He had caught on

Late that night, Mo Ran returned home, his coat lightly dusted with the chill of the evening air. The house was quiet as usual, but the faint light seeping from the kitchen indicated that Auntie Feng was still awake. He loosened his tie as he walked in to find her tidying up.

"Auntie Feng," he said, his voice calm but firm, "how was the young madam today?"

Auntie Feng looked up, startled for a moment before bowing her head. "The young madam seemed well, Master. She left the house around 11:30 a.m. and returned shortly before 5:00 p.m."

"Did she mention where she was going?" Mo Ran asked, though he already had his suspicions confirmed by his assistant's earlier report.

Auntie Feng shook her head. "No, she didn't say much. She seemed… focused. She brought back some papers but went straight to her room after dinner."

Mo Ran hummed thoughtfully, his sharp gaze narrowing as he processed the information. He knew Lixue had secrets—ones she clearly wasn't ready to share. The reports from his assistants detailed her trip to Dream Entertainment and her meeting with Shi Haoyang.

Yet, despite the thoroughness of their findings, Mo Ran wanted more than cold facts. He wanted to understand her choices, her reasoning. What was she hiding? Why did she feel the need to go through such lengths to conceal her actions? He could easily confront her and demand answers, but something held him back. He wanted her to tell him on her own.

"Thank you, Auntie Feng. That will be all for tonight," Mo Ran said, dismissing her with a polite nod.

As the older woman left, Mo Ran poured himself a glass of wine and sank into one of the living room's plush armchairs. His mind drifted back to the earlier days of their marriage—when she was more reserved, almost lifeless, as if she was merely going through the motions. Now, there was a spark in her eyes, a drive he hadn't seen before. It intrigued him, but it also annoyed him.

Why couldn't she trust him?

In her room, Lixue sat cross-legged on the bed, laptop balanced on her knees. She was editing the music she had composed earlier that evening, humming softly as her fingers flew across the keyboard. A small, satisfied smile tugged at her lips as she saved the final version. Dream Entertainment's vocal lessons had pushed her limits, but she felt herself growing stronger with each session.

Her phone buzzed, pulling her out of her thoughts. It was a message from Shi Haoyang.

Shi Haoyang:

"Great work today. Mr. Xu was impressed. We'll meet again next week to finalize the demo track. Rest well."

Lixue's smile widened. For the first time in a long while, she felt like she was on the right path. Her heart, however, sank slightly when she thought about Mo Ran. He'd been so distant, yet oddly attentive in ways that confused her. She feared he might be catching onto her plans.

Brushing the thought aside, she reminded herself of her promise: when the time was right, she would tell him everything. But that time hadn't come yet.

Mo Ran remained in his armchair, the untouched wine now warm in his hand. His mind replayed Auntie Feng's words.

"She'll come clean eventually," he muttered to himself, swirling the wine in his glass. "She has to."

But deep down, he knew he wasn't a man who waited patiently. If Lixue continued down this path of secrecy, he would have no choice but to step in—whether she wanted him to or not.

The next morning, Lixue woke to find the house unusually quiet. She peered at the clock—7:00 a.m.—a rare moment when she woke before the household stirred. Stretching, she got ready for the day, her mind buzzing with plans for her music.

As she descended the stairs, Auntie Feng greeted her with a warm smile.

"Good morning, young madam. Breakfast is ready," Auntie Feng said, leading her to the dining room.

"Thank you," Lixue replied softly, her thoughts elsewhere. She hadn't seen Mo Ran the previous night. Did he even come home?

Her musings were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. She looked up to see Mo Ran, dressed impeccably in a dark suit, his expression unreadable as always.

"Good morning," he said casually, taking his seat across from her.

Lixue offered a polite nod, unsure of how to navigate his presence. Their conversations had become increasingly terse, and she wasn't sure if it was intentional or simply a result of their mutual distance.

"I'll be working late again tonight," Mo Ran said, his tone clipped. "If you need anything, let Auntie Feng know."

"Of course," Lixue replied, keeping her voice steady.

Mo Ran watched her for a moment longer, his sharp eyes searching for something in her expression. When he found nothing, he turned his attention to his breakfast.

After Mo Ran left, Lixue retreated to her room. She had another practice session scheduled at Dream Entertainment later in the day, and she couldn't afford any distractions.

By noon, she had dressed in a simple outfit—a dark hoodie and jeans that allowed her to blend in easily. She slipped on a mask and sunglasses before leaving the house. This time, she opted not to use the family driver, knowing it would only alert Mo Ran to her activities. Instead, she took a taxi to the entertainment building.

Unbeknownst to her, Mo Ran's assistant was already trailing discreetly behind.

At Dream Entertainment, Lixue's day was filled with intense vocal training. Miss Zhang pushed her to explore the higher ranges of her voice, guiding her through techniques to sustain difficult notes.

"Control your breath," Miss Zhang instructed. "Your voice is powerful, but it needs discipline. Don't let it run away from you."

Lixue nodded, concentrating as she repeated the exercise. Each note came sharper, clearer, her confidence growing with every successful attempt.

By the time the session ended, her throat was sore but her spirits were high.

"You're improving quickly," Miss Zhang remarked, a rare smile crossing her lips. "If you keep this up, your debut will be something extraordinary."

Lixue bowed deeply. "Thank you for your guidance."

She left the building, her heart lighter than it had been in months.

When she returned home that evening, the house was dimly lit. Assuming Mo Ran was still at work, she slipped upstairs to her room, eager to unwind after the long day.

But as she entered, she froze.

Mo Ran was seated on the edge of her bed, his elbows resting on his knees, his sharp eyes fixed on her.

"Did you have a good day?" he asked, his tone deceptively casual.

Lixue swallowed hard, her hand tightening on the strap of her bag. "Yes, I did. Why are you here?"

Mo Ran's gaze flicked to the bag she held. "You've been busy lately. Going out often, doing… what exactly?"

Her chest tightened. He knew. Maybe not everything, but enough to start asking questions.

"I've been… working on some personal projects," she replied carefully, setting the bag down.

Mo Ran stood, closing the distance between them in a few strides. He loomed over her, his expression unreadable.

"You don't trust me," he said quietly, his voice laced with something she couldn't quite place—hurt? Anger? "Why?"

Lixue looked away, her pulse quickening. "It's not about trust. It's about independence. I need to do this on my own."