Chapter 55 (Double Update) Let’s Go on a Date…

Chapter 55 (Two-in-One) Let's Go on a Date...

In the afternoon, the two returned to Lin Yunshu's apartment.

Zhou Yu was worried about his health and originally wanted to convince him to take another day off, but Lin Yunshu insisted on going back, concerned about Yu Shu being alone at home.

"Li Xun will look after him for us," Zhou Yu said in the car, holding Lin Yunshu's hand. "Refilling water and food, cleaning the litter box, playing with him—nothing will be missed. The little guy is living quite comfortably."

Lin Yunshu didn't believe it and gave him a skeptical look.

Yu Shu was only five months old and had already gone three days without his dad around.

He couldn't bear to imagine how lonely the kitten must be at home alone, surely spending all day staring at the pet camera, missing him day and night.

"Don't talk nonsense," Lin Yunshu said protectively. "Yu Shu is a very sensible kitten."

As he spoke, he opened the pet camera, trying to prove the deep bond between him and the baby he had raised with his own hands.

On the screen, the food and water bowls were both full, and Yu Shu was sleeping spread out, clutching his little fish toy.

Lin Yunshu's heart softened as he watched the kitten sleep for several minutes, then reluctantly rewound the footage.

Just as Zhou Yu had said, the little guy was indeed living quite comfortably, and Lin Yunshu felt relieved and comforted.

However, after rewinding for a long time, he was surprised to find that the kitten had only waited at the door once.

Ever since Li Xun came over to play with him, he hadn't given his dad a second thought!

Lin Yunshu: "QAQ"

"See, I told you," Zhou Yu hugged Lin Yunshu, not missing any opportunity to boast. "I'm not like him. If it were me, I wouldn't budge! What do snacks and canned food matter compared to my owner?"

Lin Yunshu looked up, his eyes full of helplessness. "Thanks a lot."

But, really, that wasn't necessary.

A couple of days later, Lin Yunshu received photos of the wedding.

He was still at work at the time, and after opening the photos, he unconsciously stopped what he was doing.

The photos turned out exceptionally well, with perfect composition and lighting.

Lin Yunshu's fingers hovered over the screen as he looked at them for a while, then saved each one.

Knock, knock!

A knock came at the office door.

Lin Yunshu quickly put away his phone and straightened up.

"Come in," he said.

The door was pushed open immediately, and Guo Shengyao walked in.

"Shifu."

"Was there something else?" Lin Yunshu glanced at his wristwatch and asked with a smile.

It was already nearing the end of the workday, and Lin Yunshu remembered that they didn't have anything else scheduled.

"No, no," Guo Shengyao waved her hand, as she glanced into the inner office. "Huh, the boss isn't here?"

"He went out for something earlier; he should be back soon," Lin Yunshu said. "Looking for him?"

Guo Shengyao shook her head. "No, no, telling you is just as good."

She smiled and placed an envelope on the desk, pushing it toward Lin Yunshu. "Take a look."

"What is it that's so mysterious?" Lin Yunshu asked curiously as he picked it up.

"You'll know when you see it," Guo Shengyao said, winking playfully.

She clasped her hands in front of her, watching Lin Yunshu's expression expectantly.

The setting sun cast golden light across the desk, lining Lin Yunshu's hands with gold as he opened the envelope.

The corners of his lips curled into a faint smile, showing the fondness he had for those close to him.

"Theater tickets?" Lin Yunshu looked up in surprise.

Guo Shengyao chuckled. "Yeah! Do you like them?"

She said, as if presenting a treasure, "This troupe is known for high-quality productions. They're touring our city this time, and tickets are sold out everywhere! I had to pull strings to get these!"

Lin Yunshu examined it carefully. He had heard of it—it was indeed a very famous troupe—but Guo Shengyao's gesture amused him.

"What made you think of giving this to me?" he asked curiously.

"I just thought you'd enjoy it," Guo Shengyao said. "The show is on the weekend, and there are two tickets. You can bring someone along to relax together."

She hinted meaningfully, "I checked the schedule, and the boss is free this weekend, you know!"

Lin Yunshu: "..."

Lin Yunshu laughed. "Are you trying to play matchmaker for us?"

He found this girl quite amusing, trying to matchmake two people who were already married.

"Not at all!" Guo Shengyao firmly denied. "Do you two even need me to set you up? I was just making a suggestion."

It was all because of that Zhou the taskmaster.

A couple of days ago, he had inexplicably stopped by the secretariat, suddenly concerned about everyone's physical and mental health, asking questions like—

"How do you all usually entertain yourselves after work?"

"Where do you go to have fun on weekends?"

"What kind of dates do omegas like?"

His intentions were so obvious even a blind person could see them.

But since the boss didn't say it outright, everyone could only pretend not to notice and reluctantly chat with him.

Unfortunately, Zhou Yu could be painfully clueless at times. The romantic dates he envisioned were about as arduous as being air-dropped on a deserted island to survive for a week.

Even more terrifying was that he was proud of it, thinking he was a genius for coming up with such unique date ideas.

After Zhou Yu left, the entire secretariat fell into silence for a full ten minutes.

Everyone unanimously agreed that if Zhou Yu's plan were actually implemented, Secretary Lin would probably not come back alive.

Or even if heaven showed mercy and spared Secretary Lin's life, he would go from being a tender boiled egg to a tea egg.

For the safety of Secretary Lin's life, everyone collectively decided to redesign the date plan and approved the theater plan.

"A play is great," Guo Shengyao persuaded. "You're sheltered from the wind and sun, and there's a wetland park nearby. We can go for a walk after the play—sounds perfect!"

She spoke with such conviction, as if she would cry right there if Lin Yunshu disagreed.

Lin Yunshu could only smile and nod. "Alright, alright, I get it."

"So it's settled then!"

Guo Shengyao turned serious and even sent him a detailed plan for the date.

"If the boss suggests anything else last minute, please be careful. It’s best to stick to our original plan, okay?"

Lin Yunshu rubbed his temples. "Understood."

Guo Shengyao left after giving him one last reminder.

As she opened the door, she bumped into Zhou Yu, who was just returning.

Zhou Yu glanced at Guo Shengyao, who slipped away like she'd done nothing, then closed the door and approached Lin Yunshu.

"What mischief is that girl up to now?"

She’s not up to mischief—she’s just worrying herself sick over the two of us.

Lin Yunshu wore a helpless smile as he discreetly tucked the envelope into his bag.

"Nothing," he said, pushing himself up from the desk as he stood up and put on his coat. "It's time to leave work. Let's go home."

Zhou Yu naturally wrapped an arm around his waist and led him out. "Hungry? What do you feel like eating?"

"Not particularly," Lin Yunshu replied. "Something simple, like Chinese food, is fine."

"Got it!" Zhou Yu’s eager response made Lin Yunshu lower his head and laugh.

In the car, Zhou Yu was looking through restaurant recommendations by Li Xun, studying them intently.

Lin Yunshu glanced at him a few times out of the corner of his eye but said nothing.

He was still thinking about the weekend date. The two theater tickets seemed to weigh heavily in his bag.

He didn’t know why Guo Shengyao had given him the tickets, but they had indeed served as a reminder.

He and Zhou Yu were married.

Not only had they registered their marriage, but they'd even had a wedding. They had checked every box for what partners do, both legally and in practice.

But they had never gone on a simple date.

That was truly an oversight on his part.

Thinking of the hints of grievance Zhou Yu sometimes showed and his longing for more affection, Lin Yunshu felt a pang of guilt.

He realized he paid less attention to Zhou Yu than he did to Yu Shu—is it any wonder he was unhappy?

With that thought, Lin Yunshu had already made up his mind.

While Zhou Yu was busy finalizing the restaurant choice, Lin Yunshu looked up the price of the theater tickets online, rounded the amount up, and transferred it to Guo Shengyao.

Then he turned off his phone and took the envelope out of his bag.

"How about fish, baby?" Zhou Yu asked without looking up, naturally taking Lin Yunshu’s hand. "This place has wild crucian carp. I used to catch them as a kid and bring them home for my aunt to cook. I kind of miss that flavor now."

He didn’t notice Lin Yunshu’s actions as he kept talking.

"Sure," Lin Yunshu said. His stomach was picky, but his tastes were simple—he didn’t particularly dislike any foods. "It’s been a while since I’ve had crucian carp."

"Great."

Zhou Yu happily squeezed Lin Yunshu’s palm, told the driver they were ready to go, and moved to pull him into a hug.

Lin Yunshu seemed to have something to say, his eyes blinking, beautiful and captivating.

"What is it, darling?" Zhou Yu softened his voice.

Lin Yunshu pursed his lips. It was his first time actively inviting someone on a date, and it felt strange and unfamiliar.

His ears turned slightly red as he tried to act natural, handing the envelope to Zhou Yu.

"This weekend, you don’t have any plans, right?" he said. "Want to go together?"

Zhou Yu froze.

He wondered if he had misheard.

He stared blankly at Lin Yunshu for two seconds, opened the envelope to take out the two theater tickets, and froze again.

Then he stared at Lin Yunshu again, still not believing it.

"You... you..." he stammered. "You’re inviting me?"

Lin Yunshu nodded, instinctively avoiding eye contact and trying to sound casual. "So, are you going?"

"Of course I’m going! Only an idiot would say no!"

Zhou Yu declared, cursing himself for emphasis, to express his excitement.

Lin Yunshu: "..."

"Don’t say that. It’s just a play..."

"It’s not just a play." Zhou Yu grinned so widely his eyes disappeared, then pressed a hand to his chest in feigned alarm. "What’s going on with you lately? This is so sudden, I’m not used to it."

Lin Yunshu couldn’t bring himself to say he was afraid of seeing Zhou Yu’s red-rimmed eyes begging for affection next time they were intimate. He wasn’t that heartless.

He pinched his earlobe. "Should I try to go back to the way you’re used to, then?"

"No!" Zhou Yu exclaimed. "That won’t be necessary. I don’t think it’s needed."

He tucked the tickets back into the envelope and safely tucked them away.

Lin Yunshu noticed the furtive gesture out of the corner of his eye, his lips quirking upward as he turned to look out the window to hide his smile.

"But how did you think of asking me out on a date?" Zhou Yu asked casually.

The Lin Yunshu he knew wasn’t exactly a romantic.

But soon, he came to his own conclusion: "It must be that we're in sync. How did you know I’ve been planning a date for just the two of us lately?"

Lin Yunshu: "...?"

He genuinely had no idea.

He wanted to ask Zhou Yu about his plans, but the other man had already jumped ahead.

"Since you brought it up first, it's your call," Zhou Yu said. "Whatever you want to do, however you want the date to go, it’s all up to you."

Lin Yunshu didn’t have much experience either, but fortunately, Guo Shengyao’s plan was thorough and easy to follow.

The comprehensive checklist gave Lin Yunshu a sense of security he couldn't quite put into words, and his confidence grew.

"Besides watching the play, we can do other things too," he said. "There are plenty of nice spots around the theater. We can take a stroll in the park—it’s close to Shou University, so we could even revisit our alma mater."

Zhou Yu was thrilled by the grand plan.

"Alright," Zhou Yu nodded seriously. "Whatever you say."

.

The weekend was packed with activities, even though neither had work.

On Saturday afternoon, the two of them showed up at Chen Shuyang’s doorstep, carrying bags full of housewarming gifts.

Chen Shuyang had moved into an apartment arranged by the company—a spacious apartment in an upscale residential complex.

In a way, Tan Cong was a pretty good boss who never shortchanged his employees.

Chen Shuyang opened the door and glanced down at the gifts. "You didn’t have to bring so much stuff."

Though his words were modest, his hands eagerly accepted the presents.

"Shoes are in the cabinet. Grab a pair and come on in."

Zhou Yu: "..."

Seizing another chance to show off, he muttered to Lin Yunshu, "See? He didn’t even get your slippers for you. Not like me—I’d never do that."

With that, he took out a pair of slippers and placed them at Lin Yunshu’s feet, crouching down. "Here, change into these."

Lin Yunshu pulled him up. "That’s enough."

Not far away, Chen Shuyang shot them a weirded-out look.

Lin Yunshu changed into his slippers and walked in. As soon as he took off his coat, Chen Shuyang pulled him aside.

"What’s up with him?" Chen Shuyang asked worriedly. "He’s acting all weird, like he’s not quite right in the head."

Lin Yunshu frowned. "How can you say that?"

Chen Shuyang was taken aback, staring at Lin Yunshu as if he were looking at a lovesick fool.

"I didn’t say anything wrong, did I? It’s the truth. Look at him, just look," he whispered. "No one’s even paying him any attention, and he’s still grinning. What’s he so happy about?"

Lin Yunshu: "..."

He took a closer look. From a third-person perspective, Zhou Yu did seem a bit overly excited.

Ever since Lin Yunshu invited him on a date, Zhou Yu had been walking on air, grinning like an idiot all day long, only barely managing to keep it together at work.

Lin Yunshu was actually a little nervous too.

After all, it was their first date. Though they’d done everything under the sun, they’d never tried something as innocent as a proper date.

Lin Yunshu had never been in a relationship either. Lately, he’d catch himself spacing out at work, unconsciously counting down the days until the weekend.

Since he was feeling both nervous and excited himself, Lin Yunshu figured whatever state Zhou Yu was in was understandable.

"He’s... just a little happy," Lin Yunshu said. "There’s nothing wrong with being happy."

Chen Shuyang: "I’m not saying it’s a bad thing..."

He scratched his head, feeling something was off but unable to pinpoint what.

"Alright, stop overthinking it," Lin Yunshu cut him off. "In short, some people you don’t need to understand—you just need to get used to him as soon as possible. Got it?"

Chen Shuyang: "..."

He suspected his brother was imparting wisdom from years of work experience.

"I understand," Chen Shuyang nodded seriously. "I won’t let you down, bro."

Lin Yunshu: "..."

He smiled awkwardly and patted his brother’s shoulder. "Good, you get it. Now, what are you feeding us today?"

His little brother was finally independent, and Lin Yunshu was eager to see how he’d manage his own household. The first step, of course, was cooking.

Under his brother’s encouraging gaze, Chen Shuyang puffed out his chest confidently. "I ordered takeout."

Lin Yunshu: "...?"

He almost choked.

"Tch, what a good-for-nothing," Zhou Yu walked over, disdainful. "How old are you, and you still can’t cook? How will you ever attract a partner?"

Chen Shuyang shrugged it off. "Nah, I’m not looking to get married young anyway."

"Don’t worry, no omega would be blind enough to fall for you," Zhou Yu blurted out.

Chen Shuyang got annoyed and complained to Lin Yunshu, "Why does he have to be so mean?!"

"He’s always been like that," Lin Yunshu said with a resigned expression.

Give up on understanding, just get used to it sooner.

Chen Shuyang: "…………"

.

It was Zhou Yu’s first time attending a housewarming party where the host served takeout.

On the way back, he held Lin Yunshu’s hand and marvelled, "Your brother is something else."

Lin Yunshu didn’t pull his hand away. Internally, he thought, *You two are equally absurd*, but outwardly, he just smiled and said, "He’s alright."

He defended his brother: "Shuyang just doesn’t know how to cook."

"Can't you have higher expectations of him?" Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Probably not," Lin Yunshu said seriously. "I mean, if he actually cooks, I'd be too scared to eat it. Would you be daring enough?"

Zhou Yu: "o.o"

He was uncharacteristically quiet.

After a moment, he dismissed the idea.

"Actually, if you really want to know, I could cook too," Zhou Yu said. "The whole point of a housewarming, you know, is in the 'warming,' right? It's about using the kitchen. Ordering takeout just messes with the feng shui."

Lin Yunshu laughed. "Wait, you care about feng shui?"

Then again, that tracks—business folks usually care about these things, and Zhou Yu wasn't any different.

"But that place is just rented, not bought," Lin Yunshu said. "Don't worry, once he's capable of buying his own place, I'll definitely give him a full housewarming party."

Zhou Yu hesitated for a second, as if he'd just remembered the apartment was rented.

After all, he'd never actually rented before—he had so many properties he couldn't possibly use them all.

"Oh," he said, suddenly feeling better. "Well, if it's rented, then it doesn't matter."

"By the way, you mentioned earlier that you were thinking about us taking a trip for just the two of us?" Lin Yunshu changed the subject.

Zhou Yu nodded. "Yes, but since you brought it up first, I can push my plans back."

"What were you thinking?" Lin Yunshu asked curiously.

"You really want to know?" Zhou Yu shot him a mysterious look. "It's a secret."

That just made Lin Yunshu even more curious. "What is it? Come on, can't you give me a hint?"

"If I tell you, it won't be a surprise anymore," Zhou Yu said. "But I can promise you it'll be special—a totally one-of-a-kind, genius-level plan."

That's pretty over-the-top.

Lin Yunshu’s eyebrow twitched. Seeing Zhou Yu’s confident expression, for some reason he suddenly felt a weird feeling of dread.

Zhou Yu patted his shoulder. "Trust me, I’ve got it all figured out."

Lin Yunshu: "……"

Back home, Lin Yunshu finished showering already, while Zhou Yu was still in the bathroom.

Lin Yunshu was casually playing with Yu Shu. The kitten was already sleepy and soon was purring softly in his sleep in his arms.

Lin Yunshu gently set the kitten down and paced around. Guo Shengyao had sent him several messages.

She seemed overly concerned and even sent him a few outfit suggestions.

After a lengthy message, she finally got to what she really wanted to ask.

[So, Master, by the way, has the boss mentioned any other plans for your date?]

Lin Yunshu raised an eyebrow. [How'd you know?]

There was a pause of about two seconds before Guo Shengyao called.

Lin Yunshu answered and barely had the phone to his ear when her excited voice came through:

"He actually brought it up?!"

Lin Yunshu frowned, pulled the phone away, and rubbed his ear. "He said he has plans but didn’t tell me what exactly. Why? Is there a problem?"

"Oh my god…" Guo Shengyao said, sounding worried. "He didn’t also act all mysterious and say it's like a secret, and you’ll find out when the time comes, did he?"

Lin Yunshu was really curious now. "What’s going on? Did he say something to you?"

Guo Shengyao sounded hesitant. "Anyway, if he really invites you, you should maybe refuse."

She took a deep breath. "Or start training hard right now to get yourself into as good shape as he's in."

"That’s all the help I can give you, Master."

With that, Guo Shengyao hung up.

Lin Yunshu: "?"

He stared blankly at the dark phone screen, then turned toward the closed bathroom door, thinking he’d definitely ask Zhou Yu properly once he came out.

But Zhou Yu was taking forever in the shower.

A guy with such short hair—Lin Yunshu couldn’t figure out what part of him needed so much scrubbing.

He went back to the couch and scrolled through short videos, but they all felt repetitive and boring.

Lin Yunshu sighed and decided to go to the study to find a book to kill time.

His study was cluttered, with books of all kinds, not neatly arranged on the shelves.

They were scattered everywhere—on the floor, the desk, the sofa, in drawers.

Lin Yunshu sat in the chair, pulled open a drawer, and took out a book. As he flipped through it, his gaze drifted toward the open drawer.

Inside were a few sheets of A4 paper tucked into another book, with a corner sticking out.

Lin Yunshu found it unfamiliar—he didn’t remember putting any papers in there.

He took out the book and pulled out the A4 papers. By the time he recognized Zhou Yu’s handwriting, it was too late to put them back.

He’d accidentally stumbled upon Zhou Yu’s privacy.

The thought filled Lin Yunshu with guilt.

It was a stack of papers stapled together, about five or six sheets, with the first page as a cover.

Zhou Yu had written in bold black marker: "Date Plan."

Lin Yunshu meant to put the papers back and pretend he hadn’t seen them, but those words held his gaze, making it impossible to look away.

Combined with Zhou Yu’s secretive behavior when mentioning the date and Guo Shengyao’s alarmed reaction, Lin Yunshu’s curiosity had reached its peak.

After a few seconds of intense internal struggle, he cautiously peeked out to make sure the bathroom door was still tightly shut and its occupant wouldn’t be out anytime soon, then picked up the papers again.

Holding the corner of the paper, Lin Yunshu's heart raced, that same nervous feeling from elementary school days when he would secretly copy homework, terrified of getting caught by the teacher.

Of course, he had never actually copied homework himself; this feeling was something he had learned from listening to Chen Shuyang’s vivid descriptions back then.

Lin Yunshu felt it was pretty much the same.

He took a deep breath and nervously opened it. The first thing he saw was a handwritten title in large letters.

*Plan A — Couple Photoshoot in the African Desert*

Lin Yunshu: "?"

Kind of weird, not sure, let me see.

Isn’t it just a date?

How'd we jump straight to Africa?

But it’s not totally crazy.

Though it seemed odd at first glance, after a few more looks, he could somewhat grasp the reasoning behind it.

After all, many famous magazines do desert shoots, so it makes sense Zhou Yu would think of this idea.

So… it's not so bad.

At most, it’ll be some sun, some heat, and he might come back a bit darker, but it’s no big deal.

Lin Yunshu quickly accepted the plan, not quite understanding why Guo Shengyao had made such a big deal just over a trip to Africa.

Below were detailed plans, meticulously laid out from getting ready to the flight and arrival process.

The sections were neatly organized, the structure was complete, and important points were highlighted in red. Anyone would agree it was a very nice-looking plan.

Lin Yunshu felt good as he read, naturally turning the page.

The next moment, his hand stopped, his eyes went wide, and he wondered if he was seeing things. He squeezed his eyes tight, then opened them again.

Then he gasped, almost passed out.

*Plan B — Visit an Ancient and Mysterious Tribe, the Cannibals!*

It was even followed by five stars, expressing the author’s real excitement about this plan.

Lin Yunshu: "???"

.

The shower stopped.

Zhou Yu casually dried himself off, wrapped a towel around his waist, and walked out.

He hummed a tune all the way, in a good mood.

Lin Yunshu wasn’t in the living room; only Yu Shu was sleeping on the sofa.

Zhou Yu casually stroked the cat’s head. The kitten let out an annoyed meow in protest before rolling over and continuing to sleep.

"Just like your mom," Zhou Yu said, amused.

There was a faint light in the study; Lin Yunshu was probably in there.

Zhou Yu didn’t think much of it and walked closer.

In the spacious study, Lin Yunshu sat quietly behind the desk.

He was wearing a dark green silk robe that contrasted sharply with his fair skin. His slender neck and deep collarbones were faintly visible beneath the collar.

Zhou Yu’s breathing quickened slightly as he drew closer.

But Lin Yunshu hadn’t noticed him at all.

He was holding a stack of papers, looking as if he had seen something utterly horrifying, completely frozen in place.

"Yun Shu?" Zhou Yu gently tapped his shoulder.

Lin Yunshu slowly, very slowly, raised his head and shoved the cannibal plan at him.

"Have you lost your mind?"

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

Author’s note: Next chapter will be updated the day after tomorrow (melting from exhaustion) [melted emoji].