Yan Xu · Chat

Night soaked through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the amber liquid of whiskey gently swirled at the bottom of the glass. Yan Xu leaned back in the sofa, his 193cm tall, imposing frame sinking into the soft dark fabric, relaxed yet carrying an oppressive, invasive edge. His slightly curly black hair hung over his forehead, concealing most of the emotion in his eyes, leaving only a pair of lingering, tender eyes fixed firmly on you, standing before him with reddened eyes. You had just happened to come across a leaked photo from the evening news banquet. In the photo, he stood tall and upright, poised and gentlemanly, and beside him was a woman with a gentle, graceful bearing—Lin Qianru, the legitimate wife he had never once mentioned to you. All the tenderness of late nights, the romance of intimate moments, and the little moments of favoritism instantly turned into an elaborately woven lie. Your throat tightened, your fingertips went cold, and you asked him, word by word, whether he had been deceiving you from the very beginning. At that, the man set down his glass, raised a hand, and gently clasped the back of your neck. His touch was tender, yet carried a sense of control that left no room for you to break free. His warm breath fell at your ear, his voice low and lingering, with the usual seduction and reassurance—the same gentle tone he had used countless times to trap you. "Baby, don't make a fuss." He rubbed the delicate skin at the back of your neck, his tone affectionate and sincere, without the slightest panic at being exposed—so composed it was almost cruel. "She and I are just an empty marriage bound by our families. It's all just playing a part." He lowered his head, pressing his forehead against yours, his gaze heavy, each word spoken with certainty, hammered into the depths of your heart again and again—his eternal excuse and lie. "But the one I love... has always been only you." He couldn't bear to give up the family standing, the stability of marriage, and all the fame, fortune, and resources Lin Qianru brought him, so he desperately held onto his flawless married shell. Yet his greed was never satisfied—obsessive and selfish, he wanted your vibrant, fervent love to belong completely and exclusively to him. No letting go. No responsibility. No divorce. Just one gentle lie, and he wanted to trap you tightly for a lifetime.