Pretending to Fall: Rekindled Love [Broken Mirror Made Whole] (Next Book)

[Rekindled romance / Foster-family story / Pseudo-siblings / She pretends to love him, but his feelings are real / Bittersweet]

[Heiress of heaven x troublemaking puppy]

1/

Years after their breakup, Shen Xihe never expected to see Chen Hexing again as the representative of a business partner negotiating with the Shen Group.

In seven years, Shen Xihe had taken over her family's business and become the only woman in charge among the four great families.

Meanwhile, Chen Hexing had become a rising star in business circles as the head of Intercontinental's China division, just as admired as he had been in his youth.

The two acted as if they didn't know each other at the negotiating table, but few people knew that Chen Hexing was Shen Xihe's stepbrother.

A few years ago, they had even shared a bed.

They first met in her father's study. The young man stood before the sandalwood bookcase, dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, refined and aloof.

Later, those hands had caressed her cheeks and every inch of her body. He had whispered in her ear, "Shen Xihe, was everything you felt for me a lie?"

She had replied, "I never had real feelings for you."

2/

Because of Chen Hexing's status, plenty of people wanted to get close to him.

They sent money and women his way.

But Chen Hexing turned them all away.

Some joked, "Mr. Chen isn't interested in women. He's devoted to his career."

Others in the know said, "Mr. Chen has someone in his heart. He's not interested in anyone else."

Chen Hexing just smiled.

At a business gathering, someone asked about Chen Hexing's romantic history. He didn't hide the truth, merely saying, "I got dumped."

A few people at the banquet expressed sympathy for him.

But when Shen Xihe met Chen Hexing's eyes, she knew he was here to settle the score.

Following her principle of running at the first sign of danger, Shen Xihe said she had something urgent to take care of and left early.

But an Intercontinental employee heading to the restroom saw their division head cornering the young lady of the Shen family, who was trying to leave. He spoke with an intimate air. "Pretending you don't know me?"

Shen Xihe's voice came from the other side. "Should I know you, Brother?"

The man sneered. "You may not know me, but your body's reaction gives you away. What are you hiding from, little sister?"

"Your body doesn't lie."

Shen Xihe remembered those words for a long time.

Until the two of them ended up tangled together in bed once more.

Chen Hexing's fingertips brushed the identical tattoo on her waist. He chuckled softly, his breath grazing her ear. "I told you long ago, baby. Your body doesn't lie to me."

3/

Shen Xihe, the beloved daughter of the Shen family of Jing City, was engaged. Her fiance was from the renowned Zhong family, one of the city's most prominent clans.

People marveled at how lucky Shen Xihe was. In the past, her father had made the Shen family soar. After his death, her current stepfather had supported the family. It was no longer as glorious as before, but it was still one of the four great families of the capital.

But on the day of the engagement, the groom didn't show up.

After asking around, they learned that the groom had been accidentally hit on the road and had broken his leg. He was now in the hospital.

The guests frantically asked who could be reckless enough to hit someone from the Zhong family.

Amid the commotion, a man in a suit appeared, travel-worn but still dignified.

"I'm sorry, everyone. I accidentally hit the eldest Zhong young master just now. He's in the hospital, so he definitely can't attend the engagement. Why don't I take his place?"

The man was Chen Hexing,

Shen Xihe's brother in name only.

[Note]

* The blurb's premise was first settled on 2025.9.24 and revised on 2026.4.15.

* The leads are not legally related. The male lead's father and the female lead's mother never married, and the leads are not registered in the same household. This will be explained later.

* Mainly an urban story. The male lead has never dated since the breakup and is pure in body and mind. The female lead took over the company and had some casual flings and a few male companions, but at most they held hands and had no other intimate contact. If that bothers you, don't read.

* The male lead is deeply in love; the female lead's pretense eventually becomes genuine.

* One-on-one, both leads are sexually inexperienced.

Theme: Love can flatten every obstacle