But he still had to do his best to maintain a natural expression, as if he had just casually put his clothes back on and was strolling over to pick up a delivery.

The person in front seemed to pause for a moment. “Uncle.”

Matthew Clark glanced at the item information on the cardboard box: [Books]

…Fortunately, there were no words that shouldn’t appear.

He let out a sigh of relief. “Mm, I’ll sign for it.”

He took the pen from the still-bewildered deliveryman and signed his name, then turned to take the box that James Bennett was holding.

“Just give it to me.”

James Bennett obediently handed it over, his unhurried tone sounding quite understanding. “Uncle, you really don’t have to be so anxious. It’s not like I’d open your package without permission.”

Matthew Clark, “……”

Matthew Clark, “…It’s because the books are being temporarily kept here for a friend. I was afraid you’d accidentally open them, so—mmph!”

Suddenly, the weight in his hands increased.

He almost tipped forward, but in the next moment, a pair of hands covered the back of his hand. The slightly high body temperature steadily supported him, lifting the box of books along with him.

“I’ll do it.” James Bennett curved his lips, took the box, and turned to walk inside.

“No need to be polite, this is what a workhorse should do.”

Matthew Clark, “…………”

He closed the door behind him with a bang! shutting the deliveryman’s bewildered face out in the hallway.

Inside, James Bennett walked ahead carrying the box.

His broad, firm back was faintly visible beneath his T-shirt, and the nape of his handsome neck showed above the collar.

Matthew Clark looked at him.

—Good looks, great figure. Comes from a well-off family but isn’t stuck-up, and has a good sense of humor.

He asked casually, “Xiao Jing, do you have a girlfriend?”

“Hmm? No.”

Matthew Clark blinked.

The person ahead stopped, right at the study door. James Bennett turned and asked, “What’s up?”

“Nothing, just thought you’d be pretty popular.”

“Oh… I’m just not that interested.” James Bennett replied offhandedly, then changed the subject. “By the way, where should I put the books—”

He gestured ahead. “Forbidden zone?”

Matthew Clark, “………” He’d already helped carry the box to the study door; how could he refuse to let him in now?

He reached out and opened the study door. “Please.”

James Bennett raised his eyebrows slightly and carried the box inside.

The study had actually been tidied up long ago. At a glance, it was spacious and bright, with nothing that needed to be censored—so clean it was almost suspicious.

Matthew Clark glanced out of the corner of his eye at the space under the sofa, the inside of the bookcase, the gaps in the drawers…

He felt a little tense and explained, “It’s because this is where I work, so…”

“Mm.” The person in front responded calmly.

Matthew Clark looked over and saw James Bennett wearing his usual casual smile, setting the box down steadily without probing further.

-

After moving the books, he returned to the bathroom.

Matthew Clark felt as if he’d survived a disaster. He turned and saw his phone, still lighting up with messages on the sink.

[Editor-in-Chief]: Hey, where are you?

[Editor-in-Chief]: So happy you’re speechless? ＾0＾

“………”

He changed the contact name to [Thunderbolt].

[Mingzhou]: Mm, my mind is completely blank ＾_＾

[Thunderbolt]: I knew it. [knowingly pushes up glasses] Remember to come to the office for the Monday meeting.

Heh. Definitely a fitting new nickname for the editor-in-chief.

Matthew Clark turned off his phone and numbly turned on the shower.

……

The next day was Monday.

Matthew Clark’s publishing house was the BL comics division under the largest entertainment publishing company in the industry.

Most of the time, he could work from home, only going in when necessary—

Like for the weekly meeting.

When Matthew Clark left home, James Bennett was already gone.

He glanced at the time—it was getting late—so he called a car to the office.

The editorial department was in the company’s main building, and when Matthew Clark arrived, the meeting was just about to start.

There were about a dozen people in the department, and almost everyone was already there. He was the deputy editor-in-chief, and sitting at the very front was the editor-in-chief, Evelyn Cooper.

As soon as he entered the meeting room, he was greeted with a chorus of hellos:

“Hey, Deputy Editor is here!”

“Mingzhou-ge, we saved you a piece of cake on your desk~”

“Did you read Cat Tail-sensei’s new work?!”

The lively chatter filled the meeting room with a burst of cheerful energy.

It seemed the laughter and joy were about to spill over into the next department.

A voice finally cut through the noise. “Quiet!”

Editor-in-chief Evelyn Cooper frowned, his eyes darkening behind his glasses. In his early thirties, he could be considered handsome, but when he got serious, his presence was intimidating.

He swept his gaze around. “Do you think this is a tea party?”

The editors immediately fell silent.

Matthew Clark sat down in the quiet room, glancing knowingly at the thermos by Evelyn Cooper’s hand. “The snow cap on your coffee is about to melt, Editor-in-chief.”

“……”

Evelyn Cooper quickly lowered his head. “Slurp.”

The weekly meeting was nothing more than work reports, updates on new projects, and plans for upcoming events.

Once the meeting ended, everyone dispersed.

Matthew Clark got up and walked out of the meeting room with the editor-in-chief, who was holding his melting coffee.