Uncle, Stop Pretending

[Unrelated by blood, uncle and niece in name only + ten years of growing up together + no misunderstandings + jealous powerful man loses his composure + mutually devoted and exclusive]

Everyone in Nancheng praised Shen Zhiyan for his loyalty and devotion, saying he had kept to his role as an uncle and doted on his late friends’ orphan, Su Nuo, for ten years.

No one knew that the restraint in his eyes could no longer contain the feelings surging within him.

When she deliberately stayed out late at bars, he stormed in with a cold face and dragged her away. He scolded her for being “irresponsible,” then turned around and had the whole street renovated;

When she pretended to go to an exhibition with an older schoolmate, he showed up out of nowhere and cut in, pulling her away with a dark expression. He always used “I’m your uncle, I have to look after you” as an excuse.

She flirted with him at every turn, and he backed away at every turn, clinging to the line between them.

Until the Wen family’s banquet, when Wen Yu presented her with roses and confessed his love in front of everyone.

Su Nuo smiled at him from across the crowd and called out, “If my little uncle agrees, I’ll say yes.”

The man strode over with a dark expression, gripping her wrist so tightly his hand trembled. His voice was hoarse but forceful:

“You’re not allowed to say yes.”

Ten years of restraint shattered in an instant.

By the entryway, he pinned her against the wall and kissed her fiercely, eyes red, as all his composure and restraint fell away:

“I’m done pretending. I’m not being your uncle anymore.”