The news exploded overnight.
LIAN XUAN SPOTTED WITH MYSTERIOUS NEW PARTNER
Screens across cafes, subways, and dorm halls flickered with blurry photos: Lian Xuan stepping protectively in front of a silver-haired man behind velvet ropes; his hand caught mid-motion as it guided Yu Zhen through crowd turmoil.
Yu Zhen stared at the tablet when Lian Xuan's manager slammed it onto the dressing-room counter.
"See what you've started?"
Lian Xuan shrugged behind sunglasses."People see what they want."
Yu Zhen quietly observed the storm brewing — his introduction to the merciless mechanics of celebrity culture.
[MEDIA THREAT INDEX: RISING] [MEMORY FRAGMENT 5 — REACTING TO STRESS]
They officially signed the PR relationship contract that afternoon.
Six months.
Public appearances.
No real physical involvement.
Minimal private cohabitation.
It looked airtight.
But destiny ignored small print.
Playing the Part
They rehearsed public gestures like scenes from a script:
• Hand holding at gala entrances.• Quiet shoulder lean during interviews.• Side-by-side arrivals at premieres.
Each "pretend" action ignited strange tension neither could explain.
When Yu Zhen first slipped his hand into Lian Xuan's under paparazzi lights, the instant jolt felt like snapping live wire.
Lian Xuan almost startled openly.
[SOUL THREAD SURGE] [AFFINITY LEVEL: 79%]
"You okay?" Yu Zhen whispered through his polite interview smile.
Lian Xuan nodded stiffly."Just… déjà vu."
Because it wasn't pretend to his body.
Every nerve screamed—
Mine.
The Jealous Spark
Trouble arrived in the form of *
Wen Kai
—a charismatic rising actor cast opposite Lian Xuan in an upcoming drama.
During rehearsals Wen Kai shadowed Yu Zhen constantly — curious, openly flirty.
"You're not an actor?" Wen Kai asked one afternoon, grabbing coffee beside him."You could be."
Yu Zhen smiled politely. "I prefer standing off stage."
Wen Kai leaned closer.
"Off stage doesn't mean off-limits."
Across the room, Lian Xuan froze mid-line delivery.
His gaze burned.
Yu Zhen felt it instantly — the same suffocating pressure as in past worlds when danger approached.
[ALPHA-ADJACENT RESPONSE — NOT BIOLOGICAL] [EMOTIONAL POSSESSIVENESS SPIKE]
He excused himself quickly.
Later, while under stylist touchups, Yu Zhen felt Lian Xuan's presence behind him.
His voice dropped low.
"Does he bother you?"
The question sounded casual.
It wasn't.
Yu Zhen met his reflection in the mirror.
"No more than fame in general."
Lian Xuan's jaw flexed.
"I don't like the way he looks at you."
Yu Zhen softened his tone.
"It's harmless."
Lian Xuan leaned close enough that only Yu Zhen could hear.
"So is sitting on a volcano until it erupts."
Cracks in the Script
That night, paparazzi staked out Lian Xuan's condo.
Yu Zhen and Lian Xuan slipped in through a back entrance to avoid the crowd — trapping themselves inside until dawn.
The penthouse was quiet, city glowing beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass.
They sat across from each other at the counter — fake lovers finally alone.
"You don't need to keep acting," Yu Zhen said lightly.
"I'm not."
The answer came too fast.
Yu Zhen stilled.
Lian Xuan exhaled slowly.
"I don't understand," he admitted, voice losing its practiced edge."When I touch you, it feels like remembering something I shouldn't."
Yu Zhen's heart quickened.
[MEMORY FRAGMENT 5 — PRESSURE BUILDING]
"Maybe you are remembering," Yu Zhen murmured.
They sat in silence.
The contract waited between them — untouched.
Finally, Yu Zhen reached out, folding it carefully closed.
"Whatever this is… it doesn't need a script."
Lian Xuan looked up sharply.
"Are you saying you don't want to pretend anymore?"
"No," Yu Zhen replied quietly."I'm saying pretending stopped being necessary."
Neither moved.
The space between them tightened with unspoken truth.
[AFINNITY LEVEL: 82%] [MEMORY FRAGMENT 5 — MID-AWAKENING] [SOUL THREAD: HIGH-RESONANCE]