Chapter 1 – The First Encounter of the Overbearing CEO and His Reservist Wife

At half past eleven in the afternoon, inside a bedroom with tightly closed blackout curtains.

The mobile phone rang for a long time, finally waking up a messy head and a slender hand from under the quilt.

Grabbing the phone, one eye half-opened to see the name on the screen, and with closed eyes, the call was answered, “… Brother Tang.”

“Zhou Ziyi, you’re still sleeping!” a lamenting voice came from the other end, “Opportunities are meant for those who are prepared. Haven’t you heard this saying?”

Zhou Ziyi unconsciously replied, “…What?”

“Sleeping, sleeping, that’s how opportunities slip away!” Brother Tang continued nagging, “If it weren’t for me catching the tail of this fish for you, you would regret it! Hey, you don’t know how big this fish is…”

Zhou Ziyi’s consciousness was becoming fuzzy, vaguely hearing the other side starting to recite “The Kun fish is so big that a barbecue grill can’t hold it,” Zhou Ziyi finally couldn’t help but say, “Brother Tang, get to the point!”

“Oh, right, the point,” Brother Tang said, “The point is, I’ve found you a huge business deal!”

“How huge?” Zhou Ziyi turned over and lay on her back, “Is it another one of your sisters wanting to rent a man and make her ex-boyfriend jealous, or are you trying to deceive someone with a fake background accessory?”

“It’s neither of those,” Brother Tang said mysteriously, “This deal, it’s a major one. How can it be on the same level as renting a boyfriend?”

Zhou Ziyi: “Tell me about it.”

Brother Tang’s lips touched together: “No more boyfriends, I’ll give you a shortcut – a fake marriage!”

“…No way!” Zhou Ziyi clicked his tongue, “I’ve said it before, I sell my skills, not my body!”

“Hey, it’s not just about eating, it’s about getting the certificate!” Brother Tang said, “Nine bucks, a marriage certificate recognized by the state. And you’ll definitely get a divorce certificate, so you don’t have to worry!”

Zhou Ziyi coldly snorted, “Even more reason not to consider! Why should I go from ‘unmarried’ to ‘divorced’ in and out twice? This girl doesn’t mind it, but I do!”

Brother Tang smirked, “Isn’t it a coincidence? This time the employer is a man!”

Zhou Ziyi was startled, “Ah?!”

Brother Tang chuckled, “Hey, think about it. Same-sex marriage has only been allowed in the country for half a year. Aren’t you catching a good time for market expansion? You’re a trendy trendsetter!”

Zhou Ziyi interrupted him, “Cut it out, no way!”

Brother Tang said, “It’s Money! It’s just three years, sign the contract on white paper with black words, not more than a day!”

Zhou Ziyi said, “Even if you offer money, I won’t do it. No matter how much you offer! I would rather starve…”

Brother Tang : “30 million!”

“!!!” Zhou Ziyi, in his dying bed, sat up in shock.

“Where to sign the contract?”

*

Three days later, at noon, in a hidden corner of a café.

“Brother Tang, we’ve been waiting for half an hour already.”

Zhou Ziyi glanced at his watch and finished his coffee in one gulp. “Is Mr. Yan really coming or not? I haven’t had breakfast or lunch, I got ready and came here. I’ve been sitting here drinking a whole cup of coffee, is he here to give me a red book^[1]Red book in here is a marriage certificate. or take my life?”

“What’s the rush? Even though he is from a rich generation, he is the CEO, the one who really manages the company. Do you think he is someone who just hangs around on the streets and talks nonsense?” Brother Tang raised his thumb, “Hey, in my life, there aren’t many people I admire, but Yan Xiuzhi, is definitely one of them!”

After a pause, Tang Shirong continued, “Hey, Ziyi, do you remember how I told you about this?”

“I remember.” Zhou Ziyi rested his chin on his hand, propped up by the armrest. “The CEO Yan’s family is pressuring him to get married and arranging blind dates for him three times a day. The CEO’s rebellious phase came late, and in a fit of frustration, he said, ‘I have a lover, a man, and I’m ready to get married’—and now, this good fortune has fallen on me?”

“Oh my god, don’t repeat my exact words! Do you still want to live?” Tang Shirong said, “Just remember, he needs a prop for a real marriage, something that can be bought with money.”

Zhou Ziyi smiled and said, “I know, I’m just a tool, that’s my profession.”

“Tsk, no need to say, your face looks really good. Creating a love-at-first-sight story is quite convincing.” Tang Shirong stared at Zhou Ziyi for a few seconds, then continued, “And you’re clever too. Before I came out, I was thinking of reminding you not to be too flashy today. Too much is not good. But now, seeing you, I realize I worried too much.”

Isn’t it true? Today, Zhou Ziyi is wearing a white shirt with a casual suit. Mature yet lively, it accentuates his charm that makes it hard for people to look away. With just a smile, it captivates people, as if they are trapped in his gaze.

“Just remember that you two are in a business transaction of love, don’t have any other thoughts.” Tang Shirong continued to remind, “With his cold words and glances, it’s like being struck by a cold rain on the face. Don’t expect him to get along well with you.”

“I understand the rules when it comes to money and goods.” Zhou Ziyi said, “But, why did it fall on you to handle this instead of finding someone more capable with 30 million yuan?”

“He is suspicious by nature, how could he tell someone else about this?” Tang Shirong boasted with his legs crossed, “Although we have different personalities, we’ve known each other since childhood. I may not be talented, but I haven’t done anything bad to him. He knows he can trust me with those eyes of his, so he casually mentioned it to me. I thought, hey, don’t I know you? Why let others benefit from it when I can give you cars and more?”

Zhou Ziyi sighed, “30 million yuan, the person must be really unattractive to be bought at that price.”

Tang Shirong replied, “You don’t understand. The 30 million yuan is buying ‘cooperativeness,’ it’s also a kind of warning.”

Zhou Ziyi asked, “What kind of warning?”

Tang Shirong said, “Don’t expect to have someone without spending any money, it’s not that easy with him.”

“Heh… Thinks he’s some heavenly being descending from the sky…”

While Zhou Ziyi was speaking, Tang Shirong interrupted him and raised his chin towards the door, saying, “Look, he’s here.”

Zhou Ziyi glanced over and was stunned for a second.

“Hey, I must admit, he’s worth having someone without spending any money.”

Isn’t Yan Xiuzhi good-looking?

Let me put it this way, he can rely on his looks to make a living, but he still relies on his talent in business. Wearing a black suit, every line is perfectly outlined, his waist is slender, and his legs are long. With each step, he exudes a natural aura.

And his face, how should I put it? When he has no expression, he exudes an icy temperament, just like the cold face of the CEO that countless girls fantasize about. If you ignore this coldness… then his face can be called perfect!

If Zhou Ziyi’s charm adds points, turning an 80-point face into a 98-point face, then Yan Xiuzhi loses points with his cold face, unnecessarily reducing his attractiveness from 120 points to 90 points. It’s unclear why he thinks that way.

But it’s good that he thinks that way. Without his lack of self-awareness, Zhou Ziyi wouldn’t have the opportunity to achieve his little goal of 30 million yuan.

As Zhou Ziyi’s thoughts were racing, Yan Xiuzhi approached.

Tang Shirong didn’t want the atmosphere to be too stiff, so he deliberately sat down and introduced the two of them, saying, “This is Zhou Ziyi, and this is Yan Xiuzhi. You two should get to know each other.”

Zhou Ziyi didn’t think much of it at first, but when he felt Yan Xiuzhi’s cold gaze, he instinctively stood up and shook his hand, saying, “Yan, uh, Mr. Yan.”

Yan Xiuzhi’s voice was cold, and he quickly let go of Zhou Ziyi’s hand, saying, “Mr. Zhou.”
After shaking hands, they both sat down face to face.

“No, you two should get along well,” Tang Shirong said, giving them a thumbs-up. “You need to quickly warm up to each other. You…”

Yan Xiuzhi interrupted him with a glance, and Tang Shirong immediately stopped speaking. Zhou Ziyi, who needed to get the project from this important client, tried to ease the tension and pushed the menu towards Yan Xiuzhi, saying, “Mr. Yan, why don’t you take a look and decide what to drink? If you haven’t had lunch, we can have lunch together.”

His tone was natural, without any pressure, and he took the initiative to guide the conversation. Tang Shirong silently praised him in his heart, thinking that without someone as skilled as Zhou Ziyi, it would be difficult to handle this delicate situation.

However, Yan Xiuzhi didn’t follow the expected script and said, “No, I have something to attend to in a few minutes. I only have five minutes.”

Zhou Ziyi and Tang Shirong were taken aback.

“I just wanted to get a general idea of what Mr. Zhou is like in person, and now that I’ve seen it, my purpose is fulfilled,” Yan Xiuzhi said, looking at his watch and then clasping his hands on the table. “If Mr. Zhou has any urgent questions, you can ask them now.”

Tang Shirong made an effort to salvage the situation and tentatively raised his hand, asking, “Should I leave the table?”

“No need,” Yan Xiuzhi replied, then looked at Zhou Ziyi again. “So, do you have any questions?”

Zhou Ziyi felt that if he stayed silent for another two seconds, President Yan would bid farewell, with an expression that said, “What a waste of time.”
Fine, let’s just ask then.

So Zhou Ziyi said, “Now that President Yan has seen me in person… are you still planning to sign me?”

This was a direct and provocative question, enough to make most people burst into laughter.

But Yan Xiuzhi answered calmly, “I will send you the contract text in three days. You have 24 hours to respond, and once the terms are settled, we can sign the contract.”

Zhou Ziyi followed up with another question, “What about the wedding process?”
“It’s stated in the terms, but if you feel it’s necessary, we can make some adjustments,” Yan Xiuzhi replied. “The plan is to have the engagement ceremony in two weeks, obtain the marriage certificate within three months, and hold the wedding.”

Zhou Ziyi asked, “Has President Yan already arranged the wedding?”
Yan Xiuzhi responded coldly, “That’s your job.”

Zhou Ziyi’s face changed slightly: “… Thank you so much for trusting me with the wedding hotel within three months!”

“Since things are moving so quickly, Mr. Yan Xiuzhi, I suggest we quickly get to know each other,” Zhou Ziyi had a feeling that this Party A wouldn’t be easy to deal with, so he hurriedly took advantage of his presence to bring up more conditions. “Since you’ve set it up that we are in a passionate relationship, we can’t possibly not know each other’s birthdays, hobbies, and habits, right?”

Yan Xiuzhi seemed prepared in advance. “My information will be sent to you along with the contract.”

Zhou Ziyi exclaimed, “Oh, so it’s like a question bank for a knowledge competition?”

Yan Xiuzhi continued, “You can also send me your information, and there will be a template for you to fill out.”

Zhou Ziyi replied, “… Oh.”

“The time is up,” Yan Xiuzhi stood up, about to turn and leave, but suddenly remembered something. He took out two business cards from his pocket and pushed them in front of Zhou Ziyi.

When Zhou Ziyi glanced at them, he realized one was Yan Xiuzhi’s card, and the other belonged to a stranger.

Just as he was about to ask, Yan Xiuzhi said, “That one is my secretary. She knows about our marriage and will handle all relevant matters with you. And one thing, I hope you remember.”

Zhou Ziyi stared at him blankly, “What…?”

“Although I called you, I don’t want to receive your call out of the blue,” Yan Xiuzhi nodded towards the secretary’s business card. “If you have any questions, go to her first, don’t overstep and contact me directly.”

After saying that, Yan Xiuzhi turned and left.

Zhou Ziyi watched his back and silently echoed a phrase that every Party B in the world would think of.

Party A is really asking for trouble.