5 I might not be into women.

It was just past six in the evening. Although there was still daylight, by the time He Si reached the office, it had begun to grow dark.

He Si often arrived early at his workplace. After waiting downstairs a few times, he had asked the manager to help him get a key to the main entrance. This made it easier for him to go up, locate the documents, and check them. After ensuring there were no smudges or alterations, he made three copies, stapled them, and tucked them into a folder.

Leaving the company, He Si used his phone to search for directions to Jiayi.

It wasn’t exactly close, but fortunately, there was a direct subway line. Eight stops later, he arrived. Jiayi was a wealthy firm, and their office was located right near the subway exit.

It was Saturday, so Jiayi was also observing the weekend. Moreover, it was well past business hours. The lobby on the first floor was deserted, with only a security guard on duty at the front desk.

Seeing it with his own eyes, Jiayi was indeed far superior to He Si’s company. The luxurious decor of the lobby exceeded even what he had seen in pictures. Walking on the floor, which was polished so brightly it reflected his image, He Si could hear the rhythmic tapping of his shoe soles; the lobby was so vast that it echoed.

He approached the front desk and stated his business. The guard looked at the documents in his hand, asked him to wait, and dialed a number on the landline.

The call was answered quickly.

"Hello," the guard said. "There's a young man here who says he's delivering something for the annual meeting. Should I let him come up?"

"Hang on, let me ask," the woman on the line said. After a few seconds of silence, she returned. "There’s no one in the office. It seems Sister Miao and the others have gone out for dinner."

The guard recalled something and asked, "What should I do then?"

"Just have him leave it with you. You can give it to them when you see them later."

"Alright."

The call ended. The guard looked at He Si. Since the phone had been on speaker, He Si had heard everything. He Si checked the documents in his hand, intending to hand them over, but hesitated and pulled his hand back.

"I think I’ll wait," He Si said.

The guard had no objections. "That’s fine."

Just then, his manager called again. The lobby was deathly quiet, so He Si looked around and walked outside with his phone.

Outside the office building was a patch of greenery, followed by the main road lined with shops. Not wanting to stand right at the office entrance, He Si turned a corner and answered the call.

"He Si, have you handed over the script? What did the boss say?" the manager asked.

He Si truthfully recounted what had happened and added, "I suspect they might have some revisions, so I didn't leave the script with the guard. I'll wait for them to return and hand it over personally to see what they have to say."

If all he had to do was make one trip, that would be ideal. But if there were specific instructions, it was naturally better to discuss them in person than over the phone.

"You're very thoughtful," the manager said. "Sorry to take up your time today."

"It's no trouble."

After a few more words, He Si was just about to head back when he caught a glimpse of something. His face froze, and he stood rooted to the spot.

The manager kept talking, but when he received no response, he called out several times.

"He Si, are you still there?"

He Si snapped back to reality, his heart racing. He gripped the file tightly and swallowed hard. "Yes."

"Did you hear what I just said?"

"I heard it."

"Good. Finish up early and head home. Stay safe."

After hanging up, He Si didn't walk back. Instead, he took a few cautious steps forward. To the right of the office building was a shorter structure; the upper floors were office spaces, while the ground floor was partitioned into several shops.

Two of the shops in the middle had been combined into a cafe. The exterior walls had been replaced with floor-to-ceiling glass. Inside, it was brightly lit and elegantly decorated. Standing in the shadows, He Si could clearly see the busy waiters and a few tables of guests chatting.

At the table closest to the window...

He Si put his phone in his pocket and found a spot to watch intently. Finally, he was certain—it was that man. The man he had been with that night.

His memory was filled with the image of the man completely naked, so he almost didn't recognize him fully dressed at first. But that face was so strikingly handsome that it was impossible to forget.

Tonight, the man was wearing a dark gray long coat left open, revealing a white shirt and black dress trousers. His legs were crossed in a relaxed posture, one hand idly rubbing the handle of a coffee cup as he listened quietly to the woman sitting opposite him.

The woman kept talking, leaving the man no chance to interject. Then again, judging by the man’s indifferent expression, he didn't seem to want to speak anyway.

He Si felt a mix of shock and wonder. It felt surreal, as if his eyes were playing tricks on him, or as if something were caught in his throat—unable to swallow or spit it out. He held his breath, waves of emotion surging within him.

C-City wasn't exactly huge, but it wasn't small either. As a lifelong resident, he rarely bumped into anyone unless they had specifically arranged to meet. He had assumed he would never see that man again.

Did the man live nearby? But the area was surrounded by office buildings and commercial zones; even the nearest residential complex was quite a distance away.

Did he work nearby, then?

He Si suppressed his curiosity and looked at the woman sitting across from the man. She was sitting sideways by the glass, her back to He Si. From his angle, he could only see her exquisite outfit and beautiful curly hair.

Who was she? Regardless, it had nothing to do with him.

He Si didn't think he had some kind of "imprinting" issue; he wasn't the type to fall deeply in love after one night. Still, having shared a bed with the man, his feelings were inevitably complicated.

Perhaps he had been watching for too long, as the man suddenly looked up, staring directly in He Si's direction.

He Si’s heart skipped a beat. Fortunately, he reacted quickly; before their eyes could meet, he turned around and walked away briskly.

Inside the cafe, Shen Zhi frowned slightly, his gaze following the retreating figure outside.

"Shen Zhi," his aunt called out helplessly from across the table.

Shen Zhi withdrew his gaze and looked at his aunt. He hadn't seen her in a long time. She wasn't his biological aunt, but his mother’s cousin. His parents had no siblings and had passed away when he was very young. He had been raised by his grandparents, and after they too passed away, she was the only relative among his extended family who stayed close to him.

She was also an only child and had been very close to his mother. She considered herself a second mother to him and worried about his affairs more than she did for her own son, Sheng Jun.

"When you didn't have any thoughts on the matter, I didn't pressure you. But you were the one who said you wanted to start a family, so I rushed around to set things up for you. Now you’re saying you don't want to go on dates anymore."

Shen Zhi was silent for a moment before finally speaking. "I’ve met at least a dozen people, if not dozens. I’ve spent a lot of time and effort on this, but I’ve never found the right person. I feel like continuing is just a waste of time."

Upon hearing this, his aunt breathed a sigh of relief. When Sheng Jun had relayed Shen Zhi's words, she had feared something had happened that night to make him lose heart or develop negative thoughts. Now, it seemed he was just a bit discouraged.

"You can't look at it that way," his aunt said. "Building a family with someone is a serious matter. If you don't choose carefully, how will you find the right person? We aren't nuts and bolts that fit together just because the sizes match. Not to mention your uncle and me, even your mother met many people before she finally chose your father."

At the mention of his parents, Shen Zhi’s cold expression softened slightly.

Seeing this, his aunt pressed on. "I'm not asking you to abandon your work to focus on dating. Just meet people in your spare time. If it works, it works; if not, move on to the next. It’s no big deal. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

Shen Zhi lowered his eyes, his lashes casting shadows on his skin. Watching that handsome face, which bore an eight-out-of-ten resemblance to her cousin’s, his aunt sighed internally.

"Shen Zhi, tell me the truth," his aunt said, changing her posture and asking seriously. "Do you still want to get married?"

Shen Zhi looked up, meeting her eyes. He composed his expression and thought seriously for nearly a minute before answering, "I do."

His aunt's face lit up. However, Shen Zhi shifted his tone.

"But—"

His aunt’s expression stiffened, a sense of foreboding rising in her chest.

Shen Zhi looked at her and said, "I might not like women."

His aunt felt as if her brain had been struck by a bomb. Everything went blank for several seconds. She struggled to find her voice, stuttering, "W-what do you mean you don't like women? Do you like men? Are you... gay?"

His aunt didn't have any prejudice against gay people, nor was she saying it was a bad thing... She was just too shocked. There had been no signs of this from Shen Zhi!

Wait. This was also a problem! Hadn't Shen Zhi been perfectly fine before? How could he suddenly start liking men after only a few months? Or did he already have someone he liked?

Before she could ask, Shen Zhi frowned and said, "I don't think I like men, either."

"You don't think?" his aunt asked, stunned. "What does 'don't think' mean?"

There was a hint of confusion in Shen Zhi’s eyes. He had been thinking about this all week, but he couldn't make sense of it.

"I didn't like men before, and now I'm not sure. But if I were to date a man, I still feel..." Shen Zhi paused, not knowing how to describe his feelings. After all, his actions and his psyche were in conflict.

His aunt slowly processed the fact, struggling to digest it before asking, "Do you have a partner?"

"No."

"Do you have someone you like?"

"No."

Without thinking, his aunt blurted out, "Then we can still continue with the dates, right? As it happens, the son of an acquaintance of mine is... one of those. He works in a government office, he's excellent, and I hear he’s currently single. I’ll go ask. If it seems appropriate, shall I arrange for you two to meet?"

Shen Zhi: "..."

On the other side, the security guard swiped the card for He Si. He Si reached the office, where the door was left ajar. A man and a woman were talking inside.

"Hasn't Mr. Shen returned yet? Whenever people came before, they’d meet in the office. It’s strange that he went downstairs today."

"It was Mr. Shen's aunt. They were probably talking about his matchmaking again. He treats it with importance, so he must have wanted to meet downstairs."

"Mr. Shen has been on so many dates, yet none have worked out. I thought with his background, he’d surely succeed every time."

"Do you think Mr. Shen isn't picky? His standards are sky-high."

"But he doesn't care about family background, and he’s not superficial about looks, is he?"

"That’s exactly what makes it difficult. But he seems so proactive and eager to get married. Maybe we’ll have news by the end of the year. Let's just wait."

He Si let the conversation go in one ear and out the other, not taking it to heart. When their talk reached a lull, he gently knocked on the office door.