Who Is My Husband?

Shu Sizhuo should have released the people from Wind House by now—if that phone call hadn't been a lie.

Once Tong Zhao calmed down and thought about it, Shu Sizhuo was wealthy and powerful, and the young man Boss Huang had brought that day had shown no sign of being forced. On the contrary, he had looked thrilled, his face full of anticipation.

Boss Huang was the middleman, bringing Shu Sizhuo young men like that every so often. Did that mean Shu Sizhuo had actually reached some kind of agreement with them, and both sides were willing?

Tong Zhao's fingertips pressed against the back of the solid-wood chair until they turned slightly white.

Was that so? Were they all willing?

An image suddenly surfaced in his mind: Shu Sizhuo holding him and kissing him until he couldn't breathe, as though he wanted to crush him and knead him into his flesh and blood.

Then he had licked and nibbled at the hollow of Tong Zhao's neck, trembling as he said, "Tong Zhao, that feels so good."

Did he hold everyone like that?

Tong Zhao stood there in a daze for a long time before hurriedly knocking himself hard on the head, putting a stop to the wild thoughts that made it hard to breathe.

Fine, fine. If they were all willing, then I was fucking worrying for nothing and sticking my nose where it didn't belong!

"But I have a condition."

"You have to take their place. You can't run, and you have to stay here and behave."

Tong Zhao clenched his fists. One moment, he felt as though he were burning in a fire; the next, as though he were submerged in ice. He suddenly felt he was going mad too.

He had always thought he loved Shu Sizhuo deeply, but at this moment, he felt he hated him.

Shu Sizhuo sat in the car on his way to the office, staring down at the surveillance feed on his phone with a deep frown.

What was Tong Zhao doing? Why had he been standing there for so long?

A moment ago, his brain had picked up a signal from Tong Zhao's chip.

You never realize how little you've read until you need it?

System?

Oh, so it really was something called a system!

But what a pity, Tong Zhao. As long as you stay in that room, it'll never hear you calling.

The driver stole a glance at his boss in the rearview mirror, then couldn't resist taking another. He found it strange and novel.

Who scratched President Shu's face?

That was unlikely to be the golden retriever's handiwork.

Could President Shu have gotten a cat too?

Ever since locking Tong Zhao up by his side, Shu Sizhuo had barely wanted to go to the office at all, completing much of his work in the study next to Tong Zhao's room. But he had a meeting today, and he had to attend.

Hua Ruolin had a project in the United Kingdom that required the Shu Group's participation. The project was so large that Shu Sizhuo had to discuss it with the shareholders.

When Shu Sizhuo walked into the conference room, the shareholders, including Hua Ruolin on the video call, all looked surprised.

The young president was handsome and composed. He had never before walked into a meeting with three scratches on his cheek, marring his appearance.

When Shu Sizhuo sat down and picked up the stylus, the shareholders' gazes fell on the scratches on the back of his hand.

Shu Sizhuo looked up, and the shareholders looked away again.

After the meeting, the shareholders all left the conference room. On the other end of the video call, Hua Ruolin gathered his documents and asked, "What happened? Did a cat scratch you?"

Hua Ruolin was in his early forties, the age when a man was at his most attractive. He had never married or had children, and in British business circles, he was a highly sought-after catch.

"Mm." Shu Sizhuo didn't deny it. "I took in a little stray cat."

"A stray?" Hua Ruolin frowned in disapproval. "Strays carry a lot of germs. Did you take it to get vaccinated? Why not buy a pet cat? They're much more docile."

Shu Sizhuo smiled. "A little stray is more exciting."

"I don't understand you young people." Hua Ruolin couldn't be bothered to say more. "I'm going back to China after I've dealt with things here. There are a few important people involved in this project you need to meet with me."

"Sure." Shu Sizhuo looked at his uncle's chiseled, model-like features and suddenly asked, "Uncle, why haven't you found someone? Don't you get lonely on your own?"

Hua Ruolin froze, then immediately looked impatient. "What made you decide to meddle in my business?"

"Uncle." Shu Sizhuo lit a cigarette. "Find someone. I'll only be at ease once you do."

Hua Ruolin's expression on the screen grew somewhat unreadable. "What do you mean?"

Shu Sizhuo smiled faintly. "My second assistant's relative has a son studying in the United Kingdom. He's twenty-seven, handsome, and has very dark hair and eyes. Would you give him a chance and meet him?"

Hua Ruolin stared at Shu Sizhuo. "Shu Sizhuo, you've never been one to concern yourself with this kind of thing, even as a child."

"Isn't it because you're getting to that age?"

Hua Ruolin gave a cold smile. "No need. Just mind your own business."

The computer screen went black.

The smile faded from Shu Sizhuo's face as well. He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, stood up, and took the coat his first assistant handed him.

"Put the contract documents in my briefcase for me."

"All right. Are you taking these back with you?" the first assistant asked.

"Mm." Shu Sizhuo felt irritated again. The project was complicated, and he couldn't skip work for the time being; he had to come in every day. Did Hua Ruolin have to take on a project like this at a time like this?

On the way back, Shu Sizhuo sat in the back seat and continued watching the surveillance feed on his phone.

He saw that Tong Zhao had slept and gotten up, gone to the bathroom, and drunk a glass of water. Then he had started pulling at windows and knocking on walls, as well as rummaging through everything. He was probably looking for a way to contact the outside world or a weapon to help him escape.

Shu Sizhuo shook his head.

Disobedient.

Then his brain waves picked up Tong Zhao's call—You never realize how little you've read until you need it.

He was calling the system again.

Shu Sizhuo was a little angry.

He had only been locked up for a few days, and today Tong Zhao had even promised to stay there and behave if Shu Sizhuo released the people from Wind House.

How could he break his word?

But Tong Zhao had always broken his word.

When they were little, he had made a pinky promise with him and even sealed it with their thumbs, saying that a double guarantee meant it would never change. He had also said he would stay by his side forever.

Liar.

Luckily, he was no longer as easy to fool as he had been as a child, nor as fragile.

It's all right.

Behave, and you get a reward.

Misbehave, and you suffer a little.

People had to learn to behave eventually.

Shu Sizhuo had someone prepare a sumptuous dinner and send it into Tong Zhao's room at six o'clock sharp.

When the door opened automatically, Tong Zhao thought Shu Sizhuo had returned, but a robot came in instead.

"Hello, Mr. Tong. I'm the robot Xiaoguang. This dish is beef braised with bamboo shoots."

Speaking in a robotic voice, Xiaoguang placed the dish of beef and bamboo shoots on the dining table, then glided out.

Tong Zhao looked outside. It was a luxurious, cold hall, with no one else there. He walked to the doorway, but couldn't take another step; the chain had pulled taut at its full length.

Soon, Xiaoguang glided back in with another dish.

"Hello, Mr. Tong. I'm now serving your second dish: clear-braised crab roe lion's head meatballs."

As Xiaoguang placed the second dish on the table, Tong Zhao tried calling his name. "X-Xiaoguang?"

"Mm-hmm? What can I do for you, Mr. Tong?" Xiaoguang actually stopped and asked.

Tong Zhao pressed his lips together. Though he knew it was impossible, he still asked in desperation, "Do you know how to unlock my ankle chain?"

"I don't know."

"Do you know where the key to my ankle chain is?"

"I don't know."

"Then can you call someone outside?"

"I can only call your husband~"

Tong Zhao was shocked. "Who's my husband?"

"He's the incomparably handsome, irresistibly good-looking man who's perfect to spend your life with, Shu Sizhuo~"