Coworkers whispered and took pictures:
“Valentine’s Day yesterday… did someone really send this to the boss?”
“Who placed it here? Bold move.”
“I don’t know, it was here when I came in.”
Chang Bei arrived, eyes widening: “Haha, who? Bold to send flowers to the big boss openly.”
He Xiaoyuan: “…”
Chang Bei looked at him, expecting an explanation.
He Xiaoyuan, playing it cool: “No idea, it was here when I arrived.”
Coworkers began speculating again, He Xiaoyuan quietly sent the photo to Lu Chen: 【Photo】
He Xiaoyuan: 【?】
He Xiaoyuan: 【Was this you?】
Then Chang Bei asked: “Xiaoyuan, did you celebrate Valentine’s yesterday?”
He Xiaoyuan’s heart skipped—how could he answer?
Coworkers said: “Working late.”
Chang Bei sighed: “No one’s asking out the handsome ones these days.”
He Xiaoyuan smiled quietly in his head. This handsome guy had spent a “heart-pounding” Valentine’s—taken.
His phone buzzed.
Xu Ruomeng:
【I found some references for you. Might be useful someday.】
【Which style do you like? Western? Japanese/Korean? Or domestic?】
【Heard Western ones are popular—fair, tender, strong. starry-eyed drooling】
He Xiaoyuan: “…………………………?????”
You too!
He put down the phone, showered, and finally had peace.
Even under the warm spray, memories of last night lingered—smiling alone in the shower, replaying the kiss.
Back in bed, he checked his phone—no messages.
He sent a simple: 【Good night.】
Lu Chen replied instantly: 【Good night, boyfriend.】
He Xiaoyuan looked at those three words and couldn’t help but smile. Finally, he could rest easy.
Later at lunch, while chatting about work, Lu Chen casually mentioned a potential transfer:
Lu Chen: “They want to move you over there—probably related to Yang Yun.”
He Xiaoyuan: “Huh?”
Lu Chen: “Tang Xingzhou wants a good relationship with Yang Yun. You’re part of his circle.”
Wow. Another layer of politics involved. He Xiaoyuan quietly learned something new.
Under the table, He Xiaoyuan accidentally brushed Lu Chen’s foot. He paused.
On the table, Lu Chen smiled: “Promotion either way. Better stay here than go to Tang Xingzhou’s, hmm?”
Even a simple sentence carried layers of meaning for He Xiaoyuan: promotion… the kind where he becomes Lu Chen’s boyfriend?
He blushed, unable to maintain a composed face.
Lu Chen bent his lips into a knowing smile. He Xiaoyuan immediately dropped his chopsticks, covered his face with his hand—couldn’t do it, couldn’t face him normally.
He Xiaoyuan thought: Ugh! He can’t be beaten. My skin isn’t thick enough.
Lu Chen, laughing, reached for him: “My fault, my fault. I know you’re shy and still set up flowers everywhere.”
He Xiaoyuan knew it wasn’t about the flowers—it was him.
Trying to avoid showing his flustered face, he dodged Lu Chen’s hand, turning away.
Lu Chen walked around the table: “It’s fine, it’s normal. Everyone’s a first-timer.”
He Xiaoyuan twisted his neck away, standing to avoid him.
“Xiaoyuan,” Lu Chen coaxed, tugging gently.
He gave in, turned with hands over his face.
Lu Chen stood behind him, smiling: “No need to be embarrassed.”
He placed a hand on his shoulder, guiding him: “Okay now?”
He Xiaoyuan finally peeked through his fingers.
Lu Chen, watching, comforted: “It’s normal to be shy. You’re young—young people are like this.”
He added softly: “It shows you really like me. When you like someone, you react this way.”
He Xiaoyuan absorbed this, feeling reassured.
Facing each other, hearts clear, no words needed—everything was understood.
He Xiaoyuan, mustering courage, spoke first: “I don’t know when… my feelings changed.”
He lowered his voice: “I always thought I was straight.”
Even discussing sexual orientation before, he’d never doubted himself.
Lu Chen asked softly: “Does it matter now?”
Not really—the result was clear.
He Xiaoyuan muttered: “Maybe you’ve just been too good to me.”
Lu Chen smiled: “Then I’m lucky. I’m good to you, and you like me back.”
He pulled He Xiaoyuan back to the table: “Food will get cold.”
As they ate, He Xiaoyuan reflected—he was shy, young, and his feelings had quietly deepened.
He could feel his heart racing at Lu Chen’s slightest movements.
And then, as they looked at each other, Lu Chen finally asked, setting down his chopsticks:
“Xiaoyuan… can I hold you now?”
He Xiaoyuan froze for a moment, surprise on his face.
Lu Chen’s eyes were deep and bright, speaking plainly: “I really want to hold you right now.”
Not just “want”—really want.
Not just “hold”—hold-hug-hold.
At that moment, He Xiaoyuan didn’t fully understand. He just blinked, put down his chopsticks, scooted his chair a bit, and said, “Sure.”
What was happening?
When Lu Chen got up, circled the table, and hugged him face-to-face, He Xiaoyuan finally realized: Lu Chen wasn’t like him, easily flustered, childish, or shy. Lu Chen was calm and composed, yet even he had subtle ripples of emotion inside.
A hug—this was probably the biggest outward sign of feeling this strong, steady man could show.
At first, He Xiaoyuan’s hug was stiff—used to being straight, suddenly not straight, and now hugging a new boyfriend, intimacy felt unfamiliar.
Understanding this, he softened and wrapped his arms around Lu Chen.
In the middle of the flower-filled terrace, they held each other—this was perhaps the most beautiful beginning in the world.
After a while, He Xiaoyuan rested his chin on Lu Chen’s shoulder and murmured, giving a heads-up: “Just so you know, I wasn’t… that way before.”
He meant he might not be ready for intimacy beyond holding or hugging—anything more personal was still out of bounds.
Lu Chen, calm: “Don’t worry. I’m not young and rash.”
He Xiaoyuan didn’t fully trust that—all men are… men. But he trusted Lu Chen could act the part.
Still hugging, he added: “We need to be low-key at work.”
Lu Chen: “Got it.”
He smiled: “Anything else? Just say it.”
He Xiaoyuan considered: “We can’t put flowers in the office anymore.”
Lu Chen: “Okay.”
He tilted his head: “All these flowers on the 11th floor… no one noticed while you brought them up?”
Lu Chen, concise: “Middle of the night. No one around.”
He Xiaoyuan thought: Company security wouldn’t see? Someone would gossip for sure.
He said aloud: “Low-key.”
Lu Chen: “Alright.”
He Xiaoyuan made a few more “rules”:
- “Don’t message me constantly at work—I’ll get distracted.”
- “Lunch here is too visible. Let’s eat elsewhere.”
- “After work, you don’t need to wait for me—I’ll head over myself if no overtime.”
- “Don’t tell the supervisors yet—I don’t want them broadcasting it in the group.”
Lu Chen teased: “Are we being sneaky?”
He Xiaoyuan lightly tapped his hand on Lu Chen’s back: “Low-key. You want everyone to see me riding the big boss’s coattails? Gossip city every day?”
Lu Chen: “Mm, alright.” He let his arms drop slightly.
He Xiaoyuan’s mind raced: Anything else? Need to be careful. Office romance requires strategy. Can’t slip up.
Meanwhile, Lu Chen’s hand on his back slowly drifted lower… down, down, all the way to his lower back.
He Xiaoyuan: “Hand!”
Lu Chen playfully ran his palm over his back.
He Xiaoyuan: “Hmph.”
Dinner got cold, but He Xiaoyuan didn’t care—inside, he was warm.
He peeked across the table, heart quietly brimming with happiness.
After finishing, they left the terrace. At the elevator, Lu Chen didn’t take the executive elevator alone but waited with He Xiaoyuan.
Side by side, separated only by the trash bag He Xiaoyuan carried, Lu Chen’s free hand naturally found his.
The moment they held hands, He Xiaoyuan’s eyes curved in a smile.
The air felt sweet… and he realized it wasn’t the air—it was him.