Chapter 56
Feng Chen probably didn’t remember a casual encounter with someone like Xu Yi.
But for Xu Yi, it was a story that began as a sweet campus crush and took a sharp turn into a one-night stand in a bar, complete with a cross-dressing twist.
Xu Yi wasn’t rich, but before his mother’s illness, his family had been comfortable, his parents’ steady jobs providing a stable life.
Then, during his second year of university, his mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, late-stage. The mounting medical bills from surgeries, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy had almost crippled them financially.
But misfortune rarely came alone. If it had just been his mother’s illness, they might have managed. Once he graduated and started working, they could have overcome their financial difficulties.
But shortly after his mother’s diagnosis, his father was diagnosed with lung cancer, also late-stage.
Xu Yi never saw his father’s diagnosis.
While he buried himself in his studies, chasing scholarships and working multiple part-time jobs, his parents, hiding the truth from him, signed DNR orders.
Within nine months, he lost both his parents.
They left him with no debt, having meticulously repaid all their loans and even managing to save enough for him to keep their apartment and a small amount of cash.
During his third year, when he finally had a chance to earn a decent income through an internship, his world felt cold and empty.
He became obsessed with money.
He worked tirelessly, accumulating wealth, yet his life remained simple, the growing numbers in his bank account unable to fill the void within him.
When he first met Xie Zhang, he knew he wasn’t… normal.
Not in a negative way.
Xie Zhang had Song Jingmo, a lifeline pulling him back from the abyss.
Xu Yi had no such anchor.
He didn’t know what to do besides work and earn money. He had no hobbies, no passions, nothing that truly mattered to him.
So, despite his seemingly dedicated and efficient work ethic, he felt… empty.
Even while translating Song Jingmo’s… colorful… reading material, his face remained expressionless.
But he enjoyed it.
The stories, however outlandish, were more interesting than his predictable work life.
Humans, when suppressed for too long, instinctively sought an outlet.
One evening, after finishing a particularly explicit Korean manhwa, he stared at the cross-dressing character, lost in thought.
Could a man really dress as a woman and be completely unrecognizable?
Hmm, he’d try it.
He chose an outfit, drawing inspiration from his extensive reading material.
A black halter dress with a thigh-high slit, a black leather choker with silver chains to conceal his Adam’s apple, a long, curly wig, and high heels.
Men’s legs were naturally more… aesthetically pleasing, and the dress accentuated them perfectly.
He examined himself in the mirror, then, consulting a makeup tutorial, applied some light makeup.
Not bad.
But his legs looked a bit bare; stockings would have been better.
Next time, he thought.
Experience was the best teacher.
As it turned out, if you were good-looking, you could pull off anything.
He took a taxi to a bar far from his apartment, then, as they approached his building, he draped a men’s trench coat over his shoulders and stepped out, carefully navigating the high heels.
…
He chose a seat at the bar, ordered a drink, and took out a cigarette.
As the alcohol warmed his throat, his usually unflappable mind seemed to loosen its grip, a pleasant haze settling over him.
But Xu Yi was a lightweight.
He could hold his liquor when he needed to.
It was a professional hazard, a necessary skill for a secretary.
Staring at the red lipstick stain on his cigarette, he watched the smoke curl and dissipate, his eyes slightly unfocused.
He was gay, whether by nature or nurture, he wasn’t sure. He hadn’t had any serious relationships, his first kiss, his first time, still… untouched… but he’d had a crush once.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have so easily connected with Song Jingmo, sharing his… interests.
It had been a brief but intense infatuation, a flurry of stolen glances and a desperate quest for photos, lasting only half a semester.
Then, the object of his affection had gone abroad for graduate studies, and he…
He mentally counted the number of people who had approached him, his mind idly replaying the face of his former crush.
He couldn’t remember.
But he knew where to find a photo.
—He’d look him up later, just to remember what he looked like.
He took a drag of his cigarette, his eyes lowered, a veil of smoke obscuring his face, his phoenix eyes seemingly both inviting and indifferent.
Beautiful people with stories were common in bars, but this air of languid world-weariness was… intriguing.
Just as he was about to leave, feeling slightly bored, he saw a familiar figure at the entrance.
His cigarette had burned down to the filter.
Some encounters left a lasting impression, a spark that rekindled no matter how much time had passed.
First loves, unrequited crushes, they lingered in the heart.
The moment he saw him, Xu Yi remembered everything.
His gaze, bypassing the dancing crowd, the flashing lights, found the man.
Compared to his younger, more innocent self in college, Feng Chen hadn’t changed much.
His features had matured, but he was still strikingly handsome.
Tall, around 1.9 meters, a dark coat draped over his arm, his white shirt slightly unbuttoned, he was talking to someone, his expression a mixture of amusement and exasperation.
Feng Chen, Xu Yi thought, the burning ember of his cigarette, almost touching his fingers, a dangerous reminder of his past infatuation.
The sudden pang in his chest, the lingering bittersweet ache, was almost… addictive.
He extinguished the cigarette.
The captivating figure at the bar, his trench coat draped over his shoulders, his dress swaying with each step, walked towards Feng Chen, navigating the crowded dance floor, the music pulsating around him.
Feng Chen seemed surprised, his gaze distant, unfamiliar.
But Xu Yi’s eyes, initially hazy, cleared, shining like stars in the dim light.
He smiled, his phoenix eyes crinkling, his voice husky from smoking, yet alluringly seductive: “Want to come with me?”
But his voice… was undeniably male.
…
Xu Yi, ever the efficient secretary, excelled at the art of the one-night stand.
He left slightly disheveled, the unfamiliar high heels proving challenging.
He’d even accidentally taken Feng Chen’s shoes.
In the taxi, replaying the night’s events, he realized something had been… off… about Feng Chen.
He’d been about to say something, then Xu Yi, slightly drunk and emboldened, had dragged him to a hotel and… well… taken charge.
And what had he said?
Either we do this, or you find someone else.
Then Feng Chen had become… surprisingly enthusiastic.
Xu Yi: “…”
He closed his eyes, his excellent memory supplying the source of that particular line.
A slightly drunk person wasn’t scary.
A tipsy person was dangerous.
He’d actually acted out a bar encounter, one-night stand scenario with his former crush.
His reading material was corrupting him.
Seriously.
Despite the… strenuous… night, Xu Yi, the ever-reliable secretary, arrived at work on time.
He was even less sentimental than Xie Zhang. Whether it was cross-dressing or one-night stands, he didn’t dwell on his impulsive actions.
It had happened; he’d moved on.
But being thorough, he scheduled a checkup the following week.
It had been a brief flicker of… something… in his otherwise predictable life, quickly extinguished.
He’d soon forgotten about it.
—Not because he was particularly resilient, but because the events unfolding at his company demanded his full attention.
He simply hadn’t had time to think about it.
After all, even the adaptable Secretary Xu needed time to process his boss’s… ghostly wife.
Compared to that, a one-night stand with a former crush was a minor event.
Then, months later, having completely forgotten about Feng Chen, he was at the airport, picking up Xie Zhang’s newly hired CEO.
Feng Chen emerged from the arrivals gate, pulling his suitcase, then paused, seeing Xu Yi, a warm smile appearing on his face.
Xu Yi’s expression remained neutral.
He didn’t think Feng Chen would recognize him.
His makeup skills had been rudimentary, his wig had come off during their… activities, and his lipstick had been… consumed.
Feng Chen approached him, extending his hand, smiling: “Hello, I’m Feng Chen.”
Xu Yi, thanks to Song Jingmo, had read countless stories, but he’d never imagined such a scenario would happen to him.
He paused, then shook his hand: “Xu Yi.”
Their fingers brushed against each other briefly.
Feng Chen looked slightly embarrassed: “Apologies, I need to wait for my pet. Please wait a moment.”
“Of course,” Xu Yi said politely.
An airport employee brought over a pet carrier.
Xu Yi glanced at the fluffy white Call duck inside.
Despite the long flight, the duck seemed perfectly content, a pristine white ball of fluff, its eyes bright and alert.
It stared at Xu Yi for a moment, then tilted its head curiously.
Feng Chen: “It seems to like you.”
Xu Yi asked politely: “It’s adorable. Does it have a name?”
Feng Chen opened the carrier, checking on the duck, then smiled: “It’s called Duck. My friends abroad couldn’t take care of it, so I brought it back with me.”
Xu Yi’s expression remained neutral, despite the… unusual… name.
Feng Chen, holding the pet carrier in one hand and his suitcase in the other, looked at him intently.
Xu Yi, seeing him staring, was about to offer a polite compliment when Feng Chen sighed, saying:
“One always falls into the same trap. I chose this name as a reminder, not to be blinded by beauty.”
“After all, a captivating stranger might not be interested in romance.”
“Just a quick… fling.”
“Don’t you agree, Secretary Xu?”
Xu Yi: “…”
He took a deep breath, then took the pet carrier from Feng Chen, his expression carefully neutral.
“It seems you have a… colorful… personal life, Mr. Feng.”
“But perhaps we should head to the parking lot now.”
“Do you have a place to stay in Beijing?”
He, Xu Yi, would not become a character in one of those stories.
“Of course, Secretary Xu.”
Feng Chen, his demeanor affable, pulled out his phone and showed him something.
He’d been like this in college too… Xu Yi’s mind wandered.
Feng Chen: “This is the address.”
Xu Yi looked at the address on the screen, his eye twitching.
It was a five-star hotel, a good location, but far from the city center where their company was located.
And it was…
…the same hotel where he’d had his… encounter… with Feng Chen.
Feng Chen, meeting his gaze, smiled: “I’ve only booked the hotel for now.”
“I haven’t been in Beijing for a while. I stayed there briefly when I met with Mr. Xie, so I decided to stay there again.”
“If I move later…”
He removed his jacket, his gaze intense, almost predatory.
Like a predator finally cornering its prey.
“I’ll let you know, Secretary Xu.”
—The End.—
