The man's low voice, still filled with lingering anger, sounded in her ear.
"Say it, whose wife are you? Think carefully before you speak!"
This was the first time he had been so fierce with her, and it made Tang Xiaomin's fragile heart feel incredibly wronged.
"I'm not married yet, I'm not anyone's wife."
There was a bit of playful defiance in her tone; she simply didn't want to fulfill his wish at that moment.
These words, however, brought a sudden sense of loss to Yan Jue's heart.
"How long have you been with me, do you remember? How many nights have we spent together, sharing warmth? Do I need to remind you again?"
What?
Tang Xiaomin blinked in surprise.
"You remember so clearly?"
Of course, he remembered clearly. He remembered every single moment they had spent together, all of it deeply imprinted on his soul. Even after drinking the waters of Oblivion to erase his memory, the profound feelings he held for her remained indelible.
"I remember."
...
Tang Xiaomin frowned, looking at him in disbelief.
"You remember, so that means your memory has recovered?"
...
Yan Jue suddenly realized he seemed to have said the wrong thing and froze on the spot. Tang Xiaomin didn't want him to recover his memories, so he had kept the fact of his recovery a secret to cooperate with her. Keeping it from her had been a considerable effort for him.
Yan Jue's silence explained everything.
Tang Xiaomin slowly suppressed her inner shock.
"When did it recover, and why didn't you tell me?"
"Minmin, that's not important."
He obstinately pursued his earlier question.
"What's important is, whose wife are you?"
He was so enraged by this charade. Tang Xiaomin felt utterly speechless; being with a yandere was truly exhausting.
"You're still angry? I told you it was a pre-rehearsed stage performance, it was fake, do you understand?"
Understanding was one thing, but experiencing it firsthand was another. The moment Tang Xiaomin had announced on stage that she was Tang Ye's wife, those words had severely jolted Yan Jue. He had felt a sense of loss and had gone mad with it.
He pulled her fiercely into his arms again, pressing his head tightly against her neck.
"I understand, but I just can't stand you saying those things, even if they were fake. Minmin, don't torment me like this, I'll go crazy."
...
To outsiders, it was just a performance, something no one would take seriously. Yet, he, knowing it was fake, chose to torment himself. Tang Xiaomin, while speechless, felt a pang of sympathy for Yan Jue.
She patiently explained the whole story.
"This concert is very important to Tang Ye. If he doesn't trend tomorrow, his agency will shelve him. He needed to create buzz at the concert and then be able to resolve it easily. So, I had to help him."
"Only this identity as his own sister could allow him to escape the public scrutiny."
Everything was finally explained. Feeling the person in his arms, Yan Jue finally felt a sense of security, and his emotions began to calm down.
"Then tell me, whose wife are you?"
This...
Tang Xiaomin’s head ached. She hadn't yet entered the paradise of marriage with him, hadn't bowed to heaven and earth. They were merely lovers for now. Lacking that ritualistic sense, it just wouldn't do; she absolutely couldn't compromise on this.
"Currently, I'm no one's. As for the future..."
She finally said it.
"What about the future?"
Yan Jue continued to coax her.
"Minmin, you've already accepted my proposal. I can wait for you to graduate, I can wait for you forever. But for you to keep this man who loves you waiting like this, to make him heartbroken for you every day, and yet refuse to give him peace of mind..."
"It's too cruel. Don't you know my heart bleeds when you don't say it, that it hurts terribly?"
As he spoke, he held her tighter, as if wanting to merge her into his very being. If it were to someone else, Tang Xiaomin would have uttered a false declaration without hesitation. But now, she couldn't fool him. She hesitated, her face buried in his broad chest, feeling hot and on the verge of sweating.
"Minmin, tell me quickly. I beg you, say it, I want to hear you say it."
"Minmin, I'd give you my life. What else are you worried about with me?"
...
Sweet words were the most moving. Ripples stirred within Tang Xiaomin's heart, her emotions fluttering like a startled deer. Under his persistent coaxing, she finally relented. She whispered into his chest.
"Yours."
Where Tang Xiaomin couldn't see, a smile played on the man's lips.
"What did you say? I didn't hear you clearly."
Tang Xiaomin thought she had spoken too softly, and Yan Jue truly hadn't heard. This time, she slightly raised her voice.
"Yours."
"What? Say it louder."
...
"Yours."
Yan Jue smiled, his heart blooming with unparalleled happiness.
"Minmin, I want to hear the full version, okay?"
Again and again, Tang Xiaomin realized she was being cleverly manipulated by him. A little annoyed, she rubbed her forehead hard against his chest. Everyone knew that rubbing one's head against skin could be quite painful. She then raised her voice, with the same tone she had used at the concert.
"Your wife!"
"Aiya..."
Spinning around, Yan Jue carried her in circles, as overjoyed as if he had won the lottery.
...
The day after the concert, Tang Ye, as desired, trended on the hot search with the topic of his rumored wife. The most discussed points revolved around Tang Ye's romantic entanglements and the girl who claimed to be his wife at the concert, only to leave with another man under everyone's gaze. It was a sensational, melodramatic affair, with the day's topic comments exceeding a hundred million.
Half an hour past the start of work, Tang Ye leisurely entered Heaven Entertainment Company.
"You're already late for work after just trending. Tang Ye, are you putting on airs because of your sudden popularity?" Sheng Mo's cold voice echoed. Today, he was wearing a black and red tracksuit, looking ready for dance practice.
Tang Ye snorted dismissively, not intending to engage with Sheng Mo, the brash newcomer. Just then, Manager Wang happened to pass by.
"Tang Ye's here."
Sheng Mo immediately chimed in.
"Yes, he's over half an hour late. The company has explicit rules about docking pay for tardiness." Sheng Mo finished, anticipating Tang Ye's comeuppance.
However, Manager Wang's next words sent him into despair. Manager Wang, abandoning his usual indifference towards Tang Ye, warmly patted him on the shoulder.
"Tang Ye, you've hit number one on the hot search. Although the current topic is a bit messy, it's fine. Once the hype reaches its peak, the PR team will handle it."
"You need to stay energetic during this period. There are over a dozen variety shows lined up and dozens of commercials to shoot. It will be a bit tiring, but I'll arrange a few more assistants and bodyguards for you. Just tell me if you need anything else."