Chi Zhan returned to his desk and picked up the documents, reviewing them carefully. The first was an evaluation report on the potential partnership with the Bai family; the second was a contract for a deal with “Panda Live.”
But… they hadn’t even finalized negotiations yet. How was there already a signed contract?
The terms from Panda Live were undeniably generous. They offered high revenue shares for celebrity livestream endorsements, along with interactive sessions between popular streamers and stars. They even planned to launch a dedicated show to boost celebrity visibility.
At the bottom of the document was a handwritten note from Zhou Yanxing:
“On-site inspection at Panda platform scheduled for Sunday. Expected to be a one-week business trip.”
The headquarters of Panda Live wasn’t located here—it was in a neighboring province. But Bai Gongzi’s birthday party was on Saturday, and Zhou Yanxing was set to leave the next day? That timing seemed awfully tight.
As he was reading, the phone rang. Chi Zhan picked up without thinking.
“Hello, this is Zhou Rui Group… Young Master Bai, how can I help you?”
Bai Gongzi was practically bubbling with excitement.
“Secretary Chi, tomorrow’s my birthday party! Zhou Yanxing will be there, right? Make sure to remind him, okay? If he doesn’t show up, I’ll be so heartbroken!”
“I’ll make sure to remind President Zhou. You don’t have to worry.”
Bai Gongzi chattered on, full of hesitation and clearly itching to ask something but lacking the courage. Finally, he said, “Secretary Chi, you never finished what you were saying last time.”
“…What was I saying?”
“You were telling me about Zhou Yanxing’s preferences! You said something at the end, but I didn’t quite catch it. Could you repeat it?”
Chi Zhan was no longer the clueless secretary he’d once been. Ever since that “heart-to-heart” with Zhou Yanxing, he’d finally learned what made the so-called Demon King tick when it came to relationships.
Fair-skinned, slender, and tall—aside from the height, Bai Gongzi actually fit the bill.
As for professional skills? Bai Gongzi was more or less a professional heir, with a family fortune waiting to be inherited. Practical capabilities weren’t exactly required.
Good voice? Chi Zhan occasionally felt that Bai Gongzi’s voice sounded a little… off, especially when he spoke to Zhou Yanxing.
What Chi Zhan didn’t know was that this peculiar tone was what some called a “boy-slaying voice”—a coquettish lilt supposedly irresistible to men. But to Chi Zhan, it only ever gave him goosebumps.
In that sense, he probably couldn’t be considered a 100% straight man.
“Actually, President Zhou has a thing for people who can make coffee,” Chi Zhan offered, choosing the least demanding preference. “Maybe you could give that a try?”
“You chatting with your little cousin again?” Zhou Yanxing’s voice cut in, laced with dry sarcasm as he leaned against the doorway. “If he’s that eager, just have him come in for an interview. Might as well stop wasting company time with these daily chit-chats.”
“……”
Why did Zhou Yanxing always appear at the door the moment he was on the phone with Bai Gongzi? Was this some kind of passive skill?
***
After ending the call, Chi Zhan noticed a missed call from the president’s office. He figured Zhou Yanxing had tried calling him and, getting no answer, came in person.
Chi Zhan Ignored the snide remark as usual.
“President Zhou, were you looking for me?”
“Yes. You’ll be attending the party with me on Saturday. There’ll be several business partners present—consider it social engagement. Prepare the necessary briefings in advance. The yacht will dock overnight at B Province’s port. After that, we’ll disembark and head straight to Panda’s HQ for the site visit.”
It was Chi Zhan’s first time going on a business trip with Zhou Yanxing. Just hearing the plan was enough to sense how packed the schedule would be—not even a minute spared to breathe.
Still… wasn’t the birthday party just an excuse to hitch a ride on the yacht? Of course, that wasn’t something Chi Zhan dared to say out loud.
“Has the contract been finalized already? Mr. Su hasn’t reached out to me yet. Should we coordinate directly?”
“No need. I’ve already met with him. The same day you and Cen Chi were having that cozy dinner at the couple’s restaurant.”
Every word of that sentence was a minefield. Chi Zhan seized on the key point.
“I wasn’t on a date with Doctor Cen.”
“Oh?” Zhou Yanxing gave a faint smirk. “Funny, because if I hadn’t shown up that night, with dinner and flowers involved, wouldn’t I have been interrupting your romantic moment?”
“…You’re overthinking it. The flowers were just decoration, nothing more.”
Even Chi Zhan found his explanation weak, and when he saw the arch of Zhou Yanxing’s brow, he knew he was in trouble. That look always meant Zhou was gearing up to go on the offensive.
And when Zhou Yanxing started laying into someone, few could hold their ground.
But Cen Chi had only helped him because of Zhou Yanxing. So… what exactly was Zhou angry about?
Trying to decipher Zhou Yanxing’s thoughts was harder than finding a needle in the ocean.
Chi Zhan maintained a calm expression and smoothly changed the subject.
“I already sent your suit to the cleaners. Should I just hang it back in the closet?”
Zhou Yanxing was about to press further, but then a certain image flashed through his mind—Chi Zhan, wearing his shirt. Something fuzzy and chaotic stirred inside him, like a thousand tiny creatures bouncing around, throwing his mind into disarray. Not wanting to dwell on it, he waved a hand.
“Go.”
Chi Zhan escaped unscathed.
He didn’t know why, but lately, just seeing Zhou Yanxing’s face would trigger that memory of Cen Chi’s voice: “You mean you and Zhou Yanxing aren’t like that?”
What kind of ordinary employee dates their own boss? This wasn’t some trashy office romance novel!
But then again… what kind of boss keeps a subordinate’s gift for someone else’s birthday displayed in his private lounge?
Chi Zhan hung up the freshly laundered shirt, and in a passing glance, his eyes landed on the snow globe. It was still sitting quietly in its spot.
The lounge was styled in stark black-and-white minimalism. Amid all that monochrome, the pink crystal ball stood out sharply—almost jarringly.
Chi Zhan picked it up. The glass dome was spotless, not a speck of dust in sight. It had been several days since he’d last been in here, yet it looked freshly cleaned. Clearly, someone had been wiping it down regularly. A strange tangle of feelings welled up in his chest.
Unreadable. Unfathomable.
“Secretary Chi, are you planning to hang that shirt for an hour?”
Zhou Yanxing pushed open the door and stepped inside, only to see Chi Zhan standing there, holding the snow globe with a confused look on his face.
