Guo Min stretched out on the bed beside Zihan, her head buried in the pillow with a long sigh. "Because of your tight schedule, we now have to squeeze in our wedding shoot tomorrow, 'darling'." Her tone dripped with annoyance, though the exhaustion in her eyes was real. "I haven't been able to rest at all, and now you're adding more for me."
Zihan turned his head, studying her carefully. His hand slid into her hair, fingers threading gently through the strands until she stilled under his touch. "My schedule wasn't tight before," he said calmly, voice low and steady, "but since we'll be on our honeymoon break for a week, I had to clear everything else."
Her eyes fluttered open, locking onto him. "…Honeymoon?"
The faintest curve tugged at his lips. "Yes. Honeymoon."
She propped herself up on one elbow, glaring at him half-seriously. "Tch. You need to start telling me these plans ahead of time so I can prepare too."
"Okay," he said simply, like it was a binding promise.
Min rolled her eyes, reaching across the bed to grab her laptop. "Anyways," she muttered, flipping it open and typing quickly. "I've been working on a new site. It's an upgrade project for Serene Hotels. Instead of functioning just as a hotel, it'll expand into a full complex, lounge, event hall, both regular and private rooms, two pools, one large and one small, all surrounded by curated gardens so it doesn't look artificial."
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, testing if he was really listening. He was. His gaze hadn't shifted from her once.
Her lips curled mischievously, eyes sparkling with challenge. "CEO Zhu," she said sweetly, "would you like to become an investor of mine".
Zihan studied her for a long moment, then the faintest smile tugged at his mouth. "What's in it for me?"
Guo Min straightened, already prepared. "If you became my investor, you'd have access to thirty percent of the annual company profit." She paused for emphasis, then continued confidently, "And let's be clear, you can't fail with Serene Hotels. We hold a four-star rating, we're ranked top three in the city, and the designs alone draw tourists in by the thousands. Profit is steady, expanding, and guaranteed."
Zihan leaned back against the headboard, utterly calm. "Forty percent."
"…Huh?!" Her jaw dropped. She blinked at him like he'd just declared war in their bedroom. "Did you even hear me? You won't be the only investor. Giving you thirty should be more than enough."
His tone didn't waver, his expression unreadable. "Thirty percent is crumbs to my company. I can't accept those conditions."
Guo Min snapped her laptop shut dramatically and glared at him. "Zhu Zihan, are you negotiating with me or trying to rob me blind?"
"Neither," he said smoothly, amusement flickering in his eyes. "I'm only stating my worth."
She pouted, burying her face into the pillow, refusing to answer him.
"…Are you angry?" His lips curved into a smirk. "Would you pout like this if we were in an official meeting? Or do you want me to treat you as a wife instead of a business partner?"
"…No," she muttered against the pillow. "But you're not going easy on me either. And didn't you say all the money you worked for was for me to spend?"
"Yes," he said without hesitation, voice calm but firm, "but I'm not going easy on you. If you give up this easily, how do you even run a company?"
That stung. Her head shot up, eyes flashing. He was questioning her abilities. "President Zhu," she said sharply, her voice shifting into full professional mode, "our company knows its worth, and you're asking for too much. We can only provide you with thirty percent, and nothing more."
The temperature in the room seemed to dip. Zihan's eyes turned cold, like the man who commanded conference halls and boardrooms without blinking. "Are you saying," his tone was low, edged with challenges, "you don't care if my company supports yours or not?"
She flinched, just slightly, the weight of his aura pressing down, but she refused to yield. "The Serene Hotels do need your support, Mr. Zhu," she said evenly, her tone steel beneath the softness of her voice. "And if you're willing, we'll be glad to have you. But without you, we also won't hit rock bottom."
Zihan paused. The chill in his gaze softened, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "We'll finalise the rest in the office, then."
"Really…?" Her eyes widened before a grin broke free. "Yay!"
Her arms flew around him before she even realized what she was doing. The warmth of her sudden hug stunned them both, the atmosphere shifting in an instant. For a moment, the hard edges of business melted into something softer, unspoken.
She caught herself, flustered, and pulled away just as quickly, scurrying to the bed. Turning her back to him, she tugged the covers over her head. "Goodnight," she mumbled.
Zihan sat there, silent, watching her retreat. They had done far more than hugging before, but never once had she been the one to initiate it. His eyes lingered on her small, bundled frame under the blanket, and for the first time in a long while, the unshakable President Zhu found himself quietly amused and strangely unsettled.
"…Zihan, did you know that Lixi is pregnant?" she chirped suddenly, turning over. All traces of her earlier embarrassment vanished as she popped her head out of the blanket.
His brows lifted slightly. "No. Why?"
"Because your best friend impregnated her, that's why! How could you not know?"
"I've been busy," he said evenly, unruffled, as though she'd told him the weather. "It's been a while since we last met." He paused. "Besides, who Yufan sleeps with has nothing to do with me."
Guo Min sat up, pouting. "I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the fact that Yufan and Xiang almost killed each other. Or rather, Xiang almost killed Yufan. You should've maybe helped them talk things out."
"They're not children," Zihan replied flatly, his eyes narrowing just a fraction. "If they choose to fight, they'll resolve it in their own way. My interference won't change anything."
Guo Min pursed her lips, staring at him for a long moment before sinking back into the blankets. "…Good night."
"Hm." His nonchalant hum was the last sound before silence filled the room.
---
The Next Morning.
Just as the couple stirred in bed, bodies comfortably entwined in the rare softness of sleep, the sudden crash of the door flinging open shattered the peace.
"Up! Both of you!". Li Yan's voice rang through the room.
Zihan blinked awake instantly, his instincts never dull, and sat up without complaint. He turned, gave his mother a brief bow of his head. "Morning, Mother." Then, as though unbothered by the intrusion, he rose and slipped into the bathroom to freshen up.
Guo Min, however, let out a muffled groan and yanked the blanket over her head. "Just a few minutes more, Mom-in-law…" she mumbled, curling tighter into the sheets.
"No." Li Yan's tone brooked no argument. She marched toward the bed, tugging firmly at the blanket until Guo Min's messy-haired head popped out. "You have an appointment with the photographer this morning. You need to be dressed and ready. No excuses."
"Ugh…" Guo Min's face crumpled into a pout as she dragged herself upright. "Appointments, schedules… when will I actually rest before this wedding?"
"After you're married," Li Yan said smoothly, her face glowing with satisfaction as she slid open the closet doors and began scanning the racks of dresses. "Now hurry. The photographer is waiting, and tardiness is not an option for the Zhu family."
Before Guo Min could so much as whine, she was already being ushered, more like dragged toward the guest room bathroom.