The Honest Li Mucheng

"Whoosh"

The sound of curtains being pulled open was followed by the rustling of clothes being changed.

Under the faint light streaming through the window, Li Mucheng's delicate figure was fully revealed, her long, lustrous black hair cascading down as she stood by the bed.

"Though... I really wanted to share this moment with you, Teacher, I just couldn’t hold back any longer. I had to do this to avoid complications. But I’m sure you’ll understand me when the time comes, right?"

Li Mucheng giggled softly before retrieving a little treasure she had hidden under her pillow, her cheeks flushing as she gazed at Ye Feng.

"I’m... all ready now~"

......

"Ow..."

Shen Mengli let out a small gasp as a drop of blood from her pricked finger fell onto her white dress.

"Ah... the clothes Xiao Feng bought me!"

After sucking on her injured finger, she looked at the tiny red stain on her dress with dismay.

"I was just trying to cut some bread... Why am I so clumsy?"

Pouting, she suddenly felt an inexplicable pain grip her heart, as if an invisible hand were squeezing it. Shen Mengli clutched her chest and hunched over, her body trembling.

It hurts... Why does my heart hurt so much...?

After a while, the pain gradually faded. When she lifted her head again, her pristine dress was already damp with tears.

"Huh?"

Shen Mengli stared in disbelief at her uncontrollable tears, confusion filling her mind.

"Why... why am I crying? Why? It... it hurts so much..."

"Xiao Feng... Xiao Feng..."

Her lips trembled as she murmured Ye Feng’s name, her body swaying weakly toward the door.

"Xiao Feng... where are you... Xiao Feng..."

"Thud."

Her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the cold floor. The wheelchair beside her toppled over, and her consciousness blurred as she passed out.

......

"Mmm... Is this love? Even if... there are obstacles... as long as I adjust, happiness will follow, right...?"

"Yes... Life really is getting better. Living alone can’t compare to having someone by your side. With you here, Teacher, everything feels different now."

"Hah... Teacher... Teacher♡"

Li Mucheng clung tightly to Ye Feng’s neck, burying her face against his shoulder. Her dark eyes shimmered with emotion.

After what felt like an eternity, they lay side by side on the bed. Li Mucheng turned her head, gazing at Ye Feng’s furrowed brow before gently smoothing it with her fingers.

"Teacher... I knew it... My choice was right. You, your charm, your strength—everything about you is one of a kind."

Her warm breath brushed against Ye Feng’s face as she lazily traced his cheek with her fingers, her body limp like melted wax. It took great effort for her to finally prop herself up on the bed.

"Teacher will probably wake up soon... I should get up."

Just as she mustered the will to rise, what she saw next left her utterly stunned.

"H-how...?! How is Teacher this... formidable?!"

"N-no... I have to pace myself. I can’t let short-term gains blind me to..."

"Gulp."

That’s right! If Teacher hasn’t given up, how can I?

......

"Mmm..."

After an unknown amount of time, Ye Feng slowly regained consciousness. He had expected to wake up feeling as sluggish as usual, but today, his body felt unusually light and refreshed—as if all his blocked meridians had been cleared.

Strange... Why don’t I feel terrible today? Wait, where’s Mucheng?

Ye Feng glanced around and realized he was lying in Li Mucheng’s bed, but she was nowhere in sight. Concerned, he sat up and prepared to go look for her.

The moment his feet touched the floor, his legs wobbled unsteadily, requiring extra effort to stand. Still, he dismissed it as a minor inconvenience.

"Mucheng! Mucheng?"

He called out as he stepped into the living room, a hint of worry creeping into his voice.

Then, faintly, he heard Li Mucheng’s weak response from the guest room.

"Te... Teacher... I’m here..."

"Mucheng!"

Assuming something was wrong, Ye Feng rushed to the door and flung it open. But inside, he found Li Mucheng bundled tightly under blankets, only her head peeking out as she gazed at him with pitiful eyes.

"Mucheng? What’s wrong?"

Ye Feng was baffled. She looked completely different from how she had been in the morning. What could have happened while he was asleep?

"I... I’m fine, Teacher. I just got tired after you fell asleep, so I came here to rest for a bit."

"But you don’t look well at all."

"N-no, really! Don’t worry about me! I just slept too long and feel a little weak, so I’m resting a little more."

"Weak?"

Ye Feng couldn’t fathom how sleeping would leave her so drained, but then it occurred to him—after he passed out, she must have struggled to move him to the bed. That must have exhausted her.

Touched, he stepped closer, intending to comfort her. But Li Mucheng suddenly raised a hand, stopping him in his tracks.

"No! Teacher, don’t come any closer!"

"What’s wrong, Mucheng...? Am I that scary?"

"It’s not that! I just... I’m just really tired."

"Oh... I see."

"Mhm! It’s getting late, Teacher. You should head back now. I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow."

"What? Class is already over?"

Ye Feng pulled out the phone Li Mucheng had given him and checked the time. To his shock, he had slept straight through the entire school day.

How could I skip class like this? As a teacher, I can’t just slack off!