Chi Zhan was still deep in thought when the System abruptly cut off mid-sentence, as if realizing it had let something slip. It went completely silent.
Chi Zhan was intrigued.
“Who are the other three?”
“That’s not something you need to know. Don’t pry into what you shouldn’t, and don’t meddle in things that aren’t your business. For now, keep observing Zhou Yanxing. If anything unusual happens, report it to me immediately.”
Chi Zhan responded offhandedly. Another romance target… no, three other romance targets—who could they be?
He sifted through his recent encounters in his mind.
Besides the people at work, he hadn’t met anyone who really screamed “romance target.”
If he had to name someone new… Doctor Cen fit the profile quite well. But just like him, he was clearly a tool character orbiting the domineering CEO.
Chi Zhan shook his head and tossed that speculation aside.
***
The next morning, when Chi Zhan woke up, the pain in his lower back had noticeably worsened, pulsing in sharp waves. He gritted his teeth, forced himself to get dressed, and went straight to the hospital.
“You must be Mr. Chi?” a young nurse asked. “Doctor Cen gave specific instructions—if an especially handsome man comes in for a consult, that’s his patient.”
“That’s me.”
“You and Doctor Cen both have a ‘chi’ in your names,” she added cheerfully, leading him toward the exam room.
Chi Zhan still didn’t know Doctor Cen’s full name. He guessed, “Cen Chi… is that the ‘chi’ from ‘flying fast’?”
“It’s the ‘chi’ from ‘being late.’” A man’s voice answered, laced with quiet amusement.
Chi Zhan followed Cen Chi into the exam room. The nurse closed the door behind them, leaving the room hushed and still.
Doctor Cen was tall and lean. The plain white coat on his frame looked like something out of a runway show. He’d switched to silver-rimmed glasses today, his lashes casting a soft shadow under his eyes.
He had a presence that made people feel at ease.
“Did the injury feel swollen or more painful after you got home last night?” Cen Chi turned away to prep the disinfectants. Glass jars clinked softly as he moved.
“No, it actually felt much better after I got back. But it still hurt when I woke up this morning.”
Maybe he picked up on the strain in Chi Zhan’s voice, because Cen Chi glanced over his shoulder and offered a small smile.
“That’s normal. Nothing to worry about.” His eyes briefly lingered on Chi Zhan’s lips, then he paused and asked, “Did you eat breakfast?”
“…No.” Chi Zhan hesitated. “Do I have to?”
He wasn’t in the habit of eating breakfast. Usually he’d just stuff down a few random pastries and call it a meal.
Cen Chi shook his head, told him to sit and wait a moment, then quickly stepped out. Chi Zhan sat there feeling a bit uncertain until Cen Chi returned—carrying a steaming cup in his hand. He pushed it toward Chi Zhan, gesturing for him to drink.
Chi Zhan blinked in confusion. He thought it might be pain medication, but a sweet, creamy scent tickled his nose, instantly triggering hunger like a flipped switch.
Oat milk.
He held the cup in both hands, sipping it slowly. The warmth seeped into his empty stomach, spreading comfort. Lost in the quiet pleasure of drinking, Chi Zhan didn’t even notice that Cen Chi had silently moved closer, standing right beside him and watching with soft eyes.
When Chi Zhan arrived, his lips had been a little pale—probably from low blood sugar. But now, with the milk warming his system, they were slowly turning rosy again, soft and inviting.
A faint smear of white clung to the corner of his mouth. He hadn’t noticed at all.
Cen Chi stared quietly.
Beneath the glasses, his gaze darkened noticeably.
After a while, Chi Zhan finished the milk and reached to set the cup aside. But before he could, Cen Chi raised a hand. His long fingers brushed gently across the corner of Chi Zhan’s lips in a single restrained stroke.
Barely any pressure.
Chi Zhan hadn’t even processed what was happening when Doctor Cen had already pulled back and taken a few steps away, smiling lightly.
“You had some on you.”
“D-Did I?” Chi Zhan froze, his mind short-circuiting. He managed a dazed, “Thanks.”
Then it hit him.
Something felt… off.
For a moment he wondered if he’d imagined the whole thing. But the light sensation of a finger against his lips lingered unmistakably, looping in his head like a broken cassette tape—rewind, replay, rewind, replay—spiraling into chaos.
Just now…
Had he missed something important?
Cen Chi slowly wiped his fingers with a tissue, calm and composed as if nothing had happened. Chi Zhan opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Doctor Cen spoke in a professional tone, “Take off your jacket and lie on the exam bed.”
Chi Zhan obeyed.
…Maybe he was just overthinking it?
The thought came hesitantly, sluggishly.
Because honestly, he couldn’t think of another explanation for what had just happened.
***
November had already turned chilly, but the morning sun was bright and poured warmth into the living room. Doctor Cen had specifically told him to wear loose clothing, so Chi Zhan’s usual casualwear finally came in handy. He wore a thin jacket over a white T-shirt.
He took off the jacket and paused, hands hovering at the hem of his shirt.
“Do I need to take off this one too?”
“No need. Just lift it up.”
Chi Zhan exhaled in relief.
He lay quietly on the exam bed. During pre-employment physicals, he’d had to strip completely, but even that hadn’t made him feel this awkward.
He could hear the faint clink of medicine bottles being set on the table, the soft rustle of gloves being pulled on. Sounds he usually wouldn’t even notice were now amplified in the sterile hospital air.
Nervous tension crept in, mixing with the pungent scent of disinfectant.
When gloved fingers finally pressed against his lower back, Chi Zhan involuntarily tensed.
The pain was worse than he’d anticipated. He hissed, sharply drawing in breath.
He’d wanted to check the injury in the mirror earlier, but it was in a blind spot. Taking a photo with his phone felt too weird.
Meanwhile, Cen Chi frowned as he looked at the wound.
Yesterday it had just been a shallow scrape. Today, it had turned into a large patch of deep bruising. And judging from Chi Zhan’s expression earlier, you’d never guess how badly it hurt.
