Is there a problem?

The second partner arrived at the hotel the following afternoon.

The previous night's snow had left the roads in terrible condition, but he had still come as early as he could to keep the appointment. His client had previously insisted that he come as soon as possible, yet once he actually reached the hotel, he could not get in touch with him.

After repeatedly calling from the lobby without success, he finally received a text. The client said it was inconvenient to come down to meet him and asked him to make his own way to the twenty-ninth floor.

That was hardly an unreasonable request, so the second partner took the elevator up alone. He was standing in a daze outside the only door on the floor when it suddenly opened from within. A man stepped out, dark circles conspicuous beneath his eyes.

The man shoved his tie haphazardly into the inside pocket of his suit and asked in a slightly hoarse voice, "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, I just got here."

After that brief exchange, the partner noticed the man's slightly swollen, reddened lips and the bite marks covering the back of his neck. He could not help feeling stunned.

How intense must it have been to leave marks like that? The mottled marks visible beneath his half-fastened collar almost looked like some kind of skin disease.

"How was it?" the partner asked with a tentative smile and the easy familiarity of someone in the same line of work. He thought a question like that should not be too intrusive.

"What?"

"Your partner. Looks like he really put you through your paces."

But the man did not laugh. He merely let out a conflicted sigh and wearily rubbed his face.

"I'm not a partner. I'm the secretary. We spoke on the phone yesterday... Don't you recognize my voice?"

"What?" Only then did the partner realize his mistake. He quickly covered his mouth. "Sorry! I thought you were one too..."

A brief silence fell between them, and Shen Yi's cheeks flushed uncontrollably.

After a moment, he cleared his throat and tried to maintain a businesslike tone as he explained the precautions:

"President Yuan is asleep right now. Please don't force him awake. Wait a little after you go inside before proceeding... And please be sure not to use your phone. The advance payment will be transferred to you immediately."

As always, he did not forget to measure the pheromone levels. To avoid repeating the previous mistake, he stressed several times that the client intensely disliked Omega pheromones and that the partner must be careful.

Once the partner entered the room, Shen Yi, left alone in the hallway, closed his eyes and slowly opened them again. Everything he needed to do was done, and sheer exhaustion made his eyes sting.

He headed toward the elevator, only to stop abruptly. Leaning against the cold wall, Shen Yi lightly knocked the back of his head against it. The pain cleared his mind a little, but a bitter, self-mocking smile tugged at his lips.

"I've really lost my mind..."

He had slept with Yuan Chen last night, though they had not gone all the way.

They had clearly agreed not to cross the line... Yet neither of them had managed to hold it.

"Stop thinking about it... Enough. Just forget it already!" he muttered.

Those outrageous moments and softly murmured pleas flashed through his mind against his will. Shen Yi pressed his forehead against the wall again, producing a dull thud.

Whenever those dirty memories surfaced, he tried to drive them away like this, as though either the wall or his skull would crack first.

"Shen Yi, you've really lost your mind."

He had never imagined he would be so helpless against pleasure. Yuan Chen had been in his Heat Period, but what excuse did he have? Shen Yi let out a frustrated sigh.

For an instant, he even had the terrifying thought that he might as well jump from here, but he quickly dismissed it. He staggered upright, feeling his forehead for a possible bump, his face utterly bleak.

In the end, the second partner left without doing anything.

After being worked up all night and spending an agonizing evening with Shen Yi, Yuan Chen slept deeply for an entire day. By the time he woke, his Heat Period had subsided. He actually felt better than usual, so he sent the partner away, saying he no longer needed assistance.

"President Yuan, you could rest for another day. Your Heat Period ended earlier than expected this time."

"No need. Get ready to return home."

"Of course. I'll make the arrangements right away." Shen Yi swiped across his tablet, his tone flat. Fortunately, flights were available, so returning home early did not seem difficult.

As Yuan Chen fastened his watch clasp, his gaze happened to pass over his secretary. That neat, efficient figure, focused on his duties, was the Shen Yi he knew.

"Shen Yi."

"President Yuan."

"I was looking forward to this vacation. It's a shame you didn't get to enjoy it properly."

At those words, Shen Yi slowly raised his head. His eyes widened, but his face showed no other expression.

"It's all right. This was your vacation, not mine."

"Mm. Thanks for your hard work."

Neither of them mentioned the heated entanglement that had taken place here a day earlier.

They shared an unspoken understanding.

There had been no coercion, and both of them had enjoyed it. They were adults. Did they really need to attach any special meaning to a moment of indulgence? They could simply act as though nothing had happened and put it behind them.

...That was what he had thought.

After returning home, Yuan Chen quickly resumed his usual routine. Shen Yi, who assisted him, was consequently run off his feet as well.

"President Yuan, perhaps a different tie would be better."

Most of the participants in that afternoon's forum were political figures, so Shen Yi suggested a more conservative tie. Yuan Chen was busy handling emails on his phone and left the choice to his secretary.

His current tie was undone, and Special Assistant Shen naturally picked up a simple black one and looped it around his shirt collar.

Tying his tie was an entirely ordinary task. If Shen Yi counted, he had probably done it hundreds of times.

He should have been able to perform the familiar motions with his eyes closed, yet now Shen Yi's fingers would not quite obey him. The knot came out worse than usual, and Yuan Chen noticed something was off and gave him a questioning glance.

"What's wrong?"

"Sorry..."

In the end, Yuan Chen retied it himself. When Shen Yi bent down to get the tie clip, his gaze inadvertently caught the lines of the other man's legs beneath his dark suit trousers.

He abruptly straightened and steadied his slightly uneven breathing. Watching his string of unusual movements, Yuan Chen put down his phone and simply stared at his face.

"Is there a problem?"

"No. No problem at all."

"Are you sure you're in your right mind?"

Yuan Chen scrutinized him for another moment before waving him out. Shen Yi politely excused himself, then buried his head against his desk as soon as he returned to his seat.

The dull thud prompted several of his fellow secretaries to stand and look over in concern.

"Chief! Are you all right?"

Shen Yi slowly lifted his head, his gaze somewhat unfocused.

"I'm fine... I just need a little rest. Call me if anything urgent comes up."

Taking only his phone, he left the office on slightly unsteady feet. Watching him go, the secretaries exchanged puzzled looks.

Special Assistant Shen really had been acting a little strange since returning from the overseas business trip.

Akit had a department called the Employee Relations Management Group.

Although it belonged to Human Resources, it had its own office, and its primary role was mediating disputes between employees within the company.

Since employees who had been treated unfairly often visited, the space was decorated differently from an ordinary office, with a warmer, more comfortable atmosphere.

The team was small. Including its leader, Lin Xiaofeng, and a colleague who had recently joined, there were only two people, and they had little to do.

Since the office rarely had visitors, both Team Leader Lin and the newcomer froze for a moment.

The person who pushed open the door was a distracted-looking Shen Yi.

"Ah!" Lin Xiaofeng shouted, startling the newcomer too.

As Team Leader Lin gestured for the newcomer to stay calm, he lowered his voice and explained:

"That guy is Yuan Chen's personal special assistant."

"Is he someone we need to watch out for?"

"Of course! He's the president's man through and through, and he's ruthless. Don't let that pretty face fool you, or you'll be in serious trouble!"

"Team Leader Lin, I'm borrowing your space for a little rest."

Ignoring Lin Xiaofeng's assessment, Shen Yi headed straight for the sofa in the corner and claimed it. His familiarity made it clear this was not his first visit.

"I was only joking. He's the one who helped me get started here. He comes over to sit for a while when he's stressed, so don't mind him."

Only then did Lin Xiaofeng pat the newcomer on the shoulder and tell the truth. He rolled his chair deftly over to the sofa where Shen Yi sat and casually crossed his legs.

"If you want to sleep, go to the break room."

"There's no one here. It's the quietest place."

"What am I, then?"

"Can't you just keep quiet?"

Shen Yi propped his still-shod feet on the sofa's armrest and settled into a comfortable position. With his hands folded over his stomach, he stared blankly at the ceiling, then suddenly murmured:

"I think there's something dirty in my head."

"Something dirty?"

"I keep having these... filthy thoughts."

Lin Xiaofeng, who had been sitting sideways, immediately turned toward him, his eyes startlingly bright.

Wow! Now this was an interesting topic!

He pulled his chair closer, grabbed Shen Yi's arm, and shook it.

"Have you suddenly awakened to your desires? Why? What happened to cause such a huge change in your mindset? Come on, give me the details!"

"I'm not joking. It's serious. If this keeps up, I won't be able to work properly."

Shen Yi sighed.

He thought it was probably all because he had gone so long without physical stimulation. People needed to experience an appropriate amount of pleasure regularly to live healthy lives.

But he lived the same dull routine day after day, and his brain had been completely unable to adjust to that night's sudden, intense stimulation. It was still in turmoil, and whenever he closed his eyes, he saw Yuan Chen.

"Xiaofeng, should I start dating? Have I been single for too long?"

"When do you have time to date?"

"I can make time if I try."

"Then what sort of person do you want? I'll introduce you to someone."

Lin Xiaofeng was famously fond of making friends, and there was no telling how many contacts he had saved on his phone.

"Tell me. If anyone catches your eye, I'll set you up."

"Well... First, someone mature and steady."

"All right. Mature and steady."

"I'd like someone taller than me."

"Then he'll need to be over 185 centimeters... Wait, you're looking for a man?" Lin Xiaofeng had been recording the requirements in his phone's notes app when his mouth suddenly fell open in surprise.

"Since when do you like men?"

"It's not as though I'm particularly opposed to it..."

"Well, now I've seen everything. Fine, it's all the same anyway."

Lin Xiaofeng quickly picked out a few candidates and sent them to Shen Yi. They were all excellent men with good educations, careers, and looks.

"If you like any of them, send them a message tonight and chat. I'll put in a word for you first."

"Are they all Betas?"

"Of course they're Betas. If you like Alphas, I can introduce you to some too."

"No need. Betas are better."

Shen Yi put his phone aside, his mood as flat as ever. He only felt that he needed to replace the memories of that night with new ones as quickly as possible before he could feel at ease.