Sinking into the Night [Male Substitute]

[Male Stand-in Romance]

① Rong Anqing was in a car accident. When he woke up, he had lost all his memories. Everything before him was unfamiliar, but luckily his fiancée, Shi Wenyun, stayed by his side every day and pulled him out of his gloom.

Friends who came to visit all said that they had been childhood sweethearts and were deeply in love, a beautiful romance that had lasted from school uniforms to wedding gowns. Thousands upon thousands of photos on his phone proved their love, too. Yet he, the person at the center of it all, knew nothing about their past, and Rong Anqing felt deeply guilty toward Shi Wenyun as a result.

To make it up to her, Rong Anqing tried every way he could to treat Shi Wenyun well, but he could clearly feel how hot and cold she was with him.

Sometimes Shi Wenyun would gaze into his eyes with deep affection, caress his face, and softly murmur, "Rong Anqing, I love you so much." Then, the very next second, she would abruptly push him away when he leaned in for a kiss. Rong Anqing was utterly bewildered. He had no idea what he had done wrong, or what made Shi Wenyun's attitude change so suddenly.

As time went on, Rong Anqing began to sense that something was off.

Shi Wenyun became increasingly unwilling to let him get close. She even avoided such small gestures as holding hands or putting an arm around her waist. They were nothing like the loving couple everyone described.

What made him most uncomfortable was when he met Shi Wenyun's eyes. She was clearly looking at him, yet it felt as though she wasn't looking at him at all, as if she were looking through him at someone else.

Moreover, when Rong Anqing looked through old photos of himself and Shi Wenyun, he felt a strange, indescribable sense of unfamiliarity. He stared at the man in the photos, who looked exactly like him, but couldn't feel that the man was himself. Amid the turmoil in his heart, the strongest emotion of all was... hatred.

As they spent day after day together, Rong Anqing began to suspect something, though he didn't dare admit it.

Whenever the thought crossed his mind, he felt as if he were wrapped in a bone-chilling cold. But he had to admit that... he had fallen in love with Shi Wenyun. Even with layer upon layer of mystery between them, he had still fallen for her with all the courage he could muster.

The night is dangerous and alluring.

So is she.

② Rong Anqing thought he must be going mad.

He accidentally caught Shi Wenyun passionately kissing a man who looked exactly like him. His first reaction was to run. He didn't have the courage to confront her. He could only flee like a dog that had lost its home, then pretend he hadn't seen anything and continue to maintain his fragile, bubble-like relationship with Shi Wenyun, one that could burst with a single touch.

Later, Rong Anqing saw Shi Wenyun secretly chatting with that man behind his back, sharing bits of their lives, and going on dates. Though it tore him apart inside, all he could ask was, "Wenyun, could you stay with me a little longer today?"

He knew Shi Wenyun was tough on the outside but soft-hearted, especially when faced with a little pleading. Sure enough, when he put on a pitiful act, she usually gave in.

As long as she was by his side, Rong Anqing felt he could endure a life like this.

But Rong Anqing never expected to come face-to-face with the man at the Rong family estate.

The man sat in a wheelchair, dressed in cool white. His porcelain-pale skin had a sickly cast, while his eyes alone carried a dark, possessive air. The faint red kiss mark above his collarbone was unbearably conspicuous.

The man held out a hand, the corners of his mouth lifting into a faint smile. He said, word by word, "Hello, my name is Rong, An, Qing."

P.S. The male lead is only in a wheelchair temporarily. He'll recover soon.

[Blurb written on 2023.11.21]

Theme: Two people choosing each other and growing together.