Chu Xingxiao chimed in enthusiastically.
“That’s a great idea.”
Zhou Yanxing, however, said coolly, “Pick another one.”
Chi Zhan looked more troubled than ever. One was a “fake boyfriend,” and the other, a real domineering CEO—how the hell was he supposed to choose? Was he supposed to pick Jiang Yi?
“Can I… choose something else?” Chi Zhan asked, clearly conflicted.
Jiang Yi had only asked the question to test how far things had gone between Chi Zhan and Zhou Yanxing. But from the look of it… maybe things weren’t as bad as he’d imagined.
Chi-ge clearly doesn’t like Zhou Yanxing!
So Jiang Yi changed his request.
“Then do ten sit-ups instead.”
Chi Zhan knocked them out with ease.
Jiang Yi stared in disbelief, taking another hit to the ego.
How could seemingly soft, delicate Chi-ge pull off ten sit-ups like it was nothing? Back in college, Jiang Yi had struggled to do even one, and Chi-ge had breezed through ten without so much as flinching.
His dream of being the top in the relationship was shattered all over again.
They played a few more rounds. Chi Zhan was starting to get sleepy, but Chu Xingxiao and Zhou Yanxing hadn’t won a single game between them. The tension between the two still crackled like static.
Jiang Yi dealt the cards. Chi Zhan looked at his hand—another god-tier hand. He won easily.
This time, Zhou Yanxing was the banker.
Jiang Yi cried out, “Why don’t we make President Zhou do a handstand this time?”
“I’ll take Truth.”
Jiang Yi snorted, “Knew you’d chicken out!”
Zhou Yanxing, however, looked straight at Chi Zhan.
“This is one of the rare games where I actually follow the rules. Make it count.”
Chi Zhan honestly wasn’t sure what to ask. After all these rounds of Dare, this was the first time anyone had chosen Truth. But there was one thing he’d been dying to know. And since this was just a game… why not take the chance?
Maybe it was the drowsiness making him reckless, but Chi Zhan barely thought it through before blurting out his question.
“Anything goes?”
Zhou Yanxing nodded once.
“Ask,” he said indifferently. “A bet’s a bet.”
“Then…” Chi Zhan hesitated for only a second before asking, “Everyone’s always wondering… President Zhou, are you asexual?”
Zhou Yanxing raised a brow, clearly not expecting that kind of boldness.
Chi Zhan regretted it the second the words left his mouth—Zhou Yanxing’s expression turned downright lethal. If his danger level before had been an S, it just jumped to SSS.
A CEO’s smile is a trap.
“So this is what you’ve been curious about all along?” Zhou Yanxing’s tone was slow and deliberate. “Want to find out for yourself? Whether I am or not,” he added, “that’s up to you.”
***
Chi Zhan’s luck was all over the place tonight—but it didn’t matter. With Zhou Yanxing soaking up all the aggro like a lightning rod, he barely had to deal with Jiang Yi’s relentless targeting.
Chu Xingxiao, meanwhile, munched on skewers between rounds like a starving man. Apparently, his irritation from seeing Zhou Yanxing had converted directly into appetite. He rarely let himself go like this, but he was still growing, and his capacity for food was incredible. In no time, half the barbecue meant for five or six people had vanished.
“Oh, right—don’t you usually avoid this stuff?” Chi Zhan asked, hesitant. Chu Xingxiao wasn’t like the others—he had to maintain his figure.
“Eating once or twice is fine. Gotta indulge now and then.”
Chi Zhan didn’t object.
It was true. Too much restraint could sometimes backfire.
Jiang Yi had sworn he’d make Zhou Yanxing do a handstand tonight. But whether it was bad luck or some twisted cosmic joke, Zhou Yanxing kept pulling off comeback wins. One or two might’ve been coincidence, but after several, Jiang Yi realized: He’d met his match.
Chi Zhan was barely hanging on, throwing out cards while fighting off sleep. By the end, even he didn’t know what he was playing anymore.
Chu Xingxiao noticed his yawns and leaned in, whispering, “Gege, come sleep in my room?”
Chi Zhan shook his head.
“Is yours a single too? These room assignments are pre-arranged. We shouldn’t swap—it’ll cause confusion.”
Chu Xingxiao was puzzled. Why would Chi Zhan need someone to fake-date him? He had his suspicions—it had to be Zhou Yanxing taking advantage of his position to harass him. Chi Zhan must’ve been so fed up he brought in a boyfriend to fend him off.
He knew Zhou Yanxing wasn’t up to any good. From day one, he’d sensed the guy had ulterior motives.
Hmph.
“You can lean on me,” Chu Xingxiao whispered stubbornly, inching closer. His voice was sticky-sweet in Chi Zhan’s ear. “Aren’t we pretending to be a couple? Shouldn’t we act the part? You can even sit in my lap.”
“……”
Okay, technically he had a point. Zhou Yanxing already seemed suspicious of their relationship. But the moment Chi Zhan remembered that “Doesn’t matter whose boyfriend you are” line, his whole worldview wobbled.
Even having a boyfriend doesn’t stop him anymore?
Chi Zhan couldn’t help glancing at Zhou Yanxing. The man wasn’t just a top-tier CEO—he was good in a fight, too.
“If you and Zhou Yanxing actually fought,” Chi Zhan asked, a sudden thought striking him, “do you think you’d win?”
“Of course!” Chu Xingxiao answered without hesitation. “I’ve trained in boxing before. A desk-bound exec like him? I’d knock him out in seconds.”
“I think…” Chi Zhan massaged his temples and said helplessly, “you might be underestimating him.”
He’d seen President Zhou take on ten guys at once. That strength and speed weren’t something you just fluked into.
Still, now he was genuinely curious—how did all these romance targets stack up in combat power? Was Zhou Yanxing at the top?
“I’ll go fight him and find out,” Chu Xingxiao declared, already getting up.
Chi Zhan grabbed him in a panic.
“Don’t be impulsive! I was just speaking hypothetically, seriously! No fighting! If you two get into it, you’ll both end up in jail tonight!”
The more he explained, the worse it sounded—like he was encouraging Chu Xingxiao to start a fight.
“Fine,” Chu Xingxiao muttered, sulking as he sat back down. Then he stole another glance at Chi Zhan—this one heavy with implication.
