"I feel the same way. Even if I’m occasionally exhausted and feel like I might not be able to bear it, in the end, I still can’t walk away from the past that person left behind, so no one is more suitable than us."

Jin Chenye withdrew his hand, sat down beside Ye Mingmei, and with deep eyes, quietly watched her, waiting for her to digest this news.

They did not love each other, but they shared the same misfortune and faced the same pressures. Together, many problems could be easily solved.

"Senior’s suggestion is for me to pretend to be married to you?" Ye Mingmei swallowed and, after a long time, finally understood Jin Chenye’s meaning entirely.

Jin Chenye appeared calm, "Mingmei, Meimei needs a father who loves her. No one is more suited than me. If you want to keep waiting for Yu Xiuzhun, I won’t force you. If one day, you’re tired of waiting, and I can let go of my own issues, maybe everything can start again."

"But Meimei is not your daughter. This fact can’t be hidden from Father and Mother. Even if we’re together, they probably won’t just be at ease with it."

Qin Mo and Jin Lan urged Jin Chenye to get married, not just because they’re concerned about his marriage, but because they want a grandson, or at least a granddaughter.

But even if they went from being a fake couple to a fake marriage, Ye Mingmei couldn’t give Jin Chenye a child.

Jin Chenye’s problem wasn’t solved at all.

"Meimei is so well-behaved and sensible; even if she’s not my daughter, my parents will like her. With Meimei around, they won’t pressure us to have children right away."

Seeing that Ye Mingmei brought it up, Jin Chenye decided to clearly explain everything.

"I will stay in the U.S. for a while, not just for the collaboration project, but also to relax a bit. You don’t need to rush your answer. Think it over thoroughly, and I’ll wait for your response."

After Jin Chenye left, Ye Mingmei sat alone in the living room for a long time.

Jin Chenye’s proposal left her with an indescribable turmoil in her heart.

Being together, they could indeed solve many problems.

Meimei liked Jin Chenye so much; she would probably be happy to have a dad... but she just felt there was something off.

Feelings shouldn’t be a transaction, nor should they be exchanged at equal value.

Moreover, she knew that she wasn’t the most suitable person; Jin Chenye only said this to help her.

Bringing Meimei along, with Jin Chenye’s circumstances, if they really were to be together, it’s unlikely that Qin Mo and Jin Lan wouldn’t mind.

But if she didn’t agree, Su Yiru would probably keep urging her to go on blind dates, to find a father for Meimei...

"Where’s the young miss?"

She didn’t know how much time had passed before Ye Mingmei stood up from the sofa.

The butler respectfully bowed slightly, "The young miss is in her room playing with puzzles. She’s tired and has fallen asleep."

Asleep.

Ye Mingmei’s eyes flickered slightly. She turned and walked towards the room, gently pushing the door open and entering Meimei’s room.

The spacious child’s room was clean, tidy, and full of warmth.

Ye Zhanxing and Su Yiru adored Meimei wholeheartedly without any prejudice, despite her being Yu Xiuzhun’s daughter.

Knowing Meimei likes puzzles, they constantly collected puzzle patterns she liked, letting Meimei play with different ones.

As Ye Mingmei walked into the room, she saw the pieces of a puzzle scattered on the floor, only half assembled and left in fragments scattered about.

The figure on the puzzle was only partially completed, but its shape was discernible—a man...