Chapter 105 – Extra
Chen Bai finally got up and enjoyed a nutritious breakfast prepared by Xu Sinian, who was already dressed and almost ready for work. Ever the considerate partner, Chen Bai sleepily picked out a turtleneck for Xu Sinian, worried he’d catch a chill in the air-conditioned office. The collar was neither too high nor too low—just enough to hide the kiss mark from the night before.
After realizing mid-breakfast that claiming Yiwan as the culprit wasn’t going to work—there was no way the dog could have left such a precise mark—Chen Bai gave up trying to pin the blame on poor, innocent Yiwan. Watching Xu Sinian leave, he returned to bed, napping with the falsely accused dog until late afternoon.
Despite usually being an early riser, Yiwan had no problem napping until the afternoon with Chen Bai, even hopping down to eat some kibble before returning to his role as a loyal, dog-shaped pillow.
When Chen Bai finally woke up, he seamlessly transitioned into preparing for dinner, and a call from Madam Jiang led him to pack up his beloved script and take Yiwan along for a family dinner.
Dinner was, as expected, not just a meal but a setup for an extended stay. Madam Jiang and Mr. Xu were quick to point out, “Since you’re already here, why not stay a few days?” So he did, and when Xu Sinian finished work, he naturally returned there too.
The beauty of staying at the estate was that, with so many people around, Xu Sinian’s particular “interests” couldn’t be freely indulged, which left Chen Bai feeling entirely at ease.
While staying at the estate, his routine mainly involved reading his script and experimenting in the kitchen with the staff. When the day arrived for Yiwan’s check-up, he actually woke up early after a day of lounging around.
The estate was already bustling with morning activity; those who had work had already left, and Yiwan, who had gone on an early stroll with his grandparents, was already back, getting his paws wiped at the door.
Spotting Chen Bai coming downstairs, he abandoned the paw-wiping and dashed over, leaving a fresh paw print on Chen Bai’s pajamas.
Reluctantly, Chen Bai changed into a clean outfit—a white sweatshirt—then prepared everything they’d need for the check-up. He asked Madam Jiang for the address of the vet hospital since he was usually on set when Yiwan’s check-ups were due.
Madam Jiang sent him the name and location of the hospital, adding, “It’s actually right near the company.”
“Company?” he asked, opening the link to the location.
Madam Jiang leaned over, zooming out on the map until the whole area was visible, and pointed to the sprawling corporate building nearby. “Right here. It’s quite close.”
After a brief pause, she added, “You’ve been so busy; I’m guessing you haven’t visited yet?”
Chen Bai confirmed with a nod. He’d never had the time and hadn’t really seen the need, so he’d yet to step foot in the building, let alone know what it looked like.
“This time, it’s a good opportunity to take a look,” Mr. Xu chimed in as he passed by. “It’s close by. While you’re waiting for the check-up results, you can rest at the office.”
Waiting for the results would take some time, and with his current level of fame, it wasn’t exactly ideal to hang around in the hospital lobby or wander around outside. The office sounded like a suitable retreat.
A little wary of the idea, Chen Bai took another look at the map, gauging the distance from the hospital to the company. After a couple of seconds, he nodded slightly.
Then, he ducked into the kitchen to join the chef in exploring new recipes. Since there was still time before he had to leave, he figured he might as well bring a homemade meal along for someone special to taste-test.
Fortunately, the new dish turned out to be pretty good—no culinary disasters here.
By mid-morning, holding Yiwan’s leash in one hand and a thermos in the other, he was on his way.
The hospital was bustling, even on a weekday. The full check-up took almost two hours, with some extra time to wait for the results.
As soon as they were done, Chen Bai promptly took his slightly sulky Samoyed out of the hospital, pulling his cap down low and glancing toward the high-rise Madam Jiang had pointed out.
A quick comparison confirmed it was indeed the right building, and he sent off a message to Xu Sinian with a sticker. After a quick reply, Chen Bai bent down to pat his dog’s head and said, “Don’t worry, we’ll see your dad soon.”
It was nearly lunchtime when they arrived, and most employees had left for the cafeteria, so the office floors were quiet, with only a few people waiting at their desks for takeout.
The door to Xu Sinian’s office was ajar, with someone occasionally walking in and out. When a tall figure quickly passed by in the hallway, a couple of employees glanced up, thinking it was their boss returning with takeout after losing a game of dice. All they saw, though, was a fast-moving silhouette.
“He’s tall, must be the boss, right?” one whispered.
“Yeah, probably went to grab lunch,” another replied.
Their assumption proved wrong. The figure disappeared down the hall, and before their takeout even arrived, the “boss” they thought had gone for lunch returned sooner than expected.
When they returned, it wasn’t the boss who passed by the office door first; instead, the employees heard the distinct sound of dog paws clicking on the floor. A fluffy white “missile” darted past the door, only to be pulled back by a pink leash, followed by two sets of footsteps.
Drawn in by the fluffy white creature, the employees peered over to get a better look, but were quickly distracted when they saw their boss. He was dressed sharply, as usual, in a black suit, one hand holding the pink leash and the other entwined with the hand of the person beside him.
Employees: “…”
Employees: “?”
All eyes followed them as they passed down the hallway, trying to catch every detail. While their boss was in his usual sharp attire, the person walking beside him had fair, cool-toned skin, a slender frame, and wore a loose white sweatshirt with a black cap pulled low over their face. Though most of his face was hidden by a mask and hat, the stranger’s voice carried through, and he seemed to be smiling, looking up to say something.
“Yiwan was so good during his shots today that the doctor gave him a treat…” So the boss wasn’t out for lunch—he’d gone to pick someone up.
Mesmerized by the hand-holding, the employees barely registered what was being said. Soon enough, the two figures disappeared down the hallway, and in the following silence, a few employees exchanged wide-eyed glances. After a moment, they couldn’t hold back a unified, quiet exclamation: “Woah…”
One employee, still staring at the now-empty hallway, said, “Wasn’t that Chen Yi Bai?” Despite phrasing it as a question, he was pretty sure he knew the answer.
Between the distinctive dog, the casual attire, and that unmistakable voice, it could only be him. The once-famous actor-turned-boss was a surprising enough revelation, but seeing him here, on a random afternoon, was like winning the office gossip jackpot.
Just then, the unlucky employee who’d been sent to pick up the group’s food returned, setting the takeout on the table with a sigh. “Two delivery guys were arguing at the door, so I ended up watching…” he started, but his colleagues immediately interrupted him.
“Chen Yi Bai was just here,” they informed him, “You know, your favorite Chen Yi Bai.”
“What?!”
Had he come back just a minute earlier instead of watching the argument, he might have seen Chen Yi Bai himself. Now forever the group’s “unluckiest guy,” he joined in the excited chatter, eyes tearing up at his misfortune. “Why did he have to show up now?”
Nobody could answer that—only Chen Bai himself or, perhaps, their top boss could.
With a big company comes big gossip, and within the space of a short lunch break, rumors quickly spread about the mysterious visitor. Meanwhile, the main characters of this new office legend had made their way to the private office at the end of the hall, where Chen Bai placed the thermos he’d brought on the small table by the sofa.
Expecting some for himself, Yiwan immediately sat by the sofa, waiting patiently for his share, though he’d already had lunch at the hospital and wasn’t getting any of what was in the thermos.
Satisfied with his culinary creation, Chef Chen exaggeratedly wiped away some imaginary sweat, took off his hat, and sat down, fluffing up his messy hair. He glanced around the office, then turned his gaze toward the sunlight streaming in from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, he commented, “Why do all you big bosses have the same minimalist style?”
Unlike the companies he was used to, this office had none of the decorative flair—no scattered plants or vibrant artwork that typically adorned such spaces. It was the complete opposite of those ostentatious offices he’d visited before.
Xu Sinian raised a brow, “You all?”
Chen Bai shrugged, “One of my former clients had a similar setup.” The “former client” was none other than a certain The God of Wealth, Huo Chuan.
It had been a while, but he could still picture that office clearly, thanks to a certain unforgettable experience he’d had there. That office, however, had been cold and purely business-like, lacking any personal touches.
This office, in contrast, had a few hints of personality. By the window sat a potted plant from Xu Sinian’s home garden, a few delicate flowers in bloom. There was also a framed photo on the desk, though it was turned away from him, and inside a nearby glass cabinet, he noticed a stash of familiar dog treats.
Obviously meant for Yiwan, Chen Bai eyed the treats, then glanced back at the photo frame on the desk. Curious, he asked, “What picture is in that frame?”
Xu Sinian stood up and went over to retrieve the frame for him.
