Daughter-in-law?

The instant they heard him say "Madam," the Secretary Department fell silent, as though time had frozen.

His colleagues all poked their heads out, every gaze fixed on Shen Yi. Amid the suffocating tension, he resolutely continued the call.

"Busy?"

"Since I was away from work for a while, I've had quite a few calls asking questions. It's fine now. Please, go ahead."

"You really went back to work? You won't run off after a couple of days, will you?"

Madam Lin's tone was calm, but the weight behind her words was impossible to ignore. She had always been exceptionally good at intimidating people over the phone alone.

"Yes, Madam. I intend to devote myself fully to my work from now on."

"I just heard from the lawyer that you signed a lifetime contract. I'm calling to confirm that, Secretary Shen."

Shen Yi was momentarily speechless, unable to fathom Madam Lin's intentions. His usually nimble tongue seemed to have tied itself in knots. Just as he swallowed with difficulty, Lin Shulan spoke first.

"I need to see you. I heard you differentiated into an omega."

"..."

"You're busy, so don't come over. I'll come to you."

Shen Yi briefly closed his eyes and held up two fingers to his colleagues. Recognizing the level-two alert signal, the secretaries immediately began tidying up.

"Don't tell Yuan Chen I'm coming. I'm already on my way. I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Yes, understood. Please travel safely."

Only after hanging up did he let out a long sigh. He patted his face with his palms, forcing himself to calm down.

Pull yourself together, Shen Yi. This day was bound to come. You have to face it sooner or later. I just didn't expect it to come so soon.

After countless inward groans, he stood up. The office was already prepared to receive a VIP, the entire space on a war footing.

Click, click, click. The sound of heels striking the floor drew closer. Lin Shulan entered the office alone, without any bodyguards.

"Welcome, Madam."

Every member of the Secretary Department bowed in greeting. Lin Shulan swept her uniquely imposing gaze over them. Today, her hair was pinned into an immaculate bun, her eyeliner sharp and her presence overpowering.

"Secretary Shen, let's talk in private."

The inevitable had finally arrived. Ignoring his colleagues' worried looks, Shen Yi led the way to the reception room they had prepared.

They sat facing each other on the sofas, silence spreading through the air. Shen Yi keenly detected a faint trace of alpha pheromones. Lin Shulan was an alpha too.

Like parents, like son. Both of Yuan Chen's parents were S-rank. The pheromones he had never sensed from Madam Lin before now put Shen Yi on edge. She, too, was sensing his omega pheromones.

"Can you imagine how shocked I was when I first heard you'd differentiated? It was simply unbelievable."

Her suspicion was plain. Shen Yi did not rush to explain, merely offering a measured reply.

"I completely understand your surprise."

"Do you know how highly I regard you? It isn't often that I take a liking to someone."

"You're too kind."

Lin Shulan's eyes widened slightly, a glint flashing through their sharp depths. Shen Yi's back instantly stiffened. Making eye contact was basic courtesy when speaking to someone, but faced with her intimidating gaze, he could only fix his eyes somewhere near the tip of her nose.

Lin Shulan tightened the hand resting on her knee. Her gemstone ring struck the tabletop with a clear clink.

"Yuan Chen has had his pheromone disorder for over ten years. Do you think his father and I haven't tried? We consulted psychiatrists and sought out renowned counselors overseas, but if he was determined to resist, what could we do? The moment he encountered omega pheromones, he rejected them completely."

Shen Yi knew all this as well. He listened quietly, weighing his words.

"When I heard you'd resigned, I was sorry to hear it, but I thought there was no other choice. Yet now you're back? I hear Yuan Chen personally asked you to return, and even signed a lifetime contract?"

Lawyer Hao... You certainly wasted no time talking.

Shen Yi clenched the hands resting on his knees, silently blaming the absent Lawyer Hao. Unable to gauge how much Madam Lin knew, he could only suppress his unease.

"President Yuan has also realized that his condition will hinder his career in the future. Recently, he's become willing to try to change. Since I happened to differentiate into an omega, he hoped we could work together and gradually overcome the problem." Shen Yi calmly explained how he had returned to his job.

But Madam Lin clearly found it hard to believe. Her son, who had been stubborn for over a decade, had suddenly hired an omega as his secretary?

Lin Shulan gently rubbed her ring, her gaze fixed on Shen Yi's face the entire time. Those unblinking eyes sent a chill through him.

"Are you two dating?" Lin Shulan abruptly asked.

The unexpected question nearly made Shen Yi jump.

"What? No, absolutely not!"

"I heard you were taking care of Yuan Chen during his heat period a little while ago."

"I only helped him out a little."

"There really isn't anything between you? Are you sure?"

"Madam..."

There was a plea in Shen Yi's voice, but Madam Lin's misunderstanding seemed difficult to dispel. Instead, the corners of her mouth lifted into a meaningful smile.

"If there's nothing between you, why is Yuan Chen keeping you by his side?"

"We signed a contract."

"Even if there isn't now, that could change in the future, couldn't it?"

Lin Shulan looked utterly convinced of her own judgment. Shen Yi suddenly broke into a cold sweat, unsure how to clear up this misunderstanding. He felt he should not be the one explaining this. Yuan Chen ought to step forward and set things straight.

"What do your parents do? Are they both betas?"

"My parents..."

"Are they both still alive? Do you have any siblings? Actually, none of that matters."

The sudden inquiry into his family caught him off guard. While Shen Yi sat stunned, Lin Shulan took a white envelope from her handbag. Anyone could tell it contained money.

She pushed the envelope toward Shen Yi. "I prepared this for you. Let me know if it isn't enough."

The scene was straight out of a melodramatic romance. Take this money and leave my son!

Shen Yi picked up the envelope. Its thickness beneath his fingertips already told him it held a substantial sum. As expected of a capitalist's wife, she was certainly generous.

Though he was curious about the exact amount, now was not the time to satisfy that curiosity. He put the envelope down and said cautiously:

"Madam, I've already signed an employment contract. I can't break it without cause."

"What do you mean, break it? I'm very pleased with you. I'm quite fond of you!"

"What?"

Lin Shulan propped her elbow on her crossed knees and rested her chin in her hand, her smile growing stranger.

"This is a reward for doing a good job. Getting Yuan Chen to change his mind is an incredible achievement. Please keep looking after him. Since we've come this far, I hope you two can get married without any trouble."

"What? Married?" The word left Shen Yi reeling.

"Ever since we announced that Yuan Chen was unmarried, people have practically beaten a path to my door. Perhaps there's a chance now? I've never seen him fall for anyone. At least you're the first. You used to be a beta, but now you're an omega? And S-rank, too? I'm so grateful."

Shen Yi's vision went dark. So... Madam Lin now saw him as her daughter-in-law?

He barely managed to steady himself. "Madam, you may have misunderstood. President Yuan and I don't have that kind of relationship."

"The heart is unpredictable."

Madam Lin instead took the stance of supporting her son. Seeing her so utterly certain sent Shen Yi's spirits plummeting.

"No. Let me be clear: President Yuan and I will never become a couple."

He repeatedly emphasized his denial. If he missed this chance, he feared he might never correct Lin Shulan's misconception. Anxiety gnawed at him.

"Would you consider looking at it another way? If President Yuan overcomes his aversion to omega pheromones, he could find a more suitable partner in the future..."

"Yuan Chen, my darling son-I know him best. Marriage? Do you think he would consider something like that? He plans to stay single for the rest of his life."

Lin Shulan spoke bluntly. Though he was her own son, that assessment was rather devastatingly accurate.

Then she looked at Shen Yi kindly.

"I have high expectations of you, Secretary Shen. My judgment of people was right after all. Get along well with Yuan Chen, and tell me immediately if there's good news. Understood?"

That was even more frightening. While Shen Yi was drenched in cold sweat, Lin Shulan had already risen. Leaving him with the terrifying words, "Let's keep in touch," she left the reception room.

"This is... insane!"

Shen Yi patted his forehead, still unable to believe that Madam Lin had approved of him. Shouldn't it have been the opposite? Wasn't she supposed to object to them being together?

With the bitter smile of a man who had lost his soul, he picked up the envelope on the table and headed to Yuan Chen's office.

"Daughter-in-law?"

Yuan Chen repeated it as though he had misheard.