Chapter 2

I’d thought things had fallen through with Fu Ciyan.

Then, at four in the morning, he texted me.

[Who exactly are you going to find?]

I was fast asleep.

Completely unaware that Fu Ciyan’s messages were arriving one after another.

[Who else could you possibly want besides me?]

[Wen Yining, answer me!]

[Have you found someone already?]

[You’re not allowed. You can’t have anyone but me.]

[Choose me.]

[If, and I mean IF, I agreed, could we see each other at least five times a week?]

[Still no reply? Hilarious. Don’t actually start thinking I can’t live without you.]

[…Would three times work?]

[Twice. That’s my absolute minimum. Take it or leave it.]

[If you leave it, I’ll hang myself!]

[I’m begging you.]

Could anyone understand the feeling of salvation that came with opening my eyes to all those messages?

I replied.

[All right.]

Huo Zheng was so cold toward me.

That made seeing Fu Ciyan exceptionally easy.

But something had been up with Fu Ciyan lately.

He used to be terrified of being recognized.

Every time we met, he came fully equipped with a mask and sunglasses.

Now, when he needed a disguise more than ever.

He’d given up pretending.

He even dressed conspicuously for our meetings.

Not a scrap of concealment.

It left me a nervous wreck every time.

The reporters, however, took one look at how open he was being.

It couldn’t possibly be a romance.

Oh, you people… Honestly.

All that scheming and calculating, and not one calculation right.

Anyway, thank goodness nothing went wrong.

But for some reason, Fu Ciyan had changed.

He was clingier than ever.

Especially in bed.

As though he intended to leave me utterly exhausted.

As though he’d made some sort of resolution.

Every time I got home.

My legs were weak.

Fortunately, Huo Zheng didn’t care about me.

Whenever he saw me, he performed the same distant three-part routine: nod, greet, turn away.

I hadn’t cared much, either.

But now that I had Fu Ciyan.

I felt inexplicably guilty toward Huo Zheng.

He was the one who’d suggested we have our own fun.

But an honest soul like me still felt a little bad about it.

So every time I saw Fu Ciyan.

Out of guilt.

I would fuss over Huo Zheng and ask after his well-being.

Then cook his meals and simmer soup for him myself.

At first, Huo Zheng frowned.

“There’s no need to go to all this unnecessary trouble.”

I wasn’t angry.

I simply said, “I just want to do something for you.”

Huo Zheng pressed his lips together.

And ate it after all.

Greedy little thing.

After a few meals, he stopped trying to dissuade me.

Sometimes, when I told him I’d cooked, he’d even leave work early.

Though his expression always held a trace of impatience.

I pretended not to notice.

Things would have been fine like that.

Until one day.

A drunken Huo Zheng came into the wrong room.

I was half asleep.

When a figure came down heavily on top of me.

Frightened, I tried to push him away.

“Huo Zheng, it’s me! I’m your wife!”

“You can’t do this to me!”

Huo Zheng stopped.

He studied me silently in the dark.

“…My wife?”

He was very close.

In the moonlight.

I could see the redness at the corners of Huo Zheng’s eyes.

That dignified, aloof face of his.

It felt unfamiliar to me now.

I still wanted to put some distance between us.

Ignoring my refusal, he suddenly forced a kiss on me.

I was too shocked to speak.

This was not something I had agreed to.