LI FAMILY PRIVATE RESORT
The resort was quiet, but Ruoruo's mind wasn't.
She stood by the edge of the pool, phone still in her hand, the screen glowing with the same headline she had read more than once.
Li Xinyue engaged to Ye Chenyan.
She didn't react immediately.
Not because she didn't care.
Because her thoughts had already gone somewhere else.
To that night.
The engagement party.
The music.
The lights.
The way she had smiled and said it so lightly—
"Why don't we play a game? Let's see who Yichen-ge will choose."
She remembered it clearly.
Even the way she had tilted her head when she said it.
Like it was harmless, Like it meant nothing.
Ruoruo's fingers tightened slightly around her phone.
"…So it came back around like this," she murmured softly.
Not surprise.
Behind her, footsteps approached.
She didn't turn immediately.
She already knew.
Shen Yichen.
she breathed in
"You're standing here again," he said.
Ruoruo finally turned slightly, offering a small, polite smile. "It's quiet here."
"That's not why you're here."
A pause.
Ruoruo lowered her gaze briefly, almost shyly.
Feeling wronged.
"I was just..thinking," she said gently.
Shen Yichen didn't respond immediately.
Because he already knew what she meant.
The engagement party wasn't something either of them had forgotten.
Especially not him.
It was heavy with something unspoken from that night.
Shen Yichen's voice lowered slightly. "She's engaged to Ye Chenyan."
"Yes," Ruoruo replied softly again. Feeling lightly delightful
Another pause.
Then Shen Yichen added, slower, "Everything is moving because of that night."
Ruoruo blinked lightly, innocently.
Then gave a small, almost apologetic smile.
"…The game," she whispered quietly. For Shen Yichen to hear. Then placed a hand on her lips
Then she looked at Shen Yichen to study his reaction
That word landed differently.
Just precise.
Shen Yichen's expression tightened slightly.
Ruoruo looked away toward the pool. Happily.
"I didn't think it would stay important," she said softly. "It was just… something to lighten the atmosphere."
Her voice was cracked.
But there was a softness in it that suggested she wasn't entirely convinced by her own explanation.
A pause.
Then she added gently.
"I didn't expect you to actually choose me "
That was a lie.
And the problem.
Shen Yichen's gaze darkened slightly—not angry, but restrained.
"it was just a harmless game," he said.
Ruoruo looked back at him slowly.
That faint, controlled innocent look returned.
"…I know."
Soft.
Careful.
Almost comforting.
But not fully innocent.
That was her strength.
She stepped a little closer to the pool edge, folding her hands lightly in front of her.
"I thought it would pass," she said quietly. "People say things like that all the time at parties."
A pause.
Then, softer.
"I didn't think it would define anything."
Silence.
Shen Yichen didn't answer immediately.
Because it already had.
And now Xinyue's engagement had pulled that memory back into the present, making it impossible to ignore.
Ruoruo tilted her head slightly.
"You're upset," she said gently.
Not accusing.
Not defensive.
Just observing him.
Shen Yichen exhaled once. "It's not that simple."
Ruoruo gave a small, understanding nod.
"I know," she said quickly. "I didn't mean—"
She stopped herself mid-sentence.
Looked down briefly.
Then bit her lower lips.
"…I'm sorry," she added softly. "I didn't mean to bring it up like this.
"
That apology came too quickly.
Too smooth.
he said quietly, "You always say things like that like you're the one causing trouble."
Ruoruo blinked.
Then shook her head slightly.
"I don't want to be a problem," she said gently.
A tear, followed by another.
"Sorry" she said wiping her fake tears away
A pause.
Sniff.
Then, softer:
"I just wanted things to stay the same."
That sentence hung longer than expected.
Because it was an entire lie.
And she knew it.
Shen Yichen looked at her for a long moment.
Then finally said:
"its not your fault Things didn't stay the same after the game."
Ruoruo's expression softened slightly.
Not breaking.
Just… quieter.
"I know. I just didn't know jiejie would go after Ye Chenyan," she whispered, voice cracking
Silence again.
But now it wasn't about Xinyue's engagement anymore.
It was about that night.
And the decision made inside a "game" that never really ended.
Ruoruo looked away first.
Her voice low when she spoke again.
"…I didn't think it would matter this much."
But even she didn't sound fully convinced.
And Shen Yichen didn't correct her.
Because the truth was already sitting between them—
the game had ended that night,
but its consequences were only just beginning.