Chapter 9 Secretary Lin Can Do Whatever He Wants

Chapter 9 Secretary Lin Can Have Whatever He Wants

That one sentence left Zhou Yu stunned for a long time.

Lin Yunshu rested in his arms for a while, feeling the pain gradually subside.

He gently pressed Zhou Yu's shoulder. "Thank you, I feel much better."

Zhou Yu snapped back to reality, loosely encircling Lin Yunshu. "Why were you suddenly so unwell?"

"That's how pheromone imbalances are," Lin Yunshu lowered his gaze. "That's why I really need your pheromones."

A pang of sadness struck Zhou Yu's heart.

Lin Yunshu always had a way of looking utterly vulnerable, a sight that invariably tugged at Zhou Yu's heartstrings.

He didn't bother to correct Lin Yunshu's formal address.

"I'm sorry," Zhou Yu said guiltily. "My attitude was poor just now."

"No," Lin Yunshu shook his head, a faint smile gracing his eyes. "Not at all."

That smile was incredibly gentle.

Zhou Yu felt his heart lift, floating weightlessly into the air.

So much so that his dreams that night were filled with Lin Yunshu's face.

He dreamed he had scolded Lin Yunshu until he cried again, making him so anxious he wished he could hold him, kiss him, and comfort him.

He chastised himself for being so cruel.

But when he woke up and sat up in bed, Zhou Yu realized he had never actually scolded Lin Yunshu.

Every time this stubborn man infuriated him, he'd only release a tiny fraction of his anger before completely bottling it up.

Was even that tiny bit too harsh?

Enough to make Lin Yunshu so afraid of him that he didn't even dare to ask for a hug?

Zhou Yu shook his head, reflecting on himself as he got out of bed to exercise.

·

On Sunday, Lin Yunshu went to the mall.

At the enthusiastic recommendation of the sales associate, he bought the latest Fruit Phone model: a Space Gray 1TB Pro Max.

Just as he stepped out of the mall, a message from his aunt arrived.

[Aunt: It's your cousin's birthday today. Remember to come back for dinner.]

[Lin Yunshu: Got it.]

It was Chen Shuyang's birthday, and the atmosphere at his aunt's house was a bit more cheerful than usual.

An unopened cream cake sat on the coffee table, and his aunt had prepared a lavish spread.

Lin Yunshu quickly scanned the table, noting a few lighter dishes amidst the predominantly spicy ones.

"You're here," his cousin emerged from his room, greeting him. "Can you eat these?"

Lin Yunshu nodded. "Yes, did you ask your mom to make them?"

Knowing his aunt, she would never voluntarily remember Lin Yunshu's dietary restrictions.

His cousin didn't reply, pulling out a chair and sitting down to serve rice.

He wore a brightly patterned tank top, cargo pants with Air Jordans, a stack of chains around his neck and wrists, and an earring.

Lin Yunshu looked him up and down. "Are you going to a bar later?"

His cousin looked up, a "mind your own business" expression on his face. "What's wrong with an adult going out?"

"Nothing, just don't let your mom know," Lin Yunshu said, taking the bowl of rice his cousin handed him. "That's too much."

"Eat it all," his cousin said without looking up, letting out a disdainful laugh. "Since when do I listen to her?"

Lin Yunshu said no more, taking the phone from his bag and placing it beside his cousin.

Chen Shuyang glanced at it. "What's this?"

"For you," Lin Yunshu said.

Chen Shuyang pushed it back. "I don't want it."

"Keep it," Lin Yunshu said with a sigh. "The one you're using now was bought in your senior year of high school. You've already graduated from college—it's time for an upgrade."

"I can earn money to buy my own."

"It's a birthday gift," Lin Yunshu sighed again. "It's yours."

His cousin fell silent, reluctantly picked it up, tore off the plastic wrap, and casually examined it, though his movements were careful and deliberate.

"Thanks," he mumbled. "I'll get you back double when your birthday comes."

Lin Yunshu smiled faintly.

"Oh, Xiao Shu, you're here!" His aunt brought out the final dish. "Quick, quick, quick, perfect timing, let's eat."

The family gathered around the dining table.

The moment his aunt appeared, Chen Shuyang quickly hid the phone out of her sight. His face remained sullen, and he ignored everyone.

"Oh, how wonderful," his aunt said, looking at them with satisfaction. "The children have all grown up. Xiao Shu has a stable job, and Xiao Yang has graduated from college. In the blink of an eye, they're all adults now!"

Her unusually sweet tone gave Lin Yunshu goosebumps.

"Yes, once their futures are settled, I'll be at ease," his uncle said. "Xiao Shu should quickly find a nice partner, and Xiao Yang should get a stable, respectable job. Then we old folks can laugh in our dreams."

Lin Yunshu's hand, holding the chopsticks, paused. So this was what they were getting at.

"Dad, why are you saying all this?" Chen Shuyang sounded impatient.

"Your dad is just worried about you," his aunt said anxiously. "Look, you didn't get into graduate school, you missed the campus recruitment period, and it's been three months since graduation without a proper job…"

Chen Shuyang interrupted, "I've got it under control."

"You've got it under control? What plan?" His uncle slammed his chopsticks down. "Every day, you're either lying at home playing games or hanging out with those deadbeat friends of yours. Where's this plan of yours?"

"Oh, what's the rush?" Aunt quickly intervened. "Today is the child's birthday!"

She then looked at Lin Yunshu ingratiatingly. "Yun Shu, you see, it's graduation and recruitment season right now. Are there any suitable positions at your company? Your brother is very talented—he's clever and learns things quickly!"

"Mom, are you crazy?" Chen Shuyang felt a shrimp caught in his throat, utterly humiliated.

"The adults are talking, what are you interrupting for!" Aunt shot him a dagger-like glare, then smiled cheerfully and took Lin Yunshu's hand.

"Xiao Shu, you two grew up together, and have no other siblings—so you're even closer than real brothers!"

"Shuyang is an alpha, smart and capable. Look, you have that illness—you definitely can't hold down a job long-term. And since you're not willing to get married, in the end, won't you have to rely on your brother to support you?"

She grew more confident as she spoke. "If you help him out now, he'll remember your kindness and treat you well later on!"

Bang!

A porcelain bowl slammed heavily onto the table.

"Will you fucking stop?" Chen Shuyang's face turned red, then white. "I don't need anyone to find me a job. I've told you I have plans, I have plans! Can't you understand plain language?!"

He shot up from his seat, threw down his chopsticks, and went back to his room.

"Can you please stop interfering in my life?!"

"Oh, you child, why are you so unreasonable!" Aunt was both angry and hurt. "We're only doing this for your own good!"

The only response was the deafening slam of the door.

"Such a thoughtless fool!" Aunt snapped.

She then turned back to Lin Yunshu with a smile. "Xiao Shu, pay no mind to your brother. He's being immature, but as parents, we have to make plans for you."

"Yes," he nodded.

"That's more like it," Aunt thought she was making progress and pressed on. "Yours is a big company—its development surely has great prospects. Do you see if there's…"

"Got it," Lin Yunshu said.

He unhurriedly picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth. "I'll go and ask."

"Oh, good, good, good!" Aunt was overjoyed. "I knew you were capable!"

"You flatter me too much," Lin Yunshu said politely. "The company's success has nothing to do with me. I'm just a dead-end secretary, living off my youth."

Aunt's expression shifted, realizing Lin Yunshu was indirectly criticizing her for being opportunistic.

After a brief, awkward pause, she forced a smile. "Look at you, still holding a grudge, aren't you? We're all family."

Lin Yunshu subtly brushed her off. "I'll definitely ask, but there's no guarantee they'll give me any face."

As he spoke, he picked up his bag and headed out.

"Xiao… Xiao Shu…" Aunt followed him to the door, hesitating.

Lin Yunshu smiled and closed the door for her.

The meal ended too abruptly. Chen Shuyang's birthday cake hadn't even been unwrapped. By the time Lin Yunshu stepped out of the building, the sky wasn't fully dark yet, veiled in a thin layer of sunset glow.

Aunt's home was deep in a narrow alley where cars couldn't enter. Lin Yunshu walked slowly outward.

"Hey—"

A voice called from behind.

Lin Yunshu turned and saw Chen Shuyang, who had followed him out unnoticed.

"What is it?" he mouthed.

Chen Shuyang stopped about four or five meters away and didn't come closer. He looked at Lin Yunshu silently for a moment before saying,

"Don't come back to this house anymore."

Lin Yunshu's eyebrow lifted slightly.

"They don't like you, and you don't like them. Why force it?"

Chen Shuyang laid it all out plainly.

"You also don't need to feel like you owe them anything for raising you all these years. They didn't leave you a single cent of your dad's death compensation—raising you didn't cost them any of their own money."

"Even all these years…" He paused, as if struggling to say it. "A lot of my tuition and living expenses came from your dad's compensation."

"—You don't owe our family anything."

He shoved his hands in his pockets, slouching, but his evasive gaze betrayed his unease. "As for what I owe you… I'll pay you back once I start earning."

A faint smile touched Lin Yunshu's lips, but he said nothing.

The smile was subtle, carrying something Chen Shuyang's temperament couldn't decipher.

Uncomfortable, Chen Shuyang rubbed his neck and avoided Lin Yunshu's gaze.

"Why did you hide the phone earlier?" Lin Yunshu suddenly asked.

Chen Shuyang was caught off guard by the random question. After a couple of seconds, he replied, baffled, "Didn't want them to know you're doing well—that you could afford such an expensive phone."

This time, Lin Yunshu genuinely laughed, his beautiful eyes curving lightly.

"Understood."

He turned and walked away.

Chen Shuyang instinctively took a few steps after him, then stopped.

"I don't need you to find me a job!" he shouted from behind. "I found one myself—I have an offer!"

"I have an offer! Lin Yunshu, did you hear me—"

Lin Yunshu raised a hand high and waved.

The evening wind rushed in through his collar, billowing his clothes.

In the distance stretched an entire sky of orange and pink. His figure was framed by the narrow alley, yet it seemed to extend far beyond it.

·

Monday.

Lin Yunshu brought the revised contract to Zhou Yu, and the two spent fifteen minutes going over the terms and signing it.

The moment Zhou Yu successfully signed his name, he felt like he was walking on air.

They had actually made a marriage pact—Lin Yunshu was now his omega!

And he was Lin Yunshu’s only alpha.

His heart raced wildly, as if filled with sweet honey; he was dying to hug Lin Yunshu close right then and there, to kiss him.

Across the desk, Secretary Lin was placing the contract in a sealed bag and then into the safe in Zhou Yu’s office.

Professional and efficient, as if it were just another confidential project.

Zhou Yu: "..."

He pulled his outstretched hand back.

He really wanted to remind Secretary Lin that the tightly sealed bag wasn’t some project document—it was their marriage agreement.

Their marriage agreement!

It deserved the same treatment as a marriage certificate, to be taken home and treasured!

...Never mind, whatever. Secretary Lin could do as he pleased.

As long as Secretary Lin was happy.

After all, there was no chance of divorce.

Zhou Yu sighed silently, watching Lin Yunshu’s back, feeling both happy and helpless.

He reminded himself to be patient.

At the very least, he had already won him over. He had taken advantage of the situation, and his methods might have been a bit underhanded, but Zhou Yu knew full well he had never been a person with high moral standards.

They had all the time in the world. The fact that Lin Yunshu relied on his pheromones was a good start.

He could patiently, slowly, let that reliance grow into love for him.

After finishing with the safe, Lin Yunshu went outside to fuss over the plants on his desk.

He was someone who loved life, bringing two bouquets of fresh flowers to work every day—one for his own desk and one for the vase beside Zhou Yu’s computer.

Zhou Yu walked over and waited for Lin Yunshu to finish misting the petals before taking him by the wrist and leading him to sit on the sofa.

"Stop fussing," he said. "Since the agreement is signed, let’s find a time to make it official as soon as possible."

Lin Yunshu nodded. "You decide. I’ll take care of the rest."

Zhou Yu looked pleased. "I have a business trip tomorrow and won’t be back until next week at the earliest."

Lin Yunshu checked his schedule. "Next Tuesday, from 2 to 4 p.m., you have a two-hour window."

"Alright, let’s do it then," Zhou Yu confirmed.

Lin Yunshu noted it down.

"Also, think about where you’d like to live," Zhou Yu said. "Given your condition, we’ll need to live together. You can choose any place you like, or I can move in with you—either way is fine."

Lin Yunshu had been thinking about that too.

He had been using less medication these past few days. If Zhou Yu weren’t around, he wasn’t sure he could endure the nights.

"How about my place?" Lin Yunshu suggested. "It’s closer to the company."

He loved his home. Though not as spacious as Zhou Yu’s villa, he'd put his heart into every detail, and he only felt truly at ease when he returned there each day.

"Sure," Zhou Yu agreed readily. "But for today, let’s go back to my villa. It’s closer for catching the flight tomorrow morning. Once I’m back from this trip, we can move to your place."

"Okay." Lin Yunshu pursed his lips, pleased.

He liked how agreeable Zhou Yu was and appreciated their efficient communication, which left him feeling as comforted as if he’d bathed in warm water.

Zhou Yu leaned in, tilting his head to see the upward curve of Lin Yunshu’s lips, his own eyes instantly filling with a smile.

"Secretary Lin, have you ever thought about getting a pet?"

Lin Yunshu was taken aback. "What?"

"A cat or a dog—which do you prefer?" Zhou Yu pressed.

Lin Yunshu replied, "Probably a cat. Dogs need walking, and neither of us has the time."

"Alright, a cat it is," Zhou Yu agreed immediately. "Coincidentally, Li Xun’s cat recently had a litter, and he’s been trying to find homes for the kittens."

"Assistant Li?"

Lin Yunshu suddenly recalled hearing about it.

This colleague was famous throughout the company for keeping a dozen or so different pets at home, almost like a zoo.

"Right."

As he spoke, Zhou Yu subtly observed the distance between himself and Lin Yunshu.

Secretary Lin showed no awareness that they were married, maintaining the polite distance of a superior and subordinate.

The space between them was wide enough to fit both Assistant Li and Guo Shengyao.

Zhou Yu felt displeased but didn’t show it. After a moment’s thought, he pulled out his phone.

"It’s a litter of calico kittens," he said, scrolling through photos in his album. "Over two months old, already litter-trained and good at burying. They groom themselves often and are very clean."

The sofa cushion beside him dipped slightly as Secretary Lin was indeed drawn closer.

Zhou Yu shifted the screen toward him, and Secretary Lin’s fair profile leaned in even nearer.

He had used quite a bit of inhibitor—Zhou Yu couldn’t detect the sweet, unsettling scent of pheromones, only the light fragrance of shampoo.

He flipped through the photos of the kittens one by one, watching Lin Yunshu’s expression.

By the fifth photo, Lin Yunshu’s eyes lit up.

He had taken a liking to a calico kitten with a perpetually sulky expression.

Zhou Yu smiled. "We’ll take this one."

Lin Yunshu was happy, genuinely happy.

Even without much change in his expression, Zhou Yu could see the quietly suppressed excitement sparkling in his eyes.

"You... As long as you like it," Lin Yunshu said.

"Good, I like it."

Zhou Yu grinned so widely that wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes. He immediately texted Assistant Li, jumping the queue to reserve the kitten.

"Once we’re back from our business trip, we can go pick it up," he said. "Let’s think of a name for it over the next few days."

Then, he noticed in Lin Yunshu’s eyes an excitement so intense it verged on wistful anticipation.

"What’s wrong?"

"Nothing," Lin Yunshu shook his head, smiling. "It’s just that the kitten seems so tiny and new—I’m worried I won’t raise it properly."

"Don’t worry," Zhou Yu reassured him. "I’ll learn how to care for it. You just need to know how to keep it entertained."

Author's Note:

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

[Cat paw] Opening a spot for kitten name suggestions!

If anyone participates, I’ll pick the most upvoted name.

If no one replies... I’ll just come up with one myself! (Biting the corner of the blanket) (Pretending to be strong)