Cutting the Thread, Yet It Remains Tangled

“Didn’t any of you notice she was sick? She’s been burning up all night.”

After a short rest, Ye Feng turned to look at Ah Fu, who was leaning on his hands on his head.

“No, after you left yesterday, Miss Li didn’t eat anything and locked herself in her room. She used to do that when she was upset with the master.”

As Ah Fu spoke, he turned to look at Ye Feng.

“Ye Feng, don’t take Miss Li’s actions to heart. She used to be very gentle, but after some incidents, she’s become more and more unwilling to interact with others.”

“It’s okay, I didn’t mind.”

“Thank you.”

...

“Beep beep”

Suddenly, Ah Fu’s phone rang. After he answered, a stern voice came through.

“How is she?”

“Master, Miss Li has stabilized now. The cause was a cold that led to a fever.”

“Good, I’m busy with company matters. Pay more attention.”

“Yes, sir.”

The brief conversation ended as the call was disconnected. Due to the private ward, the hospital corridor was exceptionally quiet, and even the nurses’ trolleys made little noise. Ye Feng clearly heard the conversation between Ah Fu and the robust-voiced man on the phone.

“Ye Feng, can I ask you for a favor?”

“What is it?”

“Can you take care of Miss Li for a while? I need to handle some hospital procedures.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Thank you.”

After Ah Fu left, Ye Feng was about to take out his phone to pass the time when he heard a faint cough from the ward, prompting him to quickly check on Li Mucheng.

As soon as he entered, Ye Feng saw that Li Mucheng, who had been lying in bed, had somehow sat up, and the blanket had fallen off, revealing a glimpse of her.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, Li Mucheng’s attention was immediately drawn to Ye Feng. She blinked blankly, then lowered her head, only to look up again after noticing her thin nightgown.

“Ahem... Miss Li, you’re awake...”

Before Ye Feng could finish, Li Mucheng quickly pulled the blanket over herself, wrapping it tightly around her. From within the thick blanket, her voice emerged.

“Why... why are you here! Did you enter without my permission?”

Ye Feng knew this awkward situation was partly his fault and quickly explained, “Miss Li, don’t misunderstand. I heard your cough and was worried, so I came in without knocking.”

“Ugh~”

A cute muffled sound came from under the blanket, and slowly, two dark eyes peeked out, staring intently at Ye Feng.

Worried? He said he was worried about me?

“I... what’s wrong with me? Why am I here?”

Li Mucheng mumbled.

“Well, that’s a story from this morning.”

Ye Feng recounted the events of the day in detail, though he omitted Li Mucheng’s actions toward him, attributing them to her being delirious from the fever.

“Sick? Am I sick?”

Li Mucheng tried to recall, vaguely remembering such a memory, though she had thought it was a dream at the time. After all, she was...

Wait!

It... it wasn’t a dream?!

Ugh... oh...

Luckily, Li Mucheng hid her face with the blanket, or Ye Feng would have seen her already red and flushed cheeks.

“Of course, the doctor said you have a severe cold, which is why you’ve been running a fever.”

However, Li Mucheng’s thoughts were elsewhere, drifting back to the memory of Ye Feng holding her in the morning and her stealing a kiss from him.

“Miss Li, are you listening? Miss Li?”

“Ah... I’m listening...”

Li Mucheng snapped back to reality and quietly gazed at Ye Feng’s cheek, as if she had left her mark on him.

“Miss Li, please don’t be so careless in the future. At least cover yourself with a blanket when you sleep.”

“Ugh... Teacher...”

“Yes?”

“About yesterday... I’m sorry...”

“You’re talking about that? It’s fine, but to get my forgiveness, you have to promise me one thing.”

“Wh... what is it?”

“Don’t sleep without a blanket again. Being sick is very painful.”

“Okay~”

“I promise.”

Li Mucheng’s brows curved slightly, and under the blanket, she revealed a smile, though no one noticed it.

...

“Teacher...”

“Yes?”

Ye Feng couldn’t help but feel that Li Mucheng’s attitude toward him had improved significantly since their first meeting, and there was something else he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

“Tomorrow... can we continue the lessons?”

Li Mucheng asked timidly, her small hands tightly gripping the edge of the blanket, holding her breath as she waited for Ye Feng’s reply.

“Well... that might not be possible.”

“Wh...”

“No... not possible? It’s my fault after all...”

Upon hearing Ye Feng’s response, Li Mucheng’s eyes immediately lost their luster, as if sinking into an abyss, and she muttered softly to herself.

“Because the doctor said you’ll need to stay for a few more days to recover, so the lessons will have to be put on hold.”

“Ah? No lessons?”

“Yes, Miss Li. With your current condition, how could I let you go out for lessons? If Ah Fu found out, he’d probably skin me alive.”

“Oh... that scared me...”

Li Mucheng patted her little chest and quickly returned to her initial delicate demeanor.

Looking at Ye Feng standing by her bed, Li Mucheng’s eyes darted around and suddenly came up with an idea. She pursed her lips and said, “Teacher, I... I’m a bit hungry.”

“Hungry? Then I’ll call Ah Fu to bring some food up.”

“No!”

Li Mucheng suddenly interrupted Ye Feng, afraid he would really call Ah Fu.

“We’re in a private ward, and there’s a dining area in the other part of the floor. Teacher, could you get me some food?”

“Is that so? No wonder it’s a private ward; even the service is VIP-level.”

Impressed by Li Mucheng’s words, Ye Feng agreed immediately.

“Then I’ll go now. Miss Li, what would you like to eat?”

“Anything is fine.”

As long as it’s from you...

“Alright, then wait here, Miss Li. I’ll be right back.”

“Thank you, Teacher~”

Only after Ye Feng left the ward did Li Mucheng pull the blanket away to reveal her red and flushed face, though this time it wasn’t due to a fever.

Li Mucheng gently touched her lips with her fingers, as if savoring something, though that remains unknown.