Extra Chapter 2: The Probe — The Fox's Invitation
Time slipped away unnoticed amidst the hustle and bustle.
Three weeks into the job, she was gradually adjusting to her aloof boss's rhythm. During meetings, he remained cold, but he no longer singled her out.
However, she also noticed that she seemed to be receiving "special treatment."
Whenever cross-departmental coordination or late-night deadlines arose, he would casually say, "You stay."
The reasons were always noble: training, learning, and accelerating growth.
Colleagues secretly envied her. "Manager Shen actually takes the time to mentor a new hire."
But only she knew that this "mentoring" came with an indescribable pressure.
That night, a steady drizzle fell outside.
Only two lights remained on in the office. She sat at her computer, cross-checking data while the sound of him flipping through documents filled her ears.
As always, Shen Yizhen's presence was calm and restrained yet commanded attention with an undeniable aura.
He suddenly spoke: "Are you afraid of me?"
Startled, she turned her head. "Why do you ask?"
He lowered his gaze and tapped his fingers lightly on the desk. "Because every time you look at me, you avert your eyes."
She thought for a moment and forced a smile. "Your aura is too powerful. It's a normal reaction, right?"
He lifted his gaze, his golden-red irises shimmering faintly in the light.
"Your reaction isn't quite normal."
The words made her heart tighten inexplicably.
As he approached, the air seemed to compress, not from physical proximity but from an encroaching presence.
"Do you know you have a peculiar scent?" His voice was low, almost a whisper.
She took an uneasy step back. "Are you referring to the perfume again?"
"No." He stopped in front of her, his voice unnaturally calm. "That isn't perfume."
The air between them froze.
He reached out, his fingertips grazing the edge of her folder and creating a faint, almost inaudible rustle.
"After tonight's report is finished, come to my office."
It was the first time he had ever issued an "invitation" in a tone that was almost impossible to refuse.
It was eleven o'clock at night.
The entire floor was empty except for the two of them.
She stood in the doorway and knocked softly three times. "Manager, the report is finished."
He didn't look up but merely gestured for her to come in.
The office curtains were half-drawn. Rain pelted the glass, casting a cold glow.
"Sit." He pointed to the chair across from him.
She sat down and felt two cups of coffee being placed on the desk.
He had actually prepared one for her.
"You probably didn't have dinner."
His tone wasn't commanding, but rather, it held a subtle warmth that was almost imperceptible.
Her heart fluttered slightly. "Thank you, Manager."
Shen Yizhen leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlaced.
"I'm observing you."
She froze. "Observing?"
"Your reactions, your emotions, and how you change under pressure. It's part of your job training." His tone was flat, as if he were discussing mere business.
But his golden-red eyes were fixed on her, not with the scrutiny of a superior toward a subordinate but with the intensity of a predator toward its prey.
She lowered her head and took a sip of coffee, its bitterness spreading across her tongue.
Suddenly, he asked, "Do you like black coffee?"
"It's okay," she replied.
"Good."
He smiled faintly. "Me too."
The atmosphere shifted subtly.
The distance between them was no longer that of a superior and subordinate; rather, it was an ambiguous tension.
He abruptly stood up and walked behind her.
"When you type, you bite your lower lip slightly," he said calmly in a low voice. "That's a sign of nervousness."
She froze. "Manager, you're observing me too closely."
"This is training," he said, leaning closer. "Observation, control, testing—it's part of the job."
He spoke with self-assurance, yet his tone carried a hint of restraint.
She could sense it—he was forcing himself to stay composed.
In that instant, she finally realized that this "training" might be more than just a workplace test.
It was something deeper.
His restraint, her racing heart, and the invisible line between them.
Finally, she stood up and offered a faint smile. "Manager, if this is part of the training, then I think I've learned it."
"Learned what?"
"How to not be intimidated in your presence."
Shen Yizhen's eyes flickered.
As he watched her retreating figure, a faint, ambiguous smile played at his lips. "Very good, but you haven't learned to escape yet."
She paused and turned back, but his gaze had already shifted away and his voice returned to a calm tone. "You may leave now."
She pushed open the door, her heart still pounding violently.
Behind her, the man raised his hand to trace the rim of the coffee cup on the desk.
Her scent lingered in the air.
That was the limit of his self-control and the fox's true test. He wanted to see who would break first under this "training."