Fake dating my enemy, The playboy billionaire

YIREN

"Yiren, here’s another!" Yuyu points to a baby pumpkin half-buried in the mud. Hong and I both dive for it, but sweetheart, I’ve grown up with Jun. Competitive mud wrestling? This is child’s play for me. I emerge victorious, adding the pumpkin to my sack, while Hong wipes mud from her face that may or may not have been splashed there by me... accidentally.

From the corner of my eye, I spot Honey gesturing at something sneakily. I fumble over to her, adding another pumpkin to my sack.

"Did you see what’s happening here?" I whisper to Jun,

"Yep. They hate Hong," Jun whispers with a smirk, everything makes sense. The kids are totally siding with us, and it’s clear they sense the tension between Jun and Hong, determined not to let her win no matter what.

"Renren, another one!"

"Uncle Juju, over here!"

"Here’s another!"

Bear jumps to help us but Honey grabs him before he drowns.

Jun and I wrestle through the mud, slipping, sliding, and scrambling to bag as many pumpkins as possible. We’re a mess of laughter, mud splatters, and pumpkin heists, with Jun’s laughter mingling with mine as we fall over each other in our efforts.

"Help me, someone! Anyone!" Zian holds up his sack, which barely has two pumpkins. His desperation is almost comical.

"No way," Lan huffs, crossing her arms. "Uncle Zian gave us bitter medicine last week."

"And an injection in our bum! He’s bad." Yuyu adds.

Zian looks wounded, "That was because you both had a stomach infection, love!" He turns to Shishi, "How come they never turn on you?"

Suyin replies casually, "Because he just that good, Z."

MeiMei’s whistle cuts through,"Alright, time’s up! Bring your sacks over for the judges to count!"

"Team Banana: 38 pumpkins!" A cheer erupts from our side. We break into the most ridiculous banana-themed victory dance of wild flailing and silly hip wiggling.

"Team Strawberry: 23 pumpkins!" Hong scowls, covered in mud, but manages a grudging smile.

"Team Mango: 18 pumpkins!" Suyin and Shishi hi-fives.

"And finally, Team Peaches: 11 pumpkins," Zian dramatically wipes fake tears from his face as Vivian pats him.

Jun and I keep dancing like we are not adults but still in our childhood. The kids join in, giggling at our goofy moves. I can’t help but grin at Jun, my heart racing. He leans, "Don’t look at me like this, bunny."

"Like what?"

"Like a fat kid eying a piece of cake."

"What can I say, the cake looks yummy."

The next round kicks off after everyone has freshened up, and we gather for pumpkin carving. This time, it’s even more lively as the kids join in, giggling and elbow-deep in pumpkin guts.

Yuyu, in a burst of generosity (or perhaps out of pity), decides to join Team Peaches with Zian, who had been sulking and looking at the kids like a lost puppy. His face lights up immediately, and he starts carving with newfound enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Zeng looks slightly dejected, clearly upset that none of the kids have chosen to join him.

"Zeng, want to carve a pumpkin for one of our furry ones?" Suyin offers.

"No thanks, I’m allergic to pet fur." Before Zeng can answer, Hong interjects, stabbing her pumpkin with a vengeance.

Zeng sighs heavily, exchanging glances with everyone around. It’s like he too is tired of his partner’s attitude.

I lean closer to Jun, "What’s her problem?"

"She’s irritated that no one likes her here. Only Suyin puts up with her because of Zeng."

"Maybe she should consider changing that attitude once."

"She wasn’t always like this. But after she became a famous YouTube star and got rich, everything started going downhill. The fame changed her." He pauses, looking over at Zeng, who’s doing his best to keep the peace. "And then there’s her never-ending insecurity about losing Zeng. She pushed all her friends away for it."

I look back at Hong, who’s attacking her pumpkin like it insulted her in a past life, and I can’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. Fame, money, and insecurity—what a brutal combination.

******

JUNJIE

Once we finish carving our pumpkins, we all pose for ridiculous photos, sticking our heads inside the hollowed-out pumpkins.

My favorite photo is of Bear and Yiren, both trying to balance a massive pumpkin on their heads, spinning around like two tipsy toddlers. It’s too adorable for words, and I immediately make sure to send that picture to myself, setting it as my phone’s new profile picture. Too cute to resist.

After six grueling games, it all comes down to me and Zeng in the final showdown for the prestigious Pumpkin Cup.

MeiMei, then calls us for the last challenge: searching for hidden spooky crawlies on the property—with our heads still inside the pumpkins.

And then it happens— I grab what I assume is another fake spider, only to feel the unmistakable squirm of something alive. I shriek like my life depends on it, flailing backward and landing flat on my ass. My pumpkin headpiece shatters into pieces, effectively disqualifying me from the game. Great.

Yiren stifles a laugh as she jogs over, her face framed by the pumpkin remnants. "You okay, Juju?"

I give her a thumbs up, "Creepy crawlies are officially the bane of my existence."

"I’ll take Team Banana all the way to victory at the Pumpkin Cup!" Her joy is infectious—no correction needed, she is infectious, and she is rubbing off on me in the best way.

10, 9, 8....

Yiren takes off toward the finish line. Hong is just a step behind her, Zeng already disqualified as his pumpkin cracked mid-game.

"C’mon, Renren!" The kids cheer loudly, and I’m right there with them, my heart pounding. 5, 4, 3,... and then I see it. Hong throws something small and sneaky at Yiren’s feet.

Yiren slips, the momentum of the heavy pumpkin propelling her forward. I lunge to catch her, but it’s too late. She crashes down, face-first, the pumpkin shattering into pieces around her.

"Yiren!" I lift her gently. Her lips are split, blood trickling down her chin. A wave of rage surges inside me.

"Sorry," she juts her lips out, "I lost."

"No, you didn’t." I pick up the fake spider Hong had thrown, "Hong did this. That bitch—" Yiren grabs my arm, stopping me.

"We have kids and family here. Let’s not spoil the mood."

"Yiren, are you okay?" Everyone rushes over. Suyin sees her bleeding lip and gently leads her away to apply some medicine. But my anger simmers, barely contained, and my gaze locks on Hong. She’s standing there, looking unbothered, with a smug smirk plastered on her face.

Good. If she thinks I won’t retaliate just because I didn’t in the past, she has no idea who she’s dealing with. No one messes with my family. And Yiren is my fucking family!

I step away from the crowd and pull out my phone, my voice cold and calculating. "Ireine," I say to my assistant once she answers. "Pull down Hong’s social media and YouTube accounts. Inform the companies she’s been buying fake subscribers to boost her numbers. And send a message to her PR agency: anyone who continues to associate with her will be blacklisted from Feng Enterprises. Make it happen. Now."

Hong wants to play dirty? Fine. Let’s see how she handles the real consequences when I bite back

******