Chapter 1 — From Best Friends to Strangers

Tran Du Chau and I have been platonic friends for twenty-six years. Men and women are different, but he is a frivolous person who doesn't know how to sleep alone. So every time he falls in love, I proactively cut off contact. Twenty-seventh birthday. Perhaps Tran Du Chau was annoyed by his family's pressure to get married, so he ran to my door early in the morning.

"Phuong Tinh, let's temporarily accept each other."

The curse was about to fall out of my mouth.

“I'm serious.”

The first time Tran Du Chau crossed the boundary and reached out to me. I looked at him, thinking for a few seconds.

"Tran Du Chau, if we become lovers, after breaking up I won't be friends with you anymore."

He laughed jokingly:

"I can't break up, I can't bear it."

So I took his hand. This "temporary acceptance" lasts three years. During the engagement party, Tran Du Chau and his friends escaped to the balcony to smoke.

"Mr. Chau, before I was afraid that the old man would attack Tu Tinh, so we discussed asking Ms. Phuong to act as a front for her. But today I see, Ms. Phuong seems to be sincere."

“You... didn't tell Ms. Phuong this was just an act, right?”

1. 2. The mist obscured Tran Du Chau's face, his voice was cold and calm:

"That day was so urgent, I forgot."

My steps stopped at the corner. Still holding the cold medicine I bought for him in my hand. Chu Dat panicked, raised his voice and scolded him, "you animal". Then come back and ask:

"So what are you and Phuong planning now, real or fake marriage?"

"Yesterday I saw Tu Tinh posting to his friend circle. At midnight before the engagement, he was still at her house, only wearing a bathrobe, cooking late at night."

Tran Du Chau laughed.

"Tu Tinh is of course my girlfriend."

"As for Phuong Tinh, she's just a marriage partner, there's no difference between real or fake marriage."

“I saw early on that she liked me, I gave her a perfect marriage and status, and didn't consider it abusive.”

The glass cup in my hand was so hot that my palms were sore. I bowed my head awkwardly. Found that the cold medicine had dissolved in the palm of my hand. Hotter than my face—the shame of having my secret love exposed and made fun of.

"You know? Phuong Tinh is actually quite stupid. I've been in love for many years, and no one holds the hand of the person they want to marry but breathes rapidly, not daring to look straight like that."

“She always pretends not to care about me, acting cool, but actually she's very patient, and even pampers me.”

Tran Du Chau coughed twice and boasted:

“Two days before the engagement, I tricked her into saying I was going on an urgent business trip, but she didn't suspect anything and even helped me pack my luggage.”

"Last night, Tu Tinh and I played by the window a bit too much. When I got home in the morning, I had a headache. There was no medicine in the house. She wore pajamas and a fur coat in the middle of the night and went out to buy medicine. She also cooked ginger soup to coax me to drink it before going to sleep."

“Woke up about half an hour later and touched my forehead, afraid I had a fever.”

“She doesn't even know how much she likes me.”

Chu Dat clicked his tongue:

"Mr. Chau, Ms. Phuong is so kind to you, I don't believe you're not moved at all?"

I stood outside the door. I feel like a joke, my eyes sting. But still didn't leave, wanting to hear his answer. Tran Du Chau did not hesitate, his voice full of sarcasm:

“Why are you asking something stupid, of course not prefer."

"Phuong Tinh and I have known each other for thirty years. If we could be together, we would have been together a long time ago. There's no need to wait until we're twenty-seven."

“I like the type that is both flirtatious and innocent, the type of little white flower traitor. She's so cold and tough, it's not my type at all."

“Love is something that, at one glance, determines life or death. I don't believe that love lasts for a long time. Even in another thirty years, I still wouldn't like her.”

He took a deep breath and said naturally:

“But Phuong Tinh is my lifelong friend, and will later be my family member. Even if I don't love her, I won't mistreat her."

“She and Tu Tinh, I both want them.”

My heart aches. But I couldn't help but want to laugh. What does Tran Du Chau think of me? An item of your choice? If you want it, pick it up, if you don't want it, throw it aside. How vile must he be to make him think that marrying me is a favor? On the rooftop, Chu Dat sighed and patted Tran Du Chau's shoulder.

"Let's go, Mr. Chau, the party is about to start."

"Let Tu Tinh pretend to be my cousin tonight, right?"

I turned around and went downstairs first. Rushed into the bathroom, couldn't help but vomited. Tears fell faster than hands could wipe, smudging the makeup that had been carefully prepared. These years of love are like a foul swamp, engulfing me in an instant, making me suffocate and nauseous. The phone is still ringing continuously. 【Wedding party! Where are the two main characters?】 【Chau and I are coming right away, my cousin is also coming tonight.】 【Since when did you get a cousin? Where is Ms. Phuong? There's no movement.] I found an empty room. Wash your face and apply makeup gently.