As the weeks went on, Li Yan began to notice subtle changes in her feelings toward Mu Zhen. The initial disdain she had felt for him—his arrogance, his aloofness—slowly turned into something else. Despite their marriage being a complete lie, there were moments where their chemistry felt real.

She caught herself staring at him when he wasn’t looking, wondering about the man behind the façade. She found herself laughing at his dry humor and even enjoying their conversations. But every time she began to think she might be developing feelings for him, she quickly reminded herself that this was all part of the plan. She wasn’t supposed to fall for him.

One night, as they sat together, sharing a quiet dinner after a long day of pretending, Mu Zhen broke the silence.

“Li Yan,” he said softly, his tone unusually serious. “Do you ever think… that this might not just be a lie anymore?”

Her heart skipped a beat. Was he confessing something?

“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice almost a whisper.

He looked at her, his gaze intense. “I mean… maybe we’re both fooling ourselves. Maybe we’re starting to care about each other.”

Li Yan’s breath caught in her throat. The words hung in the air, and for a moment, everything felt real. But then, just as quickly, Mu Zhen stood up, breaking the moment.

“Forget I said anything,” he muttered, walking away.

Li Yan sat frozen, her heart racing. Was he serious? Or was this just another game?As the weeks went on, Li Yan began to notice subtle changes in her feelings toward Mu Zhen. The initial disdain she had felt for him—his arrogance, his aloofness—slowly turned into something else. Despite their marriage being a complete lie, there were moments where their chemistry felt real.

She caught herself staring at him when he wasn’t looking, wondering about the man behind the façade. She found herself laughing at his dry humor and even enjoying their conversations. But every time she began to think she might be developing feelings for him, she quickly reminded herself that this was all part of the plan. She wasn’t supposed to fall for him.

One night, as they sat together, sharing a quiet dinner after a long day of pretending, Mu Zhen broke the silence.

“Li Yan,” he said softly, his tone unusually serious. “Do you ever think… that this might not just be a lie anymore?”

Her heart skipped a beat. Was he confessing something?

“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice almost a whisper.

He looked at her, his gaze intense. “I mean… maybe we’re both fooling ourselves. Maybe we’re starting to care about each other.”

Li Yan’s breath caught in her throat. The words hung in the air, and for a moment, everything felt real. But then, just as quickly, Mu Zhen stood up, breaking the moment.

“Forget I said anything,” he muttered, walking away.

Li Yan sat frozen, her heart racing. Was he serious? Or was this just another game?As the weeks went on, Li Yan began to notice subtle changes in her feelings toward Mu Zhen. The initial disdain she had felt for him—his arrogance, his aloofness—slowly turned into something else. Despite their marriage being a complete lie, there were moments where their chemistry felt real.

She caught herself staring at him when he wasn’t looking, wondering about the man behind the façade. She found herself laughing at his dry humor and even enjoying their conversations. But every time she began to think she might be developing feelings for him, she quickly reminded herself that this was all part of the plan. She wasn’t supposed to fall for him.

One night, as they sat together, sharing a quiet dinner after a long day of pretending, Mu Zhen broke the silence.

“Li Yan,” he said softly, his tone unusually serious. “Do you ever think… that this might not just be a lie anymore?”

Her heart skipped a beat. Was he confessing something?

“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice almost a whisper.

He looked at her, his gaze intense. “I mean… maybe we’re both fooling ourselves. Maybe we’re starting to care about each other.”

Li Yan’s breath caught in her throat. The words hung in the air, and for a moment, everything felt real. But then, just as quickly, Mu Zhen stood up, breaking the moment.

“Forget I said anything,” he muttered, walking away.

Li Yan sat frozen, her heart racing. Was he serious? Or was this just another game?