"Would you like something to drink?"

Lin Zhi opened the small refrigerator in the room and bent down to look at what was inside.

His oversized shirt rode up slightly with the movement, and his long legs, which it barely covered to begin with, appeared even more graceful under brighter indoor lighting.

This seemed to intensify the faint, hazy, rosy atmosphere in the air, giving rise to a heart-pounding sense that some unknowable danger was approaching.

"No need."

Ming Yao refused, his voice slightly hoarse.

"I came to talk to you about Grandfather's thoughts on your future career."

Ming Yao stated his purpose for coming with a near-urgent directness, wanting to resolve the matter and leave quickly. Though his usual style was to say nothing unnecessary, he was aware that his emotions were somewhat disordered right now, and the feeling of being out of control made him uncomfortable.

"Grandfather wants me to join Ming Corporation? If that's what this is about, just decline on my behalf."

Lin Zhi had prepared all of this to get closer to Ming Yao, of course, but he had no intention of doing it this way. Simply working for Ming Yao held no interest for him.

"And your own thoughts are?"

Lin Zhi's answer caught Ming Yao slightly off guard. He had come to ask about Lin Zhi's personal wishes, but he had assumed Lin Zhi would not refuse. Shockingly, Lin Zhi had refused.

Ming Yao recalled the scene he had witnessed the other day — Lin Zhi talking with Hesheng Biotechnology's Qiu Qingrong — and his brow furrowed without him realizing it.

"No particular thoughts for now. I just don't want to be your subordinate."

The languid ease of someone who had just finished enjoying himself laced Lin Zhi's voice with a soft, drowsy quality. He sat down across from Ming Yao, legs crossed, one foot swaying lightly.

Ming Yao's gaze was drawn to it and lingered there briefly before returning to Lin Zhi's actual words.

The remark had nothing to do with aversion. Ming Yao conveyed his puzzlement through his expression.

"Why?"

"I don't like bosses who are too strict. And... I can't be carrying the empty title of Mrs. Ming while enjoying none of Mrs. Ming's benefits, only to lose what I already have."

As if picturing that scenario, Lin Zhi's expression turned genuinely pained.

This made Ming Yao somewhat curious. He had no idea why working for him would cause Lin Zhi to lose his current comforts, so he pressed further: "Such as?"

The part about not liking a strict boss, Ming Yao had deliberately set aside.

"Such as — I can't hitch rides with you anymore. Someone might even notice we're heading to the same place. If a colleague asks where I live, what am I supposed to make up? If someone gives me a hard time, what do I do? I'm your wife, yet I can't even use that to pull rank. Just thinking about it is annoying."

Lin Zhi counted on his fingers one by one, and by the last point the vanity in his voice was completely unmasked.

System No. 01 couldn't help but cup its face in delight. The Host's acting was truly too good — he was being so vain, yet somehow it just came across as utterly adorable. That spoiled, fussy quality was irresistible.

Ming Yao fell into a brief silence. He really should let Grandfather see Lin Zhi like this — see how the old man could still call him well-behaved and sensible. Even his reasons for turning down Ming Yao's offer left one at a complete loss for words. And yet, thinking about Lin Zhi's temperament, it somehow made perfect sense.

"So it's better to keep some distance from you."

Listening to Lin Zhi, Ming Yao slowly ran his fingers along the armrest of his wheelchair and said lightly: "The last time you rode in my car, you said you wanted to stay closer to me — the better to wring benefits out of the Old Master."

"That's staying close to your life. Who knows what corner of Ming Corporation I'd get packed off to? There's no way I'd ever see you."

Lin Zhi raised an eyebrow, wearing the expression of someone whose argument has no holes in it.

"Then come be my assistant."

Ming Yao considered it for a moment and decided it was workable. If he wanted to assess Lin Zhi's capabilities, he might as well keep him nearby and see what kind of results he produced.

Moreover, even if Lin Zhi had some ulterior motives, he would be more cautious right under Ming Yao's nose.

And if he turned out to be lacking in ability, it would be easy enough to explain to the Old Master.

"What would my salary be?"

"A detailed contract will follow."

"Can I hitch rides with you?"

"An assistant who travels with me, of course."

"If someone gives me trouble, can I invoke your name?"

"Of course," Ming Yao added, looking at Lin Zhi: "Don't use it to bully people."

"As if I would. Mr. Ming, I'm very well-behaved."

Lin Zhi leaned back in the wide, plush chair. In the light, his eyes held a thin, soft gleam that made him look perfectly docile and innocent.

His collar had shifted askew with his posture, and a stretch of skin at his collarbone glowed pearlescent white in the light.

That atmosphere which had made it somewhat difficult for Ming Yao to breathe seemed to close around him again like a net. Seeing that the matter was concluded, Ming Yao moved to leave — but a foot came to rest on his thigh.

"Our conversation isn't over yet. I'm sorry, I was a little impatient trying to stop you."

Despite saying so, Lin Zhi's foot did not withdraw. Instead, it slid slowly down along his thigh to his knee, the tip of his toes pressing lightly against it.

Ming Yao's body went rigid. He could not walk, but there was still feeling in his legs — his thighs were no different from an ordinary person's, and if anything, from years of living alongside a wheelchair, his nerves were even more sensitive.

Since he had come straight from the office, he was still in his work clothes. The fine-quality trousers conveyed every sensation with perfect fidelity.

An unfamiliar tingling crawled outward from beneath his skin in all directions. His grip tightened on the armrests. His jaw clenched. His expression darkened as he fixed his gaze on the toes pressed against his knee, suppressing the urge to seize — or even crush — them.

His voice came out even more hoarse than before: "Put it down. Don't touch me."

The owner of the foot didn't seem to register having done anything significant. The toes slipped further down and dangled lightly in the air.

Ming Yao's gaze traveled upward, inch by inch — from ankle to calf, from calf to the inside of the knee — until it met those eyes feigning innocence.

A pretense. Plainly a pretense.

A fierce urge to destroy surged up, the desire to shatter the illusion and seize what lay beneath.

"You seem a little different from before."

Ming Yao watched him quietly. In the past, this person would never have dared to do such things in his presence.

"If you want to live better, you have to be bolder. Besides, I've found that Mr. Ming isn't quite so difficult to talk to," Lin Zhi smoothly wrapped up that thread and moved to the next: "What I want to discuss with you is something not covered in the contract. I think we need to go a little deeper into it, to avoid difficulties later on."

Ming Yao glanced up, signaling Lin Zhi to continue.

"Since I don't know how long our marriage will last, there is something very important during the duration of it. Something like this."

Lin Zhi gestured toward the little toys on his bed, his expression perfectly honest:

"The contract only specifies that I'm not allowed to bring anyone here, not allowed to tell others about our marriage, not allowed to use that status to show off or exercise special privilege — but it says nothing about whether I may pursue romantic or even physical relationships with other people."

The corners of Ming Yao's brow sank slightly. He truly hadn't considered the matter at the time — after all, he himself had no such needs, so he had unconsciously left it out. Expecting others to go without indefinitely was clearly unreasonable, and Ming Yao would naturally never do that.

"I won't interfere with your needs. Just make sure no one learns your identity, and exercise some discretion."

This answer was within Lin Zhi's expectations, but it wasn't what he was after.

Lin Zhi rose and stood before Ming Yao.

"Even if it's a marriage of convenience, infidelity is still not something to be encouraged. Especially if I were to meet someone I liked — I would naturally want to marry them, which would create an enormously contradictory situation."

"I'm sure Mr. Ming wouldn't want to be told one day that your wife seems to be getting married."

"So, what you mean is?"

Ming Yao detected certain signals in his words but wasn't quite sure.

"What I mean is... Mr. Ming, would you like to give us a try?"

Lin Zhi leaned slightly forward, drawing very close to Ming Yao.

Breaths mingled. Eyes met.

In Lin Zhi's gaze, Ming Yao saw something unlike anything he had shown before — not honeyed words, not shallow vanity. It was a direct and undisguised intent, carrying within it tenderness and obsession, an emotion that seemed as though it could swallow a person whole.

His heart hammered violently, sending a brief blankness through his mind, such that Ming Yao did not push him away or put distance between them.

"As a token of my sincerity, I can deduct a hundred thousand from next month's living expenses."

Ming Yao's first reaction upon hearing this: given how much Lin Zhi loved money, a hundred thousand was indeed quite sincere.

His second reaction: Was that all he was worth?

"Well? Has Mr. Ming made up his mind?"

They were far too close, Ming Yao thought.

As Lin Zhi spoke, the parting and closing of his lips seemed to constitute a kind of ambiguous caress. It was exactly the distance of a kiss not yet given.

"Not interested."

Ming Yao tilted his head slightly aside as he answered, startled to find his own voice so hoarse it barely sounded like himself.

"Alright then. If Mr. Ming ever has such thoughts, please come to me first. Until I change my mind, I will be faithful to our marriage and make good use of my little treasures."

"Don't worry, I won't push. I'll say it again — Mr. Ming, I'm very easy to keep satisfied."

Lin Zhi opened the door for Ming Yao and waved at him with a smile.

Once Ming Yao understood exactly what Lin Zhi's "little treasures" referred to, he pressed the forward button on his wheelchair hard.

Author's Note:

Ming Yao now: I won't interfere. Not interested.

Ming Yao later: Darling, your little treasures are nothing compared to my big treasure.