“Mrrrow~ Mrrrow~”
Then, with a little fish treat clamped proudly in its mouth, the sleek black cat trotted off with elegant, haughty steps.
“You little rascal.”
Cen Chi let Meow-Meow out and glanced back at the guest room—its lights were already off.
After everything that had happened today, Chi Zhan was clearly exhausted. Cen Chi had no intention of pushing him any further tonight. Too much pressure could easily backfire.
He hadn’t lied to Chi Zhan.
Meow-Meow really could do a backflip. Cen Chi had trained with her for ages before deciding to show Chi Zhan. But things hadn’t gone exactly as planned—his little cat was just as proud as her owner. The more you tried to make her do something, the less she’d cooperate.
He’d nearly tanked his own credibility with that stunt.
As for what Chi Zhan had said about having a “boyfriend,” Cen Chi didn’t buy it for a second.
Based on what clues he had, the most likely candidate for Chi Zhan’s so-called boyfriend was Qi Song.
But judging from how things played out on Christmas, their relationship seemed to be somewhere between close friends and not-quite-lovers.
And even that level of closeness had already made Cen Chi feel a creeping sense of crisis.
Add to that Zhou Yanxing, who was always lurking like a predator, and Chu Xingxiao, who’d burst onto the scene with surprising momentum…
If he didn’t toss more fuel on this fire soon, Chi Zhan might just keep running from him forever.
But so far, things were going well.
At least, somewhere deep down, Chi Zhan still had a little bit of affection for him.
And that was enough.
Chi Zhan only had to take one step—Cen Chi would take the other ninety-nine.
***
Chi Zhan couldn’t sleep in the guest room.
The unfamiliar setting, the clean pajamas, the sheets steeped in that faint, mysterious plant-like scent that always clung to Cen Chi like vines—it wrapped around him, seeping into every breath.
What was he supposed to do now?
He’d thought Cen Chi had given up. But now, Chi Zhan realized just how naive that assumption had been.
The way Cen Chi spoke earlier—it was like he already knew the truth. He was so certain that Chi Zhan didn’t actually have a long-distance boyfriend, that he’d casually thrown out, “Let him come find me,” without blinking.
Chi Zhan had only been bluffing, because honestly, he didn’t even have a boyfriend who could do Taekwondo.
The Cen Chi from earlier felt a little unfamiliar. It was as if that gentle demeanor was just a mask, and hidden beneath it was something sharp—dangerous.
Maybe from the very beginning, from the moment they met again, Cen Chi had been plotting behind the scenes. Every move was calculated. Sure, some things were up to chance, but Chi Zhan had completely forgotten he still had the tracker on him.
Zhou Yanxing probably wouldn’t just casually check his location.
And even if he did, it wasn’t like he’d do anything drastic.
It was only while reflecting on everything that Chi Zhan suddenly realized—he’d fallen right into Cen Chi’s verbal trap.
Only now did he finally appreciate just how skilled Doctor Cen really was.
Compared to him, Chi Zhan was just a clueless amateur.
They say once you start overthinking, there’s no end to it.
He tossed and turned, the more he thought, the messier his head got. When he finally checked his phone, nearly an hour had passed.
…No good. I have to sleep.
***
Chi Zhan was jolted awake by his alarm.
Still groggy and heavy-limbed, he hadn’t slept well. His dreams had been bizarre all night long—he kept running, running, and even after waking, the exhaustion still clung to him.
Staring blankly at the ceiling for a while, he eventually changed into a shirt, washed up, and quietly crept into the living room… only to be greeted by the smell of food.
From the kitchen came the familiar sizzle of something being fried.
“……”
He’d set his alarm early on purpose to avoid running into Cen Chi before work.
But out came Cen Chi with a plate of eggs, dressed in a crisp white shirt with his sleeves casually rolled up. With that clean-cut look and striking features, he looked every bit the gentle, picture-perfect husband you’d see in a TV drama—especially without his glasses on.
“Ah-Zhan?” Cen Chi blinked, surprised. Glancing at the wall clock, he smiled. “You’re up early today.”
Chi Zhan froze in place.
He’d been planning to sneak out without anyone noticing—if you couldn’t deal with someone, at least you could avoid them. He’d even written a sticky note and was about to leave it on the coffee table. But Cen Chi had clearly beaten him to it, catching him red-handed.
An awkward silence stretched between them.
“Y-yeah.” Chi Zhan did his best to act natural.
“I was just about to wake you,” Cen Chi said smoothly. “I didn’t know what you usually eat for breakfast, so I made a little bit of everything. Eat first before you go.”
Still drowsy from the restless night, Chi Zhan hadn’t even had time to come up with an excuse. He stood there in a daze for a moment, until Cen Chi called his name again—and he had no choice but to step forward and accept the plate.
Cen Chi seemed to have completely forgotten about last night. Their interaction this morning felt just like it always had… and yet, something was subtly different.
Like when Chi Zhan kept sneaking glances at him, trying to read his thoughts—Cen Chi suddenly caught his eye, smiled, and said, “What is it, Ah-Zhan? You’ve been peeking at me nonstop.”
“…It’s nothing.”
“Really?” Cen Chi walked up beside him. Chi Zhan instinctively took a step back—but all Cen Chi did was reach past him to grab two bottles from the cabinet. “Salad dressing or mayo?”
“Salad dressing.”
The toaster hummed quietly. A moment later, golden slices popped up. They were plated on fine white china, layered with salad dressing, butter, a perfectly fried egg, lettuce, and thin slices of beef—paired with a glass of milk. It was a simple breakfast, but it looked—and smelled—absolutely divine.
Chi Zhan had made sandwiches before, but he always thought they tasted bland and boring.
This one was different. The bread was soft, lightly sweetened, each ingredient balanced perfectly. It was exactly to his taste.
He hadn’t expected Cen Chi to actually cook.
Thinking about his own kitchen skills, Chi Zhan suddenly felt inferior. Compared to this guy, he was practically useless in the kitchen. The only thing that gave him any consolation… was that Zhou Yanxing couldn’t cook either. At least that gave him a fighting chance.
