He didn’t want this sort of thing to happen.
Cen Chi thought for a moment before replying.
“Not entirely.” Meeting Chi Zhan’s curious gaze, he continued slowly, “He’s my blind date.”
Chi Zhan hadn’t expected him to be so blunt. He feigned surprise.
“I thought Doctor Cen already had a boyfriend.”
“I don’t.” Cen Chi shook his head, sounding a little resigned. “Falling in love isn’t exactly easy, is it?”
He lifted his eyelids slightly and countered—light and casual—
“Don’t tell me Secretary Chi has a boyfriend?”
Just two offhand sentences, yet he effortlessly shifted the focus of the conversation onto Chi Zhan.
Cen Chi was clearly no ordinary man.
Chi Zhan responded calmly, “I’m not interested in dating.”
“Then you probably haven’t dated before,” Cen Chi said with a faint smile. “Doesn’t Secretary Chi want to give it a try?”
“T-Try?”
With who? Try what?
Cen Chi stepped forward, and Chi Zhan instinctively took a step back. At the same time, Tao Ran’s voice echoed in his ears—
“Whoever gave you flowers definitely has feelings for you.”
Could Cen Chi actually be interested in him?!
Alarm bells blared in Chi Zhan’s head.
Cen Chi took another step forward, and Chi Zhan retreated two more, his back pressing against the cold wall as a wary look surfaced in his eyes.
…Damn. No way out.
“I’m really not interested,” Chi Zhan said against his better judgment. “Work is more enjoyable, honestly.”
Cen Chi slowly closed the distance again, his eyes settling on Chi Zhan’s brows, the bridge of his nose, and his lips. His gaze was unhurried, as if appraising an exquisite feast—one meant for the most seasoned connoisseur, savoring it with practiced patience.
His eyes seemed to pierce right through people. Chi Zhan grew tense, instinctively pressing his lips together.
His lip color was even paler than that of the pink rose.
Cen Chi had noticed it the very first time they met.
Such a beautiful shade—no rose in the world could ever compare. Even if worth a fortune, any other bloom would only pale beside it.
Jet-black hair, long lashes, a pale, delicate neck wrapped in a loose, oatmeal-colored sweater—every detail combined into a palette so enticing, Cen Chi found it impossible to look away.
He leaned in with a gentlemanly air, wearing a warm, graceful smile. As he dipped down beside Chi Zhan’s ear, he deliberately let his breath brush past—warm, teasing, and enough to send shivers down the spine.
“Secretary Chi, don’t tell me… you and Zhou Yanxing aren’t that kind of relationship?”
That question completely threw Chi Zhan off.
“Wait, Doctor Cen, are you misunderstanding something?”
He turned his head slightly, looking somewhat flustered.
Cen Chi was so close that their breaths tangled together. He carried a pleasant scent—nothing sterile like disinfectant, but more like something natural, something botanical.
With every inhale, that fragrance slipped uninvited into his lungs, like wild vines creeping in unnoticed, growing unchecked in some hidden corner. A subtle danger lurked beneath its quiet allure, revealed only in fleeting moments.
…Too close.
If Chi Zhan were a cat, his fur would be standing on end right now.
But in reality, his expression remained flawlessly composed. Aside from a flash of panic in his eyes, there were no other visible cracks.
“I went to university with Zhou Yanxing. I’d say I know him better than you do,” Cen Chi said, smoothly steering into a new topic. “He’s extremely private—never lets others into his personal space or touch his belongings. Do you remember the scene when we first met?”
Chi Zhan froze. A thought flashed through his mind—and suddenly, everything clicked. His calm expression almost slipped.
“Doctor Cen, you’re not seriously thinking that Zhou Yanxing and I are… that kind of thing?”
Cen Chi paused, saying nothing.
“…We’re not,” Chi Zhan clarified. “I was injured at the time, and he happened to help me. That’s all it was.”
No wonder Cen Chi had been acting strangely—treating him to meals, offering free medical care… It had all been one big misunderstanding.
He’d even wondered if Cen Chi might like him… Thank god he hadn’t asked. That would’ve been a thousand times more awkward than this.
Chi Zhan took a deep breath, folding his arms across his chest. His tone was a touch stiff.
“We’re just colleagues. That’s all.”
He never imagined one romance target would misunderstand him as being involved with another romance target… What kind of chaotic mess was this?
Chi Zhan was someone who cared deeply about personal space and was extremely good at hiding his feelings. Overly intimate gestures didn’t just unsettle him—they had the opposite of their intended effect.
Cen Chi took in every nuance of Chi Zhan’s body language. Seeing that he was about to get upset, he tactfully stepped back, putting some distance between them.
“It seems I misunderstood.”
And just like that, the mysterious, dangerous aura Cen Chi exuded dissipated the moment he pulled away—so quickly that Chi Zhan almost thought he’d imagined the whole thing, a defensive overreaction of his own mind.
“I thought we were already friends,” Cen Chi said with a soft sigh, “so I figured we could talk about more personal things. If anything I said offended you, I apologize.”
Technically, Chi Zhan had started the conversation. But he swore he’d only been making small talk—he never expected things to spiral into such a huge misunderstanding.
If he’d once thought Cen Chi was the understanding type, reality proved the opposite. He wasn’t just a talented doctor—he was a skilled debater too, able to render Chi Zhan completely speechless.
“It’s… nothing, really. Just needed to clear the air,” Chi Zhan muttered. He wasn’t the type to respond well to pressure, but since Cen Chi had given him an out, he wouldn’t be petty about it.
Cen Chi didn’t press the issue. When Chi Zhan shook his head and instinctively stepped back again, widening the gap between them, Cen Chi turned and walked back to the desk. He began inputting follow-up information into the system.
The room fell quiet—only the soft tapping of keys filled the air.
