The Shy Her

“Hmm... this one too... and this one...”

After a frenzied sniffing session, Shen Mengli discovered that every piece of clothing Ye Feng had worn carried a strange scent. Some had just one fragrance, while others bore several intertwined. The realization struck her like a hammer to the chest, leaving her feeling suffocated and unsettled.

“No... no... Xiao Feng is mine... He promised he’d stay with me forever... forever...”

Clutching Ye Feng’s T-shirt tightly, Shen Mengli’s unease grew, as if an invisible hand were closing around her throat, making even breathing a struggle.

What should I do... What on earth can I do? She didn’t know who these scents belonged to, but they must be close to Xiao Feng—otherwise, the smells wouldn’t linger on his clothes. Could she, in her current state, possibly compare to them?

Her small hands clenched the fabric desperately, as though trying to cling to the last shreds of her sanity. Her crimson eyes brimmed with an eerie, unsettling aura, like a doll on the verge of breaking.

......

“Mengli? Mengli!”

Ye Feng’s voice snapped her out of her daze. Turning her head, she saw him standing at the doorway, a spatula in hand, watching her. A shiver ran through her as she forcibly suppressed the turmoil inside.

“Sorry... I was spacing out. Are all these clothes yours, Xiao Feng?”

“Yeah. Mengli, maybe I should take over? You don’t look so good.”

As Ye Feng stepped forward to enter the room, Shen Mengli hurriedly stopped him.

“No need! I—I can handle this, Xiao Feng. I was just... thinking about something else.”

“Alright then. Just put them away and come out for dinner. I’ll be waiting at the table, okay?”

“Mm.”

Nodding slightly, Shen Mengli watched as Ye Feng disappeared from the doorway before quickly folding his T-shirt and placing it in the wardrobe. She then wheeled her cart to his bedside.

Staring at the slightly wrinkled sheets, she swallowed hard, her heart pounding with dread.

Please... please don’t let the bed smell like those scents too...

No... please, no...

With trembling hands, she left her wheelchair and crawled onto the bed, lowering her face hesitantly toward the sheets...

Sniff... sniff...

When she lifted her head again, the haze in her eyes cleared slightly. Placing a hand over her chest, she exhaled in relief.

“It’s... it’s okay. The sheets only smell like Xiao Feng... There’s still time.”

Just as she began to crawl back toward her wheelchair, her gaze lingered on the bed again. Her pale cheeks flushed with an unreadable pink hue.

Xiao Feng’s scent... why is it so intoxicating? Maybe... just one more sniff?

Biting her lip, she glanced at the door to ensure Ye Feng wasn’t nearby before turning back with determination.

Before he notices... just one more whiff. Just one!

In an instant, she buried her face into the sheets, her breaths growing heavy and erratic.

Inhale... exhale... inhale... haah...

With every breath, Ye Feng’s scent flooded her senses, sending waves of euphoria through her. The moment she indulged, she knew—she was addicted, utterly and irrevocably.

Though her mind screamed at her to pull away, her body refused to move, as if glued to the bed.

One more... just one last...

Lost in her craving, she failed to notice the soft cough from the doorway.

“Ahem.”

“Eep—!”

At the sound of Ye Feng’s voice, Shen Mengli froze mid-action, the room falling dead silent.

Her silver hair draped over her face, hiding her expression. After what felt like an eternity, she slowly turned her head toward the door—only to find him standing there, arms crossed, watching her.

“X-Xiao Feng... I, uh...”

Stammering, she struggled to find an excuse. There was no way she could admit she’d been getting high off his scent, right?

“Mengli, care to explain what you’re doing?”

Ye Feng eyed her curiously, puzzled by her behavior. She seemed so different from before—was this her true nature?

“Um... I... I thought your sheets smelled like a familiar laundry detergent. The same kind the orphanage matron used to wash our clothes...”

Her voice was barely a whisper, her gaze fixed on the floor, too embarrassed to meet his eyes.

“Even so, you didn’t have to... go about it like this. You could’ve just asked me to show you the detergent. This is... kind of extreme.”

He struggled to find the right word. Her actions reminded him of certain girls he’d encountered, but seeing her mortified expression, he decided against mentioning it.

“Sorry...”

“It’s fine, really. Let’s just go eat, okay?”

“Mm...”

As she slowly crawled back toward her wheelchair, a strong arm suddenly wrapped around her waist, lifting her effortlessly into the air.

“X-Xiao Feng?!”

Startled, she instinctively clung to him, unprepared for the sudden embrace.

“I’ll just carry you. At this rate, the food’s gonna get cold.”

With that, he cradled her like a puppy and whisked her out of the room.

“Eat while it’s still hot.”

Ye Feng handed her a bowl of rice, but Shen Mengli kept her head lowered, too embarrassed to meet his gaze.

Ugh... Why does he always have to catch me in these embarrassing moments?!

Amused by her flustered state, Ye Feng chuckled.

“D-Don’t laugh!”

Hearing his laughter, she finally looked up, her face now even redder than before—a mix of shame and helpless embarrassment.