Against the Algorithm

Chapter 5: The Fine Print of Belonging

Summary: With the ZGDX contract finally in her hands, Tong Yao scours every clause by lamplight, searching for a catch—some hidden cost, a loophole that might demand more than she can give. But instead, she finds a document shaped entirely around her protection, her needs, her worth. Lu Sicheng's hand is all over it, not just in signature but in structure, and with that realization comes something deeper, something she cannot name but cannot ignore.

Notes:

Author's Note: Team Shenanigans! And Everyone's favorite Fur-ball makes an appearance!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Five

Yao sat cross-legged on the floor of her apartment, the contract spread out neatly in front of her, a highlighter resting between her fingers. The soft glow of her desk lamp illuminated the pages as she carefully read through every single clause, every paragraph, every term laid out before her. She had expected to find something—anything—that might raise concern. Some hidden clause, some minor disadvantage, some small catch that would make her hesitate.

But the more she read...

The more she realized...

There was nothing.

It was entirely in her favor.

The pay was more than generous.

The work hours were flexible, adjusting completely to her Ph.D. schedule. There were clear protections for her, stipulations that ensured she would not be overwhelmed, that her role would be based on strategic advisement rather than excessive workload.

And most importantly?

There were no trap clauses. No hidden legal tricks. No loopholes. Everything was designed to benefit her. Her fingers twitched slightly as she reached the last page, her hazel eyes flickering over the clean, bold signature line at the bottom.

Lu Sicheng had written this. Not a company lawyer. Not a manager looking out for corporate interests.

Him.

And he had left no room for her to be taken advantage of.

Her lips parted slightly, a strange warmth curling in her chest—something unexpected, something she wasn't sure how to place. Because this? This wasn't just a contract. It was a statement. A statement that she mattered. A statement that, from the moment she agreed, she had been protected.

By him.

Her grip tightened slightly around the highlighter, and for the first time in a long time, Yao felt something rare.

Safe.

Yao sighed, rubbing her temple as she stared down at the contract, her mind still reeling from everything she had just processed. The realization that Sicheng had written it entirely in her favor left something warm and foreign curling in her chest, something she didn't quite know how to deal with. Before she could dwell on it any longer, a soft thump sounded beside her, followed by a familiar, deep rumbling purr.

Da Bing.

Her large, fluffy Siberian white cat gracefully padded over, his blue eyes blinking at her with lazy contentment as he flopped down right on top of the contract like he owned it. His thick fur, pristine as always, practically glowed under the desk lamp's light as he stretched out, his massive frame dwarfing the papers beneath him.