Chapter Thirteen: Are You Two Really Together or Not?

It has been a long time since Zhou Chenyan and I have been this close. Whether in my past life or the present, the occasions where we sat side-by-side like this were rare.

Zhou Zhizi, with her bubbly personality and familiarity with this crowd, quickly livened up the atmosphere. Everyone was laughing and chatting, turning the room boisterous. Only where Zhou Chenyan and I sat, the air was cold enough to freeze three meters away. I shifted slightly in my seat. My mind was on Qian Yushu—I wondered how his studies were going and if he would come looking for me. I couldn’t let him catch us together, or the charade would fall apart.

Suddenly, the noise died down. I looked up belatedly to find everyone staring at me. Zhou Chenyan sat on the sofa, holding a glass of wine with a dark, cold expression. Zhou Zhizi’s eyes were complex, but the moment she met my gaze, she snatched the glass from Zhou Chenyan’s hand.

"I don't need A-Yan to drink for me. I'll do it myself."

Without waiting for Zhou Chenyan to stop her, she downed the wine in one gulp. I realized then what was happening. Oh, she was shielding him from a drink. I suppose they weren't used to my lack of reaction. But I honestly didn't think it was a big deal. In my past life, Zhou Chenyan had done far more ridiculous things for Zhou Zhizi. It was just a glass of wine—the group was making a mountain out of a molehill.

I lowered my head and checked my phone. No messages from Qian Yushu.

"Are you waiting for a message? From whom?"

The interrogation came from beside me. I looked up, nearly bumping into Zhou Chenyan, who was leaning in close. I jumped back as if electrocuted, frowning at him. "That’s my business." Peeking at someone else’s screen—how tactless! He stared at me gloomily, his gaze making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Was I an eyesore to him again? I didn't want to linger here and be a nuisance. "I really do have something to attend to, so I’ll just—"

Zhou Chenyan suddenly set his glass down. The clink against the table was soft, yet the room went silent. Everyone turned to look at him. My voice trailed off.

"Let's play a game."

He held absolute sway in this circle. Everyone who had been drinking and chatting immediately dropped what they were doing to join the game. I felt restless. Zhou Zhizi was terrible at games; she lost every time, forced to either drink or accept a penalty.

She took one drink and her face flushed, so she helplessly set the glass down. "I'll take the penalty instead."

Someone immediately drew a penalty card: "Choose a man and kiss him for thirty seconds."

"Whoo!"

The room erupted in shrieks, nearly blowing the roof off. I lowered my head and gave a faint, cold smile.

Zhou Zhizi looked around coyly before settling her gaze on the silent Zhou Chenyan. "I... I choose A-Yan..." She turned to me. "Sister Yanyan, do you mind?"

I hadn't been participating in their games; I had been sitting to the side like a ghost. They had ignored my existence until Zhou Zhizi called me out. The atmosphere grew stifling. Amidst everyone’s expectant stares, one gaze felt particularly intense.

My response was to take out my phone, open the camera, and point it at the handsome man and beautiful woman before me.

Zhou Chenyan’s eyes darkened. "What are you doing?"

"Recording a beautiful moment."

Setting aside our past grievances, in all fairness, the two of them were quite easy on the eyes and very photogenic. If only I had known, I would have packed my bags and left in my past life instead of standing between them. Let them wallow in their love, hate, and dramatic entanglements—wouldn't it have been better for me to just watch the show?

The recording had been running for a while, but they hesitated to act. I grew impatient. "Are you going to kiss or not?" Holding the phone up was tiring.

Zhou Zhizi looked on the verge of tears. "Sister Yanyan, if you mind, just say so. Don't be like this. I’ll just drink instead."

"Which eye saw me minding?" Was I not being generous enough? I felt wronged; I truly didn't care. I tried to make my expression look as sincere as possible. "If you're worried about that, there's no need. I really don't care. Whether your feelings are genuine or just for the sake of the game, what does that have to do with me?"

They had probably kissed countless times in private. If I had minded, I would have died of anger or disgust long ago.

Zhou Chenyan stood up abruptly and dragged me out of the room. Caught off guard, I almost dropped my phone. Once we were outside, I forced myself free, only to find that his expression was even darker than mine.

"Where did I displease you this time?" I hadn't been jealous, I hadn't caused a scene, I had been content to be a non-existent bystander, and I had even recorded them. Why was he still unsatisfied?

"You did that on purpose!" he gritted out. "If you mind, just say it. Stop with the passive-aggressiveness."

I was speechless, then laughed in frustration. "I really don't care."

"Liar."

He forced me toward him, spun me around, and pinned me against the wall, one hand gripping my chin to tilt my head up—a pose of absolute dominance. I frowned and tried to struggle, but he murmured, "First the divorce, then running away from home... isn't this all because you want me to keep my distance from Zhizi?"

I narrowed my eyes.

"You know that Zhizi is my sister. Although we aren't blood-related, I’ve cherished her since childhood. Don't be jealous over nothing. You are different from her; you are my wife..."

Wife?

"More like a pawn, isn't it?" I stared coldly into his eyes. "A pawn used to cover up scandals, to save face, one that can be discarded at any time."

Zhou Chenyan’s expression darkened further. "Wife or pawn, I won't allow you to leave my side. Don't harbor such delusions, and stop bothering Zhizi. As long as you treat her well, I’ve said I can give you everything..."

Except love.

I had heard those words countless times in my previous life. Zhou Chenyan was a terrifying man—coercive, manipulative, and deceitful. His tenderness was sugar-coated arsenic. If you swallowed it, it would be the death of you.

"Then..." I gently brushed the edge of his perfectly straight tie, my voice soft. "If I want your life, will you give me that, too?"

"Don't push your luck." His voice was heavy with warning.

"How stingy," I mocked him. "You’re happy to promise the moon and stars, but you’re too cheap to actually give anything substantive." His boundaries were clear; I couldn't cross them by even an inch. "It’s not that you can't give it; it’s that you don't want to, and you are incapable of it." I whispered, hiding a chill in my voice, "Hasn't your life already been handed over to Zhou Zhizi?"

Was he truly oblivious to everything Zhou Zhizi did? Not necessarily. Just like last time, when Zhou Zhizi framed me—he hadn't offered a single apology afterward, even though he claimed to despise such vicious tactics more than anything. His principles crumbled the moment he encountered Zhou Zhizi.

He stared at me for a long time, then suddenly chuckled. "Even if I can't give you what you want, I will never let you go without material comforts or money. Of course, if you truly want me..."

He leaned in closer, and my eyes widened. He actually...

He lowered his head, his scorching breath drawing near. We were a mere millimeter away from our lips touching.

*Slap!*

I struck him hard across the face. As I met his stunned gaze, I said, enunciating every word, "Are you awake now?"