Chapter 2

Seeing Yan You waver, Wen Zhiyu shook her phone with a gentle smile. "Have you made up your mind? Don't worry, I'll only trouble you this once. Once the storm passes, we'll be done. I'm willing to pay you for your time—five hundred thousand per day. That's a generous offer, isn't it?"

Yan You had no choice. Gritting her teeth, she nodded. Wen Zhiyu's grip tightened on her wrist as she turned and dragged her toward the farthest corner room. Once the door was shut, Wen Zhiyu pulled out paper and pen and began writing a contract with meticulous care.

Article 1: The first party, Wen Zhiyu, shall not interfere with or coerce the second party, Yan You, into any illegal activities.

Article 2: The first party, Wen Zhiyu, shall pay the second party, Yan You, the sum of five hundred thousand yuan in full on T+0 day...

Yan You?

It seemed Wen Zhiyu had mistaken her identity. No matter. She'd transfer the money after the wedding, and there would be no chance for her to realize she wasn't the real Yan You.

Once the wedding was over, who would care about the fight? Tomorrow, she might just be back on the bus to the newspaper office.

With that, there was nothing more to see in the contract. She casually left the two large characters "Yan You" behind.

Wen Zhiyu picked up the contract, remembering Yan You's previous verbal hints that she had feelings for her. She warned Yan You, "Article Five states: Party B, Yan You, shall not make any inappropriate advances toward Party A, Wen Zhiyu, including but not limited to kissing, touching, holding hands, sexual acts, or any other intimate contact. Any violation..."

Yan You's face flushed crimson. She quickly waved her hand. "Absolutely not! You can rest assured." Even if I had ten times the courage, I wouldn't dare.

The wedding planner outside, hearing that Wen Zhiyu had actually called security to escort Chu Ao out, rushed over in a cold sweat to ask about the next steps.

Wen Zhiyu exchanged a glance with the planner, then looked at Yan You, who sat composedly on the sofa with a bruised corner of her eye. Regaining her composure, she calmly said, "Conceal the bruises on her eyes and mouth. Have the banner and invitations reprinted. Get the photos Photoshopped immediately. The wedding will proceed as scheduled, two hours later."

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The wedding music began to play.

The gentle melody was entirely unfamiliar to Yan You, who hailed from decades in the future, but the guests on either side of the aisle lit up, some already humming along softly.

The day was perfect, with a cloudless sky and a soft breeze caressing the lawn. The ceremony was held on a sprawling green meadow, where three arched floral gates stood in alternating rows. Vines and leaves twined around them, adorned with layers of pink and white roses in full bloom.

As the wind passed, the petals trembled slightly, and the white satin ribbons on the chair backs fluttered gently.

At the end of Yan You's line of sight, Wen Zhiyu slowly emerged from behind the wall of flowers.

She wore a wheat-shaped gem-studded laurel crown and a cream-colored, off-the-shoulder court-style wedding gown. Intricate beadwork and lace cascaded in layers, while European-style vintage floral embroidery spread from her waist to the voluminous skirt, shimmering with tiny sequins in the light. It was both beautiful and elegant.

She walked across the petal-strewn lawn, directly toward Yan You.

She was breathtakingly beautiful.

A cold smile flashed across Yan You's lips. True to her Hollywood roots—such a talented actress. So beautiful on the outside, but her heart's as black as pitch.

The surrounding noise—the murmur of guests, light laughter, and the clinking of glasses—swirled around them. But as Wen Zhiyu drew closer, Yan You felt a transparent membrane descend between them, isolating her and Wen Zhiyu from the rest of the world.

Wen Zhiyu's gaze swept through the sea of flowers, landing on her. Yan You instinctively tried to look away.

Strange, why am I hiding?

Even stranger was the fact that at a wedding, the bride should be escorted down the flower-lined aisle by her family. Yet Wen Zhiyu was being supported by a woman of similar age.

Step by step, she walked toward Yan You from the end of the flower-strewn path.

"Miss Wen Zhiyu, do you take Miss Yan You as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do you part?" the officiant's voice rang out.

Wen Zhiyu's voice was calm, as if reading from a document: "I do."

The cold, three-word response jolted Yan You out of her inexplicable daze.

Regaining her composure, she heard the officiant turn to her: "Miss Yan You, do you take..."

"I do."

Next came the ring exchange.

Wen Zhiyu had already produced one ring when she remembered the prepared ring was still with Chu Ao. Seeing Yan You steel herself and reach into her pocket, pretending to rummage for something, she knew she couldn't let the wedding stall. Wen Zhiyu turned her head, about to call over her friend Meng Shu in front of everyone.

Just then, her hand was grasped.

Yan You held her hand, giving her a reassuring look.

Then, a diamond ring with an emerald appeared on her fingertip.

It was the ring her grandmother had left to her mother, who had then passed it down to her. It served perfectly as a prop.

As the ring slid onto Wen Zhiyu's ring finger, Yan You felt her hand stiffen slightly. She couldn't help but feel proud of her improvisation—she should have charged more.

The exchange was complete.

The officiant, clearly having received instructions from Wen Zhiyu beforehand, wisely refrained from asking the newlyweds to kiss. Some clueless guests in the crowd started shouting, "Kiss! Kiss!" Wen Zhiyu ignored them, a fake smile playing on her lips as she lifted her hem and turned to descend the steps.

Yan You felt a wave of relief.

Just as both of them exhaled in relief...

A sudden commotion erupted in the distance, and a group of people with cameras came charging forward.

The flashbulbs crackled like lightning before a storm, moving from far to near until they were right in their faces. Yan You instinctively shielded Wen Zhiyu and stepped back, nearly getting a camera shoved in her face.

"Miss Wen, why did you change Alphas on your wedding day?"

"Was it because Chu Ao, the new political figure, broke off your engagement?"

"Why didn't you kiss? Is Yan You just a stand-in? Do you have any real feelings for each other?"

"Did you know about your father's bribery long before it came to light?"

-----

The questions came like daggers, drawing the attention of the equally curious guests.

In the distance, Wen Zhiyu's assistant, Meng Shu, was sweating profusely, desperately trying to push through the crowd with seven or eight security guards. Wen Zhiyu cut through the throng and gave her a restraining glance.

It was already too late.

The flashing lights nearly blinded Yan You.

Yet at that moment, Wen Zhiyu smiled.

Amidst the blinding flashes and sharp questions, a faint smile spread across her face. She calmly took Yan You's hand, interlaced their fingers, and turned toward the cameras:

"Because only now have I clearly understood who truly cares about me."

Her voice was cool and clear, each word distinct.

"As for the broken engagement, it's entirely fabricated. Before this, Yan You and I already knew and cared for each other. We were simply forced by family circumstances to marry someone I didn't love. And now..."

A reporter pressed, "Family circumstances? Did your father force you to marry someone you didn't love? And are you aware of his bribery and imprisonment?"

She paused, not answering. Her gaze shifted slightly, glancing at Yan You.

Her gaze was light, as light as a feather landing on water. Yet it felt heavy, brimming with tenderness and affection.

Knowing it was false, Yan You's heart still skipped a beat at her look.

This woman can spin lies without even pausing to think.

"I've realized that the person I want to spend my life with is right here before me."

She turned back to the camera, her smile still faint.

"I hope that not just I, but also my fans and everyone in the world, can avoid my mistake—realizing what we truly want only on our wedding day. And if you make the wrong choice, I hope you don't compound it, but learn to find your way back."

As she prepared to leave,

"Wait."

A female reporter with black-rimmed glasses pushed through the crowd, adjusted her glasses, and thrust her microphone forward stubbornly.

"If you're marrying the person you love, why are you omitting the kiss?"

The room fell silent for a moment.

The reporter stood her ground, her gaze piercing through her lenses to fix on Wen Zhiyu. "I was waiting outside your room and happened to overhear your assistant, Meng Shu, and the officiant discussing 'omitting the kiss.' Miss Wen Zhiyu, what do you have to say about this?"

Yan You was laughing inwardly.

Serves you right for being exposed. You've done too many bad deeds, and heaven won't tolerate it, huh?

She turned her head, a faint smile playing on her lips, curious to see how Wen Zhiyu would try to talk her way out of this.

Wen Zhiyu's expression remained unchanged, her demeanor as calm and composed as ever.

Taking Yan You's hand, she turned to face the reporters, her voice as serene as if commenting on the weather: "I believe this is a misunderstanding. My assistant may not have been aware that I had changed my wedding partner."

Then, she rose slightly on her tiptoes, hooked her arm around Yan You's neck, and tilted her head back to kiss her.

Yan You froze in place.

Her mind went blank.

She only registered the soft touch on her lips for a moment before realizing—Wait! This isn't just a light peck.

Whether to convince the reporters or to commit fully to the act, Wen Zhiyu gave Yan You a full-blown French kiss in front of the crowd.

Even with her eyes closed, Yan You could feel the flashbulbs flashing against her face, the clicks of the cameras rising in a chorus, as if trying to etch this moment into film forever.

Having just graduated high school, Yan You had never experienced anything like this.

Her face burned instantly, the heat spreading from her cheeks to the roots of her ears, growing scorching hot.

Only one thought remained in her mind: Cooperate, just cooperate...

But the soft, warm touch on her lips, the faint breath brushing her nose, the gentle brush of her tongue...

It was like an electric current surged up her spine and shot straight to the crown of her head.

Her soul felt as if it were being pulled right out of her body.

She felt weightless, as if walking on clouds or drowning in water.

As soon as the kiss ended, Yan You, mortified, immediately turned away from the cameras. Wen Zhiyu, however, red-faced but composed, bid farewell to the reporters and pulled Yan You's hand as she led her away to change clothes.

"Hey, hey, hey! We agreed no kissing! How could you just kiss me like that? That was my first kiss!" Yan You cried, her voice choked with tears, once they were away from the crowd.

Wen Zhiyu stood with her arms crossed, her pretty face flushed crimson, convinced Yan You had gotten the better deal.

"Stop playing the victim when you've come out on top."

Yan You's voice rose in fury. "You're shameless!"