Chapter 62 “I Trust Him Completely.”

Chapter 62: "I Trust Him Completely."

That night, the two of them, in a rare occurrence, simply slept under the covers without any physical contact.

The alarm blared at seven in the morning. Lin Yunshu’s hand shot out to silence it, then he glanced beside him—the other side of the pillow was empty.

He paused for two seconds, his gaze somewhat unfocused.

The room’s heating was high, and the quilt covering him was thin, yet Lin Yunshu’s back was still slick with sweat.

He rubbed his damp hair, got out of bed to turn off the heating, then sat back in a chair, lost in thought.

His body clock had been utterly chaotic lately, and waking up early now left him feeling strangely unwell.

Closing his eyes, he habitually began to review his recent past, realizing that ever since marrying Zhou Yu, his wake-up times had become increasingly later and more erratic.

Waking up promptly at 6:30 a.m. used to be effortless; now, it had become remarkably difficult.

This sense of unpredictability and disrupted order stirred a wave of anxiety within him.

"No, no."

He abandoned his rest, immediately rising to gather clothes for a shower.

He couldn’t let laziness take hold, he admonished himself inwardly. He couldn’t indulge his whims.

·

It was just past 7:30 a.m. when he emerged from the shower.

Lin Yunshu drew open the curtains. Winter mornings dawned late, and with the dense mountain foliage obscuring the sky, it still felt like the dead of night. In the distance, only the faint, undulating silhouettes of the mountains were visible.

The room’s temperature had already dropped. Having just taken a hot shower, Lin Yunshu didn’t feel cold and didn’t immediately turn the heating back on.

A dry towel hung around his neck as he rummaged through his bag, searching for something, water droplets from his wet hair soaking into the fabric.

After searching for a while, Lin Yunshu’s brow gradually furrowed. Finally, he simply upended the entire bag.

The inhibitor patches were gone.

The brand-new, unopened box he had carefully placed in his bag before leaving was nowhere to be found.

Lin Yunshu stepped back a few paces and sank into the chair, anxiously chewing on his fingernails.

A faint scent of pheromones began to waft through the air—emanating from him.

Although his pheromone instability had improved recently, Lin Yunshu still struggled to control it effectively.

Without suppressants, he was practically an open book.

He couldn’t go outside, afraid others might mistake him for an Omega nearing heat.

He especially dreaded encountering others; even the slightest trace of an Alpha’s pheromones could subject him to excruciating, skin-crawling pain.

Without another thought, he dialed the hotel service center.

At the very least, he could ask a staff member—preferably a Beta—to bring up a box of inhibitor patches and, ideally, leave them by the door without approaching.

"Hello, guest services. How may I assist you?"

"Hi, I need—"

*Click!*

The call was abruptly disconnected.

Lin Yunshu looked up to see Zhou Yu replacing the room’s landline receiver. Zhou Yu’s muscular arm brushed past his cheek as the Alpha’s potent pheromones enveloped him.

Zhou Yu had clearly just returned from a workout. The muscles in his arms, shoulders, and neck appeared more defined and powerful than usual, pumped with blood.

Perhaps because he was in his own territory, his pheromones were not fully contained.

Due to psychological factors, Lin Yunshu disliked the dominant presence Alphas exuded, whether intentional or not.

He didn’t reject Zhou Yu’s pheromones; in fact, he had developed an inseparable physiological dependence on them to some extent. Still, he instinctively furrowed his brow.

The subtle expression did not escape Zhou Yu’s notice.

Zhou Yu looked down at Lin Yunshu for a moment but did not politely step back. Instead, he moved two steps closer.

He crowded forward until Lin Yunshu had no choice but to lift his head and meet his gaze.

"What are you doing?" Lin Yunshu asked, confused.

"Are you in heat?" Zhou Yu countered.

"...No."

The scent of Lin Yunshu’s pheromones did linger in the room, but it wasn’t intense.

Zhou Yu knew exactly how Lin Yunshu smelled during actual heat and could naturally tell the difference now.

His expression unreadable, Zhou Yu stared at Lin Yunshu for a while before tossing a box of inhibitor patches onto the table.

"I got rid of the old ones for you," he said.

Lin Yunshu was taken aback. "What?"

Zhou Yu finally turned away, no longer trapping Lin Yunshu between the desk and the chair.

With his back to Lin Yunshu, he removed his workout shirt and picked up the dress shirt he planned to wear that day. His back muscles rippled as he raised his arms, lean and powerfully defined.

That broad back had, on countless nights, filled Lin Yunshu with both fear and an immense sense of security.

But at this moment, Lin Yunshu had no mind to appreciate it.

He shot up from the chair. "Why did you touch my things?"

Zhou Yu turned back, his shirt only half-buttoned.

"That bag had my things in it too," he replied.

Lin Yunshu pressed his lips into a thin line.

After a moment of silent standoff, Zhou Yu understood that if he didn’t speak first, Lin Yunshu would remain silent as well.

He sighed to himself, buttoned his shirt up to just below his Adam's apple, and took a step closer to Lin Yunshu.

"The inhibitor patches you were using before were too harsh on your body," he said.

Lin Yunshu glanced over at the desk.

The newly purchased suppressant patches lay intact beside his hand—a common, mild, and harmless option most Omegas chose.

Even an Omega trying to conceive might still opt for this type of suppressant patch for daily protection, shielding themselves from other Alphas’ pheromones.

Lin Yunshu stared blankly for a moment, unsure why he suddenly wanted to laugh.

He looked helplessly at Zhou Yu: “Do you really want me to have your child that badly?”

Zhou Yu frowned, not understanding why Lin Yunshu kept emphasizing this.

“I’ve said it before—I don’t have such thoughts,” he said seriously. “I’m just worried about your health.”

Lin Yunshu lowered his eyes and nodded indifferently.

Zhou Yu didn’t understand what that expression meant.

Lin Yunshu had always been like this—never showing big emotional swings to anyone, as if he truly didn’t experience them.

His hair was still damp, droplets clinging to his face, a few resting beneath his eyelids—crystal clear.

If not for Lin Yunshu’s overly calm expression, Zhou Yu might almost have mistaken them for tears.

He stared distractedly at those droplets and took two more steps toward Lin Yunshu.

Lin Yunshu leaned against the desk, bracing himself with one hand on the desk behind him. His slender fingers—bones pressing against the skin, knuckles slightly bent—avoided touching the box of suppressant patches nearby.

He didn’t look up, but he didn’t pull away from Zhou Yu either, quietly waiting for the other to come closer.

Zhou Yu watched him silently for a while.

Lin Yunshu held his breath, inexplicably feeling tense.

After a long moment, Zhou Yu reached out and brushed away the droplet beneath his eye.

Lin Yunshu heard a soft sigh.

“Go dry your hair,” Zhou Yu said.

It was a signal to end the conversation.

Lin Yunshu felt sudden relief in his chest.

He disliked arguments—intensely disliked them.

Given the chance, he would do everything possible to avoid conflict.

Zhou Yu was giving him that chance now.

Lin Yunshu agreed almost without thinking.

“Okay,” he said, offering Zhou Yu a habitual smile. “Just give me a moment. I’ll be ready to go once I’m done.”

Zhou Yu’s expression stiffened slightly as he looked at him, but he eventually forced a smile.

“Take your time. No rush.”

·

Lin Yunshu ended up using those suppressant patches after all.

He had no other options available.

He remembered the first couple of years after his differentiation, when his genetic issues hadn’t fully erupted—back then, he had used such mild suppressant patches.

Familiar with the process, he applied one to the back of his neck as he dressed. He turned his head slightly, feeling unexpectedly unaccustomed to it.

The ingredients in these patches were too mild.

As they were about to leave, Lin Yunshu hesitated by the entrance, standing sideways.

He could still distinctly sense the pheromones in the outside world, which made him extremely on edge.

Zhou Yu glanced back at him: “What’s wrong?”

Lin Yunshu’s lips were dry, his shoulders and neck tense, adopting a defensive posture.

Zhou Yu quickly came back, took his hand—it felt cold—and touched his forehead, but the temperature seemed normal.

“Are you feeling unwell?” Zhou Yu asked worriedly.

“It’s nothing,” Lin Yunshu said, pulling his hand away.

After a moment, he let out a long sigh and returned to his usual gentle, polite demeanor.

“I’m fine,” he said, patting Zhou Yu’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”

The touch on his shoulder quickly turned cold, leaving Zhou Yu with a fleeting, hollow feeling—gone before he could grasp what it meant.

Instinctively, he followed Lin Yunshu’s steps.

Lin Yunshu remained on edge the entire way, but fortunately, luck was on his side.

From leaving the guest room to taking the elevator, then entering the garage and getting into the car, they didn’t encounter any Alphas along the way.

Zhou Yu drove himself, and the car contained only the two of them.

In the enclosed space, the Alpha’s pheromones lingered faintly around, miraculously easing Lin Yunshu’s tense nerves.

Back home, surrounded by familiar surroundings, Lin Yunshu let out a long sigh of relief.

A soft, warm little furball appeared at his feet—Yu Shu, eagerly rubbing against him.

After a whole night apart, the clingy kitten was desperate to leap into his arms, but its legs were too short. It could only stand on its hind legs and paw at Lin Yunshu’s calves, meowing incessantly.

Lin Yunshu quickly bent down to pick up the kitten, cradling it in his arms and taking a few deep breaths, feeling fully recharged.

“Did Yu Shu miss Daddy?” he asked softly, stroking the kitten’s head.

The kitten purred contentedly, its eyes blissfully closed in Lin Yunshu’s arms.

Lin Yunshu buried his face in its fur, planting a few kisses.

*Bang!*

The door slammed shut behind him, the sound carrying a clear edge of emotion.

Lin Yunshu turned around and saw Zhou Yu's face like thunder.

He had seen this scene too many times before.

Normally, Zhou Yu would storm over to him, snatch the cat from Lin Yunshu’s arms, toss it either onto the sofa or into its food bowl, and then hold Lin Yunshu tightly, planting several kisses on his face before finally calming down.

Lin Yunshu knew Zhou Yu's temper all too well.

So, he couldn’t quite tell whether he had picked up Yu Shu and kissed him out of genuine affection for the cat or because he knew exactly what reaction it would provoke.

Or perhaps, he even looked forward to that outcome.

He turned around, his gaze drifting subtly toward Zhou Yu.

Throughout the journey, he had sensed that Zhou Yu was in a bad mood.

Zhou Yu seemed to be holding back a lot of words, and once those words were spoken in a bad mood, they could easily turn into endless arguments.

Lin Yunshu hated arguing.

So, this was the best way he could think of to quietly ease the tension.

He stood still, holding the kitten and quietly watching Zhou Yu.

He even subconsciously widened his stance slightly.

That way, he could stand more steadily and avoid being knocked over if the tall Alpha suddenly lunged at him.

It was a stance ready for an embrace.

However, unexpectedly, the anticipated embrace never came.

Zhou Yu walked right past him.

He carried the luggage and bags into the walk-in closet, leaving behind a faint trace of his pheromones as he passed by Lin Yunshu.

Lin Yunshu stood there dazed for a moment, taking several seconds to refocus his gaze before turning his head in confusion.

Yu Shu also jumped out of his arms, bouncing excitedly toward the walk-in closet, sniffing around curiously around the suitcase and chewing on the bag straps.

“Don’t bite.”

Zhou Yu patted the cat’s head, picked it up, and tossed it into the food bowl.

Lin Yunshu’s gaze followed the movement.

Zhou Yu refilled the cat’s water and food, then turned back to see Lin Yunshu still standing by the entrance.

“Why aren’t you coming in?” he asked.

Lin Yunshu was lost in thought, lowering his head to touch the tip of his nose before slowly walking in.

“Don’t worry about that,” Lin Yunshu said. “Let me handle it. You must be tired from the drive.”

“It’s fine,” Zhou Yu said in his normal tone. “It’s almost done, and it’s no trouble.”

He stood up, wiped his hands, and poured Lin Yunshu a cup of warm water. “Sit down and rest for a bit.”

Lin Yunshu obediently sat on the sofa, took the glass, and instinctively said, “Thank you.”

Zhou Yu immediately gave him a sharp look.

Lin Yunshu’s heart skipped a beat.

“Well, I… I didn’t mean…” Lin Yunshu stammered, unusually flustered.

“What are you so nervous about?” Zhou Yu asked him.

Lin Yunshu faltered. “…What?”

Zhou Yu straightened up, his expression unchanged. “I didn’t say anything about it.”

He turned and went back into the walk-in closet, closing the door behind him.

A few minutes later, Zhou Yu emerged wearing a fresh set of work clothes.

“I’m going to the office,” he said. “I’ll probably be back late. Don’t wait for me.”

Before leaving, Zhou Yu looked back concerned, reminding Lin Yunshu as usual, “Rest if you’re tired. The housekeeper will come later to cook. Try to have something to eat, even if you don’t have much appetite.”

“Okay…” Lin Yunshu nodded.

Two seconds later, he added belatedly, “Drive safely.”

·

The sound of the door closing echoed.

Even after Zhou Yu had been gone for over ten minutes, Lin Yunshu couldn’t shake the strange feeling.

The house was too quiet, so he turned on the TV.

A variety show was at its peak, with the guests’ laughter echoing, finally bringing some warmth to the cold living room.

*Buzz buzz!*

His phone vibrated.

Lin Yunshu finally snapped out of his daze.

“Hello?”

“Hey,” Chen Shuyang’s voice came through loudly. “You guys are back already?”

His loud tone pulled Lin Yunshu back to reality.

“Yeah,” he rubbed his temples. “What’s up with you? Why’s it so loud there?”

“Boss Tan wanted to go white-water rafting, so we’re here at the site now.”

Chen Shuyang hung up and switched to a video call.

“Here,” he said, showing the area with his camera. “There’s a tour group, so it’s a bit rowdy.”

After briefly showing the surroundings, Chen Shuyang turned the camera back to his face.

Lin Yunshu saw that he was wearing sunglasses, a mask, a baseball cap, and even a scarf wrapped around his neck, not an inch of skin showing.

“You’re dressed like that for rafting?” Lin Yunshu said incredulously.

"What else?" Chen Shuyang pulled his scarf tighter. "White-water rafting really messes up your image. What if someone takes an ugly photo of me?"

"..." Lin Yunshu massaged his temples. "Alright, alright."

He really does have the self-awareness of a celebrity.

They had to wait for the tour group to finish, so Chen Shuyang found a rock to sit on. "Why did you guys leave so early without even saying goodbye? Now it's just the three of us left, and I couldn’t even refuse when the boss wanted to go rafting."

Lin Yunshu chuckled. "Would you have been able to refuse if we were there?"

Chen Shuyang fell silent for two seconds. "No."

"—But having more people around would’ve been more comfortable," Chen Shuyang added.

Lin Yunshu didn’t hold back. "Come on, I know you better than that. Is there anything that ever makes you uncomfortable?"

"..." Chen Shuyang coughed. "I just thought it’d be livelier with more people."

Lin Yunshu wrapped it up with a laugh. "Alright, have fun. Looks like it’s almost your turn."

"Wait!" Chen Shuyang said urgently.

"What?"

"You two..." Chen Shuyang hesitated. "Is everything okay?"

Lin Yunshu froze.

"Everything’s fine," he said with a light laugh. "What could possibly be wrong? Anyway, I’d better go. Your boss must be waiting."

Before Chen Shuyang could say anything else, he quickly hung up.

Was it that obvious?

Putting down his phone, Lin Yunshu touched his face and then picked up a mirror to take a look.

He didn’t think his expression was any different from usual.

*I’m calm*, Lin Yunshu told himself. *It’s nothing serious.*

·

But that night, he couldn’t fall asleep.

Zhou Yu hadn't returned even late at night. Lin Yunshu tossed and turned in bed, picking up his phone and putting it down again, but never actually making the call.

At two in the morning, he lay on his side pretending to sleep when his phone on the bedside table suddenly lit up.

He snatched it up immediately, his movements faster than he even realized.

Caller ID—Li Yuqing.

A friend from the journalism world.

Not Zhou Yu.

Lin Yunshu’s movements slowed as he answered the call. "Hello, Yuqing?"

"Yun Shu." His friend’s voice came through clearly, sounding wide awake despite the late hour.

Lin Yunshu instinctively sat up straighter. "Why are you calling so late? Is something wrong?"

Li Yuqing had been Lin Yunshu’s friend since high school. They were close but not the type to frequently catch up or chat.

If Li Yuqing was calling him in the middle of the night, it was likely something serious.

"There’s something," his friend said briskly, his tone very serious. "I’m sending you a photo now. Take a look."

Lin Yunshu quickly opened the chat interface.

A dimly lit photo loaded on the screen.

It seemed to be taken in a large private room at some hotel. The lighting was gloomy, the atmosphere lavish and decadent, filled with a group of arrogant Alphas in suits.

From the flush on his face alone, it was clear he was an Omega in heat.

And at the moment the shutter was pressed, he was helplessly leaning against an Alpha.

The Alpha’s tall frame blocked half of the Omega’s vulnerable face, and from the angle of the photo, it looked as though he was protectively holding him close.

Lin Yunshu’s heart tightened slightly.

The Alpha’s face wasn’t fully visible—he was only shown in profile, his head slightly lowered, his lips pressed together coldly.

But that partial profile was enough.

At the very least, Lin Yunshu recognized him at a glance.

It was Zhou Yu.

Even the dazzling cufflink shimmering in the dim light was one Lin Yunshu had personally chosen for Zhou Yu.

A deafening roar filled Lin Yunshu’s ears.

His heart plummeted, then surged violently. As blood rushed to his head, his vision went black for a few seconds, and a sharp ringing pierced his eardrums.

"Yun Shu?" His friend’s urgent voice burst through the phone. "Yun Shu, are you still there?"

Lin Yunshu took a heavy breath and picked up the phone.

"I’m here," he steadied himself. "Was this photo taken today?"

He remembered Zhou Yu was wearing that exact outfit when he left.

"Yes," his friend said. "It was just taken. Someone sent it to us anonymously—it’s fresh."

"Suppress it for me."

Lin Yunshu was direct.

"Of course," his friend said. "Otherwise, I wouldn’t have contacted you first."

"Thanks."

"Don’t thank me yet," his friend added. "We don’t know who it is, but if they sent it to me, they probably sent it to other outlets too. If I don’t act soon, they’ll take it elsewhere. At most, I can hold it off until dawn."

"No need to wait until dawn," Lin Yunshu said, his tone flat. "Give me two hours."

The friend chuckled, reassured, "Alright, keep in touch."

After hanging up, Lin Yunshu fully composed himself.

He took a deep breath, got out of bed, and walked toward the walk-in closet while dialing Li Xun's number.

Li Xun was dead asleep, his voice hoarse when he answered, he mumbled, "Hey... Lin... Secretary Lin..."

Lin Yunshu cut to the chase, "Li, I’m sending you a photo right now. Contact a forensics team immediately to verify it and make sure to find any signs of doctoring."

"Also, check the hotel and surveillance footage. If the photo is real, find video evidence that proves it was just a forced perspective. Leave no stone unturned."

Li Xun was silent for several seconds.

He had clearly seen the photo already, and when he spoke again, he was fully alert.

"Alright, I’ll be on it right away."

"Ludao Hotel," Lin Yunshu said. "Secure all surveillance footage immediately to prevent anyone from getting there first."

"Got it, I’ll dispatch a team over right now," Li Xun replied, then paused. "Secretary Lin, how are you so sure it’s Ludao Hotel?" he asked.

The photo was so grainy, dark, and blurry—there was no way to tell which hotel it was from the image alone.

Lin Yunshu's mind drifted off for a second.

Zhou Yu had told him.

After they got married, every time Zhou Yu attended a business dinner without Lin Yunshu, he would ping his location as a check-in.

He would update it every time he moved, until he returned to Lin Yunshu’s side.

Right now, the last message in their chat was a location pin for Ludao Hotel.

Lin Yunshu had not a shred of doubt—he was certain Zhou Yu was there.

"Just go," Lin Yunshu said without explanation. "That's the one."

"Alright," Li Xun didn’t ask further.

Lin Yunshu: "Is two hours enough for you?"

"One hour," Li Xun replied promptly before hanging up.

Lin Yunshu immediately contacted Guo Shengyao and instructed her to handle the public relations matters.

As soon as he finished, Li Yuqing called again.

"Other media outlets have received it too," she said seriously. "We’ve privately exchanged information, and I’ll send you the list. You need to act quickly," she added.

"Okay, thank you, Yuqing."

Lin Yunshu scanned through the list and forwarded it to Guo Shengyao while addressing his friend:

"Spreading rumors and damaging the company’s reputation—we will come down hard on this."

"Um, Yun Shu..." the friend hemmed and hawed.

Lin Yunshu was busy changing clothes and put the phone on speaker. "Go ahead."

"Do you really—completely believe the photo is fake?"

Lin Yunshu paused, fumbling with his shirt buttons.

"Actually, during that time, I had a friend with some tech background look at it. They pretty much ruled out digital manipulation..." the friend sounded hesitant.

"Of course, we’re not experts in this area, so maybe—"

"Of course I believe it," Lin Yunshu cut him off.

He emphasized each word: "I trust him completely, without a doubt."

The friend went quiet.

Lin Yunshu knew what the other was thinking.

They probably saw him as the type to defend his husband even after catching him cheating, shouting, "He didn’t mean it!"—a hopelessly lovesick fool.

"You—you..." Li Yuqing was speechless.

In truth, they were used to this kind of thing. Every month, they received several tabloid tips, all related to indulgence and scandal.

And ninety-nine percent of such news could be completely swept under the rug, leaving no trace behind.

Few men truly play it straight, especially those powerful, influential, goddamn Alphas who could throw their weight around.

Once they had been showered with attention, it was hard for them to remain loyal to anyone for years, not even their most beloved Omega.

Such news was a dime a dozen, and even if it broke, it often had little impact.

But Zhou Yu was different.

Since its founding, starting with Zhou Yu’s grandfather, Lin'an Group had built an extremely positive image in the public eye.

Loyalty and integrity were their cornerstone, deeply embedded in the corporate culture.

Even Zhou Xingde, though run-of-the-mill and lacking talent as a successor, kept his nose clean after his wife passed away early.

Zhou Yu was even more so.

For a moment, Li Yuqing couldn’t tell whether Lin Yunshu was defending Lin'an Group or Zhou Yu himself, she wondered.

"Don’t you think," she said cautiously, "that Omega is the spitting image of you?"

He did.

Lin Yunshu had clocked it immediately the moment he saw the photo—people are always particularly sensitive to things that resemble themselves.

"So it’s even more impossible," Lin Yunshu said firmly. "I’m still alive and well, not dead. He has no business doing that."

After a few seconds of silence, the friend finally chuckled. "Alright, as long as you have a handle on it."

"I’ll keep helping you keep a lid on it here. You go ahead and handle your side," she said. "Don’t worry, nothing’s gonna blow up."

Lin Yunshu gratefully smiled. "Thank you. I’ll treat you to a meal another day to thank you properly."

He picked up his car keys, paused before opening the door, swung by, and opened the medicine drawer.

The last box of high-dose suppressants had been taken to the mountains and thrown away by Zhou Yu. Now, all he had left was the low-strength ones Zhou Yu had bought back for him.

Lin Yunshu took out one and applied it to the scent gland on the back of his neck, but this type of suppressant patch had little effect on him.

Normally, it would be manageable, but in the early morning hours, the hotel was filled with the mingling scents of Alphas, and the limited suppression was far from enough.

Without much hesitation, Lin Yunshu dug out the inhibitor from the bottom of the cabinet where it had been locked away, unused for two months, and skillfully gave himself the injection.

A slight sting spread through his blood vessels as the medication flowed in. Lin Yunshu calmly waited for five minutes, confirmed it had taken effect, and then quickly stepped out.

The streets in the early morning were empty, the streetlights casting a cold glow, while wheels sent dried leaves swirling through the air.

His navigation destination—The Ludao Hotel.

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

Author's Note: I'm so sorry, I've been working on completing the full manuscript during my absence. Now, I have finished writing this book and will likely update it over the next ten days or so. I truly apologize for the long break. [Pray][Pray][Pray]