Sudden Onset of Pain

"Ahem... I didn’t hear anything..."

Ye Feng coughed awkwardly, not expecting Shen Mengli to suddenly make such a sound.

"Ye Feng, don’t you dare laugh!"

Shen Mengli pouted and shot him a glare before closing her eyes, savoring the soothing warmth flowing through her.

Seeing her seemingly meditative state, Ye Feng stopped his teasing and fell silent. He held her quietly in his arms, his heart already settled on one thing—no matter what happened to Shen Mengli, he would never abandon her.

As time passed, the warmth inside Shen Mengli grew stronger, but in an instant, a sharp pain surged through her entire body.

"Ah—!"

She had tried to endure it silently, not wanting to alarm Ye Feng, but her delicate frame couldn’t withstand such agony, and she ended up crying out.

"Mengli?!"

Ye Feng, who had been patiently waiting for her recovery, stiffened at her sudden gasp. He looked down at her, his brows furrowing with concern.

"Are you in pain somewhere?"

"Mmm... It feels like my meridians and bones are being torn apart and then pieced back together..."

Clenching her teeth, Shen Mengli struggled to explain, her face contorted in suffering.

"Bones being dismantled and reassembled... Could this be the medicine taking effect?"

Ye Feng muttered to himself, piecing together the clues—the initial warmth and now this restructuring sensation. It all pointed to some unseen force improving her constitution. Yet, seeing her in such torment was unbearable. Every whimper from her struck him like a heavy blow.

"Ye Feng... am I... going to die?"

Trembling, Shen Mengli forced out the words. To her, this felt like the torturous throes before death—agonizing and endless.

"I don’t... don’t want to leave you like this..."

"Don’t say that, Mengli. From what I can tell, you’re being reborn."

"Huh... wh-what? Reborn?"

"Yes."

Ye Feng nodded firmly, tightening his embrace in an attempt to ease her pain.

"Listen to me. That initial warmth—wasn’t it like it was cleansing the impurities inside you? After all, years of accumulated toxins would need to be purged before any real healing could begin."

"Y-yes... that makes sense..."

"Then think about it. The pain you described just now—your meridians and bones aching—that means it’s reshaping you for the better."

"So... you’re saying I won’t have to leave you?"

"Silly girl, why are you still worrying about that?"

Ye Feng reached out and ruffled her hair gently before speaking earnestly.

"Don’t be afraid, Mengli. You’ll be fine. Trust me, okay?"

"Mmm. I’ve always trusted you."

Encouraged by his words, Shen Mengli felt the pain lessen slightly. Summoning the last of her strength, she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer before he could react.

"Eh— Meng—!"

Ye Feng initially thought she was in discomfort again, but before he could finish, her soft lips pressed against his.

"Mmph...!"

His eyes widened in shock as her sudden kiss sent his heart racing like a startled deer.

Her lips were sweet, like ripe cherries—fresh and intoxicating. Ye Feng’s mind went blank, utterly spellbound.

"Hah... hah..."

Only when Shen Mengli’s heated breath brushed his face did he snap back to reality.

"Ah—!"

Seizing a moment of clarity, Ye Feng quickly pulled away, staring at her in bewilderment.

"Mengli, what was that?"

"Pant... pant..."

Shen Mengli wasn’t faring much better. In a daze, she had acted on impulse, and only after parting did she realize she’d forgotten to breathe.

"Ye... Ye Feng..."

Gasping softly, she gazed at him with tender affection. Her silver hair clung to her skin with a light sheen of sweat, making her look like a budding gardenia.

"I don’t know what’s going to happen to me... I just didn’t want to have any regrets. And... I think this made the pain a little better."

"R-really?"

Faced with her vulnerable expression, Ye Feng was at a loss. His arms had grown stiff from holding her for so long, and to prevent another surprise attack, he scooped her up and carried her toward the bedroom.

Meanwhile, Shen Mengli remained in a daze, replaying the kiss in her mind over and over.

Ye Feng... I love you... love you...

In no time, Ye Feng laid her gently on the bed, exhaling in quiet relief.

Shen Mengli’s mix of innocence and allure had nearly shattered his composure. To him, she was the only one who could rattle his heart like this.

"Nn..."

Lying on the bed, Shen Mengli continued to endure the pain, murmuring Ye Feng’s name weakly.

In response, Ye Feng placed his hand over hers.

The moment their fingers touched, Shen Mengli clung to him like a lifeline, their hands intertwined as they waited silently for the final outcome.

......

Time ticked by, and Shen Mengli’s pain gradually subsided. Yet her energy had visibly drained—even her grip on Ye Feng’s hand had weakened.

"Ye Feng..."

After what felt like an eternity, her voice finally broke the silence.

"I’m here."

Ye Feng squeezed her hand tightly. Shen Mengli, sensing his presence, weakly opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was Ye Feng’s disheveled hair and the exhaustion etched on his face. It was clear he hadn’t let his guard down for a single moment.