However, Xiao Li never expected that Mr. Jiang would actually agree to the proposal put forward by President Shen.
And Shen Zui had always been a man of action.
Within just two days, he invited Xiao Chao out for a meal to discuss the matter in detail.
The manager of Light stood at the entrance, wearing a professional, artificial smile as he watched Shen Zui walk in today with yet another young man.
Truly worthy of President Shen.
Only two days had passed, and he had already switched to another artist by his side.
Although Shen Zui walked ahead, the manager still noticed the young man behind him—his eyes practically glued to Shen Zui, his gaze sticky and lingering, as if it carried a certain pull.
Once they were seated in the private room, Shen Zui looked at the clearly nervous person across from him and spoke casually, “By the way, Xiao Chao. I didn’t know what you liked to eat, so I took the liberty of ordering some dishes first.”
Yi Chao sat cautiously on the edge of his chair, his gaze unconsciously darting around. It was obvious that this was his first time in such a high-end restaurant, and he seemed entirely uneasy.
“It’s… it’s fine. I’m not picky.”
Seeing how nervous he was, Shen Zui smiled reassuringly. “By the way, you said you graduated from A University, right? I heard their art program is nationally renowned and very impressive. And didn’t you consistently receive scholarships during your studies? Don’t be nervous—you’re actually quite outstanding.”
Yi Chao lowered his head, his entire body stiff as if filled with cement.
He had a slender build, and perhaps due to his artistic background, he carried a faint, melancholic aura. His medium-length black hair was half-tied at the back, with a few stray strands clinging to his slightly pale cheeks.
He looked like a rose blooming under moonlight, except this rose happened to bloom in a cemetery, carrying a hint of decay and an alluring scent.
“Um, President Shen… why did you choose me?”
Yi Chao was well aware that he was merely a recent graduate.
Although he had always been confident in his painting skills, no matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t understand why such an opportunity had fallen into his lap.
“And… I’m not really famous either.”
Hearing this, Shen Zui patted the shoulder of the person beside him with a tone of earnest advice.
“That’s exactly why I chose you—because you’re not famous.”
Yi Chao: “?”
Shen Zui continued with a serious expression, “Becoming famous requires experience. Who knows? After this project, you might just become well-known. Don’t worry—the painting you did for me before was excellent.”
As he spoke, he leaned closer to Yi Chao, took out his phone from his pocket, and turned on the screen to show him.
“Look, I even specially set that painting as my profile picture.”
As Shen Zui suddenly leaned in, Yi Chao’s Adam’s apple involuntarily bobbed, and he nervously swallowed.
He caught a faint whiff of fruity fragrance—subtle yet exceptionally sweet.
Was this… President Shen’s Pheromone?
Yi Chao couldn’t help but turn his face slightly, cautiously observing Shen Zui’s profile. The proportions of his features were nearly perfect, with facial symmetry so precise it could serve as a textbook example.
In truth, Yi Chao had always had a peculiar habit.
When looking at people, he rarely focused on their outward appearance but rather on their bone structure. The more perfect the bone structure, the more it fascinated him.
In his bedroom, he even kept many plaster skulls, which he touched and admired daily.
And Shen Zui was the person with the most perfect bone structure he had ever seen.
…How he longed to touch it.
But wouldn’t that be too forward?
Shen Zui noticed the sudden silence from the person beside him and turned to glance over.
At that glance, he was slightly taken aback.
Xiao Chao was staring straight at him, his eyes filled with a kind of infatuation, as if completely immersed in some sort of obsession.
Shen Zui raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?”
Yi Chao snapped back to reality, caught red-handed, his ears instantly turning red.
He quickly lowered his head, his voice stammering slightly.
“S-sorry, Mr. Shen. It’s just… your facial bone proportions are very well-balanced. I got a bit… carried away.”
Shen Zui scratched his head. This was the first time he had ever heard someone compliment his facial bone proportions.
But he understood. Artists, after all, tend to have their quirks. Their way of thinking is just different from ordinary people’s.
So he laughed a couple of times, seemingly not bothered at all by the earlier offense.
“Well… do you want to touch it?”
Yi Chao was stunned.
Shen Zui shrugged, his tone casual. “I don’t mind.”
He had noticed earlier that Xiao Chao’s hand had almost reached out, as if itching to do so. Yi Chao was clearly taken aback, a flicker of disbelief flashing in his eyes.
“C-can I?”
As soon as he spoke, his eyes unconsciously lit up.
Shen Zui nodded. “Mm.”
Yi Chao took a soft breath, his voice almost inaudible.
“Th-thank you.”
Shen Zui was quite generous, closing his eyes directly. The private room fell silent for a moment.
Yi Chao sat beside him, his breathing slightly hurried. He reached out, his movements extremely gentle, as if touching a precious piece of art. His fingertips first landed on Shen Zui’s nasal bone, then slowly slid down to his jawline.
His fingers were slender, with a slight callus from years of holding a brush, yet their touch was cool.
He traced the curves of Shen Zui’s brow bone, eye sockets, and the bridge of his nose, bit by bit.
Their breaths intertwined at close range, and Yi Chao’s gaze grew deeper and deeper.
In his eyes was an almost uncontrollable, morbid and stubborn fondness. It was as if he had finally found a long-lost treasure.
“Th-that’s enough, Mr. Shen.”
Shen Zui slowly opened his eyes.
Those eyes were already bright, and when they opened, Yi Chao clearly saw that the reflection in those pupils was entirely his own.
In that instant, his heart skipped a beat. As if something had been gently stirred.
Shen Zui, however, quickly averted his gaze and said naturally, “Let’s eat.”
With that, he picked up his chopsticks first.
Having been tormented by Su Ran, that madman, a few days ago, he hadn’t even had the chance to properly taste the food. Now that he finally had time to sit down peacefully, Shen Zui naturally didn’t plan to deprive himself.
He picked up a bite of food and ate with great satisfaction. As he ate, he casually served Xiao Chao some dishes.
“Eat up too, don’t just watch.”
Shen Zui glanced at him and clicked his tongue.
“Look how thin you are. Eat more meat.”
Saying this, he picked up the serving chopsticks and placed a piece of braised pork into Yi Chao’s bowl.
Xiao Chao softly replied, “Mm.”
He ate with his head lowered but occasionally glanced sideways at Shen Zui.
His gaze seemed to be observing, as if silently recording something.
After the meal, Shen Zui took Xiao Chao with him to his car. Today, he had come out alone, while Xiao Li was busy overseeing the renovation progress of the gallery for him.
After the car door closed, Shen Zui started the engine and casually asked, “By the way, what do you plan to do about your uncle’s family matters? If you need help, I can connect you with a lawyer.”
Yi Chao gently shook his head.
He lowered his gaze, fell silent for a moment, but still declined Shen Zui’s offer.
“It’s fine, Mr. Shen… I can handle it myself.”
In truth, he just didn’t want Shen Zui to see his embarrassing affairs.
Shen Zui didn’t press further, simply nodding.
“Alright. Get in first.”
As he spoke, he opened the passenger door. “The agreement is in the car. Take a look first.”
The two quickly settled into the car. Yi Chao lowered his head to flip through the contract in his hands, while Shen Zui beside him was looking down at his phone, occasionally tapping the screen a few times as if chatting with someone.
The car fell quiet for a while.
Yi Chao pursed his lips and finally spoke softly, “Mr. Shen… are you chatting with your wife?”
Earlier during the meal, he had noticed that Shen Zui’s phone screen displayed an intimate photo of him and a man.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he froze for a moment.
The question seemed a bit too presumptuous. However, Shen Zui was clearly thick-skinned and didn’t find anything amiss. Without looking up, he casually replied, “Huh? No.”
He then added, “How about it? Are there any unsuitable clauses in the contract?”
Yi Chao shook his head.
“No, everything is reasonable.”
Shen Zui hummed in acknowledgment, then reached out to open the center console storage compartment, intending to find a pen for Xiao Chao.
But as soon as it opened, both of them froze simultaneously. Inside the compartment lay a small string of pink, square-shaped packets.
Shen Zui: “…”
What the hell is this?