretend I never heard it.”
Something felt off to Chu Xingxiao.
If Chi Zhan knew he was Qi Song’s cousin, he wouldn’t have said, “I’m not blaming you.” Which meant…
Thoughts racing, Chu cautiously probed, “Then about that thing… what do you think?”
Chi Zhan gave a noncommittal answer.
“It depends on what the people involved want. After all, something like this needs mutual consent.”
What could I possibly think about you being in love with your brother in law? Shouldn’t you be asking your brother in law, not me?
I’m not your brother in law.
Still, he had to admit, he was shocked to learn who Chu’s crush was.
Didn’t the System say the romance targets were all upstanding, principled people who wouldn’t fall for someone else’s boyfriend?
What the hell was wrong with Chu Xingxiao?
Not only was he in love with someone else’s man—it was his brother’s boyfriend. That was more than just crossing a line.
Maybe it was because he was young? No sense of boundaries?
Chi Zhan couldn’t be sure. Maybe it was just another one of those player tricks—on paper, they were “dating,” but in reality, it was just for show. A fake relationship, meant to cover for a steamy, illicit romance with Chu.
When he thought about it like that, it was a spicy storyline… The “two brothers, one love” trope had always been popular in webnovels.
As long as he wasn’t the one involved, Chi Zhan had to admit, he quite enjoyed this kind of drama.
“So… if he agrees, then I can be with him?”
Chu asked again, looking a little unsure.
“Love doesn’t follow any set order. Just because two people are together doesn’t mean they can’t break up. Don’t shackle yourself unnecessarily.”
People always thought juicy gossip would never come for them. Chi Zhan was no different.
Chu Xingxiao seemed genuinely cheered up by his words.
“You’re right,” Chu nodded enthusiastically. “Even if two people are together, they can still break up. Hell, even if they’re married, they can still get divorced. Makes total sense.”
Chi Zhan could only think: This kid’s obsession is getting a little intense. Clearly, he was head over heels for his so-called “brother in law.”
And now Chi Zhan was curious—what kind of person was this mysterious “brother in law,” anyway, to have both Chu and his brother so thoroughly bewitched?
“Can I wait a couple more days before I move out? It’s hard to find a hotel now, and I’ve got team-building tomorrow…”
That reminded Chi Zhan—Chu was on the company’s team-building roster too. The entertainment division was participating, which included all the trainees.
Chi Zhan nodded, then sighed lightly.
How did I not realize Chu Xingxiao was X?
X’s nickname was “Xiaoxiao.” He liked A Brief History of Time. His falsetto even bore a subtle resemblance to his real voice…
I should’ve figured it out ages ago.
He bit down on his straw and finished off his milk tea.
They had dinner together, and just before they parted ways, Chu gave him a hopeful look.
“Gege, can I share a room with you tomorrow? We can’t let Zhou Yanxing find out we’re faking our relationship, right?”
At that, Chi Zhan’s expression grew complicated.
Zhou Yanxing probably didn’t want to see him at all right now. The man’s face had turned practically green with rage earlier—his most loyal secretary had “betrayed” him, broken company rules by dating someone, and even refused to break up. He was probably seething with disappointment.
Honestly, Chi Zhan didn’t even want to go to the retreat anymore.
But then he remembered—Zhou Yanxing had plans with Su Ran. They were probably going on a date tomorrow and wouldn’t have time to spare for him.
One lie leads to a hundred more.
“We’ll see.”
The situation seemed “resolved,” but for some reason, Chi Zhan couldn’t shake the feeling that something even bigger was looming on the horizon.
Zhou Yanxing’s reaction earlier had been… oddly calm.
Is docking my bonus really the end of it?
Zhou had once promised that if he ever wanted to fire Chi Zhan, he’d let him resign first. But then again, CEOs always lie. Chi Zhan was choosing—barely—to trust him.
He thought about messaging Song Guang, but the account was offline. Lately, Song Guang seemed busy again. After finishing his in-game dailies, Chi Zhan logged off too.
***
The next morning, Chi Zhan arrived at the designated meetup spot. A line of buses was already waiting. Each department had its own vehicle. By the time he boarded, a good number of people were already seated and greeting him.
“Secretary Chi, didn’t sleep well last night?” someone asked. “You don’t look so great.”
They were right—Chi Zhan hadn’t slept well. He’d resolved a major issue, so in theory, he should’ve felt relieved… but instead, he’d had a chaotic, disjointed dream he couldn’t recall upon waking.
He picked a window seat, still groggy, and started playing a mobile game. The bus buzzed with noise—people chatting, snacking, bursting into sudden laughter.
Half-asleep, Chi Zhan was still gaming when more passengers began to board. Eventually, the bus filled up, and someone sat down beside him.
Then, all of a sudden, the noise dropped off. Silence settled over the cabin.
“Good morning, President Zhou,” someone finally said, breaking the stillness.
Chi Zhan looked up. Zhou Yanxing had boarded.
He scanned the cabin. And maybe it was just Chi Zhan’s imagination, but Zhou’s gaze seemed to linger on him a few seconds longer than on anyone else before he moved to the front and took a seat.
Whispers started up behind him.
“Why is President Zhou here? No one told us!”
“Relax. We probably won’t even see him. He’s definitely staying in the presidential suite, nowhere near us.”
That was true.
The retreat had nothing to do with Chi Zhan’s department—Planning had handled everything, from accommodations to activities. Zhou Yanxing’s itinerary would’ve been meticulously arranged in advance.
