The question caught Zhan completely off guard. His pen paused midair. He turned, unsure whether to laugh or look away. “That's... an unexpected question, sir."
Yibo's gaze didn't waver. "Maybe. But I'm curious how someone like you sees it."
Zhan's thoughts scattered, heart racing. His boss knew enough to tread carefully he knew Zhan had a boyfriend. Yet something in the way Yibo looked at him, something in that quiet, measured curiosity, unsettled him.
He cleared his throat, forcing a calmness he didn't truly feel. "I... I don't really look at age," he said finally, his tone careful but sincere. "I'm actually older than my boyfriend. What matters most to me isn't the number, but the person's character. Age can change, but character doesn't."
He smiled faintly, as if the words were simple truth but inside, they struck deeper than he wanted to admit. Because when he thought about character about patience, steadiness, and the kind of strength that made him feel safe rather than small his thoughts didn't go to Jackson. They went, unwillingly, to the man sitting across from him.
He tried to push the thought away, reminding himself of the line he could never cross. Whatever he felt however fleeting or confusing he still had a boyfriend. And he would never become the kind of person who betrayed trust, not after knowing what it felt like to be on the other side of it.
Still, the contrast gnawed at him. Jackson had youth, charm, and excitement but none of the quiet depth Yibo carried. None of that calm, commanding presence that made Zhan's heart both settle and race at once.
He lowered his gaze to the papers before him, hoping the neat lines of ink could steady the storm inside his chest. Whatever this is, it stays here, he told himself. I know my boundaries. Yet when he dared to glance up, Yibo was already watching him with that same unreadable calm, as if he saw more than Zhan wanted him to.
For a moment, silence stretched between them. Then, a faint smile ghosted across Yibo's lips something between amusement and understanding, quiet but disarming.
After that night, something between them shifted subtle, but undeniable. Their conversations became easier; the air no longer heavy with tension or hesitation. Sometimes, Zhan even dared to joke, and Yibo stoic as ever would allow the smallest, almost imperceptible smile.
Zhan never forgot his place. No matter how natural their exchanges became, he reminded himself that Yibo was still his boss an untouchable man in a world far removed from his own. That boundary was his shield. It had to be.
Weeks passed, and whispers began to ripple through the company. The sudden relocation of the CEO's office to the first floor drew curiosity. Why would Wang Yibo, known for his distance and authority, suddenly choose to work closer to the staff?
When Zhan learned about the sudden relocation of Yibo's office, Yibo's explanation was brief: "It's because of my condition." He didn't elaborate, leaving Zhan to puzzle over the practicalities.
To Zhan, he felt quietly grateful. With the office on the first floor, he didn't have to climb the stairs or face the elevator, which always unnerved him. Logical, considerate, and unexpectedly reassuring, the arrangement brought a subtle warmth to his chest.
Of course, the gossip didn't stop. Whispers followed him down hallways, curious glances flicked his way whenever Yibo called him in for meetings. Some said the young man from the Re-start project had caught the CEO's eye. Others murmured that he was the reason for the sudden office shift. Zhan tried his best to ignore them. He was used to being talked about but this time, the attention felt different, heavier.
Yibo, as always, paid no mind. He neither confirmed nor denied anything. His silence only made the rumors grow.
Still, life moved forward. The Re-start project progressed rapidly, and Yibo's visits to the site grew frequent. Sometimes, he arrived unannounced his sharp eyes assessing every detail but when they landed on Zhan, something in them softened. Not enough for words, but enough to be felt.
Whenever Zhan's friends, Ziyi and Jili, joined them, they somehow always ended up busy answering urgent calls, checking on site reports, or meeting suppliers. It left Zhan standing beside Yibo more often than not.
It didn't escape his notice. His brow would furrow, suspicion flickering, but he never confronted them. Maybe it was coincidence... or maybe they were giving him a space he didn't know he needed.
Either way, he said nothing. He simply continued his work unaware that every shared silence, every glance, and every careful word between them was slowly, quietly changing the rhythm of both their lives.
—-
The morning sun filtered through the tall glass walls of Wang's Corporation, casting golden reflections across the lobby floor. Employees moved briskly, the usual hum of chatter filling the air until, one by one, they began to notice something unusual.
Every desk. Every corner of the vast seventy-eight–floor building. Each place had a small bouquet of fresh flowers waiting.
"Is this... for us?" one of the junior staff whispered, picking up a delicate bunch of lilies. "I think so. The secretary said it was from the CEO herself."
A ripple of excitement spread. It was the first time Wang Yibo had ever done something like this. The man known for his cold efficiency and flawless control had, without warning, sent flowers to every employee and there were thousands of them.
The same flowers, yet each bouquet unique. Lilies. No pattern, no explanation. Only beauty.
Meanwhile, when Xiao Zhan arrived, he paused at the entrance, surprised by the faint floral scent that lingered in the air. One of the assistants from the front desk approached him with a generous bouquet wrapped in pale paper.
"Good morning, Mr. Xiao. For you," she said with a smile. "From the CEO."
"From the CEO?" he echoed, a little confused. "What's the occasion?"
"None, as far as I know," she replied. "Everyone received one today."
Zhan nodded, murmuring his thanks. The bouquet overflowed with tiny blue blossoms delicate yet abundant their color glowing against the pale wrapping. He lifted it slightly, studying the petals. Forget-me-nots. Something about them tugged faintly at his chest. He didn't know why.
He smiled to himself. Maybe the CEO just wanted to lift everyone's spirits. As he made his way to the stairs, a few employees glanced his way. Their whispers followed softly.
"Look at that, his bouquet's different." "Yeah, everyone else got the usual corporate arrangements, but his..." "Those tiny blue flowers," someone murmured. "Forget-me-nots, right? I've seen them before." "Same ones the secretary brings to the ceo's office every Monday," another whispered. "Then maybe they're not just his favorite," someone said quietly. "Maybe they mean something."
Zhan turned slightly at the sound, curiosity flickering for a second, but he brushed it off. He didn't think much of gossip. Still, he caught himself looking once more at the flowers in his hand their blue petals glowing softly under the morning light. Before Zhan could head up the stairs, his two friends, Ziyi and Jili, each holding bouquets of lilies, caught him by the arm and pulled him along. They stopped midway on the steps, confusion written on their faces.
Zhan noticed the same thing. His brows furrowed as he glanced around at the others climbing the stairs. "What's going on? Why does everyone have flowers?" he asked, pausing as his gaze fell on the bouquet in his own hands.
"Is the CEO planning to start a flower business or something? Maybe this is some kind of promotion?" His voice carried a trace of curiosity that showed on his face.
Ziyi shook her head. "Even we don't know what's happening or why your flowers are different from ours."
Zhan shrugged lightly. "I don't know either. Not to mention... these are my favorite flowers."
"Right," Jili said, nodding as if remembering something. They exchanged puzzled looks, still wondering about the meaning behind the bouquets.
Zhan turned slightly at the sound of a few whispers nearby, curiosity flickering for a second, but he brushed it off. He didn't think much of gossip. Still, he caught himself glancing once more at the flowers in his hand their tiny blue petals glowing softly under the morning light.
YiZhanwangxian2026
WHEN EYES REMEMBER 💚❤️
PART 46
The question caught Zhan completely off guard. His pen paused midair. He turned, unsure whether to laugh or look away. “That's... an unexpected question, sir."
Yibo's gaze didn't waver. "Maybe. But I'm curious how someone like you sees it."
Zhan's thoughts scattered, heart racing. His boss knew enough to tread carefully he knew Zhan had a boyfriend. Yet something in the way Yibo looked at him, something in that quiet, measured curiosity, unsettled him.
He cleared his throat, forcing a calmness he didn't truly feel. "I... I don't really look at age," he said finally, his tone careful but sincere. "I'm actually older than my boyfriend. What matters most to me isn't the number, but the person's character. Age can change, but character doesn't."
He smiled faintly, as if the words were simple truth but inside, they struck deeper than he wanted to admit. Because when he thought about character about patience, steadiness, and the kind of strength that made him feel safe rather than small his thoughts didn't go to Jackson. They went, unwillingly, to the man sitting across from him.
He tried to push the thought away, reminding himself of the line he could never cross. Whatever he felt however fleeting or confusing he still had a boyfriend. And he would never become the kind of person who betrayed trust, not after knowing what it felt like to be on the other side of it.
Still, the contrast gnawed at him. Jackson had youth, charm, and excitement but none of the quiet depth Yibo carried. None of that calm, commanding presence that made Zhan's heart both settle and race at once.
He lowered his gaze to the papers before him, hoping the neat lines of ink could steady the storm inside his chest. Whatever this is, it stays here, he told himself. I know my boundaries. Yet when he dared to glance up, Yibo was already watching him with that same unreadable calm, as if he saw more than Zhan wanted him to.
For a moment, silence stretched between them. Then, a faint smile ghosted across Yibo's lips something between amusement and understanding, quiet but disarming.
After that night, something between them shifted subtle, but undeniable. Their conversations became easier; the air no longer heavy with tension or hesitation. Sometimes, Zhan even dared to joke, and Yibo stoic as ever would allow the smallest, almost imperceptible smile.
Zhan never forgot his place. No matter how natural their exchanges became, he reminded himself that Yibo was still his boss an untouchable man in a world far removed from his own. That boundary was his shield. It had to be.
Weeks passed, and whispers began to ripple through the company. The sudden relocation of the CEO's office to the first floor drew curiosity. Why would Wang Yibo, known for his distance and authority, suddenly choose to work closer to the staff?
When Zhan learned about the sudden relocation of Yibo's office, Yibo's explanation was brief: "It's because of my condition." He didn't elaborate, leaving Zhan to puzzle over the practicalities.
To Zhan, he felt quietly grateful. With the office on the first floor, he didn't have to climb the stairs or face the elevator, which always unnerved him. Logical, considerate, and unexpectedly reassuring, the arrangement brought a subtle warmth to his chest.
Of course, the gossip didn't stop. Whispers followed him down hallways, curious glances flicked his way whenever Yibo called him in for meetings. Some said the young man from the Re-start project had caught the CEO's eye. Others murmured that he was the reason for the sudden office shift. Zhan tried his best to ignore them. He was used to being talked about but this time, the attention felt different, heavier.
Yibo, as always, paid no mind. He neither confirmed nor denied anything. His silence only made the rumors grow.
Still, life moved forward. The Re-start project progressed rapidly, and Yibo's visits to the site grew frequent. Sometimes, he arrived unannounced his sharp eyes assessing every detail but when they landed on Zhan, something in them softened. Not enough for words, but enough to be felt.
Whenever Zhan's friends, Ziyi and Jili, joined them, they somehow always ended up busy answering urgent calls, checking on site reports, or meeting suppliers. It left Zhan standing beside Yibo more often than not.
It didn't escape his notice. His brow would furrow, suspicion flickering, but he never confronted them. Maybe it was coincidence... or maybe they were giving him a space he didn't know he needed.
Either way, he said nothing. He simply continued his work unaware that every shared silence, every glance, and every careful word between them was slowly, quietly changing the rhythm of both their lives.
—-
The morning sun filtered through the tall glass walls of Wang's Corporation, casting golden reflections across the lobby floor. Employees moved briskly, the usual hum of chatter filling the air until, one by one, they began to notice something unusual.
Every desk. Every corner of the vast seventy-eight–floor building. Each place had a small bouquet of fresh flowers waiting.
"Is this... for us?" one of the junior staff whispered, picking up a delicate bunch of lilies. "I think so. The secretary said it was from the CEO herself."
A ripple of excitement spread. It was the first time Wang Yibo had ever done something like this. The man known for his cold efficiency and flawless control had, without warning, sent flowers to every employee and there were thousands of them.
The same flowers, yet each bouquet unique. Lilies.
No pattern, no explanation. Only beauty.
Meanwhile, when Xiao Zhan arrived, he paused at the entrance, surprised by the faint floral scent that lingered in the air. One of the assistants from the front desk approached him with a generous bouquet wrapped in pale paper.
"Good morning, Mr. Xiao. For you," she said with a smile. "From the CEO."
"From the CEO?" he echoed, a little confused. "What's the occasion?"
"None, as far as I know," she replied. "Everyone received one today."
Zhan nodded, murmuring his thanks. The bouquet overflowed with tiny blue blossoms delicate yet abundant their color glowing against the pale wrapping. He lifted it slightly, studying the petals. Forget-me-nots. Something about them tugged faintly at his chest. He didn't know why.
He smiled to himself. Maybe the CEO just wanted to lift everyone's spirits. As he made his way to the stairs, a few employees glanced his way. Their whispers followed softly.
"Look at that, his bouquet's different."
"Yeah, everyone else got the usual corporate arrangements, but his..."
"Those tiny blue flowers," someone murmured. "Forget-me-nots, right? I've seen them before."
"Same ones the secretary brings to the ceo's office every Monday," another whispered.
"Then maybe they're not just his favorite," someone said quietly. "Maybe they mean something."
Zhan turned slightly at the sound, curiosity flickering for a second, but he brushed it off. He didn't think much of gossip. Still, he caught himself looking once more at the flowers in his hand their blue petals glowing softly under the morning light. Before Zhan could head up the stairs, his two friends, Ziyi and Jili, each holding bouquets of lilies, caught him by the arm and pulled him along. They stopped midway on the steps, confusion written on their faces.
Zhan noticed the same thing. His brows furrowed as he glanced around at the others climbing the stairs. "What's going on? Why does everyone have flowers?" he asked, pausing as his gaze fell on the bouquet in his own hands.
"Is the CEO planning to start a flower business or something? Maybe this is some kind of promotion?" His voice carried a trace of curiosity that showed on his face.
Ziyi shook her head. "Even we don't know what's happening or why your flowers are different from ours."
Zhan shrugged lightly. "I don't know either. Not to mention... these are my favorite flowers."
"Right," Jili said, nodding as if remembering something. They exchanged puzzled looks, still wondering about the meaning behind the bouquets.
Zhan turned slightly at the sound of a few whispers nearby, curiosity flickering for a second, but he brushed it off. He didn't think much of gossip. Still, he caught himself glancing once more at the flowers in his hand their tiny blue petals glowing softly under the morning light.
#yzwx2026 #yizhanff #fanfiction
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