Chapter 34 Hubby’s Taking You to Buy a Diamond!…

Chapter 34: Hubby's taking you diamond shopping!

When Lin Yunshu awoke, darkness had fully enveloped the room.

A thin film of sweat coated his skin, yet his stomach felt considerably better, as if the warmth of Zhou Yu’s palm still faintly lingered.

Lin Yunshu slowly pushed himself up in bed, leaning against the headboard as he exhaled softly. He placed a hand on his upper abdomen, as if trying to recapture a fading warmth.

His gaze, unfocused, drifted vacantly across the dimly lit floor, lost in thought for a moment.

His stomach rumbled. He pushed the blanket aside and slowly eased himself out of bed.

Feeling sticky all over, Lin Yunshu paused for a second before deciding to shower first, then figure out how to satisfy his hunger.

Fearing lightheadedness from low blood sugar, he popped a piece of candy before stepping into the bathroom. He took a quick hot shower, changed into fresh clothes, and emerged.

He was alone in the house.

Zhou Yu had returned to the office, leaving a note on the dining table, beside which sat a steaming bowl of shredded chicken noodles.

Lin Yunshu’s brow smoothed, and a faint smile crinkled the corners of his eyes.

He carefully folded the note, sat down at the table, picked up his chopsticks, and began to eat.

The chicken broth was rich yet not greasy, and the noodles, thoroughly infused with the soup, were delightfully slippery and springy. Zhou Yu’s culinary skills were steadily improving.

After just a few bites, something nudged his pant leg.

Lin Yunshu looked down, meeting Yu Shu’s large, round eyes.

Yu Shu stood on her hind legs, paws resting on Lin Yunshu’s calf. Seeing that he was looking at her, she immediately let out a sweet, plaintive "meow."

She wanted to be held.

Lin Yunshu smiled, bent down, and scooped the little cat into his arms, letting her settle onto his lap.

"Has Yu Shu eaten?" he asked softly, gently stroking her head.

The little cat purred contentedly, meowing again.

She had already eaten!

Earlier, when Lin Yunshu had left the room, he’d noticed leftover canned food in Yu Shu’s bowl. The little cat, having eaten her fill and enjoyed a good nap, was now nestled on her dad’s lap, so utterly content her paws splayed out in relaxation.

Lin Yunshu smiled and gently squeezed her paw.

He mused that if a mirror were placed before him now, he’d surely be smiling with the same doting affection as an octogenarian meeting their great-grandchild.

He couldn't help it—his little cat was simply too endearing.

After a brief interaction with the cat, Lin Yunshu resumed eating his noodles.

Zhou Yu knew his appetite and, mindful of his upset stomach, had prepared a small portion.

While insufficient for a normal adult, it was perfectly adequate for Lin Yunshu at that moment.

He finished it without effort, his stomach feeling warm and comforted. His mood gradually brightened.

He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his stomach as he digested, then rose and swiftly washed the bowl, placing it on the drying rack.

Only after completing everything did he suddenly realize he had been so engrossed in eating that he’d forgotten to take a picture.

Buzz!

Zhou Yu had just picked up his phone after returning to the office when a message from Lin Yunshu popped up.

[Baby: Finished the noodles. They were so delicious I forgot to take a picture.]

Zhou Yu: ":D"

Li Xun had entered the office with Zhou Yu, chattering about the next day’s schedule. Looking up, he saw his boss grinning like a fool.

Zhou Yu was staring at his phone as if it were a treasure, his mouth twisted into a wide, almost comical smile.

Just minutes earlier, he had been dressing down a project manager, but now he was suddenly radiating pure joy.

A chameleon had nothing on his ability to change.

Li Xun: "..."

Zhou Yu rapidly typed on his screen, sending a string of reserved words accompanied by a beaming emoji:

[I’ll make it for you every day from now on.]

.

Lin Yunshu smiled and put his phone away.

Ding dong!

The video doorbell at the entrance rang. He picked up Yu Shu and walked over, pressing the answer button.

It was the property management from downstairs.

"Mr. Lin, hello," Xiao Li’s cheerful voice came through. "There’s a package for you. Are you available to sign for it now? If it’s convenient, I’ll bring it up right away."

"A package?" Lin Yunshu pondered for a moment. "I don’t think I’ve bought anything recently."

"Um," Xiao Li paused, then double-checked. "No mistake, it’s addressed to you. The sender is... Chen Shuyang."

Chen Shuyang?

Lin Yunshu raised an eyebrow. What in the world had this guy sent him?

He pressed the talk button. "Okay, come on up. Thanks for your trouble."

"Sure thing, Mr. Lin!"

Five minutes later, Xiao Li rang the doorbell, his arms laden with delivery boxes.

Lin Yunshu opened the door, taken aback.

"Mr. Lin, here’s your delivery," Xiao Li said with a friendly, genuine smile. "Everything’s here!"

"Alright, thank you," Lin Yunshu handed him a bottle of water. "Thanks for your help."

"No trouble at all, it’s part of our job!" Xiao Li smiled and pressed the elevator button. "I’ll be going now. If you need anything, just contact us."

"Okay, thanks."

The elevator doors closed. Lin Yunshu looked at the pile of cardboard boxes on the floor, placed his hands on his hips, frowned, and slowly tilted his head thoughtfully.

He took out his phone and dialed Chen Shuyang's number.

Yu Shu, his cat, squeezed out from beside his feet, curiously sniffing around the cardboard boxes.

Lin Yunshu put the phone on speaker and set it aside, first bringing the cat inside, then bringing in the boxes.

"Hello?" Chen Shuyang answered lazily. "What's up?"

"What's all this stuff you sent me?" Lin Yunshu picked up the phone, turned off the speaker, closed the door, and walked inside.

There was a pause on the other end. Chen Shuyang's voice suddenly sounded less sure of himself. "You got it already?"

Lin Yunshu chuckled. "It's same-day delivery in the same city."

"You haven't opened it yet?" Chen Shuyang suddenly became awkward. "You'll know once you open it."

"I was afraid you sent it to the wrong person, was scared to open it," Lin Yunshu joked.

"How could I send it to the wrong person? Am I that careless?" Chen Shuyang shot back. "Just open it first, then get back to me."

He hung up immediately.

Lin Yunshu: "?"

He stared at his phone, confused.

After a moment's thought, he decided to open the boxes first. He wanted to see what could make Chen Shuyang act so shy.

Lin Yunshu fetched a box cutter, sat on the carpet, and took his time opening the boxes.

The first item was a phone—this year's latest top-of-the-line model, the exact same as the one he had bought for Chen Shuyang.

The second was a tablet, the third a laptop, the fourth a computer, and there was also a fitness tracker.

Wow, the whole shebang.

Why had Chen Shuyang suddenly decided to buy him all these?

His phone vibrated. Despite telling Lin Yunshu to call back, Chen Shuyang couldn't resist and sent a video call instead.

After spending so long opening packages, Lin Yunshu's back was aching. He stood up, moved to the sofa, placed a cushion behind his back, and answered the call.

Lin Yunshu froze for a couple of seconds.

Chen Shuyang's expression changed. "You didn't forget, did you? When you gave me that phone for my birthday, I said I'd pay you back!"

Then he remembered.

Remembering only made him more shocked.

Lin Yunshu didn't need any of these—all his electronics were bought new when he renovated his place two years ago. They weren't the latest models, but they were more than enough.

"What's going on, man?" he said, surprised. "Did you win the lottery?"

"Pretty much," Chen Shuyang said proudly. "Starting now, your bro is going to be a star."

Lin Yunshu: "??"

He scrubbed a hand over his face, trying to recall. He'd never heard his brother mention any dreams of stardom before.

Had he been so indifferent to his brother's ambitions that he never noticed?

But Chen Shuyang had never been a kid with grand dreams. When other children wanted to be astronauts, Chen Shuyang's dream was to run a corner store.

When others aimed for top universities, he wanted to go to cooking school—and eventually ended up studying logistics management at a regular state university.

"I thought modeling was just something you did on the side," Lin Yunshu said, thinking over his brother's life. "Didn't you say you were starting at your friend's Cainiao parcel station next week?"

Chen Shuyang nodded repeatedly without denying it. "That was the plan, but these past couple days, an entertainment company suddenly said they wanted to sign me. The boss even insisted on giving me this much as a signing fee." He showed a number. "What a chump, am I right? I agreed on the spot!"

Lin Yunshu: "..."

He sat up straight. "Sign you as an artist? For what—singing, idol work, acting?"

"How would I know how to sing or dance?" Chen Shuyang said, as if stating the obvious. "They said acting. There's a drama where they want me to play the third male lead."

He grinned, running a hand through his hair. "An icy-hearted cool guy, reserved but passionate, deep but decisive. That clueless boss said I totally have that vibe."

Lin Yunshu: "O.O"

He retracted his thought about Chen Shuyang having self-awareness.

"Wait, hold on, Shuyang," Lin Yunshu said, massaging his temples. "Are you sure that company is legit? What did your friend at the Cainiao parcel station say?"

"Relax, it's a big company. Here, let me find it for you." Chen Shuyang stood up and rummaged through his stuff. "I already explained it to my friend too."

"What did he say?"

"He printed out my photo and asked me for an autograph."

Lin Yunshu: "?"

Chen Shuyang sat back down and leaned toward the screen. "Said he's gonna sell them for money once I make it big."

"How much could one photo sell for?"

"I signed a hundred copies."

Lin Yunshu: "?!"

Before Lin Yunshu could recover from his shock, Chen Shuyang shoved a business card to the camera.

"See? This company. You've definitely heard of it, right?"

Lin Yunshu leaned in.

Chen Shuyang laughed. "I really didn't expect the boss of such a big company to be so eager to be such a pushover."

The flashy business card clearly read:

—Starlight Entertainment CEO, Tan Cong.

·

"Bwahaha! Bwahaha!"

The next day, Tan Cong, radiating excitement, brought coffee to Lin Yunshu and Zhou Yu.

"Sorry, sorry! Something came up yesterday—had to rush off to sign a newcomer—so I rescheduled the meeting for today."

Zhou Yu took a sip of coffee. "No worries. We actually had something come up yesterday too."

"Oh, that works out then! I was feeling really guilty about it."

"You? Feeling guilty?" Zhou Yu chuckled. "Come on, though I’m the one funding this time, we’re still bros. Cut the act."

The male lead of the drama being invested in was not only an artist signed to Tan Cong’s management but also Cassi’s newly signed spokesperson for the first half of the year.

Since this was a joint project between the male lead’s agency and the brand, it was only natural for the brand to chip in.

Plus, with Lin'an Group and Starlight Entertainment having a strong history of collaboration, the investment was practically a done deal—the only thing left to discuss was the exact amount.

Tan Cong sat down with a grin.

"What newcomer required you to sign them personally?" Zhou Yu asked.

Lin Yunshu gently rubbed his forehead.

"Oh, you have no idea," Tan Cong exclaimed dramatically. "He’s a one-in-a-hundred-years wooden post!"

Zhou Yu: "?"

Lin Yunshu: "..."

As expected, he knew there couldn’t be that many fools in the world.

Tan Cong was thrilled. "You know, the third male lead in my drama is supposed to be a 'wooden spirit'—the only requirement is that he’s good-looking and extremely wooden."

"But actors these days," he sighed, "good-looking ones are everywhere, and there are plenty who are wooden, but none of them have that certain wooden quality. They’re just ordinarily wooden, and they keep trying to show off their acting skills—which I don’t need!"

"Luckily, our talent scout came through and actually found one. You should’ve seen him—what a lively young guy! The moment he faced the camera, he couldn’t even blink. Isn’t that exactly the wooden block I was looking for?"

Zhou Yu: "..."

Lin Yunshu: "O.O"

Tan Cong, getting excited, pulled out his phone and showed them the audition clip.

"Take a look—isn’t this next-level wooden? The moment I saw it, I knew I couldn’t miss this chance. I signed him on the spot!"

"Is it really that far-fetched?" Zhou Yu asked skeptically, taking the phone.

As the clip started playing, Zhou Yu’s eyes widened in shock the moment he recognized the person in it.

Lin Yunshu, however, closed his eyes.

A few seconds later, Zhou Yu burst into roaring laughter.

·

"Haha... hahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHA..."

Zhou Yu’s laughter didn’t stop until after work that evening.

The two were in the car on their way to the Cassi flagship store. Zhou Yu leaned against Lin Yunshu, laughing so hard his face was practically grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh my god, I never knew my brother-in-law had such talent! His acting is out of this world!"

He hugged Lin Yunshu. "He’s so lively when he argues with me—how does he turn into that the moment he faces the camera? Even his runway walk was better than this!"

Lin Yunshu: "..."

He actually wanted to defend his brother a little.

But there was no helping it—he had seen the audition clip too. He couldn’t lie with a straight face.

Chen Shuyang’s acting was truly...

divinely wooden.

But as the saying goes, having flaws isn’t the problem—being ordinary is.

In the entertainment industry, being ordinary is the original sin.

Though Chen Shuyang was wooden, being extremely wooden could also be considered a unique trait.

"It’s good that the kid has goals," Lin Yunshu said. "At least he can support himself now. Yesterday, he even bought me a bunch of stuff."

"Oh, really?"

Zhou Yu felt that Lin Yunshu now resembled a mother proudly boasting about her child—even with many flaws, she could always dig up a few redeeming qualities.

Lin Yunshu’s eyes were especially earnest.

Zhou Yu found it utterly amusing. "You’re so cute."

Lin Yunshu: "...What’s wrong with you now?"

The car stopped at the entrance. The driver turned around. "Boss, we’re here."

Zhou Yu finally stopped laughing, pinched Lin Yunshu’s cheek, and said, "Let’s go, sweetheart. Hubby’s taking you to buy a 'pigeon egg'!"

Lin Yunshu: "..."

Speechless, Lin Yunshu followed him out of the car.

"Pigeon egg" or not, the wedding rings were custom-designed by Cassi’s designers. He and Zhou Yu had been involved in the design from the initial sketches.

At most, this was just a final check—and an opportunity to try on the suits.

The store manager was already waiting at the entrance. Seeing them get out of the car, he led a group of staff to greet them.

"President Zhou, Secretary Lin! So sorry for not greeting you sooner~"

Zhou Yu waved it off, wrapped an arm around Lin Yunshu, and was ushered into the glittering store.

"Are the things I asked for ready?" he asked.

"All ready!" the manager replied respectfully. "Right this way."

Lin Yunshu was then led down a bright, long corridor into the VIP reception room, where an entire set of dazzling jewelry greeted him.

He hadn’t expected there to actually be a "pigeon egg."