Summary: With the ZGDX contract finally in her hands, Tong Yao scours every clause by lamplight, searching for a catch—some hidden cost, a loophole that might demand more than she can give. But instead, she finds a document shaped entirely around her protection, her needs, her worth. Lu Sicheng's hand is all over it, not just in signature but in structure, and with that realization comes something deeper, something she cannot name but cannot ignore.
Chapter Five
Yao sat cross-legged on the floor of her apartment, the contract spread out neatly in front of her, a highlighter resting between her fingers. The soft glow of her desk lamp illuminated the pages as she carefully read through every single clause, every paragraph, every term laid out before her. She had expected to find something—anything—that might raise concern. Some hidden clause, some minor disadvantage, some small catch that would make her hesitate.
But the more she read…
The more she realized…
There was nothing.
It was entirely in her favor.
The pay was more than generous.
The work hours were flexible, adjusting completely to her Ph.D. schedule. There were clear protections for her, stipulations that ensured she would not be overwhelmed, that her role would be based on strategic advisement rather than excessive workload.
And most importantly?
There were no trap clauses. No hidden legal tricks. No loopholes. Everything was designed to benefit her. Her fingers twitched slightly as she reached the last page, her hazel eyes flickering over the clean, bold signature line at the bottom.
Lu Sicheng had written this. Not a company lawyer. Not a manager looking out for corporate interests.
Him.
And he had left no room for her to be taken advantage of.
Her lips parted slightly, a strange warmth curling in her chest—something unexpected, something she wasn't sure how to place. Because this? This wasn't just a contract. It was a statement. A statement that she mattered. A statement that, from the moment she agreed, she had been protected.
By him.
Her grip tightened slightly around the highlighter, and for the first time in a long time, Yao felt something rare.
Safe.
Yao sighed, rubbing her temple as she stared down at the contract, her mind still reeling from everything she had just processed. The realization that Sicheng had written it entirely in her favor left something warm and foreign curling in her chest, something she didn't quite know how to deal with. Before she could dwell on it any longer, a soft thump sounded beside her, followed by a familiar, deep rumbling purr.
Da Bing.
Her large, fluffy Siberian white cat gracefully padded over, his blue eyes blinking at her with lazy contentment as he flopped down right on top of the contract like he owned it. His thick fur, pristine as always, practically glowed under the desk lamp's light as he stretched out, his massive frame dwarfing the papers beneath him.
Yao let out a long sigh. "Da Bing," she murmured tiredly, reaching out to scratch behind his ears. "That's not yours."
Da Bing let out an unimpressed mrrp in response, his large tail flicking dismissively as he deliberately settled his weight over the contract, his fluffy paws kneading the edges.
Yao huffed. "You really don't care, do you?"
Another slow blink. Another deep, rumbling purr.
She exhaled, her fingers idly threading through his fur as she leaned back against the couch. "I don't even know why I'm hesitating," she muttered more to herself than him. "It's… fair. It's safe. It's—" Her voice faltered. Her mind drifted back to earlier that night—to him.
"The minute you said yes? You became part of ZGDX."
"That means you're mine to look after."
A sharp, fluttering heat curled up her spine before she forcefully shoved it down, clearing her throat.
Da Bing, sensing her distress, let out another mrrp before rubbing his huge face against her arm, his thick fur tickling her skin.
Yao sighed again. "I know, I know. You just want attention." She scratched under his chin, watching as he stretched lazily over the contract, completely at ease, completely unbothered by the storm in her head. She wished she could be like him. But her thoughts were already circling back. Back to him and no matter how much she tried to ignore it…She knew. This wasn't just about the job anymore.
Three days later, Yao stood in front of the ZGDX base, the signed contract neatly tucked into her bag, her fingers tightening slightly around the strap as she inhaled deeply. She had to do this. Not just because it was a great opportunity. Not just because the contract was fair and safe. But because, somehow, ZGDX already felt like it belonged to her. Or rather—she already felt like she belonged there. Taking another breath to steady herself, she reached up and rang the doorbell. It didn't even take a full five seconds before the door swung open.
And standing there, arms crossed, an entirely too satisfied smirk playing on his lips—was Yue. "Finally," he drawled, tilting his head. "I was starting to think you were just gonna run away instead."
"I—I needed time." Yao scowled, shifting awkwardly.
"Yeah, yeah," Yue waved a hand. "Come on in, officially this time."
She hesitated for only a second before stepping inside, the familiar atmosphere washing over her as she adjusted the strap of her bag. The others were already gathered in the common area, as if they had been waiting for her.
Ming, seated with his tea as always, nodded toward her in greeting. Lao K and Pang exchanged grins. Lao Mao leaned back against the armrest, his usual relaxed demeanor never changing.
And then—
Sicheng, he was sitting on the couch, one arm resting on the back, his amber eyes already locked onto her the second she walked in.
Yao swallowed. She felt the weight of his gaze—sharp, watchful, steady. She knew he was waiting for one thing. She knew he wanted confirmation. Her fingers twitched, and before she could hesitate any longer, she reached into her bag, pulled out the contract, and without a word, placed it neatly on the coffee table in front of him.
Silence.
A very heavy silence.
Then—
Ming hummed. "So, it's official?"
Yao nodded slowly. "It's… official."
Lao K let out a low whistle. "Damn. Look at that. We got ourselves a real analyst now."
Pang grinned. "And we didn't even have to bribe her with food."
Yue, smirking, leaned toward Sicheng. "You got anything to say, Gege?"
Yao whitened.
Sicheng's gaze snapped to Yue in a flash of warning, but instead of biting back, he simply exhaled, his fingers tapping once against the table before his amber eyes flickered toward Yao again. Then—smoothly, easily, with absolutely no hesitation—he picked up the contract, flipped to the last page, and signed it himself. Finalizing it. Sealing it. Making it real. And when he looked back at her, something dangerous and knowing burned behind his gaze. "You're ours now," he murmured, voice low.
Yao's breath hitched. And somehow—some very terrifying, unexplainable way—she knew. That wasn't just a contract. That was a claim.
Just as the weight of Sicheng's words settled over Yao like a tangible force, the door to the common area burst open with a level of energy that shattered the tension.
Rui.
Rui, who had been waiting for this moment. Rui, who immediately spotted the signed contract on the table and let out a gasp so dramatic that even Yue looked impressed.
"Oh my god!" Rui exclaimed, practically floating across the room as he zoomed toward Yao, his eyes shining with unfiltered excitement. "You signed? You actually signed?!"
Yao, already overwhelmed, barely had time to nod before Rui was suddenly in front of her, his hands on her shoulders as he beamed.
"My dear, precious new team member!" Rui gushed, squeezing her shoulders like a proud parent. "Welcome to ZGDX!"
Yao, thoroughly flustered, could barely get out a response. "I—um—"
But Rui wasn't done. "Oh no, no, no, you must be exhausted!" He fussed, already circling her like he was checking for signs of malnourishment. "Have you eaten? Have you slept well? Your under-eye circles—do you need a skincare routine? Oh my god, do you even have proper stress relief techniques—"
Yao let out a tiny squeak, eyes darting to the others for help, but Yue? Yue was laughing too hard to even breathe. Pang and Lao K were both grinning, Lao Mao was looking away with a snicker, while Ming was watching the spectacle unfold like this was exactly what he had been expecting.
Meanwhile, Sicheng?
Sicheng exhaled deeply, rubbing his temple as if this entire situation was giving him a migraine. "Rui," he said, his voice edged with clear exasperation.
Rui ignored him.
He was too busy fussing over Yao, brushing nonexistent dust off her sweater before gasping, again. "You're going to need a ZGDX jacket!" Rui declared, already spinning toward the storage room. "And a proper workspace! We must set up your equipment—OH! And you'll need a full team introduction on socials—"
Yao, at this point, was visibly drowning. "I—I can do all that later—" she tried, but Rui would not be stopped.
"No, no, no! This is very important! You are one of us now, and I refuse to have you looking anything less than perfect on your first official day!"
Yao pressed her lips together, her face burning from the sheer intensity of Rui's mother-hen instincts.
Sicheng, done with all of this, finally sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "She's staying for dinner." he stated flatly.
"I—what?" Yao whipped her head toward him.
Sicheng's amber eyes flickered to her, unbothered. "You'll stay," he repeated. "Eat. Then go home."
There was no room for argument.
Dinner had settled into an easy rhythm, the usual teasing and conversation filling the space as Yao slowly started to relax, the overwhelming energy from earlier fading into something… comfortable. At least, until she hesitated, glancing up from her plate with a slightly shy expression before asking, "Would… would anyone mind if I brought Da Bing with me on my workdays?"
That immediately got everyone's attention.
"What kind of cat is he again?" Lao Mao, blinking, tilted his head.
Yao, ducking slightly, muttered, "Siberian."
Lao K, who had been mid-bite, froze. Then, after a second, he set his chopsticks down and gave her a look. "Wait. Don't those cats reach, like… twenty pounds?"
Yao, visibly flustered, fidgeted with her sleeve before whispering, "Da Bing is about thirty-five."
The table went silent.
Lao Mao let out a low whistle. "Damn. That's not a cat, that's a small bear."
Yue, grinning, leaned in. "Are you sure he's a cat? Not, like, a mutant?"
Yao, utterly embarrassed, quickly shook her head. "H-He's perfectly healthy!"
Lao K, still processing, muttered, "How the hell does a cat even get that big?"
Pang, clearly entertained, smirked. "So what you're saying is… you've been dealing with Ai Jia's harassment while wrangling a thirty-five-pound cat at home?"
Yao's face burned. "I-I don't wrangle him, he's just… big."
Ming gave a nod as he finally hummed. "You should bring him."
Yao blinked, startled. "Really?"
Ming nodded. "If he's that big, no one will mess with him. He can be our new team mascot."
Yue lit up. "Ohhh, I like this idea."
Rui, who had been listening with wide eyes, suddenly clapped his hands together in delight. "This is perfect! We'll get him a ZGDX vest! Make it official—"
Yao let out a tiny whimper, realizing she had completely lost control of the conversation.
And Sicheng?
Sicheng, who had been eating quietly, who hadn't said a word through the entire exchange, finally leaned back, his amber eyes flickering toward Yao with a slow, deliberate glance. "…As long as he doesn't touch my fish," he muttered, before taking another bite.
Yao, still flustered from the sudden attention on Da Bing, ducked her head slightly and muttered under her breath, "He only likes tuna… not goldfish."
The table went silent for a brief moment.
Then—
Lao K snorted, trying—and failing—to hold back a laugh and Lao Mao gaped at the female.
Pang grinned. "Wait, wait, wait—you're saying you've actually tested this?"
Yao's face burned. "I-I didn't test it," she stammered quickly. "I just… I've taken him to a pond before, and he didn't care about the fish."
Yue, looking far too entertained, leaned in. "You took him to a pond?" He raised a brow. "And what? He just sat there? Staring at the water like some enlightened old man?"
"H-He just sat next to me! I thought maybe he'd be interested, but he ignored them completely." Yao groaned, her fingers gripping the sleeves of her sweater.
Lao Mao hummed, smirking. "So what you're saying is… we don't have to worry about him raiding Sicheng's fish tank?"
Yao immediately froze. Because she had not thought about that. Very slowly, she peeked toward Sicheng, who had been silent this entire time, his amber gaze locked onto her with the same unreadable intensity as before. "…He wouldn't!" she quickly added, as if reassuring herself more than anyone else.
Sicheng exhaled slowly, his fingers tapping once against the table. "Good." he murmured, his tone deceptively calm.
Yue, grinning, nudged her lightly. "Yeah, 'cause if Da Bing so much as looks at those fish wrong, you'll be signing a very different contract."
Lao K chuckled. "Hope you're ready for cat supervision duty."
Yao, absolutely mortified, buried her face in her hands. "I-I swear he won't!" she muttered.
Sicheng, watching her closely, didn't say anything else. But the weight of his gaze made it very clear. If Da Bing even thought about those fish, Yao was going to owe him.