The voice sounded familiar. Chu Lai turned slightly and saw his ex-boyfriend, Shen Quanzhang, standing two steps away, holding a cup of coffee with a peculiar expression.

It was the peak hour, and people were bustling around. You could hear the beep of access cards being swiped. In contrast to the hurried crowd, Chu Lai remained exceptionally calm, which made him stand out even more.

Shen Quanzhang, a little surprised but pleased, took a few quick steps toward Chu Lai and asked without thinking, “Are you here to see me?”

After some time apart, Chu Lai looked the same as before. Shen Quanzhang had once been a little tired of his aloof demeanor, but now it felt fresh and even a bit charming again.

Back then, he had pursued Chu Lai precisely because of that unique aura. In a crowd, Chu Lai was like a leaf floating on a lake—calm on the surface but causing ripples that lingered in your mind long after.

Since the breakup, Shen Quanzhang often thought of Chu Lai. But Chu Lai had made it clear that he had no intention of staying friends, severing all ties without hesitation.

Not only had they deleted each other’s WeChat, phone numbers, and emails, but they had even removed each other from payment apps and shopping platforms. There wasn’t a chance for any accidental run-ins.

Shen Quanzhang had attended some social gatherings, but the more he went, the more he missed his ex.

He had scrolled through his phone many times, realizing he had no way of contacting Chu Lai. He couldn’t bring himself to change numbers, and Chu Lai never answered calls from unfamiliar numbers anyway, showing his clear aversion to phone calls.

During their three-year relationship, Shen Quanzhang had learned that Chu Lai was an UP master on social media. But after the breakup, Chu Lai stopped posting content. Secretly, Shen Quanzhang had wondered if it was because he was heartbroken over their split.

Now, his eyes were alight with hope. Unfortunately, Chu Lai showed no interest in having a conversation. His voice was cold as he said, “You’re overthinking it.”

Chu Lai glanced at his phone, seeing a message from Cen Wei: I’ll come down to meet you.

Shen Quanzhang wasn’t surprised by Chu Lai’s cold response. That was just his nature. Whether they were in the honeymoon phase or had been dating for three years, Chu Lai always gave off an unignitable vibe.

This aloofness often made Shen Quanzhang frustrated, as it reminded him of the emotional distance between them. His brief excitement turned into anger, and without saying anything further, he walked into Tower A with a cold expression.

On the day they broke up, Shen Quanzhang had been celebrating his one-month anniversary of becoming a full-time employee at his new company, but he had completely forgotten. He hadn’t expected Chu Lai to catch him cheating on that day. The gift Chu Lai had prepared for him went undelivered, and Chu Lai never explained that he had planned to celebrate their anniversary.

When Shen Quanzhang later returned to retrieve his belongings, Chu Lai didn’t even bother saying a word. From his perspective, Chu Lai seemed entirely uninterested in their future, which only made him appear colder and more heartless.

The elevator was crowded during the morning rush. When Shen Quanzhang arrived, the elevator doors had just opened.

Though the building had both Towers A and B, they both belonged to the Lianxin umbrella company. Shen Quanzhang couldn’t imagine who else Chu Lai might be here to see, and a sense of smugness crept in: Who else but me could handle your quirks?

As the elevator doors opened, out stepped a tall man in a suit. He was strikingly handsome, exuding the air of a high-level executive.

Around him, whispers started to spread:

“That’s President Cen. He looks way better in a suit than my manager. My boss looks like a salesman in comparison.”

“Well, he’s always in custom-made suits. Of course, it’s different.”

“It’s all about having the right physique.”

“I heard in the café that our boss is getting married soon.”

Shen Quanzhang and Chu Lai were the same age, but Shen Quanzhang had spent two extra years in graduate school.

The job Shen Quanzhang had landed wasn’t directly with Lianxin but with a subsidiary brand called Zhuxian. Initially, he couldn’t find much information online about the workshop’s owner, but after starting the job, he discovered that the brand was backed by the century-old umbrella company Lianxin.

He also learned that the workshop’s owner had inherited the business before the age of 30. Shen Quanzhang assumed it was another case of someone relying on family wealth.

As a fellow office worker, Shen Quanzhang put on a respectful front for his superiors. Cen Wei, however, didn’t pay much attention to every employee who crossed his path, so the two barely noticed each other.

Once the elevator doors closed, Shen Quanzhang overheard the interns from the adjacent group whispering:

“President Cen is so tall—he’s got a model’s body.”

“I heard his ex-boyfriend was a luxury designer…”

“Still, they broke up. Now he’s getting married! I’m dying to know who his partner is.”

“Do you think he was picking someone up just now?”

“No way! Why wouldn’t he send an assistant?”

Everyone knew that President Cen had been cheated on in his previous relationship. The gossip mill had been churning for weeks. Shen Quanzhang himself had overheard chatter about how his boss had been wronged—his ex-boyfriend had gotten together with his childhood friend, leaving Cen Wei with a likely psychological scar.

But how was he already getting married?

Was this a rebound marriage? Or was the cheating just a rumor?

Shen Quanzhang was curious.

The entire building was occupied by Lianxin. Zhuxian’s office was on the top two floors, but due to maintenance on the VIP elevators, the executives had to use the next-to-top floor as a transfer point.

When Shen Quanzhang arrived at his workstation, he overheard more gossip about the boss.

“He was coming down from upstairs to take the elevator down. Must’ve been meeting someone.”

“Do you think he brought his fiancé?”

“I can’t wait to see.”

“I bet it was a blind date. President Cen doesn’t seem like the type to fall in love easily.”

“Or maybe it was love at first sight! How romantic.”

“I don’t buy it. Workaholics like him don’t have time for love at first sight. The guy works so late that I feel guilty leaving on time.”

The male colleague at the next desk, who had joined at the same time as Shen Quanzhang, asked, “What kind of person do you think President Cen would marry?”

Shen Quanzhang, thinking about what he overheard in the elevator, said, “If it’s not some luxury designer, it’s probably someone with top-tier looks and money.”

“That makes sense. He’s way out of our league.”

Not long after, the elevator doors opened on their floor. Everyone tried to act calm, but their eyes were glued to the scene.

A young man walked out beside their boss. Compared to Cen Wei’s maturity, the other guy looked like a college student. His style was casual, and from a distance, it was hard to make out his face, but he looked comfortable and easy-going.

“Is President Cen into younger guys?”

“I pretended to walk by and grab some files. His fiancé looks so delicate and clean-cut.”

“Is he a college student? The age gap is huge.”

Nobody was interested in work anymore. Everyone was trying to get a glimpse, with some even faking a trip to the water cooler just to catch a closer look.

The colleague next to Shen Quanzhang, seeing him frozen in place, asked, “What do you think? Do they look good together?”

Shen Quanzhang’s mind was racing, his eyes locked on the pair. He watched his boss casually drape an arm around his ex-boyfriend’s shoulder and walk away.

His thoughts were spinning: Did I see that right?

That’s Chu Lai, isn’t it?

My boss is his new boyfriend?

When the hell did they get together?

And here I was, being called out for cheating… He’s no saint either!

This isn’t just cheating—this is some rapid rebound!

The colleague beside him kept muttering, “They look pretty compatible. That height and build difference…”

Shen Quanzhang’s response squeezed out through gritted teeth: “Compatible… my ass.”

Cen Wei had scheduled the marriage registration for 11 a.m. today. The morning meeting was a routine check-in that he had originally planned to push to the afternoon.

When Chu Lai found out, he mentioned that he had already taken the whole day off and suggested visiting the company as well.

The elevator was crowded, and once they stepped out, Cen Wei asked, “Was the morning rush bad? I should’ve come over to your place last night.”

Walking beside him, Chu Lai noticed several people greeting Cen Wei as they passed by. One employee, who had overheard the remark, nearly choked but quickly composed themselves, keeping their expression neutral like a seasoned professional.

Chu Lai figured the person had misunderstood, but there was nothing to explain. He and Cen Wei had indeed “spent the night” together after their first meeting and had “slept” together the second time they met. Things had progressed quickly.

Shaking his head, Chu Lai replied, “It’s fine, we’re not in a rush.”

Nowadays, thin-rimmed glasses were in fashion, along with polygonal frames. The first time Cen Wei had seen Chu Lai, he had noticed the large, black-framed glasses. They didn’t make Chu Lai look clumsy; in fact, they accentuated his pale skin and quiet demeanor.

When they met for the second time at the bar, without the glasses—and perhaps because the contacts weren’t comfortable—Chu Lai had looked completely different. His bare eyes, usually hidden behind the frames, along with a small mole near his nose, seemed to glow in the light, lending him an ethereal softness that belied his otherwise calm nature.

That night, Chu Lai had been… different.

Now, two days later, Cen Wei noticed that Chu Lai had reverted to his original, composed self.

Seeing a slight smile play on the corners of Cen Wei’s lips, Chu Lai asked, “What are you smiling about?”

At 6’2”, Cen Wei stood taller than most, including Chu Lai. It wasn’t like being with Shen Quanzhang, where they were closer in height. Here, Chu Lai had to tilt his head up slightly.

Even though they were going to register their marriage in an hour, their relationship wasn’t romantic in nature. Still, a strange sense of frustration crept into Chu Lai, similar to the feeling you get during a physical exam when you’re being compared to a taller classmate. That brief moment of shame lingered, though it didn’t make much sense for a 25-year-old who was well past his growing years.

“I just feel like smiling,” Cen Wei replied. “I’m in a really good mood.”

Chu Lai found him strange and couldn’t help but remind him, “Is there really a reason to be this happy about getting married? After all, we’re just…”

They were walking close enough that Chu Lai could catch a faint whiff of Cen Wei’s cologne, which suited him perfectly—elegant and expensive.

Cutting him off, Cen Wei said, “Isn’t it only natural to be happy about getting married to you?”

When he wasn’t smiling, Cen Wei exuded an air of noble detachment. But now, his voice was soft and sincere, and though there was no real emotion behind his words, his gaze held a depth that could easily be mistaken for affection.

“After all, you’re helping me out of a tight spot.”

With anyone else, they might have fallen for his looks and the seductive atmosphere. But Chu Lai was as solid as a rock, completely unphased. His cool demeanor left no room for fantasies, as he calmly replied, “No need to thank me. You’ll owe me later.”

“And tonight, make sure to put in more effort.”

Feeling lazy, Chu Lai tended to abbreviate his sentences. As they passed by an employee carrying a drink, the person nearly choked on their coffee upon hearing the latter part of his sentence.

Cen Wei, flustered, coughed lightly. “Does it have to be tonight?”

The employee thought: Daytime too? Does President Cen have some kind of office kink?

“Didn’t I say? Anytime, anywhere,” Chu Lai replied.

Anytime, anywhere—those words carried a certain weight. Unable to resist, the employee glanced back, just in time to see the young man looking up at his boss.

Standing tall with broad shoulders and a slim waist, Cen Wei was physically imposing. In contrast, Chu Lai, with his slender frame and pale skin, looked almost fragile beside him, his neck long and his profile delicate.

With this image in mind and those daring words lingering in the air, it was hard not to let your thoughts wander in inappropriate directions.

The employee’s face flushed red. Could this be fate? And to think President Cen is into such… frequent activities! Incredible.

Noticing the employee’s lingering gaze, Cen Wei sighed and said to Chu Lai, “Your words are way too ambiguous.”

It took Chu Lai a second to process. “Doesn’t matter. We’re getting married anyway.”

After a few more steps, he seemed to reflect on something and added, as if to comfort Cen Wei, “Anytime, anywhere might be a bit too much. If it’s too hard, don’t worry about it.”

Cen Wei: …?

Why did that feel like an insult?