Are you dating a man?

Though Shen Yi had confidently announced that he was going to start dating, being a "special assistant to the CEO" was undoubtedly the worst possible job for a love life.

He was never the type to contact people often during work, and with his unpredictable hours, arranging to meet anyone was harder still.

Among the men Lin Xiaofeng had introduced, there was one he found rather attractive.

His name was Chen Kang. He worked in IT and had a fairly flexible schedule. Most importantly, he took the initiative with Shen Yi.

They did not keep in particularly frequent contact, but he never complained about waiting. Even when Shen Yi arrived late and they had to part almost immediately, unable even to share a meal and reduced to a brief date in the car, he never showed any dissatisfaction.

Late at night, quiet conversation drifted through the cramped car from time to time. Shen Yi was a little tired.

If asked how he felt about the other man, he could only say it was nothing special. There was no spark. The man's breathing was close at hand as he cupped Shen Yi's face and leaned in to kiss him, but Shen Yi raised a hand to stop him, then turned his head away, silently drawing back from that dangerous closeness.

"Am I not good enough?" The other man sounded a little discouraged.

"Hmm?"

"You don't seem... very interested."

There was indeed a vast difference in how invested they were. Unlike the man, who was lost in the moment, Shen Yi's expression remained composed. The contrast was plain to see.

He forced a faint smile. "That's not it. I might just be a little tired. I'm not feeling my best."

"Really?"

"Yeah, probably."

Just then, the phone in Shen Yi's coat pocket rang.

The timing was perfect. Though a late-night call from Yuan Chen was never a welcome thing, right now it offered him a way to end this awkward conversation.

"Mr. Yuan."

The other man's low voice came through the receiver. Familiar as it was, Shen Yi involuntarily swallowed, inexplicably feeling as guilty as though he had been caught doing something wrong.

Yuan Chen wanted Shen Yi to come over to his home. Shen Yi glanced at his watch and promised to arrive within twenty minutes.

Chen Kang drove Shen Yi to the entrance of the residential complex.

"Being a secretary really isn't easy." The man beside him pursed his lips. "I have a secretary too, but I'd never order them around so casually."

Shen Yi smiled, unbuckled his seat belt, and opened the door to get out.

Just then, Chen Kang suddenly caught his left hand. In the darkness, his eyes looked especially earnest as he made a direct invitation:

"Next time... shall we have dinner together?"

"..."

"Anytime is fine. Contact me whenever you're free, and I'll be there right away."

Shen Yi silently lowered his eyes. The hand clasped over his own was large. Part of the reason he had initially agreed to meet Chen Kang was his attraction to those long, slender fingers.

"Okay. I'll get in touch."

"Promise!"

"Drive safely."

After making an empty promise, he got out of the car. An uneasiness lingered, like wearing clothes that did not fit. Shen Yi rubbed the stiff back of his neck.

It was well past midnight when he arrived at Yuan Chen's home. He searched the dim rooms for him with practiced familiarity.

"Mr. Yuan, I'm here."

He finally found him in the walk-in closet. Yuan Chen stood alone, looking as though he were in a private clothing showroom. More precisely, he had his arms folded and was scrutinizing the suit hanging on the rack.

At the sound, he turned and gestured toward the suit with his usual critical expression.

"Am I the only one who thinks there's something wrong with this suit?"

A dedicated stylist planned Yuan Chen's outfits a week in advance according to his schedule. Though most were formal suits, the stylist still sought variety through colors and design details within a consistent style.

"I'll choose another one for you."

Shen Yi immediately stepped forward. He returned the original outfit to the rack and quickly scanned the other styles. There was a gathering of entrepreneurs tomorrow, which called for a slightly softer look.

He selected two suit jackets that differed little from the original in style, their subtle differences in color only apparent upon closer inspection.

"What do you think of these two?"

"What's the difference?"

"This one complements your complexion and makes you look fresh, while this one brings out your sharp, capable air."

After seven years as the CEO's special assistant, he had practically become a personal wardrobe consultant, relying entirely on experience.

Precisely because Shen Yi could always select the most suitable clothes for him, Yuan Chen felt perfectly comfortable leaving those decisions in his hands.

Yuan Chen raised an eyebrow, his gaze moving between the two jackets and Shen Yi's face between them, as though considering.

"The one on the left."

Shen Yi draped the chosen jacket over his arm, then expertly selected matching trousers and a shirt and hung them up one by one.

Finally, his gaze settled on the ties. For an occasion where such details could make or break an outfit, his eyes were more focused than ever.

Just as he hesitated between a diagonally striped navy tie and a lustrous black one, an arm reached over and picked up the navy tie.

Shen Yi instinctively looked up and found Yuan Chen right in front of him. He stiffened.

Ever since that day, he had deliberately kept his distance because of those feelings he could not quite put into words. But apparently he was the only one doing so; Mr. Yuan refused to cooperate at all.

Whenever he suddenly came this close, Shen Yi's heart would race uncontrollably.

"Shen Yi, there's a strange smell on you."

"Do... do I smell bad?"

Yuan Chen tilted his head slightly, leaned toward the side of his neck, and inhaled deeply. The gesture was exactly the same as during his rut, making Shen Yi's jaw instantly tense. Even swallowing became difficult.

Yuan Chen slowly straightened, his dark eyes looking deeper still.

"It's cologne."

"Uh..."

Only then did Shen Yi remember. He lowered his head and sniffed his coat. An understated but unfamiliar fragrance lingered on it-the cologne of the man he had just been with. The scent was strong and had transferred to him without his noticing.

Yuan Chen's sense of smell was unusually keen, so Shen Yi hardly ever wore cologne. But how could a scent that came from someone else be his fault? He straightened his back, trying to maintain a proper posture.

"I just got back from a date."

"It's men's cologne."

"..." How was he supposed to respond to that?

Even so, could he really tell the truth-that he was only going through the motions with another man? That he had been unsettled since that day and wanted to use someone else to distract himself?

With Yuan Chen's perceptiveness, he could not possibly fail to notice the underlying reason.

"Are you dating a man?"

"We're not in a relationship. We just meet occasionally. We're still getting to know each other."

Eager to conceal his expression, Shen Yi instead found himself caught in an awkward silence.

Yuan Chen abruptly tugged at the tie in his hands. A soft snap broke the uncomfortable silence.

"If I have another brief rut in the future," he said in a low voice, "letting you handle it wouldn't be out of the question."

"..."

"I've considered it."