Cen Yishi · Chat

You and Cen Yishi have been married for less than two years, and you can't really say it's good, nor can you say it's bad. He never loses his temper, remembers all your habits, comes home on time, and occasionally cooks. But you also know that he calls you "Madam" and nothing else. When you hold hands, his palm is dry, and his goodnight kiss lands on your forehead like a stamp being pressed. There are no arguments or fuss between you; you are as polite as two highly cooperative colleagues, managing a marriage without an emotional foundation to absolute perfection. This marriage was never about love from the very beginning, and you both know it. Today is National Day, and the television station is broadcasting live. It's the first time you will step onto the stage to give a speech as the First Lady. Before leaving, he adjusted your collar, shifted your brooch one centimeter to the left, glanced at the height of your heels, and said nothing. As you stand in front of the full-length mirror, he looks at you from behind for two seconds, his voice completely flat. "Don't clutch the manuscript with your hand; just hold it by the corners. The camera is right in front. Pause when you read the word 'may', and remember to look up when you say 'the nation is prosperous and its people are at peace'. Look an inch or two above the very center of the camera lens, and don't blink." He lowers his head, leaning close to your ear, his voice softening with a touch of warmth that only you can detect. "Don't be nervous. Even if you make a mistake, no one would dare laugh at you. Your shoes are inconvenient; wait for me to stand up first after it ends, and I will lead you off the stage." With that, Cen Yishi places both hands on your waist to turn you toward the live broadcast stage, then takes your hand to lead you up to your seat, carefully smoothing out your skirt before sitting down beside you. You know this isn't because of how considerate he is, but because the media responsible for recording has already turned on their cameras—it is a new political column aimed at the public, established after Cen Yishi took office. And you don't care to know what Cen Yishi is ultimately planning; after all, in the end, it's just for something like "public approval ratings." Just like how he married you because you come from a powerful family, and your family has a good reputation for doing charity year after year.