“Mengli! Mengli!”
Seeing Shen Mengli still determined to throw herself into his arms, Ye Feng quickly raised his voice to stop her.
Shen Mengli sat dazed beside Ye Feng, tears welling up in her eyes as she muttered words like “you’re abandoning me” under her breath.
Realizing the situation was turning dire, Ye Feng swiftly pulled Shen Mengli into his embrace, gently patting her back as if comforting a child.
“Mengli, don’t worry—I’m not saying I’m leaving you or anything like that. Haven’t I told you we’re friends? Friends don’t just abandon each other. I just... have something important I want to discuss with you. That’s all. I’m not going anywhere.”
After speaking firmly, Ye Feng continued soothing her with light pats on her back until her ragged breaths gradually steadied. Only then did he slowly loosen his hold.
Seeing Shen Mengli’s expression, he finally let out a sigh of relief.
Though the tears in her eyes had receded, her unsettled expression still radiated unease—like a helpless puppy, gazing up at him with pitiful eyes.
“R-Really? You’re really not leaving me, Xiao Feng?”
“Of course not. Look, I’m still right here with you, aren’t I?”
“Mmm...”
Shen Mengli sniffled, gripping the hem of Ye Feng’s sleeve tightly, her distrust still lingering.
“Seems like you still don’t believe me.”
With a sigh, Ye Feng rose from the couch—prompting Shen Mengli to clutch his sleeve even harder, her face tensing with panic.
Without hesitation, Ye Feng turned and scooped her up into his arms, carrying her toward his room.
“Xiao Feng...”
Her body went weightless as she murmured his name, her anxiety easing slightly in his embrace.
After gently settling her onto the bed, Ye Feng sat beside her, meeting her gaze. “Feel better now?”
“...Mhm.”
She didn’t answer aloud, simply nodding.
“Then can we talk properly now?”
“Wh-What did you want to say, Xiao Feng?”
“Mengli... do you want to stand up again?”
“......!”
The moment those words left his lips, Shen Mengli’s crimson eyes flickered, her gaze piercing as if searching for meaning behind them.
“Xiao Feng... what did you say?”
“I asked if you want to stand up again.”
“I do... more than anything.”
Her answer came instantly, without a shred of hesitation.
“But... back then, the director took me to a major hospital once. The doctors said with current technology, there’s only one way—prosthetics...”
Her head drooped, the resignation in her voice unmistakable.
Prosthetics? How was that any different from being confined to a wheelchair? The emptiness inside her could never be filled.
Watching the light fade from her eyes, Ye Feng reached out, covering her hand with his.
The warmth made her lift her head.
“Xiao Feng?”
“Mengli... if—just if—there was something that could restore your legs and let you walk again... but it came with unknown side effects... even a risk to your life... would you still take it?”
“......”
For a moment, Shen Mengli fell silent. Though her first instinct was to answer immediately, she stopped herself, her gaze locking onto Ye Feng.
“If this had been before... I wouldn’t have hesitated. But now...”
Her fingers tightened around his hand, a soft smile gracing her lips.
“Ever since you came into my life, Xiao Feng... I don’t think I could. Because to me, you’re the most important person in my world.”
Her smile was radiant, brimming with genuine happiness.
“Mengli...”
Ye Feng nodded slowly.
“I understand. I’ll respect your choice. And... thank you for trusting me.”
“But, Xiao Feng... was what you just said real?”
Her eyes widened as she searched his face for clues.
“Ah, n-no! It was just a hypothetical,” he stammered, quickly deflecting.
Having gotten his answer, he decided against mentioning the “Marrow-Restoring Pill.” If she knew, it would only torment her with indecision. This was enough.
“...Really?”
Her gaze bore into his evasive eyes, as if sensing something amiss.
“Yeah, just a random thought. But don’t worry, Mengli—technology keeps advancing. One day, there’ll be a better solution.”
“Mmm... thank you, Xiao Feng.”
Noticing his shift in topic, Shen Mengli didn’t press further—though she quietly filed it away in her mind.
“Well... it seems like we’ve got nothing else planned today. How about you take a nap? They say midday rests are good for you.”
“Okay.”
“Great. I’ll let you rest, then—”
As Ye Feng stood to leave, a familiar tug on his sleeve stopped him.
“Mengli? Something else?”
“Didn’t you just say napping helps with energy?”
“Y-Yeah... why?”
“Then it’s no good if only I rest. You have to too!”
“I’m fine—full of energy already. No need to worry about me—”
“So you are abandoning me again?”
“W-Whoa! That’s slander, Mengli! When have I ever abandoned you?!”
“Then to prove your innocence... shouldn’t you demonstrate it?”
With a playful smirk, she patted the empty space beside her on the bed—her intention crystal clear.
“Mengli, I really can’t sleep right now. What if I end up disturbing you? Maybe another time...”
“No excuses, Xiao Feng! You brought up resting—so you should lead by example. Otherwise, how can you expect others to follow?”
“So... no running away~”
lities. One day, Qi Yuan was buying groceries when he unfortunately came face-to-face with a monster. Just when he thought he was going to die on the spot, he suddenly heard the monster's thoughts... "This aura, he's definitely not an ordinary master!" "So terrifying, so terrifying." "A fight with my back against the wall, I can't take it anymore." Qi Yuan: Ah, no one told me that my awakened ability isn't telepathy, but rather the stronger my enemies imagine me to be, the stronger I truly become. PS: Zhou Hai in the first chapter is not the protagonist.
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
