Afraid of me?

The shock on Zhou Qi's face was unmistakable. His eyes went blank for a moment before abruptly widening. "Fuck..."

He lurched forward. Huo Jin's words had hit far too hard, blasting Zhou Qi like a stray shell and leaving him scorched inside and out.

"You're serious? I came here to tease you, and you're actually serious?"

It was just a joke. Why take it seriously? Was that really necessary?

Huo Jin found this amusing. "What did you think I would say?"

Zhou Qi raised his voice, throwing his hands out indignantly. "Tell everyone in the Laboratory to shut up and stop spreading baseless rumors, obviously!"

"Don't you hate it when people spread rumors about you?"

Huo Jin leaned back in his chair. His languid posture was casual, yet no one dared make light of him. The aura radiating from him carried an overwhelming sense of command.

"What other people say is their freedom. I have no right to interfere. As long as it doesn't conflict with my interests, that's a human right."

Zhou Qi swallowed. "Why do I get the feeling that you..."

"You're practically hoping people spread those rumors, aren't you?"

What the fuck was going on? What had he missed?

As his thoughts shifted, Zhou Qi couldn't help laughing. He had picked up on a few clues.

"In that case, you can't blame me for spreading rumors."

Just then, Zhou Qi noticed the stack of application documents from the Boshen Group on Huo Jin's desk.

The stack was as tall as an insulated flask.

"Hey." Zhou Qi pointed at the documents, suddenly catching on. Something was definitely going on. When had Huo Jin ever taken the initiative to help anyone?

Something was definitely going on.

Zhou Qi asked again to make sure. "You're really serious?"

Huo Jin gave him a cold look. "If you have that much free time, I can find some work for you."

"Like what? If it's putting together a plan for a new project or surveying a danger zone, I can write a recommendation letter for myself." Zhou Qi wore a fawning expression.

Huo Jin said calmly, "The cleaning lady is on leave. You can take care of this office for a week. I wouldn't trust anyone else."

Zhou Qi: ????

He swiftly turned sideways, planted a hand on his hip, and prepared to bolt. "See you!"

Seeing that he was about to run, Huo Jin twirled the pen in his hand. "Do more work. Ask fewer questions."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Zhou Qi nodded as he backed away. "So can I spread rumors?"

Huo Jin said, "No."

It was one thing for other people to talk, but if Zhou Qi started spreading rumors with that mouth of his...

They would probably reach old Mr. Ji's ears within a few days.

"Why?"

"Haven't won him over yet?" Zhou Qi looked impish, barely holding back a laugh.

An Alpha an Enigma couldn't win over. How exciting!

Who in this society didn't seek the best of the best?

A rare specimen like an Enigma, seen perhaps once in a century, was enough to make countless people abandon everything and throw themselves at him.

Neither Alphas nor Omegas could resist that sovereign bloodline that dominated all others. Being seen with him would gild both their reputation and their substance.

But if it was a pampered, proud, aloof young master whose career ambitions lay outside the business world...

Zhou Qi's eyes lit up.

Then the outcome really was uncertain!

At that thought, Zhou Qi suddenly burst out laughing. "Pfft... hahaha..."

Huo Jin lowered his gaze. "Is it that funny?"

Seeing his superior's icy expression, Zhou Qi swiftly ran out of Huo Jin's sight.

After he left, Huo Jin picked up the Boshen Group's application documents from the desk.

Ji Chi had organized them carefully, separating and stapling the documents for each drug.

There were twenty-six in total.

If the CE Laboratory agreed to test them, the person in charge would have to sign off on each one and assume responsibility.

Huo Jin picked up the pen beside him.

He signed his name on every set of testing documents.

His strong, flowing handwriting was like the man himself, gentle yet dangerous.

Meanwhile, in the lounge, Ji Chi was still processing what Huo Jin had just said.

Knowing Huo Jin...

He must have said that because he couldn't be bothered to spend time explaining.

He didn't care to begin with, so he'd said it so casually.

Right, right. Don't overthink it.

Ji Chi took several deep breaths. The way Huo Jin had reprimanded someone just now had been rather frightening. Unlike Ji Shengming, who shouted until his own throat hurt, Huo Jin spoke every word in a low, oppressive tone without using harsh language. The air grew heavy and seemed to press down, making him all the more frightening.

Huo Jin seemed to be in a bad mood now.

Ji Chi spent a long time mentally preparing himself before opening the door and leaving the lounge.

A layer of blinds screened off the lounge. As he came out, he deliberately made a little more noise.

He had thought Huo Jin's bad mood would mean Boshen's request would fall through, so Ji Chi wasn't in particularly high spirits either.

But as he stepped out, he happened to see Huo Jin signing the last set of Boshen's application documents.

Ji Chi's eyes instantly flickered.

He'd signed...

Without putting them through layer after layer of review, Huo Jin had signed them himself.

Had he agreed?!!

Hearing the noise, Huo Jin glanced back at Ji Chi.

"Mr. Huo..." Ji Chi spoke first. "Sorry about earlier... I fell asleep..."

Nothing in Huo Jin's expression betrayed his emotions, but his voice was warm and pleasant, full of tenderness and languid weariness. "Did you sleep well?"

Hm?

Ji Chi nodded.

He felt completely relaxed now. How long had it been since he had slept so deeply?

Was it because he was near Huo Jin?

At that thought, Ji Chi's mind stalled, and he didn't pursue it any further.

"Are you hungry?" Huo Jin asked again.

Ji Chi shook his head. He had already been far too presumptuous today.

He had even forgotten the time. How could he stay for a meal too?

"No."

As he spoke, Ji Chi walked over to Huo Jin, looking at him with gratitude.

"You... agreed?" Ji Chi's voice was quiet, as though he feared some unexpected complication. His cheeks were tinged a soft pink from sleep, making him look especially docile.

Huo Jin finished signing the last document. "Didn't you say that a conscientious company shouldn't be overlooked?"

As he finished speaking, Huo Jin's lips shifted faintly. "That was well said."

"I agree."

Huo Jin's gaze settled on Ji Chi's face. Its sharpness vanished in an instant, leaving his thoughts unreadable.

"So, what will you give me as thanks?" Huo Jin's deep black eyes looked straight into Ji Chi's, probing, assessing, examining him openly. He was plainly asking for something.

It wasn't calculation, but a subtle anticipation.

It didn't have to be a wealth of treasures or moonlight that was impossible to capture. It could be a piece of candy in a soft paper wrapper, the kind found anywhere.

But Ji Chi had to be the one to give it to him.

Ji Chi froze for a second, curling his fingers slightly.

"What... do you want?"

Huo Jin suddenly stood, moving the chair behind him aside and taking a step forward.

The distance between them melted away. Huo Jin towered over him, looking down.

His enticing voice was impossibly seductive. "What do you want to give me?"

He tossed the question back to Ji Chi.

Without warning, a faintly warm breath washed over Ji Chi's face.

Ji Chi's throat tingled, and he took a step back.

For some reason, Huo Jin was no longer as restrained as before. He advanced again, forcing Ji Chi back.

Ji Chi lowered his gaze and looked aside, his heart pounding like a drum. Even now, he still hated having Huo Jin close to him. "Whatever you like, as long as Boshen has it, just ask."

Huo Jin was somewhat dissatisfied with that answer. "Think carefully."

Then Huo Jin drew close to Ji Chi's ear and bent down slightly. "Give it some thought, my Alpha."

Ji Chi's Adam's apple bobbed, and his hands abruptly clenched.

He turned aside, wanting to escape the invisible enclosure Huo Jin had formed around him.

Ji Chi felt as though he understood what Huo Jin meant.

Did he... want his pheromones?

Ji Chi had barely turned when Huo Jin caught his wrist.

His emphatic, rising tone closed around him like shackles. "Why are you running?"

"Afraid of me?"