After sending the annoying Coulson on his way, Zhou Yi rubbed his temples with a troubled expression. He suddenly realized that this deal with S.H.I.E.L.D. was a terrible bargain. Trading a few potentially useless pieces of information for two powerful adversaries—only a fool would make such a choice. And now, he was that fool. Zhou Yi couldn't help but lament his misfortune in choosing friends. Why were all the people around him either clowns like Tony or backstabbers like Coulson, who would screw him over at any moment? Was this fate's punishment for having too good a character and too upright morals? When he asked Ada this question, she rolled her eyes and Natasha burst into merciless laughter.
"You should say, 'The kind of friends you have is all the proof you need of what kind of person you are!'"
Zhou Yi couldn't stand hearing that. Deep down, he still believed he was fundamentally different from scummy guys like Tony. So he immediately retorted,
"Natasha, you need evidence. Remember, I'm the one who saved your life."
"Trying to hold my life over my head? Fine, I admit you're different from them!" Natasha shrugged with a helpless expression, making Zhou Yi grind his teeth. It was a life-saving act—couldn't she show just a little more sincerity?
"Do you really expect a response from her, boss? I bet you're overthinking this!" Ada walked over after tidying up, rolling her eyes at her boss as she addressed Natasha.
"Weren't you supposed to be working? Why haven't you left yet?"
"I just asked Coulson for the day off to spend time with Sherry!"
Hearing Natasha's explanation, Zhou Yi's mouth twitched. Coulson hadn't said a word when he left—
*I told her already. Is it really okay to lie so boldly?*
Ada let out a cold laugh and stepped behind Zhou Yi.
"What a shame, we're all out today. The boss decided to take the ladies to the amusement park, so your little scheme has fallen flat again."
Her meaning was clear: *You're not needed here. You can go back to wherever you came from.* But Natasha was far more resilient than Ada imagined.
"As long as I get to accompany Sherry, I don't mind going anywhere. Would that be okay, my dear Yi?"
As she spoke, she moved in front of Zhou Yi and leaned slightly forward, meeting his gaze with her dewy, emerald eyes. Her gaze was undeniably seductive, but Zhou Yi's attention was completely captivated by the view beneath her neckline. To be fair, it was quite an alluring sight.
Such blatant seduction was clearly unacceptable to Ada. She reached out and turned Zhou Yi's face toward her, her voice carrying a pointed meaning.
"Boss, are you really going to invite her along with us?"
Zhou Yi couldn't figure out how he'd become the battlefield for these two women's clash. But he knew that if this continued, they wouldn't get through the day. So, he decisively gripped Ada's hand in reverse, gently nudged Natasha's shoulder, and stood up.
"Ladies, today is not the time for bickering. The children will be down soon, and it would be bad if they saw you fighting like this! You know I don't want my children to learn this kind of behavior from you."
Hearing Zhou Yi's words, even if the two women were still eager to fight, they had to forcibly suppress their impulses. Neither wanted to be a negative example in this household, because the master of this house was more than capable of making them regret it. So, the two women wisely chose to quiet down. This was exactly what Zhou Yi wanted to see. But he knew this situation was only temporary; once they were alone, all sorts of trouble would surely erupt again. After a moment's thought, he squeezed Ada's hand and said:
"Ada, go check on the children, will you? I don't want them wasting their whole day tidying up!"
Ada nodded obediently. Before leaving, she gently brushed her finger across Zhou Yi's palm, then shot Natasha a provocative glance before heading upstairs.
Natasha watched her retreating figure with a peculiar expression. Only after Ada had disappeared at the top of the stairs did she turn to Zhou Yi and say, "She's only been working for you for how long, and you're already this close?"
"You should watch your wording. This is called rapport," Zhou Yi retorted, refusing to accept her interpretation. He had been exceptionally self-restrained lately, abandoning his former womanizing ways completely. He hadn't made any inappropriate moves even with the beauties surrounding him.
"Fine, rapport. We'll use that word!" Natasha, dressed in a white shirt, crossed her arms, accentuating her figure. Zhou Yi's sharp eyes clearly saw the color beneath—black. It was a perfect color for her, mysterious and alluring, just like her personality.
Natasha seemed to notice Zhou Yi's gaze but didn't comment, simply continuing her line of questioning.
"How did you two become so in sync?"
"Ada's incredibly capable!" Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "I never expected her to be so helpful at first. She's like my right-hand woman now. Over time, that kind of rapport just develops naturally. Like Pepper and Tony!"
"Miss Pepper Potts worked for Mr. Tony Stark for twelve years, yet she's only been with you for six months."
"Tony's judgment has always been questionable. It took him over a decade to see the light. But I'm different. My vision's always been sharp. Six months is more than enough for me!" Zhou Yi's confidence on this point was absolute. His current success was undoubtedly a testament to his keen eye.
Natasha didn't dispute Zhou Yi's claim, but she remained unconvinced about the nature of his relationship with Ada.
"I still think you trust her too much. I've looked into her past, and it's very mysterious. You must have noticed it too—her abilities aren't something any ordinary organization could cultivate."
"That's not the point, Natasha!" Zhou Yi stood up and moved behind her. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Ada's efforts and sacrifices deserve my trust. Besides, I don't believe anyone could use her to get to me. And Natasha, don't you think you're being a little *too* concerned about me?"
"Too concerned?" Natasha turned around, her face almost touching Zhou Yi's. "We've shared a bed, and given that, shouldn't I be allowed to ask questions like this? And don't forget, Sherry is here. I can't relax with a ticking time bomb right by her side!"
Zhou Yi didn't believe even fifty percent of her explanation. The "shared a bed" part sounded suggestive, but he clearly remembered they hadn't done anything that night. In his eyes, there was only one reason for Natasha's behavior: either she, or S.H.I.E.L.D. behind her, didn't trust Ada's presence near him.
To them, Ada was an uncontrollable variable—one that could influence Zhou Yi. Unable to control this variable, they began looking for ways to remove her from his side. Alienation was the simplest method.
However, they still didn't understand Zhou Yi's nature. His trust in those around him far exceeded their imagination. He knew Ada's true nature better than they did, so their attempts to exploit her identity against him were completely futile.
Natasha seemed to realize the futility of their approach, but she didn't care. After all, she was merely a messenger; whether Zhou Yi took the bait was irrelevant to her. Zhou Yi understood this, so he didn't show any displeasure toward Natasha.
Their relationship hovered just above friendship. Normally, he wouldn't turn hostile unless a fundamental principle was violated.
"Enough of these pointless questions. Tell those behind you not to try provoking me. When I lose control, even I fear myself!"
Zhou Yi wasn't joking. When he lost his temper, the results could be catastrophic. Besides, he was certain that the group behind Natasha wouldn't want to see him go mad.
"I'll pass on your message," Natasha said. "As for Sherry, I was telling the truth. You'd better keep them safe!" Her words implicitly acknowledged Zhou Yi's point. Her repeated emphasis piqued his interest.
"You seem to have a special bond with Sherry. Can you tell me about it? I've also noticed she treats you differently. In a way, her feelings for you might even be deeper than for me."
He pulled up a chair, sat opposite Natasha, and leaned forward with the expression of someone eager for gossip. This clearly made Natasha uncomfortable.
"Please, at least try to maintain some dignity. Stop acting like a paparazzi!"
"This is my family matter! What's wrong with me caring? As a father, it's a problem when my daughter is closer to someone else than to me, isn't it?"
"Oh, God. Sherry isn't your biological child. Remember that. If I hadn't been unable to adopt her, you'd have no place here at all! You're just a placeholder, a backup, do you understand?"
"You'll hurt Sherry if you say that. She genuinely called me 'Dad.' Besides, the children were just asking me why there's no 'mom' in this family!"
Facing Natasha's retort, Zhou Yi calmly unleashed his trump card. The effect was extraordinary, as he clearly heard her muttering under her breath:
"Sherry, you little traitor!"
This was major news for Zhou Yi. Natasha seemed to have fully embraced the role of a mother, at least where Sherry was concerned. Though this maternal connection was limited to Sherry and had nothing to do with him, it still left him stunned.
What was this? An agent developing genuine mother-daughter affection for a child who had no biological connection to her? The very idea seemed incredible. In that moment, he began to wonder about Natasha's past.
But not now. He had plenty of time.
-----------------------
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