Wen Zhi frowned slightly.
"I didn't—"
"Palm Pearl," Mo Tingyan cut her off. "I'm not stupid. I've been disliked by people since I was a child, so I know very well what it feels like when someone truly resents you. You're angry with me. You're rejecting me. Tell me—what happened?"
Her heart tightened.
She remembered how he had grown up unwanted, never truly liked by anyone. If she suddenly treated him with such coldness now, of course it would hurt him.
She met his gaze.
Being treated as a substitute was humiliating—infuriating, even.
But it was also true that he had never once spoken of love to her.
After a brief pause, she said calmly,
"I'm just in a bad mood."
"Really?"
"Otherwise?"
"Then prove it to me."
Wen Zhi: "..."
"Prove it how?" she asked flatly.
Mo Tingyan bent down of his own accord and tapped his lips lightly.
"You figure it out."
Wen Zhi suddenly recalled what Qiao Qiao had once said—
Even if it was just a free ride, a man with this face was still worth it.
Not wanting to waste words arguing with him, she tossed her bag aside, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him directly.
Mo Tingyan was instantly ignited.
Desire flared wildly between them. Heated kisses tangled together as they stumbled toward the sofa, passion sweeping through them like wildfire—territory conquered inch by inch, intoxicating and indulgent.
He was thoroughly satisfied.
But after it was over, Wen Zhi didn't stay resting beside him as she usually did.
She got up immediately and went to take a shower.
Normally, after showering, she would sit with him for a while, maybe chat a bit.
But today, she didn't.
She simply informed him, businesslike and distant,
"I'm going live. Don't come in."
The calm he had just regained instantly shattered again.
What was wrong with her?
If she were willing to communicate, that would be one thing—but she clearly wasn't.
Feeling troubled, Mo Tingyan returned to the bedroom and opened Wen Zhi's livestream.
She was chatting with viewers when he entered. Without hesitation, he began sending gifts—Carnivals, one after another.
After more than a dozen, "Anonymous User 11" reclaimed the top spot on the leaderboard.
Wen Zhi thanked the top supporter, then saw a message pop up:
[ZZ, can I ask you something about relationships between men and women?]
Since it was her biggest patron, Wen Zhi naturally answered kindly.
Speaking softly into the mic, she said,
"Of course. Go ahead."
Anonymous User 11:
[My girlfriend has been upset with me for over ten days now. She used to be very sweet and caring, but lately she's been sulking and distant. Are girls always this changeable?]
Wen Zhi thought for a moment, then replied,
"Maybe there's some misunderstanding between you. Have you asked her why she's upset?"
Anonymous User 11:
[She doesn't want to communicate. I'm just curious—if it were you, what would make you angry with your partner?]
Wen Zhi fell silent for a long while.
Thinking of Mo Tingyan's concealment, she answered calmly,
"If it were me, I might be very angry if my partner lied to me. But everyone's different—I can't be a universal reference."
Mo Tingyan frowned deeply.
Lie to her?
He hadn't lied.
Had he?
Unable to hold back any longer, he exited the livestream after thanking her, deciding to try a different approach.
While Wen Zhi was still streaming, he set up a candlelit dinner on the balcony.
After waiting more than half an hour, he finally heard footsteps from her room and immediately went to knock on the door.
Wen Zhi opened it, already looking ready for bed.
"Is there something else?"
"There is." He lifted the wine bottle in his hand and shook it lightly.
"Care for a drink? I want to talk."
She hesitated.
Refusing too much would only make him think she was deliberately using cold violence again.
Partners sharing a drink wasn't strange.
So she agreed.
On the balcony, Wen Zhi glanced at the small round glass table—candles, wine glasses, everything carefully arranged.
She sighed lightly.
"You really have too much free time."
"You just don't understand romance," Mo Tingyan said as he guided her to sit. "A sense of ritual is important."
He poured her a glass of red wine, sat across from her, and clinked glasses.
After a few sips, Wen Zhi asked,
"What did you want to say?"
"I want to talk honestly," he said seriously. "You've been off since last night. We're married—there are things we need to be open about. Otherwise, I don't even know what you're angry about. If this goes on, our relationship will only get colder. Don't you think?"
Wen Zhi's hand paused as she gently swirled her wine.
He wasn't wrong.
As her partner, he did have the right to know.
And she had no reason to swallow the truth when she already knew she was a substitute.
Even if their marriage hadn't begun with love, it shouldn't end in confusion and humiliation.
She looked up at him.
"I'm curious—do I really look that much like her?"
Mo Tingyan frowned.
"Like who?"
"Your white moonlight," she replied calmly.
He froze.
"White moonlight?"
Since they were being honest, Wen Zhi didn't hold back.
"That day, your mother said you married me because I look like the woman in your heart."
Mo Tingyan stood up abruptly, coldness sweeping across his striking face.
"What else did she say?"
Wen Zhi shook her head lightly.
"Nothing else."
He leaned down, cupping her face, his voice low and heavy.
"Don't listen to Xu Wan's nonsense. It's not what you think. You don't need to care about that."
That woman.
Wen Zhi gave a faint laugh.
"I don't care. I already knew you had a white moonlight. I just didn't expect that I'd look so much like her."
"So you got angry after hearing that?" he asked softly.
Angry?
No.
Her expression remained composed, almost indifferent.
"No. We didn't marry for love to begin with. We're just temporary partners living together. There's no need to be angry."
"Really?"
"Of course."
Mo Tingyan leaned in to kiss her—but she turned her face away.
He chuckled lightly.
"If you weren't angry, why refuse my kiss? You only ever do that when you're upset."
The smile on Wen Zhi's face faded completely.
She steadied her breathing, refusing to let herself lose ground.
"I'm just standing up for myself," she said calmly but firmly.
"If you had told me from the start that you approached me because I resembled someone else, Mo Tingyan, I would never have married you. Even in a loveless marriage, no one wants to be a substitute. What right do I have to be her replacement? In the end, you played with me."
"And then?" he asked.
"And then," Wen Zhi said quietly,
"I regret marrying you."