Ye Feng "Kidnapped" by Shen Mengli

"Bzzz..."

A stream of warm air wafted from the hairdryer, causing Shen Mengli, seated on the sofa, to squint her eyes in contentment as she savored the comforting moment.

Ye Feng's fingers gently combed through Shen Mengli's damp, silky hair, releasing a fragrant aroma of shampoo. Since he used the same shampoo himself, the scent didn’t strike him as particularly intense, but the soft texture of her hair and its snowy-white hue left him slightly unsettled.

"Mmm..."

Shen Mengli relaxed on the sofa, enjoying the fleeting tranquility.

"Xiao Feng..."

"Bzzz..."

Seems he couldn’t hear her.

Shen Mengli opened her drowsy eyes. The oversized shirt she wore occasionally billowed from the hairdryer’s breeze.

"Xiao Feng..."

Her voice rose slightly this time.

"Huh?"

Ye Feng immediately switched off the hairdryer upon hearing her, worried he might have caused her discomfort.

"What’s wrong, Mengli?"

"I... I just wanted to say thank you..."

Shen Mengli kept the back of her head turned toward him, as if lacking the courage to face him—or perhaps unwilling to let him see the blush creeping across her cheeks.

"Xiao Feng, you’re always... always so attentive to me. I... I really appreciate it..."

Her stammered words warmed Ye Feng’s heart. A girl so thoughtful yet so fragile tugged at his emotions.

"Don’t worry, Mengli. As long as you’re willing, you can ask me to dry your hair anytime."

"Xiao Feng..."

At his words, Shen Mengli instantly hugged the teddy bear beside her tightly, as if only this could contain her bubbling excitement.

"Mengli, your hair isn’t fully dry yet. Let’s talk about anything else later, okay?"

"Mm."

"Bzzz..."

With the hairdryer humming back to life, Ye Feng meticulously dried every strand of her hair, while Shen Mengli buried half her face into the teddy bear’s head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Thank you, Xiao Feng... I’m really... growing more and more unable to live without you...

"Xiao Feng, come rest."

After tidying up the towels from Shen Mengli’s bath, Ye Feng walked back from the balcony to find her eagerly patting the empty spot on the sofa beside her, as if impatient for him to sit down.

"What’s the matter, Mengli? You seem in a hurry—is something up?"

The moment he sat, Shen Mengli tossed aside the teddy bear and clung tightly to his arm.

"Hnn."

"Huh? Mengli?"

As she rested her head against his arm, Ye Feng awkwardly tried to pull away, but her grip was unyielding—she clearly had no intention of letting him go.

"Don’t move, Xiao Feng. You’ve done so much already; now it’s time to relax. It’s my turn to take care of you."

Shen Mengli nodded firmly, as though steeling herself for a solemn duty.

"Th-that’s really not necessary, Mengli. This little bit of work is nothing to me. You don’t have to—"

"No!"

She insisted stubbornly.

"Xiao Feng doesn’t need to do anything now. Just sit back and unwind. Leave the rest to me!"

With that, she began massaging his arm, her earnest expression making it clear she genuinely wanted to ease his weariness in any way she could.

"W-well... thank you, Mengli."

Unable to refuse her kindness, Ye Feng reluctantly accepted.

"Don’t worry, Xiao Feng. I often massage Mother Superior at the orphanage—even she praises my skills."

True to her word, Shen Mengli’s technique was impeccable, her pressure and precision well-practiced.

"Mmm... thank you, Mengli. I have to admit, this feels amazing."

Ye Feng closed his eyes in bliss, prompting her to redouble her efforts.

"I know there isn’t much I can do for you, Xiao Feng... but wherever you need me, I’ll be there. So... please don’t push yourself too hard. Otherwise, I’ll... I’ll feel heartbroken."

Her last words were barely a whisper, but Ye Feng caught their meaning. Touched by her tenderness, his thoughts circled back to the dilemma of the Bone Marrow Revival Pill.

Should he tell Mengli about it? He knew her—she’d agree without hesitation. But if the side effects harmed her in any way, the guilt would haunt him forever. This girl had suffered enough; he couldn’t bear to plunge her into despair.

Cough cough...

Abruptly, Ye Feng withdrew his arm from Shen Mengli’s grasp. She blinked up at him in confusion.

"Xiao Feng? What’s wrong? Did I press too hard somewhere? I’m sorr—"

He quickly raised a hand to stop her, signaling for her to listen. Her wide, glistening eyes locked onto his face.

Why does Xiao Feng look so serious? Does he have something important to say? Or... does he think I’m useless and want to send me away?

No... I don’t want to leave him. Never...

"Uh, Mengli—"

"Xiao Feng, NO!"

Before he could finish, Shen Mengli lunged at him like a facehugger. Given that she was wearing his oversized clothes, her movements were unrestrained—and disastrous.

"M-Mengli?!"

Ye Feng’s vision went black as Shen Mengli’s floral scent flooded his senses through the collar of his shirt. Worse still, since he’d only given her a short-sleeved top and shorts, the smooth warmth of her bare skin pressed flush against him.

"Mmmph—Mengli! Calm down! I can’t breathe!"

"No, no! I won’t let Xiao Feng leave me! Never ever!"

"Wait, Mengli—mff—!"

His mouth and nose were smothered as if by an airtight cloth, a sensation disturbingly reminiscent of how the girls he’d kidnapped must have felt.

Who’d have thought he’d one day be "abducted" by Shen Mengli?

Luckily, Ye Feng’s strength prevailed. He hooked an arm around her waist and hoisted her up, freeing himself from her death grip.

"Gasp... pant... wheeze..."

His first priority was gulping down air—a second later, and he might’ve passed out. As he recovered, he couldn’t help marveling at how such a petite frame harbored such terrifying vigor beneath its adorable facade.