After a night of heavy drinking, Shang Songchuan wakes up to find he’s slept with a man. The headache makes it impossible for him to remember the face of the man who slept with him. Each time he thinks about it, Shang Songchuan goes into a fit of rage.

His assistant, Guan Ci, calmly advises, “Mr. Shang, it was just a one-night stand. Why are you so worked up?”

Shang Songchuan scoffs, “Just a one-night stand? That was my first time, Guan Ci! Don’t you know that a man’s virtue is his best dowry?”

The more he thinks about it, the angrier he gets. “Your ‘best dowry’ is still intact, so why is mine gone?”

Guan Ci, unfazed, replies, “Mine’s not intact either.”

Shang Songchuan stops flipping through his documents, looking at his assistant—a calm, collected man with a fair complexion and a look that belongs in a comic book.

**

Guan Ci didn’t give much thought to the one-night stand with his boss—until his regular workout routine of a hundred crunches, planks, and pull-ups stops producing results. His abs are fading, his belly seems to be getting bigger, and he occasionally feels nauseated. Alarmed, he heads to the hospital for a check-up.

The doctor looks at the report, his expression complex. “You…”

Guan Ci remains calm. “Speak. I can handle it.”

The doctor says, “You’re pregnant.”

Guan Ci: “But I’m a man.”

Doctor: “Which is why I’m worried you can’t handle it.”

Guan Ci: … Wait, I might actually not be able to handle this.

Mini Theater:

On the day he confesses about the pregnancy, Shang Songchuan’s hand trembles as he holds the test results. After a moment of serious contemplation, he says, “Take off your clothes.”

Guan Ci, incredulous, responds, “You’re telling me you need to sleep with me again just to confirm I was the guy that night?”

Tags: Loyal Love, Workplace Romance, Destined Pairing, Sweet and Comedic

Search Keywords: Main characters: Guan Ci, Shang Songchuan | Others:

One-line Summary: Assistant Guan is expecting his boss’s child.

Core Theme: Courage is a traditional virtue of the Chinese people.

I’ll be updating one chapter daily at 5 a.m. local time (GMT +8).

This work is not mine, and all rights belong to the original author. I am only the translator of this work.

During his student days, Guan Ci took on cosplay gigs to make some extra money and ended up meeting a lot of people in the ACG community. But after starting his master’s program, he stopped cosplaying and hadn’t kept in touch with many friends from that circle in the years since graduating.

[ACG community is Anime, Comics, and Games community.]

Today’s gathering was organized by Wang Xueya, partly to celebrate her wedding and partly because it had been ages since everyone had seen each other.

The venue was a well-known entertainment club in the southern part of the city.

As soon as Guan Ci opened the door to the private room, he was greeted by a familiar female voice exclaiming, “Xiao Ci! You’re working in a tech company with a 996 schedule? I thought you’d gone into entertainment after graduation. How do you keep getting better looking?”

[“Xiao” (小) is a common term in Chinese that means “small” or “little.” In Chinese culture, it’s often used as a familiar or affectionate prefix before someone’s name, especially to address younger people or those close to you.]

[The “996 schedule” is a common term in China that refers to a demanding work schedule of working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. It’s particularly prevalent in the tech and startup industries, where long hours are often expected due to the competitive and fast-paced nature of the work.]

At the office, Guan Ci dressed simply, usually in a suit and dress pants. But for this gathering, several people had already messaged him in the group chat, forbidding polo shirts and casual pants, and definitely no business suits. They wanted to give their “visual king” a proper chance to dazzle them again.

To those who didn’t know him well, Guan Ci might seem like an untouchable “flower on a high mountain,” but those who knew him knew he was warm and approachable. Not wanting to disappoint his friends, he had taken extra care to dress up tonight.

[The phrase “flower on a high mountain” (高岭之花, gāo lǐng zhī huā) is a Chinese idiom that describes someone who appears distant, unattainable, or out of reach—like a beautiful flower blooming high on a mountain. It’s often used to refer to someone who seems cold, aloof, or too perfect to approach, but may actually be warm and down-to-earth once you get to know them.]

He wore a soft, oversized deep-V white shirt, paired with a pair of glasses framed with silver and gold chains, adding a playful edge to his look.

The moment he stepped inside, the room erupted in cheers. One of the women he hadn’t seen in a long time even whipped out her phone and took several rapid shots. “Ci-ge, have you seriously never thought about living off your looks? My brother just opened an entertainment company!”

[In Chinese, “Ge” (哥) means “older brother.” However, it’s also commonly used as a casual or friendly way to refer to a man, usually someone respected, admired, or a bit older.]

Wang Xueya, his senior and the one who had introduced him to the cosplay scene back then, came over to accept his wedding gift. Guan Ci gave her a smile, his deliberate red beauty mark at the corner of his eye adding a hint of mischief. He said lazily, “I can’t rely on my looks. I’m getting old.”

The woman feigned annoyance. “Are you implying my brother’s company is full of nobodies?”

Guan Ci took a seat on the sofa with a deadpan expression. “I had to apply three layers of foundation and two rounds of concealer just to dare to come out and meet you all.”

“Even though I know you’re lying, you’re so handsome I’ll forgive you.”

He chuckled, “Thank you.”

Although it had been years since he’d seen many of the people there, most of them were quite outgoing, and Guan Ci was adept at blending into any environment. Once they got past the initial awkwardness, they didn’t dwell on life’s difficulties; instead, they threw themselves into games with infectious enthusiasm.

Guan Ci was smart and used to be great at various games. But ever since he joined the R&D department at Yuan’an Technology during his third year of graduate school, his 996 schedule left him with little time for fun, so he lost several rounds tonight.

After four or five shots of vodka, he rubbed his forehead and stood up, saying, “I’m heading to the restroom.”

After using the toilet, he stood at the sink, turned on the faucet, leaned down, and splashed his face with cold water. Feeling more awake, he dried his fingers with a paper towel, put on his gold-framed glasses, and, rubbing his temple, headed back to the room.

Chen Cong, a bit tipsy, stumbled his way to the restroom, feeling dazed. As he steadied himself against the wall, his eyes landed on a vaguely familiar profile by the sink.

He paused, intending to get a better look, but the man was already rubbing his head and walking away.

Not giving it much thought, Chen Cong went to the restroom, splashed cold water on his face, and returned to the room. After a cup of hangover tea, he felt like he could still handle several more rounds.

Scanning the room, he noticed Shang Songchuan wasn’t playing pool anymore but was lounging on a black leather couch in the corner, legs sprawled. Chen Cong went over, plopped down beside him, and greeted him with a casual “bro.”

Today, Shang Songchuan was looking dapper in a black dress shirt. Since playing pool made it inconvenient, he had unbuttoned the top two buttons, revealing a hint of his well-built chest. He lifted the dice cup and saw it wasn’t the six he was hoping for. With a disappointed click of his tongue, he gave an indifferent “mm.”

Chen Cong was still a bit drunk and, ignoring Shang Songchuan’s indifferent demeanor, leaned in closer and said, “Bro, I just saw a guy in the bathroom.”

“A guy? When did you become interested in the same sex?” Shang Songchuan replied, shaking the dice.

“No, I’m not interested in guys. I just thought he looked like your assistant, Guan Ci,” Chen Cong clarified.

Setting the dice down on the chocolate-colored coffee table, Shang Songchuan turned his head, a hint of surprise in his eyes. “Guan Ci?”

“Yeah, that’s right! Guan Ci!” Chen Cong’s mind was clouded, “But at first glance, I thought it was him, and then I looked closer and realized it wasn’t. This guy was wearing a particularly eye-catching white deep-V shirt with ruffled sleeves and flared denim pants. He had a nice, round butt, really striking. Your assistant, on the other hand, is cold and dull, with a smile that looks AI-generated—the curve of his lips never changes. No, it can’t be the same person.”

Upon hearing the first part of Chen Cong’s description, Shang Songchuan was intrigued, curious about how his robotic assistant could end up at an entertainment club. But as Chen Cong continued, it became clear that the person he saw couldn’t possibly be Guan Ci.

A deep-V ruffled white shirt and flared jeans? Tsk. His assistant was all about the sharp, formal suits.

Before attending the gathering, the organizer, Wang Xueya, had announced that no one knew if they would ever meet again in their lifetimes. She encouraged everyone to let loose and enjoy themselves; she had booked hotel rooms for anyone who couldn’t party anymore and needed a place to crash.

Unfortunately for Guan Ci, luck was not on his side tonight, and he became a bit tipsy fairly quickly. So, he took a hotel room key card for upstairs.

Swaying slightly, Wang Xueya grew concerned. “Xiao Ci, let me have someone take you upstairs. Zhao…”

“No need,” Guan Ci replied, his voice tinged with drunkenness. “I can take the elevator to the twenty-second floor. You all keep having fun, Xueya.”

Just as he finished speaking, someone called out for Wang Xueya to deal cards. Seeing that Guan Ci still had some semblance of reason, she didn’t insist on sending someone with him.

He stumbled out of the elevator, glancing down at the room key. 2209. He wobbled his way to the door and held the card up to the sensor. After two beeps, he pushed the door, but it didn’t open.

Is the door broken?

With his alcohol-fogged mind reaching this conclusion, Guan Ci raised his flushed face and began to ring the doorbell. Zhao De’an had likely gone upstairs half an hour earlier, so there should be someone in the room.

After ringing the bell for a while with no response, Guan Ci started pounding on the door.

Shang Songchuan had just been rolling dice with some friends, having consumed quite a bit of alcohol. He was in a daze when he decided to head to his room to sleep. Just as he lay down, he heard the doorbell ringing.

He pulled the blanket over his head, but the doorbell continued to ring relentlessly. Cursing under his breath, Shang Songchuan stumbled to the door and drunkenly opened it.

Finally, the door swung open, revealing a dizzying scene. Guan Ci mumbled a slurred “thank you” as he followed Shang Songchuan into the room.

Feeling incredibly lightheaded, Guan Ci didn’t bother with formalities. After removing his glasses, he staggered toward the bed and closed his eyes for a moment. All he felt was a slight chill, so he fumbled for the blanket, finally managing to pull a thin cover over his stomach. He then noticed a warm source beside him. In a haze of intoxication, Guan Ci stretched out his hand and eventually found an ‘electric blanket’ that radiated comforting heat.

So comfortable.

Guan Ci sighed contentedly, running his hand over the ‘electric blanket’.

Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, he felt a cold hand exploring his abdomen. Shang Songchuan suddenly turned over, looking extremely displeased. “Can you stop touching me?”

The unexpected outburst startled Guan Ci, making his ears tingle. He opened his bleary eyes, but his hand didn’t stop moving over the ‘electric blanket’; it continued its exploration.

Could he really be so innocent? As this thought crossed his mind, drunken Shang Songchuan felt a surge of boldness and instinctively tried to bite the man’s face. However, as soon as his tongue brushed against the other man’s cheek, he was met with a soft, moist texture reminiscent of ice cream, prompting Shang Songchuan to lick it.

So nice. Guan Ci couldn’t help but tilt his neck back, clutching the sheets, and let out a soft moan.

That sound ignited something in the air, transforming the room—already warmed to twenty degrees—into a suddenly stifling space.

Pain. It wasn’t just pain; his body felt sore all over.

Guan Ci rarely experienced hangovers, so he had little experience to draw from. He opened his eyes, catching faint, dim light in his vision.

He lifted his hand to rub his throbbing head, propping himself up on the bed. Suddenly, he felt an intense soreness coming from a private part of his body that he couldn’t ignore.

In less than a second, he was jolted awake from his hangover, his mind flashing back to the absurd scenes from the previous night.

Damn! He had slept with a friend he hadn’t seen in years?

No, wait! Zhao De’an was slender, and the man from last night had a solid chest and abs. With that thought, Guan Ci quickly turned to his side.

There lay a man, eyes closed and fast asleep. His eyelashes were short yet dense, his nose straight and prominent, his features sharply defined. But that wasn’t what mattered; what mattered was that this bastard’s face looked exactly like his boss’s!

No, no, no, this must be an illusion caused by the dim lighting.

Guan Ci took a deep breath, twisted his aching body, and turned on the bedside lamp. He slowly turned his head to look beside him.

With black hair, a sharp nose, thin lips, and thick brows, the familiar features were unmistakably those he had known for a decade.

No matter how rational or calm Guan Ci tried to be, he couldn’t help but curse under his breath.

Is there anything more terrifying than a one-night stand? Damn it, the person he spent the night with was his boss, someone he saw every day.

After a moment of expressionless silence, Guan Ci threw back the covers and got out of bed. The moment his long, fair legs touched the carpet, his expression turned grim.

Damn it! After muttering a curse, he slowly made his way to the bathroom, where he was greeted by the sight of numerous marks on his body, intensifying his desire to castrate Shang Songchuan.

After half an hour of cleaning up, Guan Ci stepped out of the room, his gaze lingering uncontrollably on the liquor cabinet for a full ten minutes before he suppressed the urge to commit murder.

It’s not worth it. Guan Ci, you already have a home and a cat; for the sake of your apartment and your cat, you cannot resort to murder.

After contemplating this for a few more minutes, he looked at the sleeping face still lost in dreams. Guan Ci bent down to pick up the white shirt he had thrown on the floor last night, but as soon as he lifted it, his hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

The white shirt was no longer recognizable, reduced to a tattered rag. Memories of how the shirt had been torn apart by that scoundrel flooded his mind.

Unable to wear his own clothes, Guan Ci grabbed the black shirt and pants of the scoundrel and put them on expressionlessly before turning to leave.

More than half an hour later, Guan Ci returned home, took another shower, and changed his clothes. Sitting on the couch with his cat, he browsed his phone with a dark expression.

Half an hour later, he applied ointment to a sensitive area, which provided him with some relief.

Just then, his phone rang. Seeing the two characters on the caller ID, Guan Ci stared at the screen with a complicated expression for a good ten seconds before stretching out his arm to answer.

Shang Songchuan’s voice came through the speaker, sounding a bit hoarse and magnetic after passing through the electromagnetic conversion. He called out, “Guan Ci, are you free now? Come to Tianya Hotel and bring me a change of clothes.”

This was a personal matter. Shang Songchuan had three assistants: Alice managed public relations, Chen Yu dealt with administrative tasks and daily affairs, and Guan Ci was his technical assistant.

Yuan’an Technology was under the Yuan Kang Group, the core asset of the group, a technology company with nearly 30% of its staff being research personnel. In a tech company, technology is one of the core competitive advantages.

So for daily trivial matters, Shang Songchuan wouldn’t bother Guan Ci, but this morning, not only had he been tainted by a scoundrel, but his clothes had also been stolen. He couldn’t exactly have his two female assistants deliver clothes!

Guan Ci blinked rapidly in confusion. What was going on? Was Shang Songchuan not going to hold him accountable for last night’s confusion?

After hesitating for a moment, Guan Ci replied, “Okay.”

No matter how Shang Songchuan wanted to settle the score, it was his fault for going to the wrong room, but for what happened afterward, Shang Songchuan had to bear 51% of the responsibility. He only treated him like an electric blanket to warm up, and now the man was biting him; however, he was still Shang Songchuan.

Enduring the soreness in his waist, Guan Ci drove to the hotel and casually bought a set of clothes according to Shang Songchuan’s size from a clothing store.

An hour and a half later, Guan Ci returned to room 2207 at Tianya Hotel. The room was mostly unchanged from when he left, with the messy bed and the torn white shirt and flared pants at the foot of the bed. The window was open, and the room no longer carried the nauseating scent from before.

Guan Ci handed the garment bag to Shang Songchuan.

Wrapped in a bathrobe, Shang Songchuan took the clothes and quickly changed in the bathroom.

After exiting the bathroom, he instructed Guan Ci, “Guan Ci, find out who came into my room last night.”

With a frown and a slight tug at his messy hair, Shang Songchuan’s expression turned dark, veins bulging slightly on his neck. “If I had been clear-headed last night, I wouldn’t have been slept with by that wild man!”

Shang Songchuan remembered having relations with a scoundrel last night, but he had no recollection of the man’s appearance, only that his skin was exceptionally pale, with a small red mole on each side of his lower back, creating a sense of symmetrical beauty. Additionally, the man’s backside was particularly curvy…

As this thought crossed his mind, his peripheral vision caught sight of his assistant, and he suddenly noticed how Guan Ci’s suit pants hugged his rounded backside, accentuating his fair skin.

Damn, how could he suspect Guan Ci was the scoundrel from last night!

That man’s white shirt lay shredded at the foot of the bed, and Shang Songchuan could recall the man’s attire: a deep V-neck silk shirt that was neither overtly provocative nor unflatteringly stylish.

In contrast, the Guan Ci before him, while possessing a handsome face, wore his signature business glasses and a fitted dress shirt paired with trousers. Although still attractive, he exuded a cold, rational elite aura. The scoundrel from last night, on the other hand, was not only dressed provocatively but also made exaggerated moves, his hands roaming over Shang Songchuan’s body. If he hadn’t been relentlessly teased, he likely wouldn’t have felt any interest in that scoundrel.

The thought of having so carelessly lost his precious virginity made Shang Songchuan clench his fists. He took a deep breath, saying, “I’m heading to the hospital first; send me the footage once you retrieve it.”

Hearing Shang Songchuan mention going to the hospital, Guan Ci suddenly remembered that after sleeping with a stranger, he needed to get checked for safety. However, knowing that his one-night stand was with the person before him, who seemed to lead a clean private life, and seeing Shang Songchuan’s worried expression, it was clear that he probably didn’t have any infectious diseases. It seemed that he could skip the hospital visit after all.

After assigning the check-out process to Guan Ci, Shang Songchuan hurried off to the hospital.

Having completed the check-out procedures, Guan Ci requested to review the surveillance footage from the 22nd floor. Simultaneously, he was quickly devising a plan to destroy the recordings and prevent Shang Songchuan from discovering that he was the one from last night.

While Shang Songchuan was mature and rational in business matters, it was evident from his demeanor that he was troubled by last night’s events. Guan Ci also found it hard to accept the fact that he had slept with Shang Songchuan, but dwelling on it wouldn’t help. He had joined Yuan’an Technology before graduating from his master’s program, and three years ago, when Shang Songchuan was promoted to CEO, he became a technical assistant.

Although his position hadn’t changed over the years, the matters he was responsible for had grown increasingly significant, and he had been promoted three levels up.

Guan Ci had no immediate plans to change jobs.

However, regarding Shang Songchuan, Guan Ci sometimes found him childish but understood that he wasn’t the type to brush things off. After some heated exchanges with the front desk, the attendant finally apologized, “Sir, it’s not that I’m unwilling to provide the footage, but there was a malfunction last night. The surveillance from midnight to nine this morning is all blacked out.”

Like a sweet melody, the attendant’s voice momentarily lifted Guan Ci’s spirits, though his face remained impassive. “A malfunction? You lost the footage from midnight to nine this morning?”

The attendant’s tone was apologetic: “I’m sorry.”

Guan Ci pushed up his glasses with slender fingers and pressed further, “Is there any way to recover the footage?”

The attendant replied, “That would be quite difficult.”

“Alright, thank you.” After a long morning, Guan Ci finally managed a genuine smile.

The front desk staff were momentarily dazzled by the man’s smile, unable to ponder why the man seeking the footage looked so pleased upon learning of its loss.

Stepping out of Tianya Hotel and into his Volvo, Guan Ci dialed Shang Songchuan’s number.

A few seconds later, Shang Songchuan answered, “Guan Ci, did you get the footage?”

Guan Ci’s tone was businesslike, devoid of any personal emotion, just as it had been for the countless official matters he had handled over the past three years. “Mr. Shang, the surveillance system at Tianya Hotel experienced a bug from midnight to nine this morning, so there’s no footage from the corridor. I checked the footage after nine, and no one left your room. The only footage captured was of me entering your room around ten, which means that person likely left before nine.”

Guan Ci had woken up early that morning and left the hotel shortly after eight, conveniently avoiding being captured on camera.

As soon as he finished speaking, he could sense Shang Songchuan’s breath become a little heavier.

Shang Songchuan’s tone held a hint of desperation. “Is there a chance the footage can be recovered?”

Guan Ci replied, “It’s highly unlikely.” Even if the front desk later contacted him with news of a recovery, he wouldn’t let Shang Songchuan know about it.

While he wasn’t entirely satisfied with the hierarchical relationship between them, Guan Ci rated his current job an eighty-five. He hoped there wouldn’t be any unexpected developments.

“Alright, I’ll hang up now,” Shang Songchuan said, trying not to transfer his negative emotions to Guan Ci. After all, Guan Ci hadn’t been the one who slept with him.

“Okay, Mr. Shang.”

Psychologically, Guan Ci quickly put aside the incident from Saturday night. It was just a dog bite, after all. However, the lingering effects of that bite were profound; by Monday at work, he felt noticeable discomfort in certain areas after sitting for too long, his lower back still ached, and the bite marks and handprints on his body had not completely faded by Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Shang Songchuan’s mood had noticeably soured.

He wasn’t the kind of boss who was moody and difficult to approach; on the contrary, he was often amiable and cheerful, lacking the aloofness that often accompanied his executive position. He generally created a refreshing atmosphere for those around him.

Chen Yu, an assistant from the CEO’s office, had even privately asked Guan Ci what was wrong with Mr. Shang lately, as he seemed constantly gritting his teeth, almost as if he had been humiliated.

Guan Ci restrained himself from retorting that the one who had been humiliated was himself.

He found it hard to understand Shang Songchuan. At around thirty years old, he was hardly a naïve teenager; sleeping with someone was just that—sleeping with someone. Besides, he had been the one in control during the encounter, and by all accounts, Guan Ci had suffered more in this situation. So why was Shang Songchuan acting like a wronged husband?

On this Thursday, after reporting on the progress of a new project, Guan Ci was about to leave the CEO’s office when Shang Songchuan called out to him.

“Guan Ci, have you contacted Tianya Hotel these past couple of days? Has the surveillance from Saturday night been recovered?”

Guan Ci paused mid-step. Shang Songchuan had indeed remembered that night. He wished the footage from Tianya Hotel would never be recovered, so he replied casually, “No.”

Shang Songchuan furrowed his brows in annoyance. “Alright, you can leave now.”

After hesitating, Guan Ci ventured, “Mr. Shang, it was just a one-night stand. Why are you so fixated on it?” Despite his disdain for Shang Songchuan, Guan Ci had to work alongside him for most of the day, and Shang Songchuan’s mood could easily affect his own work efficiency, so he felt compelled to speak up.

Moreover, while Shang Songchuan’s private life seemed relatively clean, he was certainly not without friends who indulged in casual flings; one-night stands weren’t exactly rare.

Upon hearing Guan Ci’s words, Shang Songchuan abruptly lifted his gaze from the monitor. He stared at Guan Ci, who appeared calm and collected, as if he were the one casually licking the wounds inflicted by a cat. Through clenched teeth, he said, “Guan Ci, do you realize that night was my first time?”

Shang Songchuan wasn’t a relic from the last century, but the thought that his first experience in bed was not with someone he loved but rather with a complete stranger left him feeling frustrated and wronged.

“And do you know that purity is a man’s best virtue?” After a pause, his expression grew complicated. “You still have your best virtue intact, so of course, you can’t understand how I feel!”

“It’s gone.” Standing calmly in front of the sturdy desk, his fitted shirt and trousers highlighting his narrow waist and slender legs, Guan Ci responded with remarkable composure, “I lost mine too.”

Shang Songchuan froze for a moment before suddenly standing up from his chair, agitated. “Guan Ci, when did you start dating?”