[OOC warning! He Li is heavily reimagined!]
Shen Zhiyi was a liar. One lie had to be covered up with another, until in the end, even she could no longer tell truth from falsehood.
She could lie her way into wealth and luxury, into fine clothes, and naturally, into someone's sincere love as well.
She used lies to meet a lover and lies to be intimate with him. As time passed, even she could no longer tell how deeply she had fallen for him.
He Li had helped interrogate prisoners in his early years. He was best at seeing through lies.
Shen Zhiyi was the prisoner he interrogated the longest. Her tragic background, her pitiful innocence, and her deep devotion were all built on lies.
He had never met anyone so fake. Finding her fascinating, he willingly sank into the mire, knowing full well her love was false, yet caring nothing for the flames that would consume him.
Her name was false, her background was false, and her identity was riddled with lies. Every word she spoke reeked of affectation, so even her sincerity became a pretense to deceive him.
This farce could only end with both sides destroyed.
Rapeseed flowers bloom only in spring, and crabapple blossoms need the early spring rain. She would never live to see spring. The cold winter night would be her grave. Lin'an was prosperous, and there was nothing wrong with sleeping here forever.
She had come so close to living to a hundred.
She had come so close to a lifetime of happiness together.
