.
.The formal dinner in Qin Feng's penthouse, with the dazzling panorama of Neo-Shanghai spread out beneath them, felt less like a celebratory engagement and more like a high-stakes interrogation. Lin Wei's parents, beaming with a mixture of pride and intense curiosity, peppered Qin Feng with questions about his background, his company, and, most importantly, his intentions towards their daughter.
"So, Mr. Qin," Lin Wei's father began, his voice booming slightly in the otherwise hushed atmosphere, "how did you two… uh… connect?" He emphasized the last word with a knowing look at Lin Wei, who offered a strained smile.
Qin Feng, ever the master of composure, launched into a smoothly rehearsed version of their "blossoming romance," carefully echoing the narrative they had presented to Mei Qin. He spoke of their shared passion for innovation, their mutual respect for each other's work, and the unexpected spark that had ignited amidst late-night project collaborations. He even managed to inject a touch of humor, recounting a fabricated anecdote about a shared design challenge that had led to a moment of unexpected connection.
Lin Wei chimed in at appropriate intervals, adding carefully chosen details to corroborate his story. It felt like a performance, a well-rehearsed play where one wrong line could bring the whole elaborate set crashing down. Her parents seemed genuinely charmed by Qin Feng's intelligence and his apparent devotion. Her mother's eyes, in particular, shone with a hopeful gleam.
"He seems like a very fine young man, Wei'er," she whispered to Lin Wei during a brief lull in the conversation. "So accomplished! We always knew you would find someone special."
The words, meant to be comforting, twisted in Lin Wei's heart. The irony of their genuine happiness being built on a foundation of deception was a heavy burden.
Meanwhile, Mei Qin observed the interaction with a quiet intensity. While she offered polite smiles and nods, her sharp gaze often lingered on Lin Wei, a thoughtful, almost searching quality in her eyes. During a moment when Qin Feng was engaged in a detailed discussion about Stellaris Tech's latest AI breakthroughs with Lin Wei's father, Mei Qin leaned closer to Lin Wei.
"You seem… reserved, my dear," she murmured, her voice low. "Are you truly happy about this engagement?"
Lin Wei's heart skipped a beat. Mei Qin's intuition was unnerving. How could she answer honestly without revealing the carefully guarded secret?
"Of course, Madam Mei," Lin Wei replied, forcing a smile that felt brittle even to her own lips. "It's… a big step, but a wonderful one."
Mei Qin's gaze remained fixed on her, her expression unreadable. "Love should not feel like a 'step,' child. It should feel like… a natural unfolding."
The comment hung in the air, a subtle seed of doubt planted in Lin Wei's already troubled mind.
The days that followed were a whirlwind of wedding preparations, orchestrated with the efficiency and precision that characterized everything Qin Feng did. High-end designers arrived with sketches for futuristic gowns, renowned chefs presented elaborate menu proposals, and Qin Feng's staff handled every logistical detail with seamless expertise. Lin Wei found herself swept along by the momentum, the spectacle of their impending wedding becoming increasingly real, despite the artificiality at its core.
Her parents were overjoyed, throwing themselves into the preparations with enthusiastic abandon. They discussed wedding themes, guest lists, and potential honeymoon destinations, their excitement a constant reminder of the lie Lin Wei was living. Each expression of their happiness was a fresh pang of guilt.
During one of the many planning sessions, Lin Wei found herself alone with her mother. "You seem a little quiet, Wei'er," her mother said, her brow furrowed with a hint of concern. "Are you sure about all of this? It's all happened so quickly."
This was Lin Wei's chance, a sliver of an opening to confide in her. But the fear of disappointing her parents, of shattering their newfound happiness, held her back. "It's just… a lot to take in, Mom," she said, opting for a vague response. "But I'm happy. Truly." The lie tasted like ash in her mouth.
The joint interview, broadcast across Neo-Shanghai and beyond, was a carefully choreographed performance. Qin Feng and Lin Wei sat side-by-side, projecting an image of serene happiness and mutual admiration. They reiterated their carefully crafted story, their practiced smiles and synchronized glances creating a convincing illusion of deep affection. The media lapped it up, hailing them as the power couple of the century.
Watching the replay later in the privacy of her apartment, Lin Wei felt a profound sense of disconnect. The poised, smiling woman on the screen felt like a stranger, a puppet dancing to the tune of a contractual agreement and familial expectations.
As the wedding day drew closer, the pressure intensified. The weight of the lie, the scrutiny of the public eye, and the genuine affection of her parents and Qin Feng's grandmother created a complex web of emotions within Lin Wei. She found herself increasingly drawn to Mei Qin, seeking out quiet moments to talk with her, drawn to her gentle wisdom and her perceptive gaze.
During one such conversation, Mei Qin held Lin Wei's hand, her touch surprisingly firm. "My dear," she said, her eyes filled with a deep sincerity, "marriage is a journey, not a destination. It will have its joys and its challenges. What matters most is the foundation upon which it is built."
Lin Wei met her gaze, the unspoken question in her heart mirrored in the elderly woman's knowing eyes. What was their foundation built upon? A contract? A lie? Or was there, perhaps, a fragile seed of something more, buried beneath the layers of their unconventional arrangement? The answer remained elusive, lost in the whirlwind of wedding preparations and the looming spectacle of their public union.