The agreement, once struck amidst the raw steel and echoing clang of the Azure Spire, felt strangely solidified by the mere act of stating it aloud. A contractual marriage. A public spectacle. The implications of their decision began to settle upon Lin Wei, a weight far heavier than any architectural blueprint she had ever handled. The pragmatic part of her acknowledged the potential benefits – the appeasement of her parents, the professional leverage within Stellaris Tech, the peace for Qin Feng's grandmother. But the more personal, visceral part of her recoiled at the idea of such a deeply intimate act being reduced to a strategic alliance, played out under the unforgiving glare of public scrutiny.
Qin Feng, for his part, seemed to have already shifted into a mode of cool efficiency, the CEO taking over from the briefly vulnerable grandson. "Very well, Ms. Lin Wei. I will have my legal team draft a preliminary contract outlining the terms we have discussed. We can review it together tomorrow morning." His tone was detached, businesslike, as if they were discussing a merger or a major acquisition.
"Understood," Lin Wei replied, matching his professional demeanor, though a knot of unease tightened in her stomach. The swiftness with which he had moved from the deeply personal to the strictly transactional was both expected and somehow… disappointing.
"Regarding the public announcement," Qin Feng continued, his gaze thoughtful, "we will need a carefully orchestrated strategy. A joint statement, perhaps an interview. We will need to present a believable narrative."
Lin Wei nodded, the reality of their agreement sinking in further. "A narrative. Yes. Something that explains our… sudden union."
"Perhaps a shared vision for the future," Qin Feng suggested, a hint of a calculating glint in his eyes. "A mutual respect that has… blossomed into something more."
Lin Wei suppressed a wry smile. Blossomed was hardly the word she would use to describe their relationship. More like a long-standing, prickly rivalry that had now taken a bizarrely intimate turn.
"We will need to be convincing," she reiterated, the weight of her parents' expectations pressing down on her. "They have always hoped for… a traditional union."
"We will endeavor to meet those expectations, within the confines of our agreement," Qin Feng assured her, his tone leaving no room for misinterpretation regarding the "confines."
The following morning, Lin Wei found herself seated in Qin Feng's opulent office once again, a sleek datapad displaying the initial draft of their marriage contract resting on the polished surface of his desk. The document was comprehensive, detailing the terms they had discussed with legal precision: the public commitment, the lack of expectation for intimacy, the pre-determined timeframe linked to Mei Qin's well-being, the professional benefits for Lin Wei, and the assurances of her autonomy. Reading it felt surreal, as if she were reviewing the terms of a bizarre theatrical production in which she was playing a lead role.
As they went through the clauses, Qin Feng remained detached and professional, explaining the legal jargon with cool efficiency. Lin Wei, despite her inner turmoil, focused on ensuring her interests were protected, her professional boundaries clearly defined.
The discussion regarding the public announcement was equally strategic. Qin Feng's PR team had already been alerted, and a carefully crafted statement was prepared for release. It spoke of a long-standing mutual respect and admiration that had recently evolved into a deeper connection, a shared vision for the future, and a desire to build a life together. The carefully chosen words painted a picture far removed from the reality of their contractual arrangement.
Later that day, as Lin Wei was engrossed in a design meeting with Chen Li, her personal comm chimed incessantly. News alerts. Social media notifications. Her name, alongside Qin Feng's, was trending. The carefully orchestrated announcement had been released, and the media had predictably latched onto the story of the powerful CEO of Stellaris Tech finding love with one of his talented architects.
The images were already circulating: a formal headshot of Qin Feng, a professional photo of Lin Wei from the company directory. Speculation ran rampant. How had this romance blossomed? When had they become involved? The narrative being spun was one of a whirlwind romance between two brilliant minds, a power couple destined for greatness.
Lin Wei felt a wave of nausea wash over her as she scrolled through the headlines. This was it. The public pact. The first flash of the cameras, albeit digital ones for now. Her life, her personal choices, were now under the intense scrutiny of the global media.
That evening, as she returned to her apartment in Skyline Residences, she found a small, elegant bouquet of synth-roses waiting for her on her doorstep. A simple card accompanied it, bearing only Qin Feng's initials. It was a gesture, she realized, a part of the "believable narrative" they were now obligated to create.
The irony was not lost on her. Living in his building, now publicly engaged to him, yet their relationship was built on a foundation of a temporary contract and a carefully constructed lie. As Kai played a soothing melody in the background, Lin Wei looked at the beautiful, artificial flowers, a tangible symbol of their artificial union. The unease in her heart grew, a silent whisper questioning the long-term consequences of this most illogical agreement. The public pact had been made, the cameras were flashing, but the private unease within her remained, a quiet storm brewing beneath the carefully constructed surface of their impending public life together.