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“Pei Yu, I’m telling you, don’t mess around.”
Although Chen Shu Yin was unhappy about the marriage, she had no intention of investing effort into meeting other people for the time being.
She pressed down on the back of his hand to stop him from going any further. “I don’t care what you do, but don’t try to put a label on me.”
The two were neither too close nor too distant. Pei Yu’s fingertips traced lightly across her stomach, sending an uncontrollable shiver through her body. She gasped, her voice breaking, “Take—take your filthy hands off me.”
Pei Yu obediently withdrew his hand, but his gaze still lowered slightly, seemingly focused on something unknown.
“I’m warning you—don’t use this marriage as an excuse to take advantage of me.”
Chen Shu Yin spoke fairly. “Even if you believe you have a face and body that could captivate millions of fans, I will not cross the line. You can rest assured.”
Pei Yu had been listening to her rambling for a while, only lifting his gaze when he heard this. “Do you think setting this boundary is fair to me?”
Chen Shu Yin was momentarily speechless. A sudden rush of emotion surged up, blocking her throat.
“You say you’re the Chen Shu Yin from three years ago, but right now, it’s three years later. In this timeline, we were living as a loving married couple. But the moment you arrived, you claimed you didn’t like me and even tried to push me away.”
Her bare feet were warmed in his palm before he let go. He knelt on one knee, guiding her foot onto his leg as he helped her put on her shoes. Looking up at her with an aggrieved expression, he asked, “How is this any different from being widowed?”
“Can you not curse me like that?” Chen Shu Yin instinctively retorted but then fell silent, realizing she had subconsciously accepted this identity. “I just—”
“Or is it that you’re just playing with me? That you made up this whole story about three years ago, three years later, and even a fire—just to cover up the fact that you never actually intended to be with me? Is that it?” Pei Yu averted his gaze, but a glimmer of tears shone in his eyes.
She was only telling the truth, but why did he seem so fragile now?
Pei Yu didn’t have the soft features of a delicate young man.
On the contrary, his deep-set eyes and striking wild brows framed sharp, chiseled features. His face had a refined, mixed-race appeal, yet with a certain ruggedness. His reddened eyes shimmered with moisture, but his stubborn expression remained unyielding.
Chen Shu Yin couldn’t handle him acting like some heartbroken man in front of her—it made her look like she was cruelly bullying him.
She had already witnessed his acting skills before, so she wasn’t going to fall for this.
Putting aside the whole time-travel paradox, she had no scientific basis to prove she had transmigrated. If she kept arguing, she was genuinely afraid that Pei Yu would get so frustrated he’d send her to a mental hospital.
“You—I’m not going to argue with you.” Chen Shu Yin bolted like a rabbit, her shoe slipping halfway off as she scurried away. But then she stopped and quickly yanked it back on. “My mind is a mess too. Let’s take a break, calm down, and talk about this agreement when you’re ready.”
Pei Yu was in the middle of an intense filming schedule, shooting dozens of scenes a day. He was so busy that he could barely think straight. He messaged her, saying he was staying at a hotel, but still arranged for the housekeeper to bring her meals.
Out of courtesy, she texted him back, asking if he had eaten. He only replied late at night with a short “I ate.” He didn’t seem inclined to share more.
Perfect.
She had been worried their interactions would be awkward, but maintaining a “strangers who don’t bother each other” dynamic was ideal.
During her lunch break, she checked a fan site for Pei Yu and found that most pictures of him on set showed him sitting alone with his script, lost in thought. Even during rehearsals with the lead actors, he maintained his aloof and untamed character persona. The drama’s filming schedule was six months long, and they had only completed one and a half months so far. There was still a long way to go.
She couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t return to the past, but before that, she had to find out why she and Pei Yu had gotten married in the first place.
If a fire could disappear out of nowhere, could she also avoid this marriage with Pei Yu?
Chen Shu Yin bit the cap of her pen, leaning against her chair in a daze.
“Shu Yin-jie, are you also a fan of Pei Yu?”
A warm breath brushed past her ear, the deep male voice making her jump.
She instinctively pushed her chair back, startled when she recognized the man’s face. “Lu… Fang?”
Lu Fang chuckled and pointed at her computer screen. “You finally remembered my name.”
Chen Shu Yin looked back at her screen and saw that it was completely filled with high-definition paparazzi shots of Pei Yu in costume.
Panicking, she grabbed the mouse to close them, but her computer rebelled against her. The screen froze, and after several failed attempts, it began cycling through Pei Yu’s photos on slideshow mode.
“……”
Staring at the buggy computer, Chen Shu Yin forced a stiff smile. “If I say my computer is infected with a virus, would you believe me? I don’t even know who that guy is.”
“Huh? But you were just smiling at the screen. I thought you were a fan too.” Lu Fang grinned mischievously. “Jie, your face is red. A lot of people at the station like Pei Yu, you don’t have to feel embarrassed.”
Chen Shu Yin awkwardly laughed in response. The photos finally stopped playing.
Lu Fang didn’t leave, just stood there watching her.
“Do you need something else?” she asked.
Lu Fang pointed at the screen. “His photobook is going on sale soon. I’m helping my friend buy a few copies—do you want one?”
“Why would I need his photobook—”
Wait.
Chen Shu Yin suddenly stopped mid-sentence and eyed him meaningfully. “If I buy his photobook, does he get paid?”
Lu Fang scratched his chin. “Of course. But for celebrities, sales aren’t just about money. It’s also a status symbol. Investors assess their value based on sales—it affects their future career.”
He was her husband now. If his sales flopped, wouldn’t that reflect badly on her?
After a long moment of contemplation, Chen Shu Yin sighed. “Help me buy 1,314 copies. I’ll transfer the money to you.”
“That many?! Lu Fang’s eyes widened. “Jie, you said you’re not his fan, but this is hardcore stan behavior!”
“Hey, I—” Chen Shu Yin was at a loss for words. “I’m just… supporting a friend’s husband.”
Lu Fang nodded seriously. “Got it, leave it to me.”
This is a dramatic and intriguing scene, filled with tension, humor, and mystery. If you need more refinements, let me know! 😊