Cain had barely left when 6677 appeared, begging Saphen for a few bites. It wasn't that it needed food to survive—Cain's cooking was just too delicious! Now this was real food! As for the meals Saphen made… 6677 decided not to give any opinion. No matter how fair its evaluation was, Saphen would still think it was picking a fight.
Seeing 6677 eat so happily that it kept letting out nonstop meowing sounds, Saphen couldn't help but say, "Is it really that good…"
It was clearly no different from the food he normally cooked.
6677 had by now realized that Saphen probably had an issue with his sense of taste, so it only said, "Since he's the perfect male lead, of course his cooking is perfect too. Eating food made by the male lead is a blessing accumulated over seven lifetimes! You don't know this, but in CEO novels, the male lead never cooks! The only thing he cooks is a hundred-billion-dollar contract!"
Saphen always fell silent whenever 6677 talked about the male lead—after all, it was just a string of meaningless praises.
Not long after Cain left, Saphen also stepped outside and immediately saw Owen delivering water.
Lately, Owen had suddenly become a regular at the store; the manager was even preparing a VIP card for him.
Owen was chatting with a few employees at the moment when someone said:
"Owen, I think you should give up already. Someone picked Saphen up for work today and even brought him lunch."
Owen frequently asked them about Saphen, and the employees all knew he wanted to get to know him better. But Saphen was a bit aloof, so Owen still hadn't found the right opening.
Hearing this, Owen couldn't help but frown slightly, remembering the person riding away on a bicycle he had seen earlier.
That person… Was he Saphen's boyfriend?
Owen chuckled and said, "Maybe they're just roommates."
One of the employees laughed. "Damian said the same thing as you, hahaha."
Owen: "…"
At that moment, the break room door suddenly opened, and Saphen walked out.
Seeing him, Owen straightened up instinctively, chest slightly raised. He put on the most natural smile he could manage and said, "Saphen, perfect timing. Could you make me a cup of coffee?"
Requests that singled out a specific barista usually came with a tip, so Saphen didn't refuse. He stepped behind the counter and asked softly, "What kind of coffee would you like?"
Owen quickly gave the name of a drink and watched as Saphen worked with practiced ease. Saphen's fingers were long and well-proportioned, much like the rest of his body; the fingertips were slightly pink. Owen could smell the scent of coffee in the air mixed with a faint hint of gardenia.
Thinking about what the other employees had said earlier, Owen couldn't help but ask softly, "Saphen, when I got here I saw a guy. Is he your boyfriend?"
Saphen's movements didn't slow in the slightest. He poured the finished coffee into a cup, pushed it toward Owen, then tapped his fingertip lightly against the counter. Resting his chin on his hand, he looked at Owen, eyes curling as if he were smiling. "Funny… Everyone seems to automatically assume I like men."
Hearing that, Owen's heart tightened a little.
He tried hard to maintain his gentle smile and said softly, "I didn't mean it that way…"
Saphen chuckled and waved it off. "He's my roommate." After a brief pause, he added, "For now, at least."
Meaning the future was uncertain?
Owen couldn't understand what was so great about someone who rode a bicycle. He couldn't help saying, "When choosing a partner, we should consider many different aspects."
Saphen nodded. "That's true. I don't consider myself particularly outstanding…"
He hadn't even finished before Owen immediately said, "You are outstanding!"
His raised voice made Saphen pause, then laugh.
Owen pressed his lips together, belatedly feeling embarrassed, but he didn't think he'd said anything wrong. So he repeated, "I really do think you're outstanding."
By now Saphen had straightened up. He leaned casually against the refrigerator beside him, arms crossed, eyes curved in amusement. Even without seeing his full expression, Owen could tell he was wearing a careless, indifferent smile.
"Outstanding? Me? I never went to school, I have no degree, I work at an ordinary shop earning just enough to feed myself and get through a mediocre day-to-day life. I really wonder what part of me is supposed to be outstanding." Saphen said it all with complete nonchalance.
Owen shook his head at once, instinctively wanting to argue. But Saphen lightly touched his own face and said, "Or do you mean this face? Well, that is outstanding."
As he spoke, he moved closer to Owen. Owen pressed his lips together, his jaw tightening. The warm steam of the coffee hung faintly between them.
Then he heard Saphen say, "Ever since that day you saw me, you've come here every single day. What is it? You like how I look and want to keep me? I heard rich people like you are pretty fond of that sort of thing."
Owen shook his head in a small panic. He hadn't even considered the idea of keeping Saphen!
But before he could say anything, Saphen tapped his chest lightly with a fingertip—each tap like a drumbeat, sending Owen's heart thundering out of rhythm.
Saphen smiled and said softly, "We're too different, Owen. I'm just a weed. Once I lose this face, that faint affection of yours will disappear too. I don't like shallow things like that, so I hope you'll take back those feelings."
Owen knew he had approached Saphen a bit suddenly, but he wasn't like that. He didn't want to keep Saphen—he had seriously thought about developing a real relationship. How could Saphen trample on his feelings like this?!
Owen didn't even know whether he was angry or something else entirely. He slammed his black card down on the counter and turned around sharply, storming out.
The loud sound made everyone nearby—whether they were intentionally listening or not—jump in surprise.
Instinctively, they all turned to look at Saphen, only to see him pick up the cup of coffee in front of him and pour it down the sink, completely unfazed.
"That's two troubles handled," Saphen thought to himself.
6677 shuddered inwardly. Thank goodness the plot didn't require the male lead to chase after Saphen—otherwise he'd be killed off by Saphen's coldness.
The workday ended peacefully.
Owen didn't return to the store even once more that day. Damian was also unusually quiet and well-behaved.
When it was time to go home, Saphen had barely stepped out of the shop when he saw Cain riding toward him.
Cain smiled, raising his hand in a wave.
He braked to a stop right in front of Saphen, looking a little pleased. "Hop on."
"You're not going to rest at all?" Saphen said with a small laugh.
Cain frowned. "Don't underestimate me."
The wind brushed past their hair and faces. Cain was focused on pedaling when he suddenly felt a bit of weight press against his back—Saphen had rested his face against him, quiet and still.
Cain spoke softly, "Are you tired?"
Saphen smiled. "Not really. I just suddenly felt like leaning on you—is that not allowed?"
Cain answered immediately, "It is."
You can lean on me for a lifetime if you want, Saphen. Cain wanted to become a great tree—one Saphen could rely on for the rest of his life…