After that first meeting, nothing happened abruptly.
And that, curiously, is what made everything so natural.
The information was passed on to the families almost as a formality. Discreet meetings, measured conversations, documents being adjusted. When the two clans finally met, the understanding was swift. There were clear interests, mutual advantages, and, above all, two heirs who did not oppose the union.
Marriage is no longer a possibility, but has become a scheduled task.
In the months leading up to the ceremony, Lin Yue and Shen Yichen continued to see each other. Not with the anxious frequency of a couple in love, nor with the coldness of strangers forced to share a destiny, but in a comfortable middle ground.
They met at high society events—charity dinners, inaugurations, political receptions. Lin Yue walked beside Shen Yichen with ease, knowing when to speak and when to simply observe. He never overshadowed him, never diminished himself. There was a practical harmony there that effortlessly drew attention.
Over time, they also began to meet on their own initiative.
They discussed where they would live after the wedding. A spacious, discreet, well-located apartment. They quickly agreed on the essentials: separate workspaces, respected schedules, a routine without unnecessary impositions. Neither of them seemed interested in creating a domestic illusion they didn't intend to maintain.
Lin Yue would give her opinion when asked. Shen Yichen would listen.
On a few occasions, Lin Yue would visit him at the office to have lunch together. She didn't show up unannounced, she didn't demand attention. She always gave prior notice. She always respected his time.
And yet, his presence began to become part of Shen Yichen's daily life.
She would sit across from him, talk about trivial matters, ask about projects without going into details. When he needed to answer a call, Lin Yue would wait impatiently, leafing through some report or simply observing the city through the window.
That didn't bother him.
In fact, it made the days more… stable.
The months passed by too quickly, as they often do when everything happens without resistance.
When spring arrived, the wedding was already scheduled.
The ceremony was exactly what one would expect from two high-society families: discreet, impeccable, carefully planned. A flowery garden, soft tones, elegant arrangements. Nothing excessive. Nothing vulgar.
The guests were a calculated mix of family, close friends, political allies, and business partners. People who knew how to smile at the right moments and interpret silences with precision.
What drew the most attention, however, was not the bride and groom — but their families.
Lin Yue and Shen Yichen's parents displayed an almost youthful cheerfulness. They chatted animatedly, toasted together, and exchanged comments about the future. The union seemed to seal something greater than a simple marriage.
The bride and groom, in turn, maintained impeccable posture.
Lin Yue looked stunning. Her dress was simple yet elegant, her hair styled in a classic updo, and her makeup understated. Shen Yichen, impeccable in his tailored suit, had an upright posture and a serene expression.
They smiled for the cameras. They greeted the guests. They walked side by side like a couple who seemed made for each other.
For many, those smiles were merely professional—rehearsed to convey solidity, stability, success. A sham relationship, like so many others born from strategic alliances.
And perhaps, in the beginning, that was indeed the case.
But only Lin Yue and Shen Yichen knew that, between one neutral conversation and another, something had changed.
It wasn't love.
It wasn't a deep desire.
It was familiarity.
When they exchanged vows—simple, direct, without grand promises—there was a brief moment when their eyes truly met. Not as husband and wife, but as two people who had chosen to walk together without illusions.
And this, in some way, creates something akin to trust.
At the end of the ceremony, while the guests celebrated and the families displayed complete satisfaction, Lin Yue and Shen Yichen remained close, conversing in hushed voices, sharing brief, almost complicit comments.
If someone were to observe carefully, they might notice:
They weren't in love.
But they weren't strangers either.
And in that world where almost everything was staged, that was already more than most weddings could boast.
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