Chapter 1: How Much Longer Do You Intend to Deceive Me?

The first job Wen Jin took after graduating from university was to plan the engagement party for her boyfriend, Sheng Yang. The date happened to be her birthday, and she had naively assumed it was a surprise he had prepared for her. However, Wen Jin had not been invited. This was because Sheng Yang had lost his memory again. It was the fifth time.

When Wen Jin pushed open the door to the private room, she happened to hear the laughter spilling out from within:

"Sheng Yang, playing the amnesia card again? Every time you lose your memory, that pathetic little hanger-on of yours acts like her soul has been ripped out, treating you like some kind of deity."

"Is it really that fun to mess with a fool?"

Wen Jin’s mind went blank. Her hand, gripping the doorknob, tightened sharply, and even her breathing ceased for a moment. The room was dimly lit, but she spotted Sheng Yang instantly. He was leaning against the window, head bowed over his phone, looking utterly indifferent. A woman with a provocative figure was snuggled against him, the proximity between them blatantly intimate.

Hearing his friend’s remark, he didn't even look up, answering with casual detachment, "Find a fool to tease and you’ll find out how fun it is. Honestly, it’s not that interesting—I just wanted to see how stupid she could actually be."

The comment drew a wave of jeering laughter.

"It’s pretty hilarious, though. She’s been willing to stay with you for three years without any status, to the point where you have to fake amnesia just to shake her off. She’s like a stray dog that won’t let go."

The jeers rose and fell. Listening to those cutting words, Wen Jin felt a chill run down her spine. When she was fifteen, her mother passed away from illness, and she was taken in by the head of the Sheng family, becoming Sheng Yang’s nominal younger sister. With a father in prison, a mother who died young, and her own perceived worthlessness, most of Sheng Yang’s friends looked down on her, viewing her as nothing more than the nanny’s daughter—someone who didn't belong in their social circles.

It was Sheng Yang who had helped her emerge from her shell, telling her she was wonderful. But it turned out that even he had been lying to her all along. He had told her that their relationship couldn't be made public yet, so she had kept her mouth shut, never overstepping her bounds in front of others. Even when Sheng Yang faked his amnesia, she had been even more cautious, enduring the cold sarcasm of the women he brought home. She did it because a doctor had once mentioned that Sheng Yang’s condition was unique and that upsetting him during his memory loss could lead to unpredictable consequences.

But how could someone suddenly lose their memory for no reason? Furthermore, every time Sheng Yang "lost his memory," the only thing he forgot was his relationship with Wen Jin. Such a clumsy lie, yet Wen Jin had actually believed it.

Her heart felt as if it had been sliced open by a blade and submerged in seawater. Her hand braced against the door, and it took every ounce of her strength to keep from collapsing.

She wanted to leave, but her feet felt rooted to the spot. In that very instant, the door was pulled open from the inside. It was one of Sheng Yang’s friends, with Sheng Yang standing right behind him. Possessing one-quarter Caucasian ancestry, Sheng Yang’s eyes were a light hue. His features were refined, his skin a cold, pale tone; as he looked down at her, his expression was so detached it bordered on heartless.

The moment their eyes met, Wen Jin forced herself to regain her composure, suppressing her emotions as she whispered, "I went to the wrong room. My apologies."

She turned to leave, but just as she rounded the corner, her wrist was seized from behind. Sheng Yang’s lazy voice drifted from behind her: "You heard it all, didn't you?"

Wen Jin did not answer; her limbs were numb and stiff to the point of paralysis, completely unresponsive to her commands. Sheng Yang let out a soft scoff, forcibly pressing his hand against her shoulder to make her turn and face him. He raised an eyebrow, his tea-colored eyes reflecting Wen Jin’s hollow expression.

As if finding her presence a nuisance, Sheng Yang sneered, "I don't recall inviting you to this party today."

It took a long moment for Wen Jin to react. She lifted her eyes, dazed.

Sheng Yang continued, "If you hadn't come, you wouldn't have heard any of this. Wen Jin, you brought this on yourself."

Her heart throbbed with renewed pain. She dug her nails into her palms, struggling to stand tall. Her voice was hoarse as she asked, "If I hadn't come, how long were you planning to lie to me?" How long were you planning to treat me like a fool?

Due to the emotions she was desperately trying to suppress, her entire body trembled uncontrollably. Sheng Yang watched her for a moment, then stepped back, his eyes cold and distant. "I’m getting engaged. You’ll have to learn to be more obedient sooner or later."

It took a while for the meaning of his words to sink in. Her mind was barely able to function, and she could only ask instinctively, "You’re getting engaged? Then what does that make me?" What did the promises he once made to marry her mean?

"I was just messing with you. Did you actually believe it?" Sheng Yang’s tone was mocking. He smoothed his cuffs with deliberate, unhurried movements, his handsome, refined face showing only apathy. "Marrying Wen You is an inevitability. Be obedient, and we can keep things exactly as they are."

A roar erupted in Wen Jin’s head, and she stumbled back two steps. "Sheng Yang, you know perfectly well that Wen You was the one who led the bullying against me..."

And what did he mean by "keeping things as they are"? He would be married to Wen You, yet he wanted to keep their "arrangement" the same? What was she to him—his mistress?

Before she could finish, Sheng Yang cut her off. "That was so many years ago, and you’re still holding onto it? Wen Jin, can you not be so childish?"

He paused, his lowered lashes hiding the thoughts in his eyes. "The Wen and Sheng families have existing partnerships. If I don't marry her, am I supposed to marry you? Don't forget, your father is a convicted felon."

The words struck her like a slap across the face. Wen Jin’s father had once been the Sheng family’s driver; fifteen years ago, he had caused a fatal accident while driving under the influence. It was only through the Sheng family’s intervention that he had received a fifteen-year sentence. This was the exact point Wen You loved to harp on whenever she brought people to bully her. Yet, now, Sheng Yang was using it against her in the same way.

Wen Jin couldn't utter a single word, but she didn't want to look even more pathetic in front of him, so she closed her eyes, refusing to look any longer.

Just then, Sheng Yang’s phone rang. He glanced down at it and reminded her with indifference, "Since you’re already here, don't leave. It would only make things awkward for everyone. You would have found out eventually; it’s better to get used to it early."

With that, he turned and walked away while answering the call. Only then did Wen Jin slowly open her eyes. Once his figure had completely vanished, the strength she had been using to hold herself up drained away entirely. She slumped softly against the wall.

After a long while, she suddenly raised her hand and slapped herself across the face, tears streaming down. How had she allowed herself to reach such a miserable state?

She didn't know how long she had been standing there when her phone rang in her bag. Wen Jin checked the caller ID; it was her aunt. She wiped her face, composed herself, and answered. "Auntie."

As soon as she spoke, she realized her voice was so raspy it was barely audible.

Her aunt, Guan Fanghua, paused. "Xiao Jin, what’s wrong?"

"I'm fine, just a cold," Wen Jin lied, not wanting to worry her.

Guan Fanghua didn't dwell on it. "Xiao Jin, you’ve graduated now. I want you to come back to Yangcheng. Your cousin works at a large company, and he mentioned they’re hiring. I want you to come back and give it a try. Then our whole family can be together again."

"Besides, we only let you stay with the Sheng family because we had no other choice back then. Now that you're all grown up, it isn't appropriate to keep living in someone else’s house. What do you think, Xiao Jin?"

Holding the phone, Wen Jin’s mind was filled with nothing but Sheng Yang’s cold words and his indifferent expression. After a long silence, she whispered, "Okay."