Chapter Thirty-Four: Anxiety

The morning alarm for sleeping in.

"Lingling, it's seven o'clock." A deep, gentle voice sounded by Yu Ling’s ear, laced with the huskiness of someone who had just woken up, accompanied by his warm breath.

Yu Ling gave a groggy "mm" and turned over, wanting to continue sleeping. The next second, a warm embrace smelling of fresh soap pressed against her from behind. Zhao Chen’s arm draped naturally over her waist, his chin resting lightly on the top of her head, like a large canine that had found the most comfortable nest.

"Five more minutes..." Yu Ling protested vaguely, yet subconsciously snuggled closer into his arms, soaking up that reassuring warmth.

Zhao Chen chuckled low in his throat; the vibration of his chest was clearly transmitted to her back. "Alright, five minutes." He agreed, though his arm tightened even further, and his warm lips pressed a feather-light kiss to the crown of her head. This "five minutes" would inevitably stretch indefinitely until Yu Ling was fully awake, coaxed and carried half-asleep by him to eat the breakfast he had prepared. There is no such thing as a sweeter burden.

The "check-in" call during lunch break.

"Have you had lunch?" Zhao Chen’s profile picture popped up on her phone screen; he was initiating a video call. The background appeared to be some clean, bright lounge.

Yu Ling had just sat down in the cafeteria with her colleagues. Looking at his enlarged, handsome face on the screen, she felt a mix of helplessness and amusement. "Just about to eat. What about you?"

"Just finished a meeting, about to eat as well." Zhao Chen adjusted the camera to show her the exquisite meal box in front of him (clearly not from a cafeteria). "What’s good at the cafeteria today?" His tone was as natural as idle chatter, yet his eyes were like searchlights, calmly scanning Yu Ling’s surroundings and the colleagues at her table.

When the camera accidentally swept over a new, sunny, and handsome male colleague sitting next to her, Zhao Chen’s brow furrowed imperceptibly, though his voice remained gentle. "New colleague? Looks quite young."

Yu Ling: "..." She silently turned the camera back to focus on her own tray.

The "chance encounter" and "surprise raid" after work.

Yu Ling had planned to meet a few female colleagues at a newly opened dessert shop after work. Just as she stepped out of the company building, she saw Zhao Chen’s "ordinary" car already parked in the usual spot. He rolled down the window and offered her a gentle, harmless smile. "Passing by, so I thought I’d pick you up. Where are you all going? I’ll drop you off."

Before Yu Ling could refuse, her female colleagues had already excitedly crowded over.

"Wow! Ling, is this your husband? He’s so handsome!"

"Hello, brother-in-law! We’re going to 'Sweetheart Tales'!"

Zhao Chen’s smile was impeccable. "Get in, it’s right on the way." He stepped out and gentlemanly opened the doors for the ladies. Throughout the ride, he was charming and affable, delighting the female colleagues, who couldn't stop praising Yu Ling for her good fortune. When they arrived at the dessert shop, Yu Ling stepped out with her colleagues, and Zhao Chen followed suit.

"You guys go in and order first; I’ll come in after I park." He jingled his car keys.

Yu Ling: "???" Wasn't he just giving them a ride? Why was he tagging along?!

Five minutes later, Zhao Chen appeared at the dessert shop as expected. He sat down beside Yu Ling with extreme naturalness, ordered an Americano, and then began, as if no one else were there, feeding Yu Ling bits of the cake he had tasted and deemed delicious.

"This matcha mille-feuille is good, not too sweet. You should try it."

"This mango mousse is also fine, but it’s a bit cold, so don't eat too much."

Under the suggestive and envious gazes of her colleagues, Yu Ling’s cheeks burned, and she wished she could crawl into a hole. Yet, deep down, she felt as if a honey pot had been overturned, sweet to the point of being cloying. Is this guy really being this clingy so brazenly?!

The "binding operation" of weekend grocery shopping.

The weekend supermarket was a surging sea of people. Yu Ling pushed the cart, and Zhao Chen stayed close by her side. His arm rested seemingly casually on the handle of the cart, but in reality, he was half-encircling her in his arms, shielding her from the crowded flow of people.

"Let’s buy this brand of yogurt; the ingredient list is clean."

"The fruit section is over there. Let’s go see if there are fresh blueberries—didn't you say you wanted some?"

While whispering in her ear, he naturally took the shopping list from her hand, glanced at it, and then pushed the cart through the aisles with clear intent.

His speed in selecting items was fast and precise. He seemed to possess a strange intuition for the price and quality of goods, always picking the best value or highest quality item from a pile of similar products.

Yu Ling only needed to follow by his side and occasionally point out what she wanted. Watching his tall figure weave through the shelves, watching his earnest profile as he leaned down to carefully check production dates, watching the smooth lines of his arms tensing as he effortlessly lifted a large bag of rice into the cart... a strange sense of satisfaction, of being properly cared for and protected, filled her heart. Is this even shopping? This is clearly a large-scale "captivity" scene!

This high-density infiltration of his "presence" caused Yu Ling’s life to be almost entirely filled with Zhao Chen’s aura. He was everywhere, attentive to the smallest detail, yet carried an undeniable sense of control.

Yu Ling went from initial discomfort and embarrassment to eventually growing accustomed to it, and even starting to enjoy this feeling of being constantly focused on and cared for in every way. That agreement? She had long since thrown it to the back of her mind.

However, behind this sweet "clinginess," Zhao Chen’s inner state was far from as calm as he appeared.

Late at night, after confirming that Yu Ling was fast asleep, Zhao Chen rose silently and went to the study. He didn't turn on the main lights, only the desk lamp. The soft light illuminated the open laptop screen before him, as well as the unconcealable gravity in his expression.

The screen did not display complex code or business documents, but rather several encrypted surveillance logs and personnel tracking reports.

The reports showed that after Zhang Wei was severely warned by Lin Wei and had her quarterly bonus deducted, she had privately contacted several social media accounts known for "leaks" in the industry. Although there were no substantial actions yet, this undercurrent made Zhao Chen’s nerves tighten instantly.

He could not tolerate any potential risk that might threaten Yu Ling’s peaceful life or cause her harm. His amber eyes appeared exceptionally deep in the dim light. His fingertips tapped rapidly on the cold keyboard, issuing several commands:

"Target Zhang Wei: deep surveillance on all social accounts and communication records. Mark all media outlets she has contacted; elevate the warning level. If any signs of spreading false information about my wife are discovered, initiate Plan A immediately—no need to seek approval."

After sending the commands, he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his brow. There was no ease on his face from handling a "minor matter," only a cold, brewing storm.

Zhang Wei was not to be feared, but the curiosity and digging into Yu Ling’s identity that she might trigger behind the scenes were what truly worried him. The "ordinary" fortress he had meticulously constructed could not withstand the impact of any accidents.

He opened another encrypted folder containing several photos that Gu Qianqian had recently posted on her overseas social media. The background was a luxurious yacht party. In the photos, Gu Qianqian’s makeup was exquisite, her smile bright, yet her eyes carried an inescapable gloom and... resentment?

In the corner of one photo, a blurred figure caught Zhao Chen’s attention. He zoomed in, his sharp gaze locking onto the silhouette—Gu Mingxuan, that ambitious side-branch of the Gu family. How did he get mixed up with Gu Qianqian?

A chill flashed through Zhao Chen’s eyes. He knew of Gu Qianqian’s paranoia, and he was clearly aware of Gu Mingxuan’s ambition. Nothing good would come of these two getting together. They were like vipers lurking in the dark, ready to launch a fatal strike at the unsuspecting Yu Ling at any moment.

Zhao Chen’s fingertips tapped the desk unconsciously, making a dull, light sound. He looked at a snapshot Yu Ling had sent him during the day—a small green plant on her office windowsill, captioned, "The sun is so nice today." The sunshine in the photo was bright and warm, just like her mood at that moment.

The coldness in his eyes was replaced by a deep, impenetrable tenderness and anxiety. He rejoiced in her softening, drowned in her dependent gaze, and savored every bit of trust and intimacy she gave him. This late, honey-like response was the treasure he had dreamed of.

But the sweeter it became, the heavier his anxiety regarding "identity" weighed on his heart. It was like holding a rare crystal; the more he cherished it, the more he feared dropping and shattering it.

He feared that when the truth was revealed, the dependence and sweetness in her eyes would instantly turn into the fury of betrayal and cold detachment. He feared that the warm bubble he called "home," which he guarded so carefully, would be pricked by the cruel reality.

This anxiety coiled around his heart like vines, tightening with every passing moment. He could only act like a miser, greedily clutching every bit of sweetness before him, using more intense "clinginess" to confirm her presence and the reality of this warmth. At the same time, he had to raise his alert level to the maximum, like the most loyal and paranoid of guards, to hold back any possible storms outside the greenhouse he had painstakingly built for her.

He shut off the screen, and the study fell back into darkness. Zhao Chen leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. Yu Ling’s serene face in her sleep surfaced clearly in his mind. After a long while, an inaudible sigh dissipated into the silence, carrying heavy tenderness and endless worry:

"Lingling... what am I to do with you?"