The sound of applause echoed in Su Nian's ears, but it felt like it was coming from a distance. She had won the competition, but the weight of the moment felt heavy in her chest. The success of her designs, the validation from the judges—it should have been the happiest moment of her life. But instead, it was tinged with an overwhelming feeling of uncertainty.
She stood there backstage, trying to absorb the reality of her victory, when Lu Cheng appeared, his presence like a grounding force amid the whirlwind. He stepped toward her with that familiar confident stride, but today, there was something different in his expression. A storm was brewing in his eyes, one that Su Nian couldn't quite place.
"You did it," he said, his voice filled with quiet pride.
Su Nian smiled softly, but her thoughts were elsewhere. "I can't believe it," she whispered. "I didn't think I'd actually win. It feels too surreal."
Lu Cheng's lips quirked into a smile, but his gaze softened. "You earned it, Nian Nian. You've worked so hard for this. No one can take that away from you."
But as he spoke, Su Nian couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. There was an unspoken tension hanging between them. It wasn't in the words they shared, but rather the silence that lingered in the air after they spoke.
As the night continued, the celebration outside the academy was in full swing. Su Nian was still processing the events of the day when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to find Clara standing there, her face pale with a look of concern.
"What's wrong?" Su Nian asked, her voice laced with worry.
Clara hesitated for a moment, looking around as if to make sure no one was listening. "It's about Lu Cheng."
Su Nian frowned. "What do you mean? What's happened?"
"Listen," Clara began, lowering her voice. "I overheard something earlier. Some people were talking about him—about his family. They said he has a lot of secrets, things that could affect his relationship with you. I don't know what it is, but… I think you need to be careful, Nian."
Su Nian's heart skipped a beat. "What kind of secrets?"
Clara shook her head. "I don't know. I only heard bits and pieces. But I can tell you this—it's something big. Something that could change everything."
Su Nian's mind raced. The last thing she needed right now was more complications, more obstacles between her and Lu Cheng. But Clara's words stuck with her, gnawing at her conscience. She didn't want to doubt Lu Cheng, but could there really be something hidden beneath the surface?
That night, after the celebrations had died down, Su Nian found herself in her hotel room, unable to sleep. Her thoughts kept circling back to Clara's warning. Should she confront Lu Cheng about the secrets his family was supposedly hiding? Or should she trust him and let it be?
Her mind felt like it was running in circles, and that's when she heard a knock at the door.
She opened it to find Lu Cheng standing there, his expression unreadable. His usual confidence was gone, replaced with a strange vulnerability. He wasn't wearing his usual polished demeanor, and something about the way he looked at her made her heart ache.
"Can I come in?" he asked, his voice low.
Su Nian stepped aside, allowing him to enter. She watched as he closed the door behind him, his eyes locking with hers.
"I need to talk to you," he said quietly, his tone filled with a heaviness she hadn't heard before.
Su Nian swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "What's going on, Lu Cheng?"
He took a deep breath, as if gathering his thoughts. "I need to tell you something. Something that I should've told you a long time ago."
Su Nian's stomach tightened with a mix of fear and curiosity. "What is it?"
Lu Cheng stepped closer, his gaze fixed on her. "It's about my family. About why I agreed to this marriage in the first place."
Su Nian's heart pounded in her chest. She had suspected that there was more to their relationship than he had let on, but hearing him say it out loud made her stomach twist in knots.
"I didn't want to marry you at first," he continued, his voice strained. "It wasn't because of you, Nian. It was because of my family. They pressured me into it. My grandparents—they've been trying to control my life for years. They threatened to cut me off from everything if I didn't comply. They made it clear that I had no choice."
Su Nian's breath caught in her throat. "So this was never your decision?"
"No," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But that doesn't mean I don't care about you, Nian Nian. That doesn't mean I don't want to be with you. I just… I didn't have a choice. And I know that I've hurt you by keeping this from you, by pretending that everything was fine."
Su Nian's mind was racing, the weight of his words sinking in. She had always known there was something more to his story, but hearing it now, with such raw honesty, made her question everything. Was this how their relationship had started? Was she just a pawn in his family's game?
She didn't know how to respond. The anger, the hurt, and the confusion swirled inside her, but one thing was certain: she couldn't let this tear them apart. Not yet.
"Nian Nian," Lu Cheng's voice broke through her thoughts, and she met his gaze. "I know this changes things. But I want you to know that I'm not doing this for them. I'm doing this for you. I want to build something real with you."
Su Nian stood there for a moment, her thoughts a whirlwind. She wanted to believe him, she wanted to trust him. But everything in her screamed for answers. She needed time to process, to understand what this all meant.
"Lu Cheng," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I need time. I need to think about all of this. I can't just forget everything in one night. I'm not sure how to feel about any of this right now."
His expression faltered for a moment, but he nodded. "I understand. Take all the time you need. But know this, Nian Nian—I'll wait for you. No matter what."
As Lu Cheng left the room, Su Nian felt a weight lift off her shoulders, but another burden took its place. The truth had been laid bare, but now she had to figure out what to do with it. Could she forgive him? Could she trust him?
And more importantly, could they still have a future together after everything that had been revealed?