The Heart-to-Heart Duo

"Why would you do this, Father? Why did you make such a hasty decision without even discussing it with me?"

"I'm sorry, Mucheng. Old Su advised me not to let this affect your studies, so I..."

"Father, do I not matter to you anymore?"

"That's not true, Mucheng..."

"Enough. There's no need for explanations."

Li Mucheng's icy tone cut off Li Jing's words, her voice dripping with disappointment and resentment.

"What's done is done, and there's no turning back now. From now on, no matter what happens, I don’t want you interfering or even asking. I’ll stop at nothing to achieve what I want."

With that, Li Mucheng hung up on Li Jing, plunging the office into a deathly silence.

After what felt like an eternity, Li Jing slowly picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Ah Fu, keep an eye on Mucheng. Don’t let her do anything reckless! Report to me immediately if anything happens, understand?"

"Yes, Master!"

......

"What?! What did you just say, Feng?!"

Shen Mengli stared at Ye Feng in shock, as if his words were a ray of light piercing through her darkness—unbelievable yet carrying a glimmer of hope.

"If I told you I have a way to help you walk again, would you agree?"

Shen Mengli had imagined countless possibilities, but never this one. For a moment, she almost wished Ye Feng was joking.

"There must be a catch, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t look so conflicted."

Shen Mengli probed cautiously.

"Yes. The reason I didn’t tell you sooner is because there’s an unavoidable condition."

"I knew it..."

Shen Mengli fell into thought, her meal forgotten as her mind raced over this pivotal revelation.

"Feng... Can I ask if this condition affects me in any way?"

"Y-yes."

Remembering the details of the "Marrow-Restoring Pill" from his system inventory, Ye Feng couldn’t bring himself to meet her gaze.

"I see..."

Shen Mengli went quiet, but after a pause, she spoke again.

"But Feng, I have one question: if I go through with this treatment, will I lose you?"

"Lose... me?"

"Yes. Lose you."

Shen Mengli nodded firmly, her desperation evident. Her fingers dug into her thighs, nails biting into her palms, and her once-rosy cheeks paled slightly.

"That... won’t happen."

Ye Feng considered the pill’s effects—while it had peculiar side effects for the user, there was no mention of it affecting him. After double-checking, he answered with certainty.

"Really?! It won’t harm you in any way?!"

Shen Mengli’s voice trembled with excitement, her eyes blazing with determination.

"No, it won’t affect me. But for you, the stakes are high."

"Feng, are you saying that if something goes wrong... I might never see you again?"

"......"

Ye Feng didn’t answer. He couldn’t predict what might happen after Shen Mengli took the pill.

"I don’t know."

In the end, he could only utter those three words.

"Then I have no more doubts."

Just when Ye Feng expected her to back down, Shen Mengli surprised him by agreeing. He stared in disbelief at her resolute expression.

"Mengli, are you serious? What if the side effects harm you?"

"It’s fine, Feng... Because I have no regrets left. That’s why I’m looking forward to this change, no matter how uncertain."

Shen Mengli reassured him, her calm demeanor suggesting she was ready to embrace whatever came next.

"You know how I am—like this, I’m just a burden. Without your help, I can’t even manage daily life. Like this afternoon... If you hadn’t come back, I might’ve..."

"Mengli!"

Ye Feng’s heart twisted as if stabbed. He cut her off abruptly, pulling her from the edge of her wheelchair into a tight embrace.

"Don’t say that. You matter—to this world and to me. So please, never belittle yourself again. I told you about this because I want you to have hope."

"Feng..."

Shen Mengli hadn’t expected the sudden hug, but in his arms, she felt her decision was right. She wrapped her arms around him, soaking in his warmth.

"Like I said, I don’t care what happens to me before or after. To me, you’re the most important thing. No matter the outcome, as long as you’re by my side, I’ll never regret it."

"So... please don’t hesitate. I want to walk with you, cook with you, and be there whenever you need me—just like anyone else."

"Mengli..."

"Feng, don’t hold back for my sake. I need this change... not just for myself, but for you too."

Her simple words overflowed with emotion, and she clung to him even tighter.

"I... I understand. But Mengli, let’s finish dinner first, okay?"

"Okay..."

"Mengli, I’m not that great. You don’t have to force yourself. Even if you’re in a wheelchair for life, I’ll never abandon you. That’s my promise—now and always."

"I know what you mean, Feng. And I know how much you care."

Shen Mengli absentmindedly placed a piece of meat in Ye Feng’s bowl, her eyes brimming with reluctance and something deeper.

"But I want to change, even if it’s just a little. Even if I fall, I have to try, right? I’m not afraid of the risks because I believe you’ll stay with me, won’t you?"

"Yeah."

Ye Feng’s worries eased under the weight of her sincerity, his earlier unease settling into resolve.

That’s right. No matter what happens, we’ll face it together. Even if the outcome isn’t perfect, I’ll never leave her.

Because... she’ll be there for me too, won’t she?