24. Sustain

“Buzz—”

The phone in her pocket vibrated continuously, call after call coming in. Annoyance slithered into her ears like a snake, growing from the depths of her heart. Chen Shuoyin stomped down hard on Pei Yu’s foot, forcing him to remove his hand from hers due to the pain.

She jumped off him, pulled out her phone, and brushed off the lingering warmth from where he had held her. Her gaze, sharp as a blade, slashed at his face. “You know exactly who’s the desperate one here. Stop these little tricks; they’re annoying.”

Whether she meant “chan” as “craving” or “clinging,” it made no difference to him—both applied.

The fleeting look of disappointment on Pei Yu’s face went unnoticed as she lowered her head to answer the call. With an air of cold indifference, she turned her back to him, but her voice softened instantly into a sweet and obedient tone. “Grandma? No, I just got home. Something held me up, so I didn’t check my phone. Really, I wasn’t avoiding your call on purpose.”

“…Who? No, I haven’t seen her.”

“I promised you I wouldn’t see her. I meant what I said.”

A pause.

Whatever her grandmother said next made Chen Shuoyin fall silent for a few seconds. The voice on the other end, though not loud, carried an unmistakable weight of disappointment and sadness. “Yinyin, I already know everything. Are you still going to lie to me?”

A rope tightened around Chen Shuoyin’s heart, pulling taut. Her throat was dry as she swiped the phone screen, accidentally turning on the speaker. Forcing herself to smile, she played dumb. “Little old lady, my secret stash of money is with you. What could I possibly lie to you about?”

Fang Youyou’s voice remained serious, tinged with anger. Her next words echoed in the vast house: “She came to see me today and told me—you got married?”

Hearing the news from someone else, Fang Youyou phrased it as a question rather than a statement, meaning she still held onto some trust in her.

Chen Shuoyin hesitated between continuing the lie or confessing. When she turned, Pei Yu’s dark eyes were locked onto her.

His pupils gleamed, unwavering, as if urging her to answer.

“I—” The words stuck in her throat.

If it had been anyone else, she could have justified it—could have said it was because she fell in love. But it was Pei Yu, the very person her grandmother admired and trusted the most.

Her grandmother would scold her, but in the end, she would be relieved. At least, it was him.

If admitting it meant minimizing the damage, then she would deal with the consequences.

“…Mm.”

“Mm?” Fang Youyou’s voice trembled with anger, the weight of the past pressing down. “Chen Shuoyin! No matter the reason, you are to come home immediately.”

“Grandma, please don’t be angry. H-he’s Pei Yu.” Chen Shuoyin’s worst fear came true, and she nervously tried to pacify her. “It’s late; you should rest. I’ll come see you tomorrow and explain everything.”

“Pei Yu? You’re saying the man you married is Pei Yu?” Fang Youyou sounded incredulous. “Are you using his name to cover for the real person?”

Chen Shuoyin steeled herself. “I’ll send you the marriage certificate in a bit. There’s a reason for this. You know me—I’d rather spend my whole life with you than marry someone carelessly.”

After much coaxing, she finally managed to hang up the call.

As soon as she did, her frustration returned full force. She turned to glare at Pei Yu.

He raised his hands in surrender, his expression innocent. “Before you accepted this marriage, I didn’t tell anyone about it.”

She knew it wasn’t him.

Someone had used this opportunity to stir trouble—someone who had pulled similar stunts before. This time, she hadn’t been prepared, giving them the perfect chance to strike.

That was on her.

She turned to head for the bedroom, but Pei Yu rolled his wheelchair after her. “Zhou Qi knows because he saw my phone when I was drunk. He’s worked with me for years and is someone I trust. He wouldn’t leak it.”

She replied softly, “You don’t need to explain. It has nothing to do with you.”

“How does it not?” Pei Yu didn’t like the way she was distancing herself from him. “If you’re going back, I should go with you.”

His tone was oddly reminiscent of a nervous newlywed wife visiting her in-laws for the first time, trying to sound casual but clearly anxious.

Chen Shuoyin actually laughed. “No matter what I do, my grandma will always forgive me. This isn’t some kind of unforgivable crime.”

Her gaze swept over him, her lips curving downward. “You’re in a wheelchair right now. Focus on recovering instead of making trouble.”

“What, are you ashamed of your crippled husband?” His half-joking tone carried an edge.

“You said it, not me.” She leaned against the doorframe, eyeing him. “I just don’t want my grandmother feeling sorry for me when she sees you. Until you’re fully recovered, let’s keep up your good image in her eyes.”

Knowing Pei Yu’s pride, she figured if she outright invited him to go, he’d refuse without hesitation.

Even if he wanted to go, his self-esteem would make him back down.

With that thought, she stopped overthinking, pushed open the door, and left him with a simple, “I’m going to rest.”

Before she could close it, Pei Yu blocked the door.

“You’re going to bed without eating? Do you want to starve in your sleep?” His palm pressed against the door, refusing to let her shut him out. His eyes dragged her out of the room.

Sleeping away her problems had always been her coping mechanism.

During school, whenever she lost to him in an exam, she’d sleep the whole day before the official results were out. The next day, she’d look at the rankings and confidently challenge him, “I’ll beat you next time.”

But this time, he wasn’t even part of her “competition.”

Seeing his persistence, she sighed, relenting. She followed him to the dining table.

Lifting the cover, she found all her favorite dishes laid out before her.

Pei Yu watched her hesitate, his brow furrowed in nervousness. “You don’t like it?”

“…No.” Her fingers clenched slightly. “It’s just… too much. I can’t finish it.”

“I’ll eat with you. Whatever’s left, we’ll donate to a stray animal shelter.”

As he moved the dishes around, his wheelchair hit the table leg. She saw him flinch slightly.

He had likely hit his leg.

Though he was the one struggling, she didn’t feel any sense of satisfaction—only a deep, quiet sorrow.

In this world, besides her grandmother, the person who understood her best was Pei Yu—the very man she once considered her worst enemy.

“…Thank you.” The words felt foreign on her tongue.

Instead of mocking her in her weakest moment, he had given her kindness.

Pei Yu placed a bowl of rice in front of her, handed her chopsticks, and almost seemed ready to feed her himself. “No need for thanks. That word sounds weird between us.”

She stared blankly. “Why?”

He leaned in, voice steady. “Because I’m your husband. How many times do I have to say it before you remember?”

And just like that, the world tilted ever so slightly.