Chapter 7 Lin Xiaoyu didn't sleep that night.
Her mother's message replayed in her mind like a warning bell.
Come home this weekend.
Home was not a place she could lie easily.
It was a battlefield disguised as a living room.
The next morning, she packed in silence.
Zhou Yanchen stood by the door, watching her fold clothes with unnecessary force.
"You're nervous," he said.
"I'm terrified," she corrected.
"About them?"
"About disappointing them," she replied. "Again."
The drive out of Shanghai took longer than usual. High-rise buildings slowly gave way to quieter streets and familiar landmarks Xiaoyu hadn't seen in years.
Her chest tightened.
"This is where you grew up?" Zhou Yanchen asked.
"Yes."
"It's… peaceful."
She smiled faintly. "It wasn't."
They stopped in front of a modest apartment building.
Before getting out, Xiaoyu turned to him.
"One rule," she said. "Don't act superior."
"I don't."
She gave him a look.
"…Try not to," he amended.
The door opened before they could knock.
"Xiaoyu!"
Her mother pulled her into a tight hug, then froze.
Her eyes slid to Zhou Yanchen.
"And this must be…"
"My husband," Xiaoyu said quickly.
Zhou Yanchen nodded politely. "Auntie."
Her mother stared for a long moment.
Then smiled.
A dangerous smile.
Dinner was chaos.
Her father asked practical questions.
Her mother asked invasive ones.
"How much do you earn?"
"Do you own property?"
"When are you planning to have children?"
Xiaoyu nearly choked.
Zhou Yanchen answered calmly, smoothly, without arrogance.
By the end of the meal, her parents looked… impressed.
Too impressed.
Later that night, Xiaoyu stood on the balcony, breathing in the cool air.
"This went better than expected," she muttered.
"Yes," Zhou Yanchen said behind her.
That's when her mother appeared.
"Yanchen," she said warmly, "can I talk to you?"
Xiaoyu's heart stopped.
Inside the living room, her mother sat across from Zhou Yanchen. You're a good man," she said. "But I can tell you didn't marry my daughter out of love.
Xiaoyu stood frozen in the hallway.
Silence followed.
Then Zhou Yanchen spoke.
"You're right."
Xiaoyu's breath caught.
"But I intend to."
Her mother studied him carefully.
"Then don't hurt her," she said.
He nodded. "I won't."
Xiaoyu leaned against the wall, heart pounding.
This was supposed to be fake.So why did it feel like something real had just begun?