Even if you're putting on a show, you have to show the world that you are the daughter-in-law of the Leng family.

Leng Mohan raised his eyes, his gaze so cold it seemed capable of freezing a person to the core. Sensing that the drunk man had stirred up serious trouble, the manager rushed over to pull him away. However, the man’s legs were so heavy he could barely walk, and he kept turning back to shout at Leng Mohan, "President Leng, if you feel—if you feel this chick isn’t quite to your taste, I actually think she’s quite suited to mine. You—you can let me handle any unnecessary trouble for you anytime."

By the time the drunk man finally staggered out of sight, Leng Mohan brushed off a nonexistent speck of dust from his shoulder, his eyes still terrifyingly cold.

Looking at him, Lin Yan felt an inexplicable ache in her chest. Her stomach, which had been ravenous just moments before, instantly felt filled to the brim, devoid of even a shred of hunger.

"Why don't you have a friend come keep you company? I want to go shopping right now." Dropping these words, Lin Yan turned and began walking back the way she came.

Suddenly, her wrist tightened. A slightly rough thumb gently stroked her delicate wrist, causing a faint sensation that was part tickle, part pain.

"I have something to say to you," Leng Mohan said in a deep voice.

Without even raising her head, Lin Yan stared at the ground and said, "Let's talk about it at home tonight. I'm leaving now."

The moment her voice trailed off, she tried to twist away again, but Leng Mohan refused to let go.

She looked up to meet his frost-covered face.

With a sudden tightening of his grip, Lin Yan felt a sharp pain at her wrist. Frowning slightly, she spun around, her vision blurring for a fraction of a second as Leng Mohan yanked her by the wrist straight into his embrace.

Just as she was about to struggle, his measured, calm voice sounded right beside her ear, "Lin Yan, do you remember what I told you back then? The moment you married into the Leng family and became my wife, even if it's just an act, you must put on a convincing display of being a daughter-in-law of the Leng family. Do you understand?"

Lin Yan froze. A suffocating grievance welled up inside her, her nose stinging slightly as tears began to swirl in her eyes.

Perhaps he had treated her too well lately, and their dynamic had grown more and more like a real married couple, giving her a false sense of reality. She had almost forgotten how they ended up getting married in the first place, and had nearly forgotten the promise she made to her sister.

She was merely acting, yet she had almost lost herself in the role. If not for Leng Mohan's timely reminder today, she might have completely surrendered her heart to him.

Leng Mohan stared at her, seeing the tears in her eyes. His own heart gave a faint twinge, as though squeezed by an invisible hand.

Before he could say anything more, the manager who had just escorted the drunk man out returned. Standing before them, the manager took in the heavy atmosphere between the two and didn't dare to speak for a long time.

Yet Lin Yan, who had been dazed just a second ago, suddenly curved her lips into a smile, forcing the tears back into her eyes. She reached out to link her arm through Leng Mohan's, and asked in a slightly coquettish tone, "Darling, what are we having for dinner today?"

Leng Mohan was momentarily taken aback by her sudden shift, but it lasted only a split second. Recovering quickly, he offered her a slight smile, his expression turning strangely doting as he said, "Whatever my wife wants to eat, that's what we'll have."

She had never called him "darling" before—never, not even once.

Hearing her address him this way now, Leng Mohan felt as if his heart had been coated in honey, sweet and warm. Even though he knew she was merely putting on a show for outsiders, he was still overjoyed. After all, she was willing to call him darling and acknowledge him.

He believed that one day, she would truly call him darling from the bottom of her heart.

The manager standing nearby awkwardly stepped closer and smiled, saying, "So this is Mrs. Leng. We rarely ever see you."