A couple?

Yuan Chen's gaze remained on his tablet. To anyone else, his expression might have seemed as cold as ever, but Shen Yi noticed the faintest curve at the corner of his mouth.

"Sure."

With a definite answer, Shen Yi no longer hesitated. He straightened in his seat and quickly ran through the restaurants Yuan Chen frequented. Once he chose a destination, he turned the steering wheel, and the car smoothly picked up speed.

This restaurant was one of their old haunts. Perhaps because the lunchtime rush had passed, there were few diners inside, which suited them perfectly. They followed the waiter to their reserved table.

"You've updated quite a few dishes."

"Yes, we just updated the menu to celebrate our tenth anniversary."

Yuan Chen skimmed the menu, then looked across the table. Shen Yi was studying the new menu intently.

"What would you like?"

"Hmm..."

"Let's get the slow-roasted beef ribs. You like those, don't you?"

Shen Yi nodded lightly. Luckily, the classic dishes were still there. He hoped the flavors hadn't changed, or he would strike this restaurant off his dining list without hesitation.

The waiter stood beside them, observing the two with a professionally pleasant smile.

When serving guests, he habitually guessed their relationship. These two young men in their early thirties, impeccably dressed in suits, exuded professionalism and looked as though they were having a business lunch. But their familiar conversation and knowledge of each other's tastes suggested that their relationship wasn't quite so simple.

Most importantly, one was an Alpha and the other an omega. Judging by the natural mingling of their pheromones, the waiter felt certain his guess was correct.

He confidently pointed at the menu. "Couples usually choose our romantic set menu, which includes an appetizer, soup, a main course, and dessert. Couples can choose a pasta dish and a steak to share, and we also offer a complimentary glass of champagne exclusively for couples."

"..."

"..."

Both pairs of eyes landed on the waiter at once.

Yuan Chen's expression didn't change, while Shen Yi looked mortified and utterly dumbfounded.

"Sorry, we're not a couple," Shen Yi hurriedly explained.

Yuan Chen closed his menu. The soft snap made the waiter realize his mistake, and he immediately grew flustered.

"I-I'm terribly sorry! That was presumptuous of me..."

"But the set menu sounds good. We'll have what you recommended, with the slow-roasted beef ribs and sirloin steak for the mains. No champagne, though."

Yuan Chen ordered the recommended set to spare the waiter further embarrassment. As the waiter bowed and apologized repeatedly, he offered a rare smile. Though it was merely a routine social courtesy, he was still handsome enough to turn heads.

"How long are you going to sit there in a daze?"

After the waiter left, Yuan Chen coldly called attention to Shen Yi's lapse in composure.

"That waiter said 'couples' three times while introducing the menu."

"Do we look that much like a couple?"

"How do we look like one?"

Yuan Chen silently raised his water glass to his lips, his gaze fixed on Shen Yi's face as he drank. He set the glass down elegantly. "Have you still not accepted the fact that you're an omega?"

"Does an Alpha being with an omega necessarily mean they're in that kind of relationship?"

"It's normal to be mistaken for a couple in a restaurant like this."

Shen Yi smiled helplessly. After differentiating into an omega, he had so much to watch out for even when simply having a meal.

"I'd better stick to casual meals with you from now on, sir."

"I told you, there's no need to worry about that. We know we haven't done anything wrong. Didn't you understand?"

It wasn't just a matter of location. Yuan Chen had asked Shen Yi to release his pheromones when they were alone, and Shen Yi had complied. After this period of adjustment, they had grown accustomed to each other's pheromones, but it was precisely that mingling that had caused the misunderstanding.

"Could it be because of the pheromones?"

Sure enough, Shen Yi quickly identified the crux of the problem. Yuan Chen raised an eyebrow in agreement.

"We should avoid doing this during working hours."

"It gives me a chance to get used to omega pheromones. That's one of your duties. It's in your contract."

"Then why don't we do it at home after work... forget I said that."

Shen Yi hastily stopped himself and waved a hand in frustration. That reaction only made him seem more suspicious.

Fortunately, the steaming bread and appetizers arrived just then. Shen Yi served himself a moderate portion and quietly began eating.

How did this look anything like a couple? They weren't talking, just concentrating on their own meals. They were no different from strangers sharing a table.

Time passed in silence until dessert finally arrived. Yuan Chen never ate sweets and ordered only coffee.

That left all the tiramisu to Shen Yi.

The restaurant's tiramisu certainly lived up to its reputation. The espresso-soaked ladyfingers and rich, smooth mascarpone struck an exquisite balance.

As he enjoyed the cake with a small fork, he felt someone watching him. He looked up to find Yuan Chen watching him over his coffee and promptly choked, scattering cocoa powder from the cake.

Worried that it might be inappropriate to enjoy the dessert all by himself, he hurriedly took a sip of coffee to wash away the sweetness in his mouth.

Fortunately, Yuan Chen didn't seem to mind. He turned to business in an even tone. "I intend to settle the matter with Wang Zixuan as soon as possible."

She was the researcher who wanted to sue them for insult. Her face surfaced in Shen Yi's mind.

Yuan Hao egging her on behind the scenes was one thing, but how did a mere researcher dare to threaten Yuan Chen? She certainly had some nerve, Shen Yi thought.

"How do you intend to handle it, sir?"

"I'll have the lawyer pay the settlement by the end of this week."

"The full five million?"

"Since we did act improperly, we should take responsibility for it."

Perhaps he had reflected on his actions after that incident, because Yuan Chen had never again issued special instructions concerning employees' omega pheromones. Although omegas made up a considerable proportion of the company's staff and contact with them at work was unavoidable, he now simply endured it in silence.

Yuan Chen's pheromone allergy wasn't something he could overcome overnight. Although he was doing slightly better than before, he still suffered headaches, and his stress response persisted.

His endurance was frightening. Perhaps that was precisely how he had managed to rise to this position.

Shen Yi finished the rest of his coffee as he thought. Whatever happened, he still chose to stand by Yuan Chen.

"Isn't five million a bit much?"

"Someone who received thirty billion isn't qualified to say that."

Shen Yi nearly spat out his coffee again. This man... he hadn't even actually taken possession of that building yet. He struggled to maintain his smile, his gaze sharp. "Madam Lin doesn't know you transferred the building yet, does she?"

"It must remain confidential."

Yuan Chen tilted his head, looking at Shen Yi with his characteristic icy expression.

"I've already had Lawyer Hao take care of confidentiality, but it still has to remain an absolute secret."

"If you don't want people to find out, don't do it in the first place."

Since it involved the division of assets, it couldn't stay hidden forever. Shen Yi had heard that Madam Lin was just as meticulous as Yuan Chen and hired more than a dozen top tax accountants every spring to audit the family's finances.

"It's in your interests to put it off as long as possible. If she finds out, you'll really have no choice but to stay home as her daughter-in-law. She'll be convinced you approached her son for his money."

"..."

Shen Yi's hair stood on end at those words. He knew Yuan Chen wasn't joking.

"Then I don't want it. The building... I'd better give it back to you."

Faced with Shen Yi's resistance, Yuan Chen let out a rare laugh.

Naturally, the proposal was rejected.