His nose accidentally brushed against the bare skin exposed by the wide-open collar, catching a faint whiff of mint—so subtle it was almost imperceptible.
The warmth and firmness of that touch sent him into a panic.
His mind went completely blank.
“Careful.” Cen Chi’s voice came from beside him, stripped of its usual levity and replaced by a low, subdued tone.
At some point, he’d walked over and reached out to steady Chi Zhan, helping him back up with steady hands.
Zhou Yanxing, unusually silent, didn’t offer his typical snark. He sat up wordlessly. His shirt had been rumpled by the earlier commotion, and his disheveled appearance—combined with his broad shoulders—radiated an unexpectedly intense sexual tension.
“S-Sorry,” Chi Zhan stammered, voice slightly trembling.
“It’s fine. He’s drunk. Chances are, he won’t even remember this tomorrow,” Cen Chi said in a calming tone. He glanced at Zhou Yanxing, then added, “But I can vouch for him giving you time off.”
Zhou Yanxing said nothing. He buttoned his shirt and stood up unsteadily. Chi Zhan moved instinctively to help him, but Zhou Yanxing raised a hand to stop him.
“No need to see me off.” His gaze was complicated. “Go home and rest early.”
“…Will you be okay on your own?”
“I’m already sober,” Zhou Yanxing replied, voice layered with indiscernible meaning.
With that, he strode toward the door. His pace was so fast even the waiter who’d planned to assist him couldn’t catch up.
Chi Zhan didn’t even get a chance to call out to him.
…His phone was still with Zhou Yanxing.
Zhou hadn’t gone far when his steps suddenly faltered, clearly still affected by the alcohol.
The thought eased Chi Zhan’s nerves a bit, though a strange, indescribable feeling stirred inside him.
He couldn’t quite put his finger on it—it was like ants crawling across his heart.
As for the phone… he’d have to retrieve it at work tomorrow.
“Secretary Chi.” Cen Chi’s voice sounded a little forlorn. “So you’re just going to leave me here all alone?”
Chi Zhan felt a headache coming on.
He’d just handled Zhou Yanxing and had forgotten about the other drunk—Doctor Cen, who turned childishly clingy when intoxicated.
“I didn’t mean it like that. He’s my boss, after all,” Chi Zhan explained, glancing over at Cen Chi.
“No need to explain. I get it,” Cen Chi said, though his voice betrayed a fragile undertone. “To Secretary Chi, Zhou Yanxing is more important than I am. I know.”
“…He’s not that important,” Chi Zhan was suddenly uncomfortable.
“If there’s a next time… could you choose me instead?” Cen Chi asked softly.
“Next time? …I doubt there’ll be one.”
Cen Chi sighed, murmuring under his breath, “I know. You wouldn’t choose me.”
He was clearly still drunk, but he seemed so lucid that Chi Zhan had almost forgotten.
Cen Chi held the lemon water Chi Zhan had ordered for him, sipping slowly. When Chi Zhan tried to help him up, Cen Chi ignored him completely.
“Next time, I’ll choose you. How’s that?” Chi Zhan coaxed him like a child, without a hint of guilt.
After all, by tomorrow morning, Cen Chi wouldn’t remember a thing.
And really, what kind of scenario would ever force him to choose between Zhou Yanxing and Cen Chi?
It’s not like this was If You Are the One…
“You said it.” Cen Chi lifted his gaze. His lashes were long, and his eyes reflected the warm light—mirroring Chi Zhan’s image.
His collar was undone, a far cry from the usual buttoned-up, refined image of Doctor Cen. A flush spread across his skin, giving him a dangerously alluring look under the dim bar lighting… Chi Zhan couldn’t take it anymore. He tapped his own collar to signal Cen Chi to button up.
It was a gesture Cen Chi had once made to him.
Chi Zhan assumed he’d understand. But Cen Chi looked at him, then raised a hand to brush lightly against his neck, voice cool and calm.
“What do you want me to do?”
Maybe it was from the lemon water, but Cen Chi’s fingertips were still cool. They grazed the sensitive skin of Chi Zhan’s Adam’s apple, sending a jolt down his spine. He instinctively pulled back.
“Your buttons. They’re undone.”
Cen Chi murmured an acknowledgment but made no move.
“.. …”
Doctor Cen didn’t hold his liquor well, but he handled it politely. When drunk, he didn’t talk much—nor did he move.
Left with no choice, Chi Zhan stepped forward, quickly fastened his buttons, then turned to retrieve Cen Chi’s jacket.
“Sir, card or cash?” someone asked nearby. “The total comes to 225,600 yuan—”
“How much?!” Chi Zhan was stunned, his ears ringing.
“Put it on my card,” Cen Chi said. His pale gray eyes, slightly glazed behind his glasses, were heavy with intoxication. He rested his chin on one hand, lids drooping.
Chi Zhan waited a few seconds, but Cen Chi made no move to retrieve his card.
A question mark practically appeared above his head.
Doctor Cen… are you a sloth when you’re drunk?
Chi Zhan leaned in and apologized. Cen Chi’s shirt had no pockets—the only likely place for a card was in his pants. Chi Zhan reached in tentatively and fumbled around… nothing.
Where the hell was the card?
Don’t tell me you’re just messing with me.
Apparently sensing his impatience, Cen Chi pressed Chi Zhan’s hand.
“…Wallet.”
Only then did Chi Zhan notice the wallet sitting on the coffee table.
He paid the bill, then pulled Cen Chi to his feet. Despite his slender frame, Cen Chi wasn’t exactly light. He leaned into Chi Zhan’s shoulder, exhaling soft breaths against his neck. The cool edge of his glasses brushed against Chi Zhan’s cheek.
“Alright…” Chi Zhan gently put some distance between them. “I’ll call a ride. Doctor Cen, you can get home on your own, right?”
Cen Chi didn’t respond. When Chi Zhan glanced over, he saw that Cen Chi’s fingers had somehow tangled in the hem of his sweater—like a child with a new toy, twisting it over and over without getting bored.
“……”
He hadn’t expected Doctor Cen to turn into a human mochi when drunk. Truly, appearances could be deceiving.
“Or… should I take you to a nearby hotel?” Chi Zhan offered.
Cen Chi looked like he was about to fall asleep.
The car Chi Zhan had called arrived and stopped in front of them. He nudged Cen Chi inside and followed him in.
