Chen Ze's fury boiled over. "Du Yue, what has gotten into you?"
"I'm sorry…" Du Yue's reaction had been instinctive. Coming back to her senses, her head throbbed painfully, and she sank back down onto the seat. This time, however, Chen Ze didn't rest his arm on her shoulder but kept it behind her instead. On camera, it appeared as though he were holding her from behind.
"Alright, let's begin the interview." The reporter flipped through their notes and posed a question: "We've heard that Mrs. Chen struggled with mental illness in the past. Has her condition stabilized now?"
Chen Ze nodded. "Yes, it has. That's exactly why I decided to bring her back. After two years apart, I've missed my wife every single day. Thankfully, fate has allowed her to return to me."
"So, Miss Du, may I ask—what are your feelings about Mr. Chen's eagerness to take you out of the psychiatric hospital? Are you touched by his devotion?"
Du Yue's mind buzzed with pain. Her fingers dug into her knees as she desperately tried to recall the reporter's words. What did she feel? What was she supposed to feel?
"I'm very…" She struggled to remember the scripted response, but nothing came to her. Her thoughts swirled chaotically, like leaves caught in a storm.
"Du Yue, what are you trying to pull?" Chen Ze snapped impatiently, grabbing her chin. "Are you doing this on purpose?"
"No, I'm not…" Du Yue mumbled, her head spinning.
"Perhaps we should try again. Miss Du might just be nervous," the reporter said smoothly, glancing meaningfully at the camera before repeating the question: "Miss Du, how do you feel about Mr. Chen's determination to bring you home from the psychiatric hospital? Does it move you?"
"Yes, I am deeply moved. When I first met him, it was his integrity and loyalty that drew me to him. Because of him, I managed to recover from my lowest point. I…" Du Yue faltered once more. Anxiety made her palms sweat, and the more flustered she became, the harder it was to remember the lines.
At this, even the reporter hesitated. "Miss Du doesn't seem to be in good shape. Is something wrong?"
Chen Ze's expression darkened. His piercing gaze locked onto Du Yue's face as he ground out between clenched teeth, "Du Yue, you'd better explain yourself. Don't tell me you're deliberately wasting my time."
"No… no, I'm not. My head hurts so much…" Du Yue's voice trembled, fear causing her shoulders to quake.
Chen Ze turned his icy stare toward Zhao Xue and the others. "What's going on here? Didn't I tell you to take care of her yesterday?"
They exchanged uneasy glances. Finally, Zhao Xue stepped forward, murmuring, "Sir, we honestly don't know what happened. Miss Du seemed perfectly fine earlier—cheerful, active, and eating normally. We don't understand why she's acting this way today. As soon as you arrived, her demeanor changed completely…"
Another added, "That's right. Just yesterday, Miss Du even ordered us around arrogantly, insisting we wash clothes in cold water. How could she fall ill so suddenly? Even if she caught a chill overnight, it wouldn't have hit her this fast, would it?"
"Unless she's pretending to be weak on purpose…" someone muttered under their breath.
Upon hearing this, Chen Ze exploded with rage.
Du Yue—always the same. Using lies and deception to manipulate those around her. First Shen Ya, and now him!
Everyone claimed she was fine yesterday, only for her to collapse overnight? Hah! She truly was a master manipulator!
With a sharp movement, Chen Ze seized Du Yue's arm, forcing her to stagger up from the sofa. Suddenly, she blurted out, "It was his character and loyalty that attracted me. Because of him, I found the strength to pull myself out of despair. I love him so much!"