Chapter Text
They say never judge a book by its cover and Wu Suowei is the perfect example - pretty features on the outside but known for his cold demeanor from within.
When he showed up for his interview five years ago, Chi Cheng took a leap of faith and hired him on the spot because there was no one who left an impression even remotely close to his.
When he walked in, the air in the conference room had shifted. By far out of all the candidates, he was the most breathtaking. His pretty porcelain skin contrasted against the black suit he wore, his dark brown locks were brushed neatly to the side - framing his small face perfectly.
Chi Cheng still remembers meeting his gaze - doe eyes staring back at him unfaltering and determined. Those cold brown eyes sat behind thin silver rimmed glasses and the only accessory he had on was a matching simple watch. Nothing too flashy, but just enough to be taken seriously.
But it wasn’t his looks that captivated Chi Cheng - it was what he said during the interview when Chi Cheng had asked him a simple question.
'What can you bring to the table that sets you above the other candidates?’ It was probably the hundredth time Chi Cheng had asked that simple question that day.
Earlier he had watched in disappointment as candidate after candidate gave textbook answers like ‘I'm a hard worker’ or ‘I adapt quickly’ - the same broken record over and over again. Chi Cheng didn’t know exactly what kind of answer he was looking for, but before Wu Suowei, it was almost like all the candidates were reading from the same poorly written script.
But then Wu Suowei, with his unshakeable gaze, gently cleared his throat. “I can make you number one.”
“What?” Chi Cheng’s head snapped up, gaze shifting from the pen he was twirling in his hand out of boredom. Someone among the other management team members seemingly choked on air as the mood turned heavy.
If Wu Suowei was thrown off by their reactions, he didn’t show it. He kept a neutral face as he held Chi Cheng’s gaze.
“As a secretary, it is my responsibility to be three steps ahead of you - to know what you need before you yourself even know. That I can do. And to be a bit forward, LitCo is still in its growth stage. What you need is someone who can take care of all the little things so you can handle the big things like scaling the firm. You need that kind of support to become number one in an industry that moves as quickly as this one.”
Chi Cheng titled his head, pen no longer twirling between his fingers as Wu Suowei held his undivided attention. “You sound confident even though you’ve only had two years of experience working with C Suite executives.”
Chi Cheng could’ve sworn he saw a smirk flash across the other one’s lips, but it disappeared almost as fast as it came. “I believe in quality over quantity. While I have only supported C Suite executives for two years, I’ve done secretarial work pretty much my entire career. My work is spotless and all of my past employers will have the same sentiment. I believe that you can teach anyone how to do the job, but it’s much harder to teach someone the soft skills that’s needed for this job - emotional intelligence, foresight - those kinds of skills.”
“All of which you have?” Chi Cheng challenged, humming in amusement. What a strong personality for such a dainty looking person Chi Cheng thought.
“All of which I have.”
Chi Cheng hummed again in acknowledgement as he leaned back into his chair, pen twirling again in his hand as he glanced down at the resume staring up at him.
His eyes traced over the name in bold letters at the top: WU SUOWEI. For some reason, seeing such a pretty name attached to such a frigid personality stirred something in him. Maybe it was anticipation or even excitement, but either way, Chi Cheng always trusted his gut and this time would be no different.
“Mr. Guo, please send the rest of the candidates home - make sure to apologize for the inconvenience and offer reimbursement for time traveled.”
The other panel members turned to Chi Cheng in shock, questions of are you sure he’s a good fit and don’t you think you’re rushing the decision falling out their mouths, but Chi Cheng was already standing up - slipping his arms into his coat as he looked back at the pretty boy with doe eyes who sat before him.
“I’ll see you Monday, Mr. Wu. 6:00am sharp. Mr.Jiang will walk you through everything else.”
A pretty smile blossomed on the man’s lips and for a moment, Chi Cheng could feel his heart skip a beat. The foreign feeling disappeared quickly and Chi Cheng wasn’t the type of person to dwell on fleeting feelings.
“Thank you, sir.”
Wu Suowei had stood up and fluidly bent into a respectful bow as Chi Cheng began to walk to the exit. Just as he had wrapped his fingers around the door handle, Chi Cheng paused and turned back to the man he had just hired.
“I hope you’re a man of your word. I can’t afford to fail.”
Wu Suowei didn’t know what his new boss had meant by that last part that had a hint of vulnerability hidden in it and he couldn’t help but think that maybe it had something to do with the fact that the taller one was a pretty young CEO in a competitive, over-saturated field.
“Always. You can trust me.”
That was the last exchange of words between them that day as Chi Cheng simply gave a small nod before slipping out the room.
To everyone’s surprise, Wu Suowei was a man of his word and more. In just five years, LitCo had become the city’s largest advertising firm and on the surface it appeared as if it was Chi Cheng at the reins.
However, to everyone high enough in the company, the real driving force was Wu Suowei and what a force he was - quiet, but ever so powerful.
—------------------------
It’s a typical Monday and Chi Cheng finds himself sitting at his desk with his head in his hands, fingers rubbing at his temples hoping that he can will away the growing headache. He had just finished the quarterly meeting - numbers and financial jargon being thrown around in a room full of difficult personalities.
A quick knock - three successions as usual with a brief pause before the last one - and Chi Cheng didn’t have to ask to know who it was. Only one person in the whole company knocked like that and before he could even say anything, the door swung open.
“I heard from Mr.Jiang that Mr.Guo and Mr.Wang were at each other's throats again.”
Chi Cheng glanced up just as Wu Suowei reached his desk, crossing his large office in just four long strides. The secretary gently placed a bottle of water, a cup of coffee from Chi Cheng’s favorite coffee shop and a plastic ramekin with two small pills in front of the CEO.
“Here - for your headache.”
“How did you know I have a headache?” Chi Cheng sighed, tiredness washing over him as he reached for the medicine and popped them in his mouth followed by a quick swig of water. He hesitated for a second before reaching into his desk drawer to pull out a pack of cigarettes, slipping one between his lips. It had been one of those days and Chi Cheng knew that coffee could only do so much. Without missing a beat, Wu Suowei pulled out his own lighter, holding it up to Chi Cheng’s cigarette as his free hand adjusted the ash tray to be closer within the CEO’s reach. I’ve never seen him smoke, but he always carries a lighter - Chi Cheng thought absentmindedly as he gave a quick thankful nod.
“You always have a headache after the financial quarterly meetings. The finance department also houses our most… opinionated employees.” There was a hint of amusement in Wu Suowei’s words, but he kept it just barely hidden under the surface. Chi Cheng scoffed in agreement as he inhaled then exhaled, letting the smoke fill his lungs before pushing out the rest past his lips.
For a brief moment, Chi Cheng thought he saw his secretary’s eyes glance down at his lips, but the little bit of emotion on the shorter man’s face was as brief as ever - neutral expression slipping back into place before Chi Cheng could place a name to it. If secondhand smoke bothered Wu Suowei, he did a good job of hiding it.
Wu Suowei was always like that - never crossing over the professional line he drew between him and everyone else. It was hard for most people in the company to tell what he was thinking or feeling because Wu Suowei rarely ever showed any emotions at work other than disappointment when it called for it.
This had earned him the ever so notorious nickname the other employees whispered amongst themselves when they thought he couldn’t hear. LitCo’s ‘ice prince’ - always polite, but never truly friendly.
Chi Cheng had long since noticed the walls that Wu Suowei built around him, but over the last five years he’s been able to see bits and pieces of his personality peek through. He didn’t think it was fair to Wu Suowei to be called the ice prince because Wu Suowei was warm in his own unique way.
Somewhere along the way, Chi Cheng had noticed the little details here and there - the fact that Wu Suowei gets his favorite coffee from this coffee shop that’s in the completely opposite direction, the way he knows Chi Cheng can’t handle his liquor so he steps in during every client dinner to play white knight, or the way he fixes his tie because Chi Cheng never truly got it down right, or when Chi Cheng gets nervous before a presentation so Wu Suowei always lingers in the background of the conference room almost as if to say I’m right here, don’t worry, you got this.
His kindness was quiet, but thoughtful and though Chi Cheng never asked Wu Suowei for these things, he’s secretly appreciative.
But even still - the delicate looking secretary was intimidating to Chi Cheng, though he would rather throw himself out the window than admit that out loud. After all, he too had a reputation to uphold. He was thee Chi Cheng and he’ll be damned if he admitted that his own secretary had a way of making him anxious with just a few words.
“I moved your lunch appointment. I figured an afternoon coffee would work better with Ms.Zhao and you could use the spare time to recuperate. Mr. Jiang also forwarded the new contracts from legal - I’ve ordered them from the ones that are most time sensitive. I reviewed them and left notes for you to go over. They just need your signature.”
Wu Suowei rattled off the last few items for the day as Chi Cheng cradled the coffee in one hand and the cigarette in the other, exhaustion making his limbs feel heavier than they were just moments ago.
‘Please tell me that’s all.’ Chi Cheng huffed, taking a sip of his coffee that was rapidly cooling. It was on days like today that Chi Cheng was so glad that Wu Suowei went the extra mile to grab his favorite coffee.
His secretary shot him a pointed look, closing the small note book that usually housed Chi Cheng's schedule and shoving it in his back pocket.
A moment passed as Wu Suowei opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out as an awkward pause fell between them. This was unusual because Wu Suowei was rarely ever timid when it came to answering Chi Cheng.
Chi Cheng watched in silence as Wu Suowei seemingly waged an internal war, brows furrowed in silent hesitation. Whatever was holding him back must have resolved itself as his secretary’s usual demeanor slipped back into place before answering.
“Your father called.”
If Chi Cheng’s mood before was terrible, then the shift in his mood after those three words could only be described as down right dismal.
A soft hum escaped the CEO’s lips as he leaned back in his chair and turned slightly to stare out the ceiling high window behind him - taking yet another long drag from his cigarette.
Wu Suowei cleared his throat at the melancholic scene playing out in front of him. “He requested an appointment with you, but I told him that today’s schedule was completely packed. He agreed to reach back out on Wednesday if he doesn’t hear from you sometime tomorrow.”
Visible relief washed over Chi Cheng as he flashed a gentle smile - one that seemed out of place for the current atmosphere.
“That man never knows when to quit.” Chi Cheng’s voice came out sadder than he intended it to but he just didn’t have it in him to care at the moment - after all, Wu Suowei has seen plenty of his unflattering sides over the years. "You always know how to say the right thing.” He added after a moment.
His secretary simply reached over and plucked the remote off of Chi Cheng’s desk. In a swift motion, the motorized blinds began to close, blocking both Chi Cheng’s view of the outside and the sunlight that once filled the room.
“I’ll wake you up when it’s time for your next appointment. Get some rest.”
Chi Cheng thought he heard a hint of sympathy in Wu Suowei’s voice, but quickly dismissed the idea for fear he was reading into it from a hopeful perspective. There was no one who wore a better mask than Wu Suowei - always professional, always perfect. Why would he have sympathy for the boss he probably secretly cursed at when alone?
And just like that, Chi Cheng was left in his now darkened office after his secretary quietly slipped out, his missing presence making the room feel too spacious.
Chi Cheng took another sip of the now-room-temperature coffee and frowned as he stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray . Suddenly, all he could taste was a nauseating bitterness.
—------------------------
“You seriously need to get your head checked.” XiaoShuai - also known as Mr.Jiang during work hours - snorted as a piece of dried squid hanging between his lips bobbed with each word.
They were snuggled into a booth at their favorite bar all the way on the other side of town - Wu Suowei’s idea to avoid running into any of their coworkers during their usual late night yap sessions. It was the kind of bar where the drinks were too pricey and the music didn’t match the ambience, but before they knew it, they found themselves becoming regulars despite it all.
Wu Suowei glared over his beer mug, lips tugging down into a frown. “I’m perfectly fine, thank you very much.”
“Fine? Everyday after work I have to hear about you fawning over our boss yet you’re too much of a pansy to do anything about it. I don’t understand why you torture yourself so.”
Wu Suowei rolled his eyes as he took another gulp of his beer, foam settling on the corners of his mouth.
“You don’t understand. He looked so…so…”
“Smug?” XiaoShuai offered, amused at the way the company’s famous ice prince was down bad for the CEO of all people. Wu Suowei was probably the only person in the company who saw Chi Cheng with heavily tinted rose colored glasses and XiaoShuai happened to be the only one in the world who knew of the secretary’s secret crush.
After five years, XiaoShuai had become the closest person to Suowei and unfortunately that meant he was subjected to listening to all of the secretary’s fantasies on a nightly basis.
“He looked so sad. And perfect. So perfectly sad. And handsome. So perfectly sad and handsome to the point I just wanted to coddle him.” Wu Suowei after hours was a terrible poet and a certified yearner. XiaoShuai thought about exposing his friend so everyone at the company could see him for the love stricken idiot he truly was, but no one would believe him even if he screamed it from the rooftop. Wu Suowei’s cold reputation was iron clad.
“He’s a grown man, not a princess in distress.”
Wu Suowei clicked his tongue at his best friend - watching as XiaoShuai candidly took his pair of black rimmed glasses off to clean the lenses with the end of his shirt. Suowei passively wondered if XiaoShuai knew how young he looked without those thick glasses.
“The correct word in the saying is ‘damsel’ and he could be my damsel if he wanted to. I could save him.”
“You’re pathetic.”
“I’m in love.” Suowei corrected.
“Two things can be true at the same time.” XiaoShuai countered. Wu Suowei opened his mouth to protest, but closed it quickly after he internally accepted the truth. One point to XiaoShuai.
“I thought you said last time you were going to quit. You should quit. You could do so much better. Chi Cheng is mean and a bully.”
Wu Suowei shrugged, finger timidly tracing the rim of his beer mug as he pondered for a moment. “I could -“
“- You should “ XiaoShuai cut in.
“ But I did just get a raise. And he truly isn’t that mean. ” At those words, XiaoShuai perked up. No one loved money as much as he did.
“A raise?” Wu Suowei nodded nonchalantly in response. “How much?”
The secretary flashed a cheeky grin, taking out his phone to show the other the email that detailed his increased compensation. His best friend’s mouth dropped open in disbelief - he was also a secretary but not an exclusive secretary the way Wu Suowei was and he had always wondered what the incentives were like.
“Actually, don’t leave. Just stay at this company until you retire.” Wu Suowei could see XiaoShuai doing the mental math in his head over and over and could practically see the dollar signs shooting from his eyes.
“Hmm, the money is nice. But the real perk is getting to see his face everyday. I just want to grab his perfect face and kiss those perfect lips -“
“Enough.” XiaoShuai cut his friend off with a look of such profound disapproval that it would make both their mothers proud. “I don’t care how perfect he looks. His personality leaves much to be desired.”
“You don’t know the real him.” The secretary frowned. XiaoShuai shot him a questioning look.
“And you do?”
“I know everything about him.” Wu Suowei bristled, offended that his best friend would even ask that. There’s no one who knows Chi Cheng as well as Wu Suowei does.
“I know he’s allergic to shrimp, I know how he likes his coffee, I know that his favorite color is yellow, I know that in the summer he prefers lemonade from the tiny shop two blocks from the office, I know what temperature he likes to keep his office at, I even know that when he was younger he…”
Wu Suowei trailed off. That last part was a bit too personal and he had only stumbled across the CEO’s past ambitions by accident. It wasn’t his story to share and so he quickly shifted away from that. “I do know the real him and that’s why I like him.”
XiaoShuai sighed in defeat - after all, there’s nothing you can really do to talk someone out of loving who they want to love.
“That doesn't change the fact that his personality is no good.”
“What do you even know about his personality?” Wu Suowei shot back.
“Have you forgotten?! I’m still reeling from the fact that five years ago, he cc’d the entire secretarial team on that email just to tear apart the proposal I submitted. I was so embarrassed I couldn't look anyone in the eyes for nearly a whole year!”
Wu Suowei hummed as he felt the heat creep up his neck as the guilt stirred beneath the surface. There was a secret that only he and Chi Cheng shared. Chi Cheng didn’t write that email, Suowei did - he simply did it using his CEO’s email. He was the one who typed up that email word for word as Chi Cheng hovered behind him.
But what could he do - back then he didn’t know XiaoShuai well enough and he had thought that Chi Cheng was being too lenient during a time when he needed to run a tight ship. He was in the room watching Chi Cheng struggle to formulate why XiaoShuai’s proposal was terrible, so Wu Suowei took it upon himself to do it for him stating a good CEO is one that is feared. Chi Cheng tried to argue that fear wasn’t the only way to rule, but his secretary had hit send before they could get into the nuances of what makes a good leader.
After getting to know XiaoShuai, Wu Suowei had missed the opportunity to tell the truth and objectively speaking, it did make XiaoShuai a better employee. There’s no denying that part of the reason people believe Chi Cheng to be uptight was because Wu Suowei was playing puppet master in the background. But the reputation he built for Chi Cheng undoubtedly contributed to the CEO’s success so he couldn’t afford to come clean in their earlier days.
“One day, I hope you’ll forgive me.” Wu Suowei made a mental note to buy his friend a lavish gift in the near future.
XiaoShuai looked at him confused, but didn’t have the opportunity to press him as the sharp sound of Suowei's ringtone interrupted their conversation.
“Is that your work phone? Who the hell is calling you at this hour?”
Wu Suowei rolled his eyes as he fished the second phone he usually carried out of his pocket - he always separated his private life from his work life, thus came about the ownership of two different phones. “There’s only ever one person who does.”
He flipped the phone over to show XiaoShuai - Chi Cheng’s name displayed at the top.
“Why is there a lightening bolt emoji next to his name?”
Wu Suowei waved his hand dismissively, putting a finger up to his lips to shush his friend before hitting the accept button.
“Yes, sir?”
XiaoShuai could laugh at how quickly the warmth disappeared from Wu Suowei’s voice. Gone was the love-stricken man, replaced with the ever so obedient secretary.
XiaoShuai watched as the corners of his friend’s mouth pulled down as a reaction to whatever he was hearing over the phone.
A couple of hums later and a curt ‘I understand’ spoken , Wu Suowei hung up - shoving the phone back in his pocket as he began slipping his arm into his coat that was once discarded off to the side.
“Are you leaving? Right now?” XiaoShuai gave his friend an incredulous stare almost as if to say where are your boundaries?
“His highness summons me. I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Jiang."
XiaoShuai had barely waved goodbye by the time the other secretary was already half way out the exit. He shook his head, eyeing Suowei’s discarded beer mug disapprovingly.
“Oh, what a kingmaker.” XiaoShuai mumbled to himself, downing the last of his own beer. Tonight, he's thankful to the heavens above that he decided last minute to forgo applying for the exclusive secretarial role.
—------------------------
Wu Suowei’s footsteps echoed against the tiles as he hastily made his way down the now deserted halls. It was too quiet; even the company’s cleaning crew had already left for the night - leaving only one other soul in the building.
His body moved on autopilot, feet taking him to the usual floor without him thinking too much about it. From down the hall he could see that all the lights were dimmed, except for the ones seeping out from under Chi Cheng’s office door.
He came to an abrupt stop outside the door, fist hovering in the air above the heavy wooden frame as he hesitated. He could still feel the heat in his cheeks from the alcohol and he closed his eyes to catch his breath as he secretly prayed that a certain CEO wouldn’t notice how flushed he looked.
He knocked, not waiting for a reply before he pushed open the door, the heavy scent of cigarettes greeting him in an instant. The air was thick with the usual smell of Chi Cheng’s cigarettes and Wu Suowei didn't have to ask to know that Chi Cheng had been chain smoking from stress.
His eyes scanned the bright room and to his surprise, Chi Cheng wasn’t at his desk.
Instead, he was settled on the couch that was situated off to the side with stacks of papers and binders spread across the coffee table.
Wu Suowei started making his way over when he staggered a bit - eyes taking in the sight before him; breath catching in his throat as he tripped over air.
There was Chi Cheng in all his manliness - shirt now unbuttoned at the top with his tie lying forgotten on the sofa next to his suit jacket. His hair was nothing like it was this morning, seemingly disheveled as if someone had constantly ran their fingers through those brown locks. The ashtray that was once on his desk now sat on the coffee table, the ends of several old cigarettes creating a small pile and Wu Suowei could see a lit cigarette between the other’s lips.
Chi Cheng leaned back a bit when he heard the secretary make his way over, eyes still casted downwards staring at whatever file was in front of him - spreading his legs wide in habit. Wu Suowei could feel his mouth go dry because what I would give to be able to settle between those perfectly long legs and -
The secretary quickly lifted a hand and slapped himself across the face almost as if it would stop the blush making its way across his cheeks. He frowned at the self-inflicted stinging - I definitely need to stop drinking on weekday nights.
At the sound of skin meeting skin, Chi Cheng finally looked up - eyes trailing along his secretary’s features, scanning him head to toe in confusion.
Wu Suowei felt like he was caught red handed and for a moment he thought maybe Chi Cheng had seen his facade slip. Chi Cheng had a habit of having this all knowing look on his face and the sudden thought of what if he can sense my feelings made Wu Suowei’s heart race.
Chi Cheng’s silent stare pinned him in place - feeling heavy as his gaze settled on the other’s cheeks. He definitely knows I’m slightly buzzed.
“You got here fast.” The CEO was still staring at the secretary’s face, eyes searching as if he was trying to locate an answer to a complex puzzle.
Wu Suowei cleared his throat, forcing his hands to smooth the front of his coat as if the action could ground him. “I was nearby.”
Wu Suowei hoped his small white lie was believable because Chi Cheng didn’t need to know that he practically harassed his rideshare driver to weave in and out of traffic. No laws were broken but he definitely saw a few drivers flip them off along the way. He hoped the generous tip he left was sufficient enough as an apology.
Chi Cheng didn’t look entirely convinced, but he didn’t press further as he turned one of the files around so that it was now facing Wu Suowei. “I was preparing for the meeting I had with the account services team tomorrow when I came across this. I think my calculations are right, but I’d like you to take another look.”
The secretary quickly made his way to the coffee table, sitting crisscross on the floor to look over the document that Chi Cheng had open.
“You know you can sit on the sofa. Isn’t the floor uncomfortable?”
Wu Suowei didn’t look up nor acknowledge the concern that made his heart do violent summersaults. They weren’t close enough for him to show concern for things like Wu Suowei’s comfort, but that didn’t mean that Chi Cheng didn’t always try to bridge the distance between them.
Every time Chi Cheng’s unexpected kindness peaked through, Wu Suowei could feel himself falling deeper but he always made sure to remind himself not to take it personally. After all, he had no interest in playing a game he was destined to lose and Chi Cheng was kind in such subtle ways to everyone. Wu Suowei wasn’t special - just his very ordinary subordinate.
“Who sent this file? I don’t remember seeing this come across my desk. These numbers are way off…” Wu Suowei grumbled, not really waiting for an answer as he began sifting through the papers before him. Just from the first page alone, Wu Suowei could feel the threat of a headache creep up on him. The bitter thought sobered him up quickly as he began making edits to the documents in front of him.
—------------------------
Chi Cheng was silent - watching his ever so efficient secretary work as he took another drag from his cigarette. Wu Suowei was quick in ways Chi Cheng could never be - already making notes in the margins of the documents in his neat handwriting and crossing out incorrect information while simultaneously giving Chi Cheng a play-by-play of his edits.
But Chi Cheng wasn’t really listening. He trusted Wu Suowei probably more than he trusted anyone else in the entire company and there was no doubt in his mind that his secretary’s work was flawless. After all, there were multiple occasions where he had witnessed his perfectionism first hand.
Instead, he was taking in the sight before him. From the moment his secretary had walked through the door, Chi Cheng had felt like something was off about him.
From the way his steps faltered slightly when he first entered the room to the way he seemed to be avoiding eye contact - these actions weren't typical of him and Chi Cheng was still trying to figure out what exactly was different.
The shorter one had seemed a bit flushed when he walked in, but Chi Cheng assumed it was a result from the cold air outside.
“ - so when you go over this tomorrow, just remember that these numbers have been adjusted to reflect expected earnings against the budget. I’ll be in the room in case there are questions about this part of the projections.”
His secretary finally looked up at him, turning the file back so that it faced Chi Cheng again and before he could even look at where Wu Suowei was pointing at, the pieces fell into place as the lightbulb in his head flickered on.
“Were you drinking?” The question slipped out before he could stop himself and Chi Cheng watched in amusement as the doe eyes staring up at him widened in shock. This reaction was new - surprise wasn’t something Chi Cheng could ever recall seeing on Wu Suowei’s features. He couldn’t help but grin down at his secretary, delighted to have discovered a new side of him even if it was microscopic in comparison to most things.
For some reason, he had always assumed Wu Suowei only drank at work related events. He didn’t seem like the type to enjoy drinking in general so it hadn’t occurred to Chi Cheng that the flush on the other one’s cheeks could be a result of alcohol.
“I, um.. I…” Wu Suowei spluttered and the grin on Chi Cheng’s lips widened. Initially he had felt bad about calling Wu Suowei out when it was already so late, but now he couldn’t help but think it was worth it after seeing his secretary so flustered. Would you look at that - even the great Wu Suowei can be caught off guard.
This Wu Suowei was one that Chi Cheng was almost positive no one else had ever seen before and that thought sent a strange sense of pride coursing through him. He watched for a few moments - extremely amused - as his secretary attempted, but failed miserably at trying to give some sort of excuse.
“Relax. I called you out after work hours. I’m not upset, just surprised.” The words came out as if he was trying to sooth an injured child.
The blush across his secretary’s cheeks seemed to deepen and Chi Cheng didn’t want to let such an opportunity to nudge at the line that Wu Suowei drew between them slip away - so he pressed on. “Where were you drinking?”
An innocent enough question to start off with and Chi Cheng watched as a myriad of emotions danced across the other’s face. He felt a laugh creeping up, but used every ounce of willpower to keep it at bay. He didn’t want to push too far too quickly when Wu Suowei resembled a cat ready to bolt at any second. Chi Cheng wondered if this was the effects of alcohol. I’ve never seen him this flushed when he drank before - how much did he even drink tonight…
Chi Cheng stubbed out his now dwindled cigarette - adding it to the growing pile on his ashtray - as he leaned back, arching an eyebrow as if to say I’m waiting, go on and answer me.
“At a bar.”
Chi Cheng could see Wu Suowei visibly swallow and he wonders if the curt response was his secretary’s flimsy attempt at grabbing ahold of a conversation that was seemingly spiraling into an unfamiliar direction.
To anyone else, Wu Suowei would have appeared as cold as ever - but Chi Cheng could see that Wu Suowei was having yet another internal battle. He’s thinking too much again.
“A bar, huh. Were you drinking with anyone?” A not so innocent question disguised in a lighthearted tone. Chi Cheng didn’t know what possessed him in that moment, but he wanted to see how far the other one would let this go. How much of your personal life will you share with me?
Wu Suowei never hid the fact that he hated when people pried into his private life, so Chi Cheng rarely ever did. The few attempts he made before were shut down so quickly that Chi Cheng couldn’t help but drop the conversations entirely.
No answer came from his secretary and Chi Cheng assumed that this is where it’d end - just like every other time before this. He didn’t mind though because tonight he had learned yet another small piece of information about his long-time secretary. He smiled inwardly as he mentally cataloged the new found information for future reference. Maybe there was something in the air because for a moment, the only word Chi Cheng could think of when looking at his secretary was unfamiliar even to him - Cute.
—------------------------
There were several moments of silence that passed between them as Wu Suowei internally convened an emotional council.
[Internal Suowei #1 a.k.a Serious Wei] It’s best to just ignore him. It’s a professional relationship. Let’s keep it professional.
[Internal Suowei #2 a.k.a Romantic Wei] But this could be the perfect opportunity to get close to him! Did you see that smile? How could I not give into that? I would go to war for that smile.
[Internal Suowei #3 a.k.a Worry-wart Wei] This is uncharted territory; abort abort! Your decision is being impaired by alcohol.
The voices in his head seemed to clash as he contemplated, teeth worrying at his bottom lip. He was about to steer the conversation elsewhere when he suddenly thought of the way Chi Cheng had looked that morning.
Suowei remembered the sad, distant look that had covered his handsome features - a stark contrast to the almost pleased (?) look that shown on his face currently.
Maybe it was the liquid courage or maybe it was because of the pride that he felt at being the reason behind Chi Cheng’s grin that propelled him to take the first small step over the line that he himself drew. If things got out of hand later, he could readily blame it on the alcohol.
“I had a drink with Mr.Jiang.”
Chi Cheng was in the middle of bringing another cigarette to his lips, when his hand froze mid-way, surprise coloring his features. Wu Suowei saw a flash of some other emotion in the taller one’s eyes, but it vanished too quickly for him to place a name on it.
“I wasn’t aware that you and Mr.Jiang were close like that.” Chi Cheng hummed, finally bringing the unlit cigarette to his lips.
Feeling bold from the tension in the air, Wu Suowei reacted in his usual way and swiftly pulled out the lighter from his pocket. The very lighter that he kept on his persons strictly for his CEO’s benefit because Wu Suowei wasn’t a smoker but that wasn’t something he felt the need to disclose. He leaned forward, watching as a small flame flickered to life and held it up to Chi Cheng - waiting.
Chi Cheng’s fingers were just about to bring his own lighter to his lips, when he stopped - eyes flickering to meet Suowei’s gaze. Slowly, he gently sat his lighter back onto the coffee table and leaned forward to bring his cigarette to Wu Suowei’s flame - never breaking eye contact while waiting for the flame to catch.
Wu Suowei couldn’t look away even if he wanted to - trapped in the gaze of the man he spent the last five years secretly pining after. Absentmindedly, Wu Suowei licked his lips, attempting to distract himself from the butterflies wrecking havoc in his stomach. He most definitely imagined Chi Cheng’s eyes briefly following the movement.
This was not unusual for them - Wu Suowei had lit hundreds of Chi Cheng’s cigarettes over the years but this particular one felt different. Time seemed slower and Wu Suowei felt feverish just by looking up at the taller one - wondering if the alcohol was truly getting to him. There was something about the dynamic of Chi Cheng towering over him that forced his thoughts to spiral out of control - mind going to places that he would never dare to say out loud.
Chi Cheng nodded in thanks, head tilting slightly before he pulled back - taking a lazy drag of his cigarette while still holding the secretary’s gaze.
“So, do you drink with Mr.Jiang often?”
Wu Suowei cleared his throat a bit too loudly as if suddenly pulled from a trance. “He’s my friend. We occasionally go out for drinks.”
“Friend..” Chi Cheng seemed to be mulling over something as he let the word hang in the air - gaze now turned to stare out the window that now had the moonlight shining through. “How surprising.”
Wu Suowei shrugged, attempting to seem nonchalant as he moved to get up - reaching for his coat that he had peeled off shortly after he first arrived. “As surprising as it may be, even I need companionship.”
The vibe in the room shifted and Wu Suowei felt like if he stayed any longer, he'd become prey trapped in a spider’s web with no way out. He was far too tired and too confused to analyze what was happening because things were getting way too personal too fast for his liking.
If he stayed longer, something told him Chi Cheng would try to completely obliterate the line he had drawn between them and he simply was not prepared to deal with that tonight (if at all ever) - he needed to go home now.
“Tomorrow, I’ll be sure to remind everyone to send future documents to me first for review before they get handed to you. I apologize for not catching this one.”
Wu Suowei hid behind those safe words as he attempted to slip back into his carefully crafted persona. This was the appropriate formal distance between them and he was inwardly cursing at himself for having a moment of weakness.
“If you’ll excuse me, “ Wu Suowei bowed politely, eyes staring down at the floor despite the heavy gaze he could feel boring into him. “Goodnight, sir. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He turned, avoiding the other’s gaze as he headed towards the door. Just as he reached the handle, Chi Cheng called out to him.
“Wu Suowei,” Chi Cheng sounded like he was casting a spell, his gentle voice rooting Wu Suowei in place as the hair on his neck stood up.
The secretary refused to glance back - afraid to meet the eyes he knew were staring right at him. He simply waited for the other to continue - trying in vain to calm his quickening breath in hopes Chi Cheng wouldn’t know how shaken up he was inside.
“I’d like it if we could be friends.” Chi Cheng’s voice was surprisingly sincere and Wu Suowei instinctively curled inward, shoulders tensing.
Moments passed as Wu Suowei took steady breaths, back still turned to his boss as the internal struggle between his heart and mind raged - confusion and desire fighting for first place.
Finally, a moment of clarity washed over him - at the end of the day, he was Wu Suowei, the ever so perfect secretary, and Chi Cheng was his direct superior.
Love is only love when it’s selfless. At least that’s what Wu Suowei told himself as he gathered his wits, a sad sigh escaping him as a sudden wave of exhaustion enveloped him. He wanted nothing more than to hide within the confines of his home - the one place where he didn’t have to pretend to be strong.
“I’m afraid that’s impossible for us. We live in two different worlds.”
The words came out harsher than he intended and Wu Suowei wondered what kind of expression Chi Cheng was wearing. Was he angry? Was he sad? But the secretary was too much of a coward to look back, afraid that his resolve would crumble the moment his gaze meets the warm brown eyes that he loves so much.
They say curiosity killed the cat and unfortunately, this evening took eight of Wu Suowei’s nine lives. So without waiting for a response, Wu Suowei re-drew the line between them.
“Goodnight, sir.”
With that, Wu Suowei slipped out of the office and practically ran to the elevator. He didn’t realize how suffocating the office had felt until he was outside and the cold air seemed to burn his lungs.
Still in a daze, he yanked out his phone to shoot a quick text.
Da Wei: I’m never fucking drinking again.
XiaoShuai: ???? What
Da Wei: This is your fault.
XiaoShuai: T.T what did I even do??
Wu Suowei sighed, looking at the text from XiaoShuai but decided against responding. Unfortunately he used up the last bit of energy he had so his best friend would just have to wait till tomorrow to debrief.
Wu Suowei couldn’t remember how he got home - all he could remember was praying to the universe that his bed would somehow swallow him whole.
But the universe was never that kind to him to begin with.
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