“Apparently, President Zhou just updated the menu himself. Maybe he thought everyone’s been working too hard and wanted to treat us to something nice.”
“Come on, Secretary Chi, eat up. You’re so thin—you really should eat more.” Xiao Jia handed him a heaping plate of food, sighing in admiration. “Having a boss like President Zhou is seriously a once-in-a-lifetime blessing.”
Chi Zhan hadn’t eaten anything except a few emergency snacks earlier. Now that the delicious aroma was wafting through the room, his appetite stirred. He didn’t refuse this time and took a bite—it really was as good as it smelled.
The fried chicken was perfectly crispy on the outside and tender inside—nothing like the kind you’d get at a random corner shop. A glance at the packaging told him it came from a famous high-end restaurant. Chi Zhan had never been there, but he’d heard it was quite pricey.
Unconsciously, his gaze drifted toward the office.
The glass was one-way—Zhou Yanxing could see out, but no one could see in.
“Wait, Secretary Chi, your lips look kind of swollen,” someone suddenly blurted out, eyes wide. “Did you eat something you’re allergic to?”
Chi Zhan maintained a deadpan expression and nodded.
“Allergic reaction.”
Allergic… to a lifeform named Zhou Yanxing.
“Do you need medicine?” Xiao Jia asked with concern.
“No need. It’ll be fine tomorrow.”
Frankly, his lips didn’t look allergic—they looked thoroughly kissed. That faint, rosy tint could only come from a certain kind of passionate contact.
But no one dared say it aloud.
After all, Secretary Chi had just come out of President Zhou’s office.
Rumors about some mysterious, thrilling dynamic between the two had been circulating around the company for ages.
Someone once claimed they’d seen Secretary Chi in an oversized dress shirt—one that looked suspiciously like something President Zhou would wear.
That mystery had later been “solved”: Chi Zhan had been injured, and Zhou had supposedly lent him his shirt.
But still, people talked. After all, President Zhou didn’t just lend clothes to anyone. To date, only Secretary Chi had ever received that “privilege.”
Others swore they’d seen President Zhou staring at Secretary Chi with a strangely tender look—only to snap back into his usual cold facade the moment Chi Zhan looked his way.
No one knew what Zhou Yanxing looked like when he was truly affectionate. But everyone agreed on one thing: his temper had noticeably worsened during the days Secretary Chi was away.
Then, just now, Secretary Chi had come out of the office with a faint trace of… shame and frustration on his face. The curiosity in the break room was palpable, but no one dared voice it.
Especially since that “no office romance” rule—strict as law—had been drafted by none other than Zhou Yanxing himself. Surely he wouldn’t break his own rule?
That said, everyone agreed: Secretary Chi and President Zhou looked good together. If they ended up dating, no one would complain. If Secretary Chi became the future boss’s wife, they’d all be thrilled.
Chi Zhan munched on his fried chicken, frowning as he noticed the strange atmosphere. He swept a suspicious glance around the room. Everyone hurriedly dropped their sneaky glances and scrambled to change the subject.
“Ah, nice weather today!”
“Yeah, really sunny!”
“Ha ha… the breeze feels great too!”
Chi Zhan stared at them, confused, then unlocked his phone to check his messages. He hadn’t had a chance to look all morning.
As soon as he opened it, he saw a message from Chu Xingxiao: Gege, I have work out of town these next few days. I’ll be back Saturday.
This Saturday?
That’s when WT had their match.
Chi Zhan didn’t want to interact with Chu Xingxiao any more than necessary, but he’d already given him a ticket—two seats together. They’d be sitting side by side.
He replied with a curt “Okay.”
Chu Xingxiao followed up immediately: Gege, I had to board Dabai at a pet hotel. I haven’t been able to see him lately. If you have time, could you check in on him for me? Maybe take a picture?
Chi Zhan liked Dabai.
Big dogs were way cuter than their owners.
Owners, on the other hand, were just wolves in sheep’s clothing—not as innocent as they appeared.
Seeing that Chi Zhan didn’t seem too angry anymore, Chu Xingxiao started testing the waters: Gege, are you still mad at me?
Chi Zhan: Mad? Why would I be? Because I just happened to go upstairs and heard a rant about how the people downstairs are rich and stupid and want to smash up perfectly good plumbing?
Chu Xingxiao: …Let me explain!
Chi Zhan replied with an image: ‘Not listening, not listening, la-la-la~.jpg’
At that moment, Chu Xingxiao was getting his hair styled. He hesitated a bit, then typed out an apology. But as soon as he hit send, a grey message appeared beneath the text, followed by a red ellipsis:
[You are no longer friends with this user. Please send a friend request to continue messaging.]
Chi Zhan had blocked him.
Chu Xingxiao stared at his phone, muttering, “Shit… I think I really pissed him off this time. What do I do now?”
Chi Zhan, having tossed him into the blacklist, felt much more at peace. Out of sight, out of mind. Who knew what else that guy had lied about?
Maybe even the whole “liking him” thing had just been a ploy.
He could only blame himself for misjudging people.
By the time work ended, the sky had already turned dark. A strong wind blew outside, carrying the damp scent of soil. When Chi Zhan arrived at the pet shop, the warm yellow lights were still on.
“Welcome.”
Thankfully, it was still open.
The moment he stepped inside, he saw a group of adorable kittens and puppies—most of them just a few months old. Their mewls and barks echoed across the room.
“Are you here for pet supplies?” a staff member asked.
“No, I’m checking on a friend’s dog.” Chi Zhan pulled up the photo Chu Xingxiao had sent him and handed it over. “Here’s the boarding info.”
“Ah, so you’re Dabai’s friend!” the staffer said cheerfully. “He’s been missing his owner lately—his appetite’s been off. But nothing to worry about just yet.”
Dabai was led out on a leash. As soon as he saw Chi Zhan, his energy shot through the roof. He bounded over with joy, rolling on the floor and whining affectionately, tail wagging like mad.
Chi Zhan couldn’t help but laugh, crouching down to stroke Dabai’s fluffy fur. The big dog wagged his tail harder, nuzzling into him like a puppy reunited with his favorite human.
