"Let's start with some simple exercises to work on your muscle strength and coordination," she said quickly, eager to get started before he changed his mind. "Mr. Yue, can you try to use your left leg to get out of the wheelchair?"

Yue Linze gave her a blank look. "No."

"...."

And so, Tao Yu repeated the morning's treatment, massaging the uncooperative man for the entire afternoon. Exhausted, she returned to her room that evening and fell into a deep sleep.

In the master bedroom, the housekeeper listened to Yue Linze, a perplexed expression on his face. "Sir, you believe her?"

"Not at all," Yue Linze replied, turning a page in his book.

The housekeeper frowned. "Then why not dismiss her?" His employer was not known for his tolerance. Why was he letting Tao Yu off so easily?

"Boredom," Yue Linze said simply.

The housekeeper paused, then nodded in understanding. "Of course, sir." Ever since the accident, Yue Linze had rarely left the house, spending his days reading or working. 

Life had become monotonous. This strange woman offered a distraction, however small.

If Yue Linze was interested in Tao Yu, and he, the housekeeper, wanted him to continue with his rehabilitation, then keeping her around wasn't such a bad idea. He would simply keep a close eye on her and ensure she didn't have access to any sensitive information.

And so, Tao Yu continued her stay at the Yue residence. While she sensed increased scrutiny and a distinct coolness from the housekeeper, she remained relatively comfortable.

Another day of rehabilitation arrived.

After massaging Yue Linze, Tao Yu sighed. "Mr. Yue, you can't just have massages every day. You need to move around more to strengthen your calf muscles."

Over the past few days, she'd analyzed the situation. Yue Linze's negativity stemmed from two sources: his family and his leg. She figured he was capable of handling the family issues on his own, but his resistance to his disability was a different matter. He needed to accept his current condition.

"Do you want to be fired?" Yue Linze asked coldly.

Tao Yu forced a smile. "I'll continue with the massage." His disability was minor. He walked with a slight limp, but otherwise functioned normally. Yet, he remained stubbornly resistant, refusing to even stand.

His refusal to accept his reality meant her task would take much longer. The thought of her mission stretching indefinitely made Tao Yu sigh again. She was about to try reasoning with him again when a knock interrupted.

"Enter."

"Sir, a call from Master Gu," the housekeeper announced, holding out a phone.

Yue Linze's lips tightened, and the air around him grew heavy. Just as Tao Yu thought he might throw the phone, he took it and answered the call.

Everyone seemed to know the story of Yue Linze's family. Tao Yu had learned all about it soon after her arrival. It was a rather dramatic tale. Tragedy had struck the Yue family, leaving only Yue Linze's mother alive. She'd married Gu Yansheng, hoping he would provide an heir to carry on the family name. Their only child was Yue Linze.

When Yue Linze was ten, Gu Yansheng's illegitimate son, Gu Linying, appeared. Yue Linze’s mother discovered that Gu Yansheng’s illegitimate son was actually a few months older than her own son. Overwhelmed, she suffered a heart attack and died.

Emboldened by the absence of anyone to challenge him, Gu Yansheng changed Gu Linying’s surname to Yue and declared that the two brothers would share the family fortune equally.

Yue Linze was too young to fight back and had endured years of resentment. He’d finally wrestled control of the family assets from Gu Yansheng only to be seriously injured in a car accident, which allowed Gu Yansheng to seize a significant portion of the wealth back. Yue Linze's own company had also suffered a major setback.

Father and son were now sworn enemies. They should have been estranged, so why was Gu Yansheng calling now?

Curious, Tao Yu glanced at Yue Linze. He exchanged a few curt words and hung up. He looked up, meeting Tao Yu’s inquisitive gaze.

"Curious?" he asked.

"Not at all," Tao Yu replied quickly, though the opposite was true.

Yue Linze's lips curved into a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Ten minutes later, they were in the car on their way to the family estate. Tao Yu listened to the housekeeper's explanation, then blinked. "So, I'm attending Master Gu's birthday banquet as Mr. Yue's girlfriend?" She thought Yue Linze rarely left the house… well, from one house to another didn't technically count as going out.

"Yes," the housekeeper confirmed, his expression a mixture of encouragement and warning. "So, Dr. Tao, I expect you to behave appropriately."

Tao Yu gave a tight smile, feeling no sense of privilege. Yue Linze had already burned bridges with the old family. What kind of reception could she, his pretend girlfriend, expect? It felt like walking into a lion's den.

She glanced at the brooding Yue Linze beside her and sighed inwardly.

The drive to the estate was tense and silent. Tao Yu watched as Yue Linze's expression darkened, reaching its lowest point when they arrived and he saw Zhou Yanran standing at the entrance with a tall man.

Tao Yu sighed and placed her hand on his. "Cheer up, Xiao Yueyue. Remember what I said? The first one to get angry loses."

Yue Linze paused, glancing at her coldly. "What did you call me?"

"A term of endearment," Tao Yu replied, trying to sound confident despite a flicker of guilt. "Aren't we supposed to be boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Tao Yu," Yue Linze said slowly, his expression softening slightly, "I own several entertainment companies. While I'm not personally interested in the industry, I'm still aware of certain… trends."

"...." 

She'd tried to lighten the mood with a playful nickname, only to be reminded that his fragmented reality overlapped with hers more than she'd realized. He even knew about comedians*. She'd underestimated him.

*T/N: Xiao Yueyue was a Chinese internet celebrity in 2010; however she was suspected to be a fake person and part of a Chinese internet publicity stunt. She is described as fat, crazy and obnoxious by the author.