Cen Wei realized that despite Chu Lai’s gentle demeanor, he was actually quite sharp. Not knowing what else to say, he shifted the conversation, explaining the situation with the elevators and calling his assistant over.

Cen Wei said, “This is my assistant, Zhong Xin. If you want a tour, just let him guide you. By the way, have you had breakfast?”

Chu Lai, right in front of Cen Wei, pulled out a pineapple bun from his pocket.

Cen Wei almost burst out laughing, thinking Chu Lai looked like a child. With a smile, he asked, “Do you want something to drink?”

Feeling a bit irritated, Chu Lai responded, “Just go already.”

Cen Wei, not offended, smiled and walked away.

As the boss left for a meeting, the assistant observed the relaxed smile lingering on his boss’s face even as he was “dismissed.” His gaze then landed on the young man sitting on the sofa.

Assistant Zhong couldn’t quite figure out how old Chu Lai was. He looked incredibly young, almost like a student, and not even one of those lively students. He was more like the quiet, introverted type you’d find in a manga. His bag even looked like a high schooler’s, and his style—simple layers of gray clothing—was a perfect match for his delicate features and slim physique. Everything blended well together.

But, was this really someone about to get married?

Had he even reached the legal age for marriage?

Chu Lai noticed the assistant’s curious gaze, as if he could read minds. “Don’t worry. I’m 25.”

Assistant Zhong coughed in surprise, not expecting that Chu Lai was actually older than he looked. The way Chu Lai carried himself seemed mature, raising his impression of him even further.

Completely at ease, Chu Lai accepted the coffee the assistant made, calmly eating his pineapple bun while nonchalantly starting a game. And not even a popular mobile game, but something that looked dark and eerie—probably a horror puzzle game.

Later, after the meeting ended, Assistant Zhong came to a realization when he saw Cen Wei: Ah, our boss enjoys this kind of stuff too.

So this wasn’t just a flash marriage; they have things in common, he thought. But it’s only been half a month since the whole cheating incident. Even if it’s not a rebound, it’s still quite intriguing.

Chu Lai was deeply engrossed in his game. When Cen Wei returned after the meeting, he found him lounging comfortably on the sofa, legs stretched out, completely at ease in this unfamiliar environment.

Even the other executives, who normally wouldn’t pass by the president’s office, made excuses to walk by and sneak a glance at the rumored “fiancé” of President Cen.

The regular employees downstairs were no less curious.

When Shen Quanzhang had seen Chu Lai standing next to Cen Wei earlier, his mind had practically exploded. He wasn’t just angry—he was embarrassed. When he had run into Chu Lai downstairs, his first thought had been that Chu Lai was there to see him.

After all, Chu Lai was a complete homebody. If it weren’t for walking his dog, he probably wouldn’t have left his house at all. But Chu Lai was a contradictory kind of introvert. While most shut-ins would choose low-maintenance pets like cats, Chu Lai had chosen a dog.

Occasionally, Chu Lai would take his dog to social events, like paid dog parks where the dog could roam freely. Shen Quanzhang had gone with him once, finding it novel at first, but after a few more times, he made excuses not to go.

Chu Lai was always hard to read, and Shen Quanzhang never suspected that Chu Lai had anyone else. In the three years they’d dated, from university to adulthood, the deepest impression Chu Lai had left on Shen Quanzhang was that he hated dealing with anything troublesome.

Chu Lai was the kind of person who couldn’t be bothered to return unsatisfactory online purchases or even complain about wrong food deliveries. He had a mild hoarding habit, collecting all kinds of paper bags. And unless absolutely necessary, he would never ask for help.

As a result, Chu Lai’s social circle was extremely small. Aside from his university roommate, Liu Yuan, he didn’t seem to have any friends. Even his relationship with his only relative was nearly nonexistent. He spent New Year’s alone, and he had no interest in commercialized holidays or anniversaries.

This kind of boyfriend was interesting at first but eventually felt bland, like tasteless food—nothing to savor, but not worth throwing away either.

And so, Shen Quanzhang cheated.

Though their relationship hadn’t officially ended, Shen Quanzhang felt like he was the one enduring the silent treatment most of the time.

Chu Lai loved hugging, but Shen Quanzhang, having grown up in a traditional family, wasn’t used to physical affection, even with his parents. At first, hugs were okay in their relationship, but after a while, they became unnecessary.

For Chu Lai, hugs were a part of daily life, something he valued like clocking in and out of work. In fact, Chu Lai had even created a little app just to track when they hugged, which freaked Shen Quanzhang out.

The longer they dated, the more the initial excitement faded. Shen Quanzhang began to dread walking in the door, seeing Chu Lai coldly greet him with, “Welcome back” followed by “Where’s my hug?”

Chu Lai didn’t like socializing, so they had no mutual friends—just people they both “knew.” Shen Quanzhang often vented about Chu Lai to his graduate school roommates, but when they suggested he just break up if he wasn’t happy, he hesitated.

Chu Lai wasn’t the most attractive person around, but his looks weren’t offensive. In fact, in the gay community, his appearance seemed to carry an inherent allure. Even though he was like plain water, he inspired a desire to conquer him. The idea of “taming” Chu Lai seemed like it would bring a sense of accomplishment.

Plus, Chu Lai was a local, with a registered household in S City, and he had an apartment that his father had left him. Although selling it wouldn’t fully cover a new place, it had still lessened the financial burden on Shen Quanzhang when he had just started working.

He had wanted S City residency, and marrying Chu Lai would have guaranteed it. But he also felt he was still young and could find someone better.

Originally, Shen Quanzhang thought that after their breakup, Chu Lai wouldn’t look for anyone else. But after a morning filled with colleagues’ gossip, he felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.

He no longer had Chu Lai’s WeChat, so he couldn’t confront him directly. He knew Chu Lai’s phone number by heart, but he didn’t have the guts to call.

“Look, they’re coming out…”

“They really do look good together, the height difference and all…”

“President Cen’s fiancé looks so delicate. I kinda want to keep staring.”

“A salt-breeze kind of handsome, right? He’s not expressionless, but he does have a subtle coldness. I never thought President Cen would be into this type.”

“He seems like such a homebody…”

“A clean and refreshing homebody, though.”

“It’s a shame the company’s annual party is over. I would’ve loved to hear some love gossip about President Cen.”

“Has anyone found out what his fiancé does for work?”

“There’s been talk in the anonymous group that he works in an internet company, but he doesn’t seem like a programmer.”

Cen Wei’s company wasn’t as large as the parent company, but with the elevator maintenance, Chu Lai felt like he was touring the place. Normally stoic, he now leaned toward Cen Wei and asked quietly, “Is it just me, or does it feel like everyone’s staring at me?”

The two, soon to take their marriage photo, didn’t exactly look formal. But standing together with their natural height difference, they did appear to be a good match in the eyes of others.

Several employees pretended to be working, but their gazes kept flicking over to sneak peeks.

It was rare to get a chance to gossip about the big boss. How could they miss this?

“It’s not your imagination,” Cen Wei replied, a bit helpless. “Is it uncomfortable?”

Chu Lai shrugged, “It’s not too bad.”

However, the feeling of being scrutinized was hard to shake. Being under so many hidden glances felt like being teased.

“Did you bring your documents?” Cen Wei asked.

Chu Lai nodded.

As they drove, Cen Wei felt a bit guilty about making Chu Lai come all the way to wait for him. He mulled over his thoughts for a long time but couldn’t quite find the right words to say.

The weather was nice that day, and since they had an appointment, there wasn’t much of a wait at the registration office.

Compared to the other couples, Chu Lai didn’t look like someone getting married. His casual outfit attracted a lot of attention.

Noticing this, Chu Lai caught on to what Cen Wei was thinking. “I came because I wanted to. It’s not your fault,” he reassured him.

The other couples, standing close together, all had some sort of physical affection going on. Meanwhile, Chu Lai was holding his phone, playing a game, completely engrossed. From Cen Wei’s perspective, he looked utterly focused on the game.

Curious, Cen Wei asked, “Is it that fun?”

“Not bad,” Chu Lai replied. After a moment’s pause, he casually added, “Give me a hug when we get back.”

The two men standing behind them, who had been quietly observing, initially thought the couple didn’t seem very close. But after hearing Chu Lai’s casual request, they realized their earlier assessment was way off. This was a couple with no lack of affection—at least judging by how direct Chu Lai was.

“Okay,” Cen Wei replied.

The registration process was relatively quick. Unlike the other couples, they didn’t bother with any special photos. When the photographer asked them to sit closer for the picture, both of them complied, though somewhat mechanically.

“Can you lean your heads in a little?” the photographer suggested.

Cen Wei tilted his head slightly.

The photographer was momentarily puzzled by their stiff demeanor but then thought to himself, They actually look quite compatible. Their vibes match well.

Holding the red marriage certificates in his hands, Cen Wei felt a strange sense of unreality.

Chu Lai, however, didn’t seem to care much. He didn’t even take a picture, simply putting the certificate into his pocket and asking, “We’re meeting your parents tonight, right?”

Cen Wei nodded.

As they walked out together, Chu Lai asked, “Is there anything I need to do?”

“Let’s go have lunch and talk about it,” Cen Wei suggested.

Though the marriage was a spur-of-the-moment decision, Cen Wei had been planning on getting married. Over lunch, he asked for Chu Lai’s permission to post a photo of their marriage certificate on his social media.

While they were eating, Cen Wei brought up the topic again. “Are you really okay with not signing a contract? I still think I should offer you compensation, considering…”

Chu Lai, still focused on his game, replied nonchalantly, “Just hug me harder.”

Having just won his game round, he smiled. When their eyes met, his grin caught Cen Wei off guard, making him turn his head slightly, as if avoiding direct eye contact.

He couldn’t help but think, How much harder does he want me to hug? If I squeeze him any harder, he’ll be embedded in my chest.

“Okay, I’ll do whatever you ask,” Cen Wei agreed.

Chu Lai, noticing the slight awkwardness in Cen Wei, added, “It’s not like we’re a man and a woman getting married. I’m not having kids, and I have needs too.”

“You don’t have to be so…”

After a moment of thought, Chu Lai found the right word: “Twisted.”

“I’ll try,” Cen Wei promised.

The food Chu Lai ordered was mild in flavor, and Cen Wei noted that other than roasted green peppers, Chu Lai didn’t seem to have any particular preferences.

As they finished eating, Cen Wei offered, “I’ll come pick you up after work. Does that work?”

Chu Lai shook his head. “It’s too much trouble. I’ll just find a café or a cybercafé nearby and wait for you.”

Thinking that sounded inconvenient, Cen Wei suggested, “Why don’t you just wait in my office?”

Chu Lai didn’t object.

By the time they returned to the office, Chu Lai had already gotten used to the lingering stares.

Although they had just gotten married, Cen Wei had no plans to take time off. Meanwhile, Chu Lai was unaware of the growing storm on his social media.

After much internal debate, Chu Lai decided to post his marriage certificate on his personal account, though he blurred out some details. He kept it simple with a brief caption:

@Laic: ❤️ [photo]

When Shen Quanzhang refreshed his feed in the afternoon, he was already feeling uneasy knowing Chu Lai was still in the office. Then he saw the post.

Being an up-and-coming content creator, Chu Lai’s post immediately garnered attention. His followers, already curious about his private life, flooded the comments:

“Married?! Are you serious?”

“Didn’t you just break up?? Did you get back with your ex?”

“Though the details are blurred, I bet you’re the one on the right. Your partner looks… huge!”

“Wait! What about the rings??”

Right as Shen Quanzhang refreshed again, he saw Chu Lai’s response to one of the comments:

“Not the ex—he’s my new husband.”

The words “ex” and “husband” flashed repeatedly before Shen Quanzhang’s eyes, sending him into a spiral.

At that moment, Chu Lai was heading downstairs to pick up his dessert delivery. Shen Quanzhang couldn’t take it anymore, abruptly standing up.

“Where are you going?” asked the colleague next to him.

“Bathroom,” Shen Quanzhang muttered through gritted teeth, as his mind raced.

This has to be a rebound!

So, what if I cheated first? After three years, Chu Lai never once called me “husband”! Why does he get to say it now, with someone else?!