The Driver and Bodyguard immediately sat upright, staring straight ahead without glancing sideways, their ears quietly perked to catch any movements from the back seat.
“Cen Miao, what are you doing?” Qin Zelin’s body jerked back, his fingertips trembling as a string of garbled letters accidentally sent from his phone.
“You… smell… good. I like smelling you.”
Cen Miao said this, instinctively trying to move closer to sniff again, only to be gently blocked by the other’s raised hand.
“Can’t I smell?” Cen Miao remembered what Caretaker Dad had said: always ask before touching someone else’s things. He paused, then asked seriously, “Is it… because I didn’t ask first? Because I was rude?”
“Sorry, it’s my fault.”
Qin Zelin silently studied Cen Miao for a moment, his eyes searching, trying to read something from the other’s expression.
But the person in front of him stared with wide, pure, untainted eyes. Their gaze was so innocent that even overthinking it felt like desecration.
If his grandfather hadn’t only had about half a year left, he would never have agreed to such a troublesome marriage.
Qin Zelin slightly lowered his eyes.
He hoped… the other didn’t develop feelings for him. He had no intention of wasting time on a real marriage.
His phone buzzed with a WeChat notification. On the other end, Assistant Fang stared at the garbled message for a long time but still couldn’t guess the boss’s meaning, hesitantly sending a query.
“It’s fine, just sit tight,” Qin Zelin replied briefly after checking the message, then instructed the Driver, “Go to the marriage registration office.”
The Driver and Bodyguard exchanged a glance: “!!!”
Their workaholic, icy boss was actually getting married!!!
But the little guy was just too pretty, and so good at acting cute—no wonder their icy boss was falling!
“Understood, President Qin!”
On the way, Cen Miao pressed both hands against the car window, curiously watching the street outside.
No zombies, no destroyed buildings, and plenty of supplies—this place was amazing!
He had to be careful, though. No one could discover that he wasn’t the person he originally was!
Cen Miao moved in his seat, noticing that this car was much more comfortable than Caretaker Dad’s. He wished Caretaker Dad and Mao Mao could be here too!
After looking outside for a while, he turned to quietly observe Qin Zelin.
This human looked so fierce, but he had given him his meat—and smelled so good.
Qin Zelin, engrossed in work emails on his phone, noticed Cen Miao staring and paused slightly. “What is it?”
“Can… I smell a little more?” Cen Miao blinked, full of hopeful longing at Qin Zelin.
He was being so polite; surely Qin Zelin would allow it.
Qin Zelin: “………No.”
Cen Miao pouted lightly, murmuring “Oh,” and turned back to watch the scenery, a tuft of hair on the back of his head wobbling.
Such a stingy human—even though he was being polite, it was still not allowed.
Hmph.
Driver: “……..” He! Is! So! Cute!
What’s wrong with letting him smell a little!
Qin Zelin looked at Cen Miao’s sulking back and thought the little monster didn’t seem to understand what a contractual marriage meant.
Besides the financial compensation after divorce, Qin Zelin had no obligation to respond to any other requests.
Considering the Driver and Bodyguard were present, Qin Zelin decided that when they were alone, he would make it clear that this was strictly a contractual marriage—nothing else.
At the marriage registration office, a few staff members whispered to each other, then turned to see two strikingly handsome men walking in.
One had deep, sharp features, a cold expression, and an intimidating aura. The other was delicate and beautiful, with slightly curly hair, like a doll, but pouting and clearly displeased.
“?” Coming to get a divorce?
With looks like that, just seeing each other’s faces during a quarrel would probably calm them down.
Had someone committed an unforgivable mistake?
Cheating?
“Hello, we are here to register a marriage,” Qin Zelin said in a calm voice.
“!!!”
A couple in an arranged situation!! Forced love!!
Childhood friends, generational grudges???
The female staff quickly exchanged glances, imagining an entire dramatic forced-love novel.
Chapter One: “Baby, do you think you can run away?”
Chapter Two: “I will keep you by my side forever!”
…
Chapter One Hundred Eighty: “Why did you run again, naughty child? Naughty children must be locked up~”
No! They had to save this doll!
Qin Zelin raised an eyebrow at the unresponsive staff. “Hello?”
“Ah, okay! Please fill out the forms first,” one staff member replied quickly, waving at Cen Miao. “You, little handsome, come this way to fill it out.”
“Little handsome, are you willingly marrying him?” the staff member whispered after bringing Cen Miao aside.
Not knowing what marriage was, Cen Miao blinked and nodded vaguely.
The two staff members exchanged a look.
Staff A: Did you see that? He hesitated!
Staff B: I saw! He must be scared to say it!
“Don’t be afraid, Older Sister is here! You can be brave! Otherwise, after registering, he can legally keep you by his side!” Torture!
Cen Miao blinked, softly asking, “If… he keeps me by his side, will he… give me food?”
Staff A: “……”
Staff B: “…….”
“Uh… he’ll probably give you food. After all, forced love is still love.”
Maybe if you went on a hunger strike, he’d still make you eat!
Cen Miao’s eyes lit up. That meant he’d give him food just like Caretaker Dad!
Thinking of the fragrant meat he had just eaten, Cen Miao swallowed hard.
Half an hour later.
When the two walked out of the marriage registration office, Cen Miao had, without really understanding, become married—and treated Qin Zelin as his new caretaker, following him closely.
Qin Zelin: “…….”
“Give me your phone. I’ll send you the address later; once you pack your things, you can move in immediately.”
Cen Miao immediately took off his backpack, unzipped it, and began rummaging through it.
“?”
Two minutes later, Qin Zelin expressionlessly stared at what had been stuffed into his hand… Cen Miao’s phone, his eye twitching slightly.
“……..”
What did this mean?
Not wanting to talk to him?
Just because he hadn’t allowed him to smell in the car?
He probably only learned about the marriage through his grandfather’s people. After meeting him once, he used the “smell” excuse to get close?
He hoped the little one wouldn’t cry during the divorce.
Tsk… this was going to be troublesome.
Cen Miao stared up at the human with a question mark above his head: Didn’t you want the phone? Why are you unhappy about giving it?
Qin Zelin took a deep breath and lit up the screen. “What’s the password?”
No sooner had he spoken than a fluffy little head leaned against his chest. “…….”
So close… as expected.
Cen Miao remembered how the original owner unlocked the phone and slowly poked a few numbers with his index finger.
Qin Zelin’s Adam’s apple moved as he quickly dialed his own number from Cen Miao’s phone.
“I’m going back to the office first,” Qin Zelin said, handing the phone to Cen Miao. “We’ll talk later.”
As he opened the car door to get in, he felt his coat pulled.
“?”