Smelling Like an Alpha

A few minutes later, the call Shen Yi had been waiting so long for finally came. He took a deep breath and answered.

"Hello, this is Shen Yi."

"This is Chen Ciyi. One o'clock this afternoon, for two, correct?" A cool, businesslike voice came through the phone.

Shen Yi swallowed involuntarily. He was almost as nervous as he had been checking his college entrance exam results.

"Yes. May I ask... is it possible to arrange?"

"I know the head chef at Dan Yan. Hold on, I'll get in touch with him..." Secretary Chen seemed to be setting up a three-way call. "Ah! Hello, chef!"

Shen Yi listened to the snatches of conversation drifting through. Every second was agony.

An outsider might have found it unbelievable. Was all this really necessary? Why not simply report that he couldn't get a reservation?

Of course he couldn't. To those at the top, a competent secretary was supposed to carry out every instruction. Reporting failure was the same as admitting he was useless.

Secretary Chen's earnest voice came through the receiver. He was doing everything he could to help Shen Yi, simply because he understood how difficult being a special assistant was. Helping one another had always been an unspoken rule of the profession.

At last, the good news came:

"One o'clock, for two. It took some doing, but it's settled. The reservation is under President Yuan Chen's name."

"Thank you so much!"

"Spare me the pleasantries. How are you going to thank me?"

"Just name it. I'll make it happen."

The secretary group had its own rules: any help received had to be repaid. There was no such thing as a free lunch.

"Can you get me three boxes of Akit's new Pheromone Enhancer?"

It was a hugely popular new product, currently in short supply.

"Is it for you, Secretary Chen?"

"Hey, hey, I'll be forty next year. What would I need that for at my age? It's for my nephew. He's going through differentiation."

"I'll see what I can do. It might take some time."

"All right. Pleasure doing business with you!"

The call ended briskly. Exchanges between secretaries were always that efficient.

Putting down his phone, Shen Yi finally allowed himself to relax against his chair. A soft sigh tinged with laughter escaped his lips. At last, he could stop worrying.

At noon, they set off for the restaurant on schedule.

At Yuan Chen's instruction, Shen Yi drove. Unlike their silent commute that morning, soothing classical music filled the car.

Although it was Monday, there was a hint of weariness in Yuan Chen's expression. Shen Yi watched his face in the rearview mirror. The trip would take about twenty minutes, and Yuan Chen closed his eyes, apparently intending to take a short nap.

Yuan Chen was a man who could turn even a meal into a business tool, whether he was finalizing a contract with an important client or continuing a work discussion with an employee, as he was today.

Outsiders saw him only as a golden boy, an S-Class Alpha born with a silver spoon in his mouth who had made his name young. But Shen Yi knew better than anyone how much unseen effort lay behind that success.

At that moment, his dazzling exterior seemed to dim a little, revealing an unexpected fragility. Hoping to make him more comfortable, Shen Yi drove even more smoothly.

They met Researcher Song, who had arrived by taxi, outside the restaurant. As Yuan Chen exchanged greetings, every trace of his earlier fatigue had vanished, replaced by his usual composure. Even from behind, as he climbed the granite steps beside Person in Charge Song, he looked as polished and imposing as ever.

Only after watching them disappear through the doors did Shen Yi, who had been standing perfectly straight, relax a little.

He checked the time. This outing would give him at least an hour to himself.

Sunlight warmed his back as he leaned against the car. Suddenly, he felt that happiness could sometimes be quite simple.

He was sipping the last of his milk through a straw when an imported car pulled into the empty space beside him. A woman in a sharp suit stepped out. Just as she was about to put on her sunglasses, she gave a small cry. "Ah!"

Shen Yi turned at the sound, and surprise flashed in his eyes when he recognized her.

"Shen Yi? Is that really you?"

"Hello, senior."

"It's been so long."

She had been his senior at university and had helped him find his first job. After switching from a social affairs reporter to a broadcaster, she had become a star anchor and a household name.

Meeting again after three years, they happily shook hands in front of the hood.

"What are you doing here? Having lunch?"

"No, actually..."

"Oh, right! You said you were working as a president's special assistant? So... you're waiting for your boss?"

She had a keen eye and guessed the truth at once. She looked Shen Yi up and down with a knowing smile, leaving him inexplicably embarrassed.

"You've stayed at this job longer than I expected. Is it going okay?"

"Yes. It's quite challenging."

"I still think it's a shame. It feels like someone stole a promising talent from me."

Shen Yi wrinkled his nose and smiled.

"You haven't changed. I watch your show often. You're more impressive every day."

"Hmph. So being a secretary taught you how to flatter people? Stop it. You're giving me goosebumps."

As they chatted happily, a breeze swept past, and she suddenly frowned.

"The person you work for-is he an Alpha?"

"Yes."

"What is the world coming to? His pheromones are so strong. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were the Alpha."

"Is it that obvious?"

"It certainly is." She covered her nose.

Shen Yi rubbed the back of his neck helplessly. Apparently, Yuan Chen had inadvertently released pheromones in the car again. Misunderstandings like this happened often enough that he was used to them.

"Anyway, it was lovely seeing you. Let's get in touch and have a meal sometime."

"Of course. I'll let you get going."

Only after watching her leave did Shen Yi pull up the collar of his suit and sniff it. He couldn't smell anything.

"What does it even smell like?"

Just to be safe, he took out the deodorizing spray he carried and sprayed himself all over again.

After five that afternoon, the secretarial office grew noticeably quieter. The phones stopped ringing, and the clatter of keyboards gradually faded.

"Aren't you all heading home?"

Shen Yi began urging everyone to leave. Unlike him, a special assistant, the administrative secretaries worked more regular hours. He had no reason to make his subordinates stay and wait with him.

"We'll head out, then."

"Thanks for your hard work. See you tomorrow."

The secretaries left one after another. Before he knew it, Shen Yi was the only person left in the office.

He looked around the silent room, his gaze settling on the office door.

Yuan Chen was still inside, engrossed in work.

When will today finally end? His quitting time is my quitting time. Shen Yi had long since grown accustomed to this life.

He sat back down at his desk. Waiting with nothing to do, yet unable to leave, had become part of his daily routine. Resting his hands on his abdomen, he gently closed his eyes.

Perhaps he was too tired, because he actually dozed off. The moment his head tipped to one side, he jolted awake.

As his eyes opened, the first things he saw were a neatly pressed shirt cuff and a sturdy forearm. Yuan Chen had appeared beside him at some point and was going through the things on his desk.

"President Yuan!"

Shen Yi snapped fully awake and hurriedly straightened. The back of his chair bounced with the sudden movement.

"What do you need?"

"The attendee list for tomorrow's breakfast meeting. Found it."

Yuan Chen picked precisely what he needed out of a pile of documents. He went through someone else's things with such practiced ease that it seemed perfectly natural.

Shen Yi stood there awkwardly. It was already too late to help him look.

"Did I wake you?" Yuan Chen's tone was even, betraying no emotion.

"You should have woken me." At a loss for words, Shen Yi could only rub his cheek sheepishly.

Yuan Chen stood there checking the list. Even a man as perfect as him inevitably showed a few flaws by evening. A few loose strands of hair hung over his smooth forehead, and all his moving around had left creases in his shirt.

His tie, however, remained firmly secured by its tie clip, staying perfectly in place even when he leaned forward. That constant neatness only emphasized his meticulous nature. Even with weariness on his face, he still radiated an effortless charm.

The list was correct, but Yuan Chen did not leave immediately. Instead, he settled onto the edge of Shen Yi's desk, his long legs casually crossed, one toe touching the floor.

Folding his arms, he lifted his eyes to Shen Yi. That gaze made Shen Yi's mouth go dry. He instinctively straightened his back and did his best to meet it.