Translator: ChuRen/ YuQiChen
He had no idea how drunk he was yesterday, what nonsense he said, or what he did, but waking up in the morning, he realised he had blocked Cha Nan.
“So, how are things going between you and the legendary Ji Shinan who’s all the rage in the city? The handsome and charming domineering CEO and the cute, muddle-headed little assistant, wow~~” Qi Lele winked and teased.
“We’re just working together…” Tang Qing felt a little embarrassed. “Lele, have you been reading too many CEO romance stories? We’re just boss and subordinate, that’s it.”
“It’s not that I like to imagine things! In our little group chat, many girls are shipping you two—a soft, cute, easily charmed junior and a cold, domineering senior. Ohoho, I’m totally fangirling right now.”
Qi Lele wasn’t lying. Among the regular intern assistants, there was a group chat with several dozen people.
On Tang Qing’s first day at work, Zhong Xiaoling privately contacted his uncle and got hold of Tang Qing’s resume. Pretending not to care, he posted it in the group with a caption:
[HR Zhong Xiaoling: While organising files, I accidentally saw that the assistant specially chosen to work in the president’s office actually graduated from an art academy.]
[HR Zhong Xiaoling: Not that I look down on art students; Xinghai Art Academy has a high reputation, and art students are impressive. I just find it a bit strange that an art student would skip art and come to interview for an intern assistant.]
When Qi Lele read this, she got angry.
Zhong Xiaoling’s words were dripping with sourness, clearly trying to act like a green tea manipulator!
Just as she was writing a long reply to slam her hard in the face,
Unexpectedly, others started flooding the chat.
[Organisation Dept. Li Xiaolin: Wow!! So this CEO assistant is actually so beautiful! Does he work on the top floor? I really want to run into him!]
[HR Chen Shanshan: Art student photos really are different, such beauties, I’m crying… I’ve seen so many one-inch photos daily—those guys, you wouldn’t believe how sloppy they look, like they just got out of prison. My eyes are about to go blind…]
[PR Dept. Huang Li: So this is the tasty little assistant Secretary Li managed to find after a hundred tries to offer to President Ji? Li really understands what the people want to see. I’m already shipping—cold, dark, and domineering CEO falls for the playful, tender little assistant ()]
Before Qi Lele could speak up for Tang Qing, the chat box was flooded with the girls’ messages.
[HR Chen Shanshan: Cold, dark, and domineering CEO falls for the playful, tender little assistant ()]
[Organization Dept. Li Xiaolin: Cold, dark, and domineering CEO falls for the playful, tender little assistant ()]
Zhong Xiaoling tried to break in again, desperately trying to steer the topic back:
[HR Department – Zhong Xiaoling: Don’t you guys think it’s weird that so many of us, proper administrative management majors, got outcompeted by an art student?]
[PR Department – Qi Lele: Cold, dark, and domineering CEO falls for the playful, tender little assistant ().]
Qi Lele realized that if you can’t beat them, join them. As long as she spammed the chat fast enough, no one could throw shade at Tang Qing.
And so, everyone immersed themselves in the perfect romance between the CEO and the assistant, paying no attention to Zhong Xiaoling’s subtle jabs.
Later, she noticed that Zhong Xiaoling, the little green tea, kept finding various ways each day to throw shade at Tang Qing.
But whether it was because his level was too high or too low, no one really noticed what he was hinting at—they were too busy fangirling over the ship.
Work was already hard enough; who had energy to be jealous of others? It was better to enjoy daydreaming about the handsome colleagues.
So Qi Lele had no intention of telling Tang Qing about these annoying matters—after all, no one really cared about Zhong Xiaoling’s green tea comments.
“My girls want me to ask you—does President Ji have that exclusive ‘cedar’ scent that only domineering CEOs have? Does he have eight-pack abs? Does he have a fiancée who just returned from abroad?”
“Ah…?”
Tang Qing blinked in confusion.
He had only been on the job a few days—how would he know about Ji Shinan’s scent, physique, or family background?
“Lele, trust me, my relationship with President Ji is purely professional, just boss and subordinate. I honestly don’t know any of those things you’re talking about…” Tang Qing said helplessly.
Qi Lele gave him a doubtful look, then excitedly continued:
“So, have you ever accidentally tripped and fallen into President Ji’s arms? Accidentally spilt water on him and then kept wiping him with tissues? Or maybe fallen asleep and drooled on his chest?”
Tang Qing: “…?”
He slowly typed out a question mark.
He admitted he was new and might still lack some skills, but surely not so clumsy that he couldn’t walk steadily or carry tea properly, right…
Tang Qing helplessly changed the subject.
“By the way, where’s that little kitten? I looked around but didn’t see the tabby cat from that day.”
“I haven’t seen it these past couple of days. Not sure if it’s out playing somewhere,” Qi Lele said. “But recently, someone nearby has been poisoning cats. I hope it’s okay…”
“Poisoning?” Tang Qing was startled, raising his voice involuntarily.
“Yeah, like the antisocial stuff you see in the news. They leave poisoned cat food where stray cats often hang out to kill them, and some even catch strays to film animal abuse videos,” Qi Lele shared the rumours she’d recently heard.
Tang Qing couldn’t help but worry—what if that tabby cat was in danger?
After chatting for a while, Tang Qing headed to the elevator, planning to return to the office.
“Hey, watch out!”
At that moment, someone rounded the corner and accidentally bumped into Tang Qing, spilling the coffee they were holding all over his white shirt.
“Sorry! I didn’t mean to,” the person turned out to be Zhong Xiaoling.
“Are you blind? Don’t you look where you’re going? We’re at work. Why are you running?” Qi Lele couldn’t help but scold upon seeing her.
“Sorry, Tang Qing, I had some urgent work and wasn’t watching. I didn’t expect to bump into someone here—it’s my fault,” Zhong Xiaoling apologised sincerely and loudly.
“No problem.” Tang Qing wasn’t sure if it was intentional, but in public, he couldn’t make a big deal out of it.
He said to Qi Lele, “I’m fine. Can you help me get some tissue?”
Qi Lele glared at Zhong Xiaoling and fetched a towel for Tang Qing.
Feeling helpless, Tang Qing returned to his office.
He was wearing a white shirt today, and now the hem was stained with a large coffee-colored patch—very noticeable.
He sat at his desk with a worried expression, hoping there wouldn’t be any tasks requiring him to move around before the end of the day.
But things didn’t go as hoped.
He soon received work instructions from Secretary Li to assist with distributing materials in a meeting room.
What was he supposed to do now?
Only a few days on the job, and this was already so embarrassing.
After finishing a meeting, Ji Shinan walked over from a distance.
Tang Qing awkwardly bent down, pretending to tie his shoelaces, hoping Ji Shinan wouldn’t see how embarrassed he was.
“Xiao Tang, what’s wrong?”
The tall man stopped beside him and asked softly.
“President Ji, my clothes got accidentally stained,” Tang Qing said shyly, pointing to the coffee stain on his shirt.
“Follow me.”
Ji Shinan showed no sign of displeasure; he simply strode over to the president’s office with his long legs.
Inside the office was a small lounge room. Ji Shinan entered and took out a dark blue shirt.
“This is my spare. It might be a bit big,” he said, handing the shirt to Tang Qing.
“That’s great, thank you, President Ji,” Tang Qing said, surprised and grateful as he took the shirt.
The shirt was indeed a little large, but the material was excellent, with a faint sandalwood fragrance.
Ji Shinan said expressionlessly, “Change quickly. The meeting is about to start.”
Tang Qing secretly glanced up at Ji Shinan, who didn’t seem to intend to leave.
But since it was only the two of them here, Tang Qing felt awkward asking Ji Shinan to turn away—both being men, that would be too sensitive.
He thanked him, took the shirt, and turned around.
Slender, jade-like fingers touched the buttons, deftly undoing one after another, revealing his pale, smooth back.
Ji Shinan really didn’t turn around. He stood openly behind the boy.
He stared straight at Tang Qing’s body, as perfect as fine warm jade.
He knew what that smooth skin felt like to the touch.
The boy’s back was thin. As the hands moved, the exquisite butterfly-shaped shoulder blades formed an elegant contour; the back’s lines were smooth and beautiful.
Then the dark blue shirt covered it again.
The man noticed that the kiss mark on the boy’s pale neck had faded almost beyond sight.
The traces he had left on the boy’s body were disappearing.
And the boy no longer remembered who the man he had passionately shared that day with was.
What happened that day had become a secret memory, known only to himself.
The man turned his head slightly, his eyes deep and profound.
Tang Qing finally buttoned up the shirt, turned around, and looked up at Ji Shinan, feeling a bit nervous.
“President Ji, isn’t this too big on me? Doesn’t it look bad?”
The collar was a little wide for Tang Qing, revealing a large area of delicate collarbones. The boy’s neck appeared even more slender and fragile, elegant like a white swan.
Tang Qing rolled up the sleeves, exposing a section of his slender, delicate wrist, thin as a spring onion1Let’s all take a moment to remember… we have bones, unlike the shou in these dramatic novels. BRUH SPRING ONION?! How small is he?!
Like a naive little boyfriend wearing his man’s shirt.
“Let’s go. The meeting’s starting.”
The handsome man didn’t answer his question, simply strode out of the office with long strides.
Tang Qing hurriedly followed Ji Shinan out.
Before leaving the office, he took a sniff of the shirt’s scent.
Next time he saw Qi Lele, he could tell her that the domineering CEO didn’t smell like a 2B pencil’s cedar scent2damn the 2B pencil makes a cameo here, but rather a light, comforting sandalwood fragrance.
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2 thoughts on “Chapter 199 – The scent of a man”
What do ya mean by 2b pencil one. Also I don’t if its just me but, I thought I caught smth big that the villain and qi Lele are girls, but when I checked the interview ch they are refer to as him, are they girls or boys. I like the coworkers who sip them, their gay radar is strong af. Well I think it’s probably the top part of the spring onion spread out, cause like u I dont believe they have such small wrists. Haha The cedar scent is soo common. Also cosily ok, I never heard of it before I’ve only ever used cozily, thanks for teaching me. I was hoping to get an under the desk scene from the 1st arc when the pen dropped it didn’t happen then sooo sad 😔, but I hope it happens later. I’m scared don’t be manipulative with me jiejie😢[jk]. I dont care if she doesn’t wanna be my friend, they problem is that she was rude to not say anything and leave with another friend and specifically this week people seem to have some kind of quest to PISS ME OFF, cause why the heck did my mom think a noise from phone [I took in the bathroom, cause im always bored, in the middle of the night, she was sleeping then she woke up, scolded me for waking her up with noise, I was scared, hid my phone got out, she asked me if the noise was from me, I dont fucking know what u heard. so she scolded me, it somehow turned into I dont exercise to comparing me with literal celebs] the next day she was like I keep hearing these noises from our neighbor, I was like THATS WHAT PROBABLY WOKE U NOT ME AND MY LITTLE TINY TEENY PHONE MUSIC internally. Another teacher gave me a point off, my classmate didnt have any we did the same FUCKING mistake, I just did 2 should my classmate have a half a point off NO THEY HAVE FUCKING FAVORITISM, and that friend sucks too these days, like everybody’s pissing me off. WISH ME LUCK II HAVE SOO MANY EXMAS, I DIDNT EVEN FUCKING PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS FOR ONE SUBJECT IM DEAD I WAS SOOO TIRED AND THE MATH WAS A LULLABY. Thank you for the chapter ChuRen jiejie.
Qi Lele is a girl. Could you point out the part that says the villain is a girl and Qi Lele is a boy? 2B pencil smells like cedar. Smh my nephews have thicker arms than that and they are just toddlers. WYM spring onion arms. We already had the under the desk scene from arc 1 didn’t we?
Hmmm well honestly, call me cold hearted or anything, but I can’t seem to get attached. Ngl if you don’t expect anything from anyone, you wouldn’t be disappointed if they let you down. That’s just how life is.
Thanks for reading