Chi Zhan had acted on impulse. All he wanted to say was, “Put this meal on my tab.” Who said anything about participating in some event?
“Didn’t you and Cen Chi have a great time drinking together that night?”
His lips curved faintly as he spoke, but his eyes were dark and unreadable. There wasn’t a trace of amusement in his voice. He looked every bit like a man preparing to settle scores.
It hit Chi Zhan right in his Achilles’ heel.
He let out a heavy sigh and lifted his wineglass with the air of a martyr heading to the gallows.
So what if it meant social death?
He’d already been socially executed once. What’s a second time?
Zhou Yanxing was a bit taller than him, but in that moment, he inclined his head slightly to accommodate him. Chi Zhan had just tilted his glass when Zhou Yanxing leaned in close and whispered against his ear.
“Did you know? The real owner of this restaurant… is Cen Chi.”
Chi Zhan froze. He didn’t even have time to process the meaning behind Zhou Yanxing’s words before the man had already taken a sip. Caught off guard, Chi Zhan followed suit with two hurried swallows. The rich aroma of red wine filled his nose, the mellow intoxication loosening his nerves.
Just as they’d finished taking photos, someone called out to him.
“Ah-Zhan.”
Cen Chi had thrown on a black coat in haste, snowflakes still clinging to his shoulders. He exchanged a brief glance with Zhou Yanxing before turning to Chi Zhan with a slight smile.
“You two are eating here too? What a coincidence.”
Chi Zhan hadn’t expected him to show up like this. He quickly stepped aside from Zhou Yanxing. Zhou, however, didn’t seem to mind in the slightest and said leisurely, “This wine’s not bad—might as well have another few sips.”
Cen Chi’s eyes cooled briefly as they landed on Chi Zhan, but then gentled again.
“Where are you two seated? Mind if I join you?”
This was a high-end restaurant, and there had never been a precedent for adding a third person to a couple’s table mid-meal. The server opened his mouth to explain, but before he could speak, the manager rushed over with a warm smile.
“Of course, right this way.”
Zhou Yanxing headed over to the photographer.
“Let me see the photos you just took… Not bad. Print all of them. I want the negatives too.”
After a brief chat with the photographer, he finally turned to Cen Chi.
“You want a look too? The people you hired are pretty decent.”
His tone was light, a half-smile playing at his lips.
Cen Chi, completely unfazed by being exposed, chuckled.
“Naturally.”
Which was as good as a confession.
Wait a second—Cen Chi was the owner of this place?
Chi Zhan was completely stunned.
Wasn’t Doctor Cen just a regular salaried worker? When did he suddenly own a restaurant? Ordinary wage slaves… No, clearly, Cen Chi was not one of them. How could someone like him ever be just another face in the crowd?
The server added a chair, and Cen Chi smoothly took the seat beside Chi Zhan. Zhou Yanxing leaned back, his tone dripping with irony.
“Running your own restaurant and still rigging things behind the scenes? That’s not exactly playing fair.”
Chi Zhan was still reeling from the information overload, but Zhou Yanxing didn’t let up. He went straight for the jugular.
“You orchestrated that photo with Chi Zhan, didn’t you? I’m guessing that draw box only had one option inside, right?”
“And putting that photo up on the wall—that was your doing too.” Zhou’s voice turned cold. “All just so I’d see it?”
The barrage of revelations had Chi Zhan’s mind spinning.
But Cen Chi remained composed as ever.
“Careful with your accusations. Got any proof to back that up?”
“Proof?” Zhou Yanxing sneered. “Today, Secretary Chi drew that free meal coupon with his own hands. That alone says something, doesn’t it? That his connection with me runs deeper than with you.”
***
At some point, Cen Chi and Zhou Yanxing had become utterly incompatible—oil and water. Chi Zhan wanted to play peacemaker but couldn’t even find an opening to interject. Fortunately, the setting was public, so their verbal sparring hadn’t crossed the line into outright hostility—yet.
“Doctor Cen, what would you like to eat?” Chi Zhan called the server to order.
That managed to redirect Zhou Yanxing’s attention. He pointedly ignored Cen Chi and asked Chi Zhan, as if no one else were present, “I gave you plenty of time to think it over. You’ll have your answer by the end of this meal, right?”
Chi Zhan faltered.
“Uh…”
If he had a choice, of course he’d say no. But knowing Zhou Yanxing’s temperament, saying no would only be the start of a spiral: “Why not?” “Can’t say no,” and round and round they’d go until they were both exhausted.
Cen Chi propped his chin up with one hand, his gaze resting on Chi Zhan.
“If it’s a private matter, you don’t have to answer him.”
Zhou Yanxing shot back, “And what the hell does that have to do with you?”
“Feelings can’t be forced. And it doesn’t look like Ah-Zhan’s particularly fond of you. So what’s the point?”
Zhou Yanxing snapped coldly, “If you know they can’t be forced, then what the hell are you still doing here? You think I don’t know?”
Cen Chi smiled lazily.
“I’m not like you.”
The more they talked, the more dangerous the conversation got. Chi Zhan braced himself for the next line to be, “Do you love him or me?” Thankfully, the server arrived with the dishes just in time, breaking the tension before things spiraled into a full-blown emotional showdown.
All three of them settled into their meal, each quietly eating without making a fuss.
Midway through, Chi Zhan excused himself. Zhou Yanxing finally turned to Cen Chi.
“What exactly are you trying to pull?”
“You’re the one who said it—fair competition. But maybe you’re the mantis stalking the cicada, only to get caught by the oriole behind.”
Zhou Yanxing scoffed.
“If you hadn’t been in the way, he would’ve said yes to me already.”
Cen Chi gave a faint smile, his voice confident.
“Not a chance. Ah-Zhan’s already juggling two boyfriends. You think he has room for one more headache?”
Zhou Yanxing froze. He clicked his tongue.
“Two boyfriends? Don’t tell me you’re actually claiming to be one of them?”
His voice was full of mockery, clearly unimpressed.
Cen Chi didn’t react. He’d clearly anticipated this. He tapped his fingers on the table twice, thinking for a moment before saying:
“I thought you knew… Do you want to hear how Ah-Zhan turned me down?”
Zhou Yanxing let out a dry laugh.
“Does he need a reason to reject you? Isn’t that perfectly normal?”
Someone like Cen Chi had no business being in a relationship. The man spoke in riddles by default—one sentence hiding three meanings, never a straight answer. You could never tell what he really meant. Nothing about him ever felt sincere.
