MTY chapter 2

Lu Ziqing took a long moment to compose his expression. “Have you considered that this is my home, and I haven’t agreed to let a stranger move in?”

Just thinking about it made Lu Ziqing even angrier.

His father had always been like this—used to being the boss, his control freak tendencies were absurd. From what Lu Ziqing ate for lunch to what major he chose in college, and even the company’s future three-year development plan—his father had to interfere in everything, big or small.

Lu Ziqing had secretly enrolled in jewelry design for college behind his family’s back. Otherwise, his father would have forced him to study finance abroad.

The fake marriage was the same situation. With several rich second-generation omegas eyeing him, his father decided to cut off those “wolves and tigers” once and for all by marrying him off to one of his employees—keeping random outsiders from interfering with the company.

Lu Ziqing could understand his father’s reasoning. If his father wasn’t so capable, he wouldn’t have turned a small grocery store in a southern town into a listed company.

But that didn’t mean Lu Ziqing wasn’t annoyed by his father’s tendency to make unilateral decisions.

It wasn’t that these decisions were impossible to accept—but at least give him a heads-up.

And now, once again, without a single word of warning, his father had dumped Lin Yu on him for “cohabitation.”

Damn, this was even more casual than breeding cats and dogs.

At least when breeding pets, you’d check if the two animals got along first.

As a hardcore Alpha who had differentiated back in middle school, Lu Ziqing had a strong sense of personal territory.

He was tempted to lose his temper, but he knew Lin Yu wasn’t at fault—he was just following orders.

Suppressing his irritation, Lu Ziqing called his father.

A cheerful ringtone rang out—the top hit from every middle-aged person’s favorite song list: “Beautiful Grasslands, My Home.”

The ringtone played three times. The sheep in the song had called out three times. But his father didn’t pick up.

Lu Ziqing: “…”

That old bastard—pretending not to hear, huh?

Lin Yu tried to smooth things over. “President Lu might be asleep…”

Lu Ziqing: “It’s only nine o’clock. As if. He’s either playing mahjong or poker.”

Lin Yu: “Or maybe he didn’t hear…”

Lu Ziqing: “Next time I go home, I’m getting him a damn hearing aid.”

Frustration simmering, Lu Ziqing furrowed his brows and fell silent.

The door was still open, and Lin Yu stood outside alone. He hadn’t said anything, but with his pale and slender frame, carrying multiple suitcases while standing there all by himself, he looked rather pitiful.

Lu Ziqing glanced at him. “Aren’t you cold?”

Lin Yu coughed lightly. “I’m fine.”

“I just want to ask—why the hell did you agree to my dad’s ridiculous contract in the first place?” Lu Ziqing was genuinely curious. “You signed an agreement, got married to someone you’d never met, and you weren’t even a little scared?”

Lin Yu: “Scared of what?”

Lu Ziqing: “What if I turned out to be a psycho, a domestic abuser, or—God forbid—some kind of rapist?”

Lin Yu thought for a moment. “I wasn’t worried.”

Lu Ziqing: “Why not?”

Lin Yu answered seriously, “If you were a bad person, those young ladies and gentlemen from other companies wouldn’t be fighting to date you or sleep with you.”

As Lu Zhaolin’s assistant, Lin Yu had handled enough miscellaneous affairs to hear plenty of gossip about the young master of the Lu family.

Lu Ziqing: “…”

Lu Ziqing: “Do you always say things this terrifyingly blunt?”

Usually, Lin Yu was silent outside of work—he never wasted a single word. But when he did speak, it was always shockingly direct.

And he always maintained that serious, upright expression while saying the wildest things.

Lin Yu continued solemnly, “I personally overheard their assistants discussing it. For example, Wu Jia’s second young master—who’s been rejected by you multiple times—said he finds the veins on your forearm and hands extremely sexy. He desperately wants to be pinned down by you.”

Lu Ziqing: “…Okay, stop. That’s enough.”

Lin Yu immediately shut his mouth. “Apologies. I’m not very good at small talk.”

For the first time in his life, Lu Ziqing found himself at a loss for words.

He could banter with anyone, handle any conversation with ease.

But Lin Yu, with his odd way of thinking, was a completely different kind of challenge.

A gust of night wind slipped through the crack in the window. Lin Yu coughed lightly and pulled his collar tighter.

Even so, he remained standing politely outside the door, not stepping over the threshold.

Lu Ziqing sighed. “This whole thing is my dad’s doing, and it isn’t right. You don’t have to follow orders so obediently. There’s no way I’m letting a stranger move into my house. You should go back to where you were staying before.”

Lin Yu said, “I used to live in the company dorm, but it’s been reclaimed.”

Lu Ziqing: “…”

That old man sure knows how to play hardball.

Lu Ziqing said, “Alright, I’ll cover your expenses. Stay at a hotel for now.”

There seemed to be no room for negotiation.

Lin Yu lowered his head slightly, half of his face hidden in the dim light, making his expression unreadable. “…Okay.”

He turned around and struggled to drag four or five suitcases, slowly making his way toward the elevator.

Squeezed between his luggage, he looked like a thin, white pole barely managing to stay upright.

It would be a lie to say this wasn’t embarrassing.

Showing up at someone’s house in the middle of the night, only to be turned away at the door.

Even though he was forced to come here, the awkwardness and humiliation still stung.

Lu Ziqing’s hand rested on the doorknob, twisting it halfway before stopping.

His gaze fell on Lin Yu’s thin, disheveled back.

Lin Yu pressed the button for the first floor, already worrying about how he would explain this to President Lu tomorrow.

A few seconds later, the elevator chimed, and the doors slid open.

Just as Lin Yu was about to push his suitcases inside, he heard a long sigh from behind him.

“…Forget it,” Lu Ziqing said, striding over and casually grabbing one of his suitcases. “Come with me.”

…..

Lu Ziqing’s home had the distinct style of a bachelor pad—minimalist, with a gray-and-white color scheme, no unnecessary decorations, but filled with the latest electronic gadgets. Even a random pair of headphones or a speaker on the table was worth a fortune.

Lin Yu sat upright in a chair, listening attentively as Lu Ziqing laid down the rules.

“I’ll talk to my dad about this in a few days. For now, you can stay here temporarily. But let’s get a few things straight—you can’t touch my stuff, don’t interfere with my life, and during certain situations, we’ll need to avoid each other to prevent any unnecessary trouble.”

After rattling off his conditions in one breath, Lu Ziqing glanced at him.

Lin Yu: “Alright.”

Lu Ziqing continued, “There are extra toiletries and pajamas in the closet. I’ll get them for you later. You’ll sleep in the guest room. Unless it’s necessary, don’t enter my bedroom.”

Lin Yu nodded.

Lu Ziqing normally hated having strangers in his personal space, but Lin Yu seemed obedient and sensible, which softened his irritation a little.

Lu Ziqing asked, “Any other questions?”

Lin Yu said proactively, “I’ll act like I don’t know you in front of others, especially at work. You don’t have to worry.”

Part of it was to keep things professional and avoid unnecessary gossip. The other part—well, Lu Ziqing had already made it clear where he stood, and Lin Yu wasn’t going to overstep.

Lu Ziqing: “…Why?”

Lin Yu thought for a moment. “To avoid trouble.”

Lu Ziqing: “…”

So, he was trouble now?

That was his plan too, but hearing Lin Yu say it first made him inexplicably annoyed.

Damn it. He hadn’t even said anything yet, and Lin Yu was already treating him like a burden.

So far, Lin Yu had been flawless—professional, disciplined, meticulous, and competent.

But this Young Master Lu had a bad habit—he loved messing with people, backing them into a corner, stripping away their masks, and watching them panic when their true selves were exposed. It was just fun for him.

And people like Lin Yu—top students, the perfect ones—were the most interesting when they cracked.

Lu Ziqing stared at him. “You don’t want people to know about our relationship?”

Lin Yu: “Mm.”

Lu Ziqing: “Do you like someone else?”

Lin Yu hesitated for a second. “No.”

Lu Ziqing: “Then why are you worried I’ll cause you trouble?”

Lin Yu: “If the employees find out, there will be rumors.”

Lu Ziqing leaned in slightly, his voice nearly a whisper. “What kind of rumors?”

Lin Yu instinctively leaned back, gripping the armrest. “Strange ones…”

Lu Ziqing pressed further. “Like?”

Lin Yu pursed his lips and refused to answer.

Lu Ziqing, feeling particularly mischievous, smirked. “Weren’t you pretty chatty earlier, gossiping about the young masters and ladies after me? Why so quiet now? I’m not going to eat you.”

He figured Lin Yu was probably afraid of gossip—that people would assume he climbed the ranks by getting close to the young master of the Lu family.

It wasn’t even a wild guess. So why was Lin Yu suddenly too embarrassed to say it?

Lin Yu muttered, “I’d rather not say…”

Lu Ziqing: “Say it.”

Lin Yu still refused.

Lu Ziqing threatened, “If you don’t, go book yourself a hotel right now.”

Cornered, Lin Yu raised his voice, enunciating every word clearly: “Someone at headquarters found out about our sudden marriage and said it’s just a cover—that I’m actually President Lu’s secret lover and that I’m… seducing my own father-in-law.”

Lu Ziqing: “…”

 

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Author’s Note:

I told you not to ask.

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