Chapter 7 Prenuptial Agreement

Chapter 7: Prenuptial Agreement

Now it was Lin Yunshu's turn to be taken aback.

"What?" He thought he must have misheard. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I said we should get married."

Zhou Yu stood up and walked over to him.

Compared to Lin Yunshu's stunned and shocked expression, Zhou Yu appeared remarkably relaxed.

Had he suddenly lost his mind?

Lin Yunshu managed to stop himself from blurting out the thought.

Then he considered that his own abrupt and out-of-the-blue request for pheromones must have seemed equally insane to Zhou Yu.

"Are you joking with me?"

"Of course not," Zhou Yu replied. "I am making this proposal to you very seriously."

Lin Yunshu suddenly felt a wave of dizziness.

When he next registered his surroundings, Zhou Yu had already gently guided him onto the sofa.

Zhou Yu held a handful of tissues, one hand pressing them against Lin Yunshu's nose and mouth, the other supporting the back of his neck. The top button of Lin Yunshu's collar had already been undone.

"You're having a nosebleed," Zhou Yu stated.

Lin Yunshu's mind was racing, utterly bewildered as to how things had escalated so quickly. He took the tissues from Zhou Yu and pressed them to his nose himself.

"Sorry," he said, his voice faint. "Your proposal is simply too overwhelming."

"Don't try to change the subject," Zhou Yu gripped his wrist. "I just saw you have a nosebleed last week. Isn't this happening a bit too frequently?"

Lin Yunshu's eyelashes fluttered, but he remained silent.

A moment later, he raised a hand to his temple, seemingly still dizzy.

Zhou Yu's assertive demeanor softened instantly.

He supported Lin Yunshu's back to help him sit upright. "Alright, let's not discuss this for now."

"Here's the plan," he said, glancing at the time and accommodating Lin Yunshu's state. "There's a meeting in half an hour. Take a moment to compose yourself, we'll focus on work first. We can discuss the marriage matter tonight. How does that sound?"

Lin Yunshu had been thinking the same thing.

His nosebleed had mostly stopped, and he certainly needed time to process this unexpected turn of events.

"Alright," he shot up, crumpling the blood-stained tissues into his palm. "I'll get back to work now."

Without a backward glance, he left his boss's office.

Zhou Yu: "..."

He remained crouched on the floor, then slowly tilted his head, as if just realizing what had happened.

·

Half an hour later, Zhou Yu emerged from his office.

Lin Yunshu was briefing Guo Shengyao on the day's schedule. Seeing Zhou Yu, both greeted him respectfully.

Likely because his clothes had been stained with blood earlier, Lin Yunshu had changed into a new shirt—a water-blue one with a sturdy, almost soft denim-like fabric, which complemented his skin tone well.

His expression had long since returned to normal, with no trace left of the slightly flustered and endearing appearance from before.

Zhou Yu waved his hand, indicating they needn't be so formal, and casually asked, "Have you both had breakfast?"

"Yes!" Guo Shengyao brightened at the mention of food. "The pan-fried buns from the auntie downstairs were unbelievably delicious today!"

"Isn't it just because it's Friday and you're unbelievably happy about the upcoming holiday?"

Guo Shengyao: "..."

She lowered her head and mumbled, "You saw through me, boss, but you didn't have to say it out loud."

Zhou Yu: "Heh."

This was the attitude of the employees he paid to work—talking about weekends as if they were caged birds desperate for freedom.

No dedication to overtime at all! How was the company supposed to grow!

Oh, Secretary Lin, however, did enjoy working overtime.

But Zhou Yu didn't want him to.

As he spoke, Zhou Yu's gaze kept drifting towards Lin Yunshu. Noticing that Lin Yunshu seemed slightly amused by their banter, he felt a wave of contentment.

"How about you?" he asked Lin Yunshu.

"I've eaten too," Lin Yunshu replied casually.

He actually didn't have a habit of eating breakfast; food always upset his stomach in the morning.

But Zhou Yu was particular about breakfast. During their business trips together, Zhou Yu would always dedicate what seemed like an extravagant amount of time to morning meals.

Back then, Lin Yunshu could still manage to eat a little.

Recently, perhaps due to declining health, anything he ate in the morning would be vomited back up.

Lin Yunshu didn't want to elaborate, so he vaguely brushed it off. But he noticed Zhou Yu studying him closely.

"What did you eat?" Zhou Yu persisted, unyielding.

Lin Yunshu hesitated for a moment. "Fried eggs."

Zhou Yu fell silent, shifting his gaze away after a few seconds. It was unclear whether he had seen through the fabrication.

·

The entire morning was a relentless series of meetings.

After meeting with project managers, they met with investment teams. After the investment teams, subsidiary companies came to report on the progress of their brand anniversary events.

Lin Yunshu talked until his throat was parched. Once immersed in work, he forgot about everything else.

Zhou Yu poured a glass of warm water and placed it beside him. Without a second thought, Lin Yunshu picked it up and drank. Only after finishing did he notice the surprised looks from across the table.

Seated opposite were the CEO and Operations Director of CASSI, a luxury brand that was a subsidiary of the group. Although CASSI typically operated with relative independence, they were here today to finalize details for next week's anniversary event with headquarters.

These two rarely visited the headquarters, and witnessing this scene, they couldn't quite control their expressions.

The boss pours water for a subordinate, and the subordinate doesn't even stand up, bow, or offer a word of thanks—just takes it and drinks without a care?

They exchanged a glance. It seemed the discipline at headquarters wasn't as strict as the rumors suggested…

"Ahem."

Lin Yunshu cleared his throat and placed the cup back down.

Zhou Yu sat beside him, seemingly oblivious to the momentary undercurrents, or perhaps tacitly acknowledging Secretary Lin's elevated status within headquarters.

The two visitors were inwardly startled and discreetly averted their gazes.

"I assume there's nothing else?" Zhou Yu said.

"No," the Operations Director nodded. "Once the specific celebration procedures are finalized, we'll send them to headquarters immediately. We look forward to your attendance and guidance at the event."

After seeing off the visitors, it was almost noon.

Lin Yunshu had been sitting all morning and suddenly stood up, his joints cracking as if his body might fall apart.

He clutched his lower back, leaning on the table, afraid to move. He looked up and met Zhou Yu’s surprised gaze.

"When was the last time you exercised?" Zhou Yu came over and offered him support.

Leaning on Zhou Yu’s arm, he managed to work the stiffness out of his limbs, like lubricating creaky joints.

"Thank you," he released Zhou Yu’s hand. "I've never liked exercising."

Zhou Yu frowned disapprovingly. "My grandfather died at seventy-nine."

Lin Yunshu: "?"

"The day before he died, he was more agile than you are."

Lin Yunshu: "…"

He collected the materials on the table, ignoring his boss’s teasing. "You mentioned earlier that you wanted Chinese food. The restaurant is booked, and the driver is waiting downstairs. Shall we go?"

He pushed open the conference room door.

Zhou Yu stepped aside, held the door open for him, and gently guided him out with a hand on his shoulder. "Let's eat together."

"Alright," Lin Yunshu agreed.

As they walked side by side, Zhou Yu suddenly remembered, "Didn't you win a VIP annual gym membership at last year's company party?"

Lin Yunshu silently quickened his pace.

"You didn't sell it, did you?" Zhou Yu wouldn't let it go.

Lin Yunshu sped up again and pressed the elevator button multiple times.

·

At the restaurant, Zhou Yu closed the menu and handed it to the server.

Lin Yunshu sat across from him, meticulously wiping his hands with a hot towel, cleaning each finger individually, as if deliberately avoiding eye contact.

Zhou Yu tapped the table, and only then did Lin Yunshu look up, silently setting the towel down.

Zhou Yu sat back comfortably in his chair, legs crossed, his slender fingers resting on the table, tapping soundlessly.

Lin Yunshu couldn’t discern what he was thinking.

After a while, Zhou Yu spoke casually, "So, you're an omega?"

"Yes."

Lin Yunshu admitted it straightforwardly.

"I really hadn't noticed…" Zhou Yu's brow unconsciously lifted. "How come you have no scent at all?"

Logically, even with the best suppressants, it's nearly impossible for an omega to not emit even a trace of scent over so many years.

"My pheromones are very faint," Lin Yunshu explained, "and I've always used suppressants."

"Why?" Zhou Yu asked bluntly.

Lin Yunshu paused for a moment. "I presented very late, so my pheromones have always been unstable, and I can't control them well. If they occasionally leak, it would seriously interfere with my work."

It sounded somewhat formal but reasonable.

Zhou Yu mused; Lin Yunshu was indeed a workaholic.

"Then why are you seeking my help now?"

"Not asking for help," Lin Yunshu corrected softly, "it's an exchange. I'm offering to pay from my salary in exchange."

"Alright, an exchange," Zhou Yu went along. "But Secretary Lin, you need to understand that your salary comes from me in the first place. I'm not particularly fond of 'robbing Peter to pay Paul' situations."

Lin Yunshu briefly closed his eyes. "I understand."

"Or perhaps you could tell me why you need my pheromones?"

Lin Yunshu’s eyelashes trembled slightly; he seemed to be struggling to find the words. His face turned pale.

Zhou Yu sipped his water slowly, giving him time to think.

"You are the only alpha I'm compatible with," Lin Yunshu said softly after a moment. "We have a compatibility percentage of over 100%."

Zhou Yu jolted, almost spilling his water.

"As I mentioned earlier," Lin Yunshu continued, taking a deep breath, "my pheromones are very unstable. Suppressants used to work, but lately they've been failing. I don't want to have my pheromones leaking uncontrollably—it would seriously disrupt my work. That's why I came to you."

"…"

Zhou Yu put down his glass.

He rubbed his face with his hands, momentarily speechless.

Lin Yunshu felt a little nervous, repeatedly reviewing his explanation, confident that it had no flaws and perfectly matched his usual diligent personality.

But he couldn't quite figure out what his boss was planning; even a small misstep could be critical for him.

"Hello, your food is here."

The waiter interrupted with a smile, and Zhou Yu sat up straight.

"Let's eat, go ahead," Zhou Yu said after the waiter left. "Nothing's spicy—your stomach can handle it, right?"

Lin Yunshu was surprised he remembered such details. "Yes, thank you, boss."

Zhou Yu focused intently on his food, and the two didn't speak during the meal.

After returning to the company, there were still half an hour left before lunch break was over.

Lin Yunshu followed Zhou Yu into the office.

Zhou Yu took off his suit jacket and hung it on the coat rack.

"I can agree to your request," he said. "But I want it to be in the form of marriage."

Lin Yunshu frowned, looking uncomfortable. "Boss…"

"Still calling me 'boss'?" Zhou Yu turned around and smiled at him. "There's no one else here."

As the company had grown step by step, Zhou Yu rarely smiled like this anymore, which briefly reminded Lin Yunshu of their university days.

Lin Yunshu let his guard down a bit. "Senior."

Zhou Yu’s smile deepened as he guided him to sit on the sofa. "Yun Shu, you really don’t need to worry so much. I need your help too."

"But..." Lin Yunshu trailed off, hesitating.

He still felt that establishing a marital relationship was inappropriate for them.

"It’s just a contract," Zhou Yu said. "I need a spouse to silence those annoying old men, but I don’t trust anyone else."

He persuaded gently, "You’ve been by my side all these years and know me inside out. Besides you, I can’t trust anyone else."

Lin Yunshu chuckled softly. "You trust me that much?"

"Who else can I trust?" Zhou Yu met his gaze.

Unlike Lin Yunshu’s eyes, which were like shattered glass, Zhou Yu’s pupils were dark, and when he looked down, the corners of his eyes drooped slightly.

It was the same expression he had when he first asked Lin Yunshu to join the company.

Back then, his features were more youthful, making him look even more like a homeless stray puppy.

Lin Yunshu’s heart softened, and he agreed.

Years later, Zhou Yu had shed his youthful appearance, his features sharpened, and his personality grew more assertive, but that look in his eyes remained unchanged.

And Lin Yunshu had always been more likely to yield to kindness than pressure.

"Aren’t you afraid I might betray you?" he asked.

Zhou Yu arched an eyebrow, his expression slightly odd.

"Of course, there’ll be a prenuptial agreement," he said. "As you said, this is a collaboration, one that benefits us both."

Lin Yunshu let out a small sigh of relief.

For a moment, he’d subconsciously thought Zhou Yu would say "no," and such excessive, baseless trust always made him uneasy.

Fortunately, Zhou Yu approached it professionally by proposing an agreement, which put Lin Yunshu much more at ease.

"Think it over carefully," Zhou Yu said earnestly, looking at him. "You know I can’t function without you by my side."

·

That afternoon, Lin Yunshu was unusually unfocused at work.

He had always kept work and life completely separate; colleagues never became close friends outside the office.

Even Zhou Yu was no exception.

Though they had known each other since university and worked together for three years, he had never shared much about his personal life with Zhou Yu.

He preferred this clear separation between professional and personal matters and had never considered building a closer relationship with Zhou Yu.

But now, he was in a tight spot, and Zhou Yu urgently needed someone for a marriage of convenience.

Collaborating seemed like the optimal solution.

After all, he couldn’t just wait for Zhou Yu to marry someone else and then occasionally ask someone else’s husband for pheromones—that was a fundamental boundary, absolutely not to be crossed.

He had no other options.

Lin Yunshu stood up, working the stiffness out of his neck as he walked to the window. The sky outside was bright, and the leaves were so green they seemed to drip with freshness.

Lost in thought for a while, Lin Yunshu took out his phone and made a call.

"Hey, Shengyao, help me draft an agreement."

He pondered. "Don’t use the company’s legal team—contact Lawyer Li... Yes, a prenuptial agreement. I’ll tell you what to include."

·

Zhou Yu was humming as he returned home.

After showering and lying in bed, he was too excited to fall asleep until after midnight.

He abruptly sat up and headed straight to the gym on the fourth floor of his villa.

Half an hour later, on the other end of the video call, Tan Cong held a coffee cup, enjoying his afternoon tea while staring blankly at his phone screen.

On it, Zhou Yu was working out intensely in the gym, shirtless and lifting weights like crazy.

Tan Cong: "..."

He looked at him with an expression that clearly said, "Are you crazy?"

"Unless I'm wrong," he hesitated, "it should be four-twelve in the morning where you are, right?"

"4:12 a.m."

Zhou Yu wasn't even looking at the screen, focusing intently on his own muscular reflection in the mirror.

"I'm getting married," he said.

"Pfft—!" Tan Cong spit his coffee across the table.

He had no time to deal with the mess, wiped hastily before leaning closer to his phone, his face distorting rapidly as it filled the screen.

"Wait, who is it? Someone from the Mu family or the Zhao family?" He stared at Zhou Yu’s smug expression, shocked. "Did your junior agree?"

"—Did you just suddenly win him over?"

"How can you call it sudden?" Zhou Yu protested. "I’ve been planning this for a long time. But I didn’t expect it to go so smoothly—he happens to need me too."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing," Zhou Yu said. "Tomorrow, or the day after at the latest, he’ll draft an agreement and come to me. Believe it or not."

"...What kind of game are you playing? You like someone, yet you’re going for a marriage of convenience?!"

"I do like him," Zhou Yu said, putting down the dumbbell, his expression dimming slightly. "But if I told him I like him and asked him to marry me, he’d disappear to a place I’d never find him—and it wouldn’t even take until tomorrow."

"..."

Tan Cong fell silent too.

Lin Yunshu really was that kind of person.

Since college, many had pursued him, but every person who confessed to him, no matter how close they were before, would be firmly rejected and subsequently ghosted completely.

He always seemed to be alone, seemingly devoid of any emotional or physical needs.

Tan Cong recalled the recent uproar over Zhou Yu’s arranged marriage plans. "But plotting to trick him like this… isn’t it a bit…"

"Happiness is something you have to seize," Zhou Yu had his own philosophy. "Time will reveal a person’s heart. One day, he’ll understand me. Even if he’s an ice block, I can melt him."

"Oh, so confident?"

"It’s not confidence," Zhou Yu said. "It’s ability."

Tan Cong rolled his eyes.

But, thinking about how Zhou Yu had money, power, and a life with no difficulties except winning Lin Yunshu’s heart, he really did have the abili…

"What the goddamn are you doing?!" Tan Cong cried out in alarm.

On the screen, Zhou Yu was proudly showing off his gains in the mirror—turning, raising his arms, flexing, completely full of himself.

"What the hell are you on?"

"Impressive enough?" Zhou Yu asked, nervous yet hopeful. "Muscular but not exaggerated, powerful but not like a bullfrog. I’ve trained as hard as I could."

"Will Yun Shu like it?"

Tan Cong abruptly ended the video call.

Author's Note:

----------------------

Tan Cong (stabbing his own eyes): So many qualities that actually matter, and you pick the most abstract one. Serves you right you’ve been pining for him for so many years and you're still single!