Episode2

The bar was lively, wrapped in a haze of low lighting and scattered laughter. Blue and amber lights danced over polished bottles behind the counter. A jazz-pop remix played in the background, mellow but rhythmic, while the scent of cologne, alcohol, and something floral hung in the air.

Zhao Yan walked in alone.

He wasn’t the type to make an entrance—but heads turned anyway. Dressed in a dark blazer and black shirt, he looked like a man carved out of shadow and ambition. He made his way toward the VIP booth where three of his closest friends were already gathered with drinks in hand.

“Look who decided to show up,” Han Qiao grinned, raising a glass. “The man of the hour.”

“Not married yet,” Zhao Yan replied coolly, slipping into the booth.

Jin Rui laughed. “Close enough. One week left, right?”

Zhao Yan didn’t respond.

A round of drinks was served, and idle conversation circled for a while—business, clients, a scandal involving someone’s assistant—until the topic shifted again.

“So…” Han Qiao leaned in with a mischievous gleam. “We heard a little rumor about your fiancée.”

Zhao Yan’s gaze didn’t even flicker. “It’s not a fiancée.”

“Right. Because it’s a guy,” Jin Rui cut in. “I thought it was a joke at first, but it’s real, huh? You’re actually marrying a man.”

Zhao Yan lifted his water glass, unbothered. “It’s a business arrangement. That’s all.”

“You always liked girls though,” Han Qiao said, genuinely confused. “Now suddenly you're engaged to some guy from an art family? And I heard he’s… well, gay. Openly.”

“Apparently,” Jin Rui added with a low whistle, “he’s also insanely good-looking. Like the kind of pretty that makes even straight men question life. Cute, soft-spoken, delicate. The full package.”

Zhao Yan didn’t react. He stared at the condensation on his glass for a long second before replying, “It’s a contract. Three years. That’s it. After that, we go our own way.”

“But doesn’t that feel weird?” Han Qiao asked. “Living with someone who might actually fall for you?”

Zhao Yan’s tone was clipped. “He won’t.”

There was a brief pause.

“Confident,” Jin Rui chuckled.

Just then, a tall woman in a glittering red dress slid up to the table. Her eyes were on Zhao Yan from the moment she entered. She leaned casually against the edge of the booth, letting her perfume drift toward him.

“Zhao Yan?” she purred. “I’ve seen you in the business section. Didn’t know you came to places like this.”

He gave her a brief glance, impassive. “I usually don’t.”

She took that as an invitation and sat beside him, brushing her fingers against his sleeve. “Mind if I join you?”

Zhao Yan shifted away almost imperceptibly. “I do.”

The rejection was polite, cold, and final.

The woman blinked, confused, then stood with a pout and walked away without another word.

His friends looked at him, stunned.

“You didn’t even let her finish her drink,” Han Qiao said, shaking his head. “You’ve really changed.”

“Or,” Jin Rui added thoughtfully, “you’re more affected by this marriage than you let on.”

Zhao Yan didn’t answer.

The music played on, low and smoky. Outside the glass wall, soft rain started falling, painting streaks on the window. The world felt a little more muted.

Zhao Yan stared into the ice of his untouched drink, and for just a fleeting moment, the image of Li Wei's gentle eyes surfaced in his mind—fragile, unsure, and oddly sincere.

But he blinked it away.

One week. Just one more week, and this obligation would begin.

And three years later?

He wouldn’t even remember what color Li Wei’s eyes were.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***