Chapter 162: Like

Chapter 162: Affection

A dream—again, a dream.

Shi Lv held the now-recovering kitten as he walked down the corridor of Zhenhai Hotel.

The sound of his heels clicked against the floor, muffled slightly by the plush carpet. As he approached the door, Shi Lv seemed to grasp the situation he was in.

He owed medical bills surpassing the limits of eighteen maxed-out credit cards, and his creditor slipped him a room key, instructing him to go to the presidential suite on the 29th floor.

Shi Lv had no choice. He set the kitten down on the floor, his heart hammering as he nudged the door open. His coat and shirt slipped off one by one, and finally, he stepped onto the bed.

Before him stretched endless darkness, beneath him the soft mattress of Zhenhai Hotel’s presidential suite, a thin goose-down comforter weighing lightly on him—and in front of him…

Was Liang Xu.

He was breathing heavily, his skin glistening with a fine sweat, glowing like cold jade. The scent of Green Bamboo Wine lingered in the air, and the pure silver chain of his glasses dangled before Shi Lv’s eyes, dazzling like moonlight.

Shi Lv opened his eyes—only to find an actual silver chain swaying before him. The cold metal brushed against his skin, raising goosebumps.

And behind that chain was Liang Xu’s profile.

He was reading a document, occasionally flipping through the pages, yet the shoulder Shi Lv had used as a pillow didn’t budge. Noticing Shi Lv was awake, Liang Xu turned his head slightly, his deep amber eyes carrying a hint of amusement. "Awake?"

"!"

The star of his erotic dream appearing right before him—Shi Lv startled, jerking away from his shoulder like a spring. "Mm," he muttered, stiff.

Liang Xu acted as if he hadn’t noticed his embarrassment at all, simply handing him the document. "Little Ginger’s stable now. All vital signs are good, though still under anesthesia. She’ll need monitoring and care, so she’ll have to stay at the hospital for a few more days before going home. Would you like to see her?"

Shi Lv flipped through the pages—medical reports and medication records. In short, recovery was progressing as expected, and in just a week or two, she could be taken home.

He let out a sigh of relief.

An assistant led Shi Lv and Liang Xu to the observation room. Through a thin pane of glass, Shi Lv pressed his hand against it. Inside the sterile incubator, the kitten was curled up asleep, hugging her tail. A bandage was wrapped around her belly, and due to the anesthesia, her head lolled to the side, a tiny bit of tongue sticking out—just like the neutered cats Shi Lv had seen in videos, looking downright dopey.

Shi Lv bit his lip to stifle a chuckle.

The kitten’s condition was tricky, and the treatment was expensive. Many families abandoned their pets because they couldn’t afford it. To Shi Lv—a student—the sum was unimaginable. But when he asked, he found out Liang Xu had already paid for everything—not just the current expenses, but all future treatments as well.

Shi Lv felt awkward, his thanks wooden. "Thank you."

Liang Xu knew when to stop, not wanting to scare him off by pushing too hard. Gently, he said, "You’ve had a long night. Don’t worry about work today—go home and rest."

Shi Lv was in a haze, nodding along to whatever Liang Xu said. He trudged home, put in for time off with his team leader, then pulled up X’s chat window. He wanted to say something, typing and deleting, deleting and typing—over and over, yet not a single message was sent.

Liang Xu sat in his office, sipping tea, watching the 'typing…' bubble linger for a full twenty minutes.

A smirk tugged at his lips before he realized it. "Not sleeping?"

The moment the message was sent, the 'typing…' disappeared. Liang Xu took another sip of tea, already imagining the deer-in-headlights look on the junior intern’s face.

After an eternity, Shi Lv finally sent a stiff reply: "What should I call you?"

"Mr. X, or President Liang?"

Liang Xu: "Skip the formalities. My name’s fine."

"......"

Intern Shi Lv didn’t dare.

He scrolled up and saw the series of abs photos he had sent to X, feeling as if he'd been caught by a teacher posting borderline NSFW content online—wanted to die of embarrassment.

Had he known X was Liang Xu, Intern Shi Lv would never have sent those photos.

Now it was all out in the open. He’d asked so many irrelevant questions, exposing his lack of competence despite his careful attempts to hide it. Little did he know, his shortcomings had been completely exposed.

But if CEO Liang Xu had known all along that he wasn’t up to par, why keep him and even take the time to mentor him?

It couldn’t just be out of pity for a struggling intern, could it...?

Shi Lv patted his cheeks, a ridiculous thought surfacing.

—Could it be that President Liang really liked his abs that much?

Shi Lv had never been in a relationship, but he wasn’t stupid either. Connecting the dots over the past few days—Liang Xu’s guidance, treating him to meals, running around for his cat, even letting him rest on his shoulder—it all pointed toward something more than just mentorship. It felt like the beginnings of a romantic pursuit.

But… becoming the boyfriend of New Leaf Group’s CEO?

Shi Lv wasn’t that delusional. Interns with his level of experience were a dime a dozen at New Leaf. CEO Liang Xu could easily have his pick of partners and still have room to spare—there was no reason to fixate on him alone.

So then… was he just a casual fling?

CEO Liang Xu was one of Haicheng’s most eligible bachelors, his status high enough to elevate anyone to the top. Alphas threw themselves at him, betas weren't far behind, and even some omegas surreptitiously probed his preferences, begging 'look at me, big brother, I'm available!'

Yet word on the street was that Liang Xu had never been publicly linked to anyone, maintaining a reserved demeanor—a stick-in-the-mud, literally. Rumors even claimed he was devoted to his late husband, vowing to remain chaste after their passing.

Shi Lv rubbed his chin, wondering: If Liang Xu had sworn off romance, then what exactly was he to him?

A passing amusement? A casual fling? Just some online thirst trap with nice abs? Or something else entirely?

But Shi Lv was easygoing by nature. If he couldn’t figure it out, he’d let it go.

From any angle, being Liang Xu’s… whatever this was… wasn’t a bad deal.

At the very least, Liang Xu seemed to have a bit of a thing for him. And him?

Well… he had a bit of a thing for Liang Xu too.

After two consecutive wet dreams, Shi Lv couldn’t kid himself anymore. Tossing and turning for what felt like hours, he thought, "Maybe I should give it a try?"

Whatever the future held, at least he wouldn’t have regrets now.

Besides, Shi Lv was genuinely grateful to Liang Xu. Without him last night, he wouldn’t have known what to do.

But how should he express that gratitude?

X liked abs, but Shi Lv couldn’t bring himself to send more. As for Liang Xu… he seemed to enjoy Shi Lv’s homemade meals?

Shi Lv considered himself an average cook—decent, but nothing extraordinary. Yet Liang Xu, with his palate accustomed to fine dining, somehow enjoyed his simple dishes.

If Liang Xu liked it, Shi Lv was happy to keep cooking for him.

He carefully prepared a pot of braised chicken with wild mushrooms—one of the few elaborate dishes he could make—alongside a few home-style stir-fried dishes, topped it off with rice, packing it all neatly into a bear-shaped lunchbox to bring to the office.

When Liang Xu led him to the break room again during lunch and Shi Lv slid the bear-shaped lunchbox toward him, Liang Xu’s face lit up with delight.

The dish was well-balanced, with tender chicken and clear broth. The mushrooms were beautifully scored with cross-shaped cuts, revealing their pale flesh—clearly made with care.

His intern was earnestly trying to cook for him.

This was an experience Liang Xu had never had in his first thirty-some years.

Over the years, there had been no shortage of alphas attempting to curry favor with him. Though his complicated family background made acceptance impossible, most alphas were arrogant and self-important, expecting Liang Xu to take them to high-end hotels and luxury clubs—after all, latching onto an eligible bachelor was all about indulgence. No one had ever tried to bring him a home-cooked meal.

Shi Lv’s gesture gave him the illusion of being cared for.

As if he had never suffered misfortune, never been subordinate to anyone, but was just like any ordinary omega, falling in love with an alpha who cherished him.

So Liang Xu picked up a piece of chicken and placed it in his mouth. He ate with refined manners, chewing carefully until the savory broth filled his mouth. Behind his silver glasses, his eyes involuntarily slitted in satisfaction.

Like a cat basking in the sun.

And all the while, Shi Lv watched him with barely concealed nervousness.

Shi Lv truly had no confidence in his cooking skills. If Liang Xu liked it this much, it could only mean his palate was off—and how someone with questionable taste would judge food was beyond Shi Lv’s comprehension.

When Liang Xu happily finished every last bite, Shi Lv finally relaxed.

He began eating the seafood Liang Xu had brought.

Liang Xu seemed to have studied his preferences, as the meals he brought grew tastier each time. For a while, the two ate in silence, the only sound in the break room the clinking of utensils.

Then, Shi Lv and Liang Xu’s relationship settled into an unspoken, clandestine state.

Liang Xu still visited the fourth team daily, briefing new interns on industry insights and career planning. At the same time, he would pause behind Shi Lv, resting a hand on the computer as he helped work through tough problems.

X’s account also remained active, sharing daily updates and exchanging goodnight wishes. Shi Lv made a habit of stopping by the veterinary clinic after work each day—a trip that wasn’t exactly close, taking a good forty minutes by subway. After Liang Xu once spotted him on the way, he started driving him there instead.

So when the workday ended and colleagues trickled out, a few greeted Shi Lv and asked why he hadn’t left yet. Guiltily shutting his laptop, he replied, “Let’s go.”

He lingered at the back of the group, sneaking into the elevator to head downstairs.

In another glass elevator, Liang Xu was descending as well.

Both elevators were transparent, moving almost in sync, offering a clear view of each other. Liang Xu, still impeccably dressed in a suit and glasses, was surrounded by two or three executives, making small talk. On one side were the company executives; on the other, new hires and interns. Their gazes met briefly in midair before quickly parting.

As the elevator descended, Shi Lv’s phone buzzed.

He pulled it out stealthily, checking the message in the corner—it was from X.

X: *Meet me at our usual spot. I’ll take you to see Ginger.*

Shi Lv glanced up. Liang Xu was deep in conversation with the executives, adjusting his glasses as his gaze flickered imperceptibly toward Shi Lv, eyes glinting with amusement.

Fumbling, Shi Lv typed back: *Okay.*

They both shifted subtly, edging toward the inner walls of their respective elevators, backs almost aligned as they fiddled with their phones.

It felt downright clandestine.

A few dozen seconds later, the elevators smoothly reached the ground floor. The two groups went their separate ways, colleagues bidding farewell while Shi Lv ducked out of the building.

He stopped in an alley a few hundred meters from New Leaf Group.

The executive's sedan pulled up smoothly beside him. Liang Xu lowered the window and smirked. “Well? Get in.”