Jiao Yuyin visibly relaxed upon hearing this reply. He picked up the bottle of mineral water with one hand, drank the water in two gulps, and then picked out a grape from the glass box and put it in his mouth.

"It's quite sweet. Do you have paper and a pen?"

Lu Yu held onto Jiao Yuyin's hand tightly and replied, "It's in the study. I'll go get it. You can come with me."

Lu Yu really couldn't bear to part with this peaceful feeling.

Jiao Yuyin was amused and suggested a more reasonable solution: "Then let's go to the study to talk, is that convenient?"

Lu Yu nodded and led Jiao Yuyin into the room.

Jiao Yuyin's voice bounced with his steps: "I hope you still have this reaction after you read the contents of the agreement."

Red brick and white tile house, warm in winter and cool in summer.

The kitchen, dining room, and living room are integrated into one space without distinct boundaries, offering a wide and open view with good ventilation from north to south.

White walls, white doors, white tables, white chairs, the room filled with the scent of papyrus. Two white interior doors are located on the west side of the main hall, one to the south and one to the north, on the same side.

Lu Yu pushed open the white door on the north side, and inside the door, another world unfolded.

The white walls have a rough surface but a soft, springy texture, and green bookshelves line the inner wall. Two green wooden tables are placed side by side by the window, with a green wooden chair in front of each table, and printed cushions on the chairs.

The two green wooden tables look identical, but their uses are clearly different. Books, comics, and pens are on the west desk, while a laptop, a miniature basketball court, figurines of basketball players, and a tactical layout board are on the east basketball table. At a glance, it's easy to tell which one is the desk and which one is the basketball table.

The study was sparsely furnished. Near the south wall was a large blank floor covered only with a large double yoga mat, and a row of dumbbells stood in the corner.

Lu Yu let go of Jiao Yuyin's hand, pulled over a chair from in front of the basketball table, and placed it in front of the desk, the two chairs very close together.

The two sat down, with Lu Yu on the left and Jiao Yuyin on the right.

Lu Yu immediately took Jiao Yuyin's left hand, and the two hands, touching each other, hung in the air between the two chairs, like secret lovers sitting together on campus.

Jiao Yuyin's ears turned red. He grabbed a stack of white papers and agreements from the table with his right hand, then picked out a pencil from the pen holder. His voice was hoarse. "Listen carefully to what I'm about to say, and then decide. I'm giving you a chance to back out now."

Jiao Yuyin glanced at Lu Yu and continued, "My core requirement is very simple: I need you to use your mind-reading ability to hear my father's thoughts."

Jiao Yuyin felt the hand in his palm about to slip away, so he quickly clenched it tighter. "Don't be afraid, let me finish. I just want to withdraw from the competition. But I can't help it, I still have shares, and my two older brothers are fighting fiercely for them. If I don't take sides, something bad will happen sooner or later..."

The pencil twirled between Jiao Yuyin's fingers, casting shadows and swirling circles, like the ticking of a second hand.

This description was quite long; the secrets behind this large family sounded far more interesting than the gossip of neighbors. Lu Yu used every ounce of his brainpower to finally piece together a bit of the Jiao family's situation.

Jiao Yuyin's father, Jiao Cheng, suddenly fell ill. His eldest and second sons, vying for control of the family business, both needed Jiao Yuyin's support. To protect himself, Jiao Yuyin planned to flee a month ago.

It's just a share of equity, is it really necessary to be so scared that everyone's trying to run away?

Jiao Yuyin was arrested at the airport by his eldest brother and taken back. Fortunately, Jiao Cheng soon regained consciousness. The old man was furious about his third son's escape plan and arranged for him to be restricted from leaving the country and have his phone tapped. After being discharged from the hospital, Jiao Cheng said that he would choose a successor for the company from among his three sons within six months.

Jiao Yuyin spoke earnestly: "My current situation is indeed quite tricky. So before there's a result, I need your help. The best outcome would be for my father to appease his dissatisfaction, let me go abroad, or find out which he favors as an heir. Once I hand over the shares, I'll be able to safely exit the situation. I'll block out your inner thoughts at night, and you can listen to them for me during the day. We'll divorce in six months, and then I'll go abroad. In return, I'll give you appropriate compensation."

Jiao Yuyin lightly sketched on the agreement with a pencil, marking several lines of compensation content as he spoke.

Lu Yu took a closer look in the afterglow of the setting sun. What she saw startled her.

Three city properties, two mountain villas, and five million in cash.

"Do rich people like to spend money?"

Jiao Yuyin ignored the sarcastic remarks, saying, "I will be responsible for all the expenses you incur during the marriage. Don't think it's troublesome; we're talking about a transaction, and it's always better to be upfront than vague."

Lu Yu pondered for a long time, her expression growing increasingly relaxed. "I don't want material compensation. I want the person."

The dappled sunlight streaming through the window fell on Lu Yu's face, making her look languid and alluring.

Jiao Yuyin seemed to have gotten used to Lu Yu's awe-inspiring language and calmly replied, "What do you mean by asking for people?"

“Look, if I help you, it will be a permanent solution, but if you help me, it will only be a temporary fix. Even though you’ve gone overseas, I still have trouble sleeping,” Lu Yu analyzed calmly.

As the sun withdrew its last rays, Jiao Yuyin's expression became indistinct, with only a sliver of light remaining in his eyes.

The sound blended into the darkness, stirring the tenderest part of the heart.

"What, you want to spend your whole life with me?"

Lu Yu choked and felt uncomfortable. Luckily it was dark, otherwise her bright red face would have been too embarrassing.

She said in a cold tone, "I want to extend the marriage term. From six months to one year."

"Why?"

“The Olympics are next year. After the Olympics, we’ll get a divorce.” Lu Yu’s tone was without the slightest hesitation. “Even though I’m not even a key player now, I still have to say that I have a dream. I want to win an Olympic gold medal.”

Jiao Yuyin shook the hand he was holding, as if to comfort and encourage him. "The timeframe is up to you, but..."

The drawn-out melody stirred Lu Yu's emotions.

Jiao Yuyin stopped teasing Lu Yu and said, "I can't accept your compensation. The time column was originally blank; you can just write it down by hand. The compensation is stipulated in the agreement. If we change it, we'll have to rewrite the agreement, and we don't have the time for that. Besides, you deserve some compensation, since this matter has caused you more losses. Not only has it put you in more danger, but you also have to cooperate with the performance."

What the heck is this coordinated performance?