He cherished you

When Shen Yi opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the cold tile floor. He had slept facedown by the entryway for ages, and groggily tried to remember how he had gotten home last night.

"Ah... my head hurts."

He slowly pushed himself into a sitting position. The glass on the shoe cabinet reflected his current appearance: his left cheek had been squashed flat, making him look rather foolish. As he rubbed his numb cheek, memories of last night gradually returned.

"If you can't control your pheromones, don't come out and embarrass yourself."

"Yuan Chen, how much longer do I have to put up with you? Please grow up."

Shen Yi raked a hand through his messy hair as last night's absurd scenes replayed in his mind.

"I must have lost my mind."

He would rather have lost those memories, yet he could even recall Yuan Chen's dark expression with perfect clarity. Yuan Chen must have brought him home. Though his memories were patchy, he distinctly remembered being hoisted onto the other man's shoulder.

Since he had brought him home, couldn't he at least have put him properly in bed? The man was as rough as ever.

Shen Yi's mouth was parched. Though he felt he might have gone a little too far, on second thought, Yuan Chen had started it. He had only acted in self-defense.

"What's the point of thinking about this now?"

He decided to stop dwelling on it. They would have nothing to do with each other from now on anyway, and letting it go would be better for his mental health. Shen Yi braced himself against the wall and stood. His legs were numb from spending the night on the cold floor, and he staggered off to wash up.

On a weekday afternoon, Shen Yi went to Blue Rail's headquarters.

Since Chen Ciyi had helped him last time, he had made a special trip to deliver the Pheromone Enhancer he had promised and say hello.

Sunlight poured through the enormous glass windows, filling the lobby. People came and went in the café on the ground floor of the headquarters. Shen Yi was lost in thought, watching the familiar bustle, when Chen Ciyi spoke.

"Shen Yi, you look so different!"

Shen Yi smiled, his eyes curving. He set down his mug and casually touched his chin. Every acquaintance he had met lately had said the same thing, leaving him a little embarrassed.

"Do I?"

"Is this the legendary magic of quitting your job? It really works."

"I'm jealous. So jealous," Chen Ciyi muttered sincerely. "When will I get to enjoy a life like that?" He sighed mournfully and took a sip of coffee, his gaze settling on Shen Yi across from him.

Shen Yi truly looked radiant. He had always been a handsome man, but now there was an added gentleness about him that made people want to look a little longer. It seemed he was living quite comfortably after becoming an Omega.

Chen Ciyi licked the coffee from his lips and let out a conflicted sigh.

"Sorry I can only treat you to coffee. I'm too pressed for time to have a meal with you."

"I'm already grateful you could make time to see me when you're so busy."

"Are you planning to come back to this line of work?"

"Probably not."

"Everyone thinks it's such a shame."

News of Shen Yi's differentiation had long since spread through the executive assistants' group chat. Though rumors had abounded, he had personally explained the truth in the group after resigning. At the time, everyone had debated whether to congratulate or comfort him.

Seeing him so relaxed and at ease in person, the other secretaries could hardly keep expressing their regret. Chen Ciyi gave him a familiar smile.

"It'll be fine. You're so capable that wherever you go, whatever you do, you'll excel. Don't worry."

"I'm truly grateful for all the help everyone has given me. I wanted to say goodbye to the other secretaries in person, but everyone seems pretty busy."

"It's just as well if they're too busy to meet. Let's take no news as good news."

As executive assistants, their lives revolved entirely around their bosses' schedules. They could only meet at outside events. Now that Shen Yi had resigned, he naturally would no longer attend those occasions. They might even have a better chance of running into one another on the street.

"President Yuan doesn't seem to have found a new executive assistant yet."

Shen Yi gave a quiet "Mm." He had expected the subject to come up. Most conversations between executive assistants concerned the bosses they served.

"He's always been very careful. He should find someone soon. Still, it's no longer any concern of mine."

"It's all someone else's business now, is it?"

Chen Ciyi chuckled. He took a sip of his now-cold coffee and added:

"But he seemed really angry a little while ago."

"What do you mean?"

Shen Yi asked in surprise. It was true that Yuan Chen was upset over his situation, but he had never been someone who showed his feelings. Besides, even Shen Yi's colleagues in the secretarial office knew nothing about what Chen Ciyi was describing.

Resting his chin on his hand, Chen Ciyi began recounting what he had witnessed.

"At an event the chamber of commerce held not long ago, a lot of people were talking about you differentiating into an Omega."

"..."

"You know how it is, right? Alphas get especially animated when they talk about things like that."

Shen Yi nodded. He had attended many such events and knew very well that once Omegas entered the conversation, its tone went straight downhill.

"They were discussing whether Omegas could work as secretaries. It wasn't really a discussion, actually. They were just chatting and making jokes. Then President Yuan lost his temper. He was so angry the veins on his forehead bulged... it was surprisingly sexy."

"...What?"

"President Yuan's always been attractive."

"That's not what I meant... who did he get into an argument with?"

Shen Yi pressed urgently. Chen Ciyi narrowed his eyes as he recalled it.

"Those little cliques of Alphas."

They were all well-known figures in the industry. The account left Shen Yi's head spinning. Had Yuan Chen really gone mad? Why would he lose his composure in front of everyone?

He could not imagine Yuan Chen losing control at a formal occasion. Shen Yi's feelings were tangled.

"He nearly got into a fight with Yuan Hao. Wow, he was terrifying when he was angry. Those brothers never got along very well to begin with, did they?"

Shen Yi had no answer. He covered his mouth and lowered his head, staring at the table. Watching his expression, Chen Ciyi cautiously added:

"They really did go a little too far, though. Even I felt uncomfortable listening. The way some people talk about Omegas is disgusting. Is President Yuan like that too?"

"..."

"He must really cherish you. Not many bosses would get that angry for a subordinate."

Chen Ciyi's phone suddenly rang, snapping him back to attention.

"Oh, my boss is looking for me. Shen Yi, sorry, I have to go."

"All right. Thanks for making the time."

"Let's get in touch again!"

Watching him hurry away, Shen Yi took out his phone. He opened a website that updated the schedules of important events and searched for "chamber of commerce." He soon found the event Yuan Chen had attended. Last Thursday-the very day he had gone drinking with Lin Xiaofeng.

"Have you lost your mind?"

He remembered Yuan Chen grabbing his collar and shouting at him. At the time, he had only thought the man was being unreasonable. Now that he understood what had happened beforehand, he could understand Yuan Chen's feelings a little better.

It was easy to imagine what they had discussed. Though Chen Ciyi had not gone into detail, there must have been plenty of gossip about him, likely including insults and mockery directed at Yuan Chen.

"Ah..." Shen Yi sighed deeply. He had cursed Yuan Chen so much lately... a sudden wave of guilt washed over him.

He fiddled with his phone. Yuan Chen's number was still saved in his contacts, so he could reach him anytime. Should I call him?

"..."

After a moment's hesitation, Shen Yi put his phone down. What would be the point of contacting him now? Since they had decided to go their separate ways, getting in touch over something like this would only seem ridiculous.

Though a trace of regret lingered, he quickly suppressed the thought. Shen Yi turned to look out the window, an inexplicable bitterness in his mouth.

"What was that?"

Yuan Chen asked as though he had misheard. The lawyer standing beside him pushed up the glasses that had slipped down his nose, maintaining a respectful posture.

"The other parties are suing for workplace harassment and insult."

Only then did Yuan Chen turn his gaze toward the lawyer. A cold smile slowly formed on his icy, stern face.

"Interesting."

The lawyer could not smile at all. Cold sweat poured off him, soaking his forehead and temples. After taking a deep breath, he handed over the documents he held against his chest.

"They seem very well prepared. This may be more serious than we expected."

"I don't even remember what they look like. Let's hear it."