Illusion

"The pain seems to be fading away slowly..."

Shen Mengli felt every subtle change in her body and openly shared it with Ye Feng, her initial worries dissipating along with the pain.

"It looks like the medicine is working."

Ye Feng let out a relieved sigh, noticing the sweat-drenched strands of hair clinging to Shen Mengli's forehead. He stood up, intending to head to the living room, but before he could take a step, Shen Mengli's small hand grasped his sleeve.

"Xiao Feng, where are you going?"

Seeing Ye Feng about to leave, Shen Mengli mustered the last of her strength to tug at his sleeve.

"Ah..."

Feeling the faint pull from behind, Ye Feng quickly turned and gently patted the back of her hand, speaking softly.

"Mengli, don’t worry. I just noticed you’re sweating a lot, so I wanted to get a towel to wipe it off. I don’t want you catching a cold."

"No... don’t go... Xiao Feng, stay... It’s fine..."

Shen Mengli weakly shook her head, her tearful crimson eyes fixed on Ye Feng as if afraid he might vanish the moment she blinked.

Seeing her insistence, Ye Feng had no choice but to sit back down on the edge of the bed. Using his sleeve, he carefully wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Mmm..."

The tenderness of Ye Feng’s care made Shen Mengli’s heart flutter, like a kitten’s playful paw tickling her insides. Unlike the care she’d received from the orphanage matron, Ye Feng’s attention carried a warmth laced with affection, sweet and comforting.

Ye Feng noticed the faint blush on Shen Mengli’s cheeks and felt a flicker of surprise. When they’d first met, her complexion had been as fragile as a flower trembling in the wind, as if the slightest disturbance might harm her. But after a few days of rest at his place, her vitality had visibly improved. The thought brought a relieved smile to his lips—at least she was doing well under his care.

When Ye Feng glanced back at Shen Mengli, he realized she had fallen asleep without him noticing.

Watching her peaceful slumber, he exhaled softly. The pain must have completely subsided—now, all she needed was time to recover.

Gently, Ye Feng tucked her small hand under the blanket and adjusted the covers around her. As he gazed at her serene face, his mind replayed the moment she had suddenly kissed him earlier, and he unconsciously pressed his lips together.

"!!!"

What am I thinking?!

His face flushed, and he shook off the distracting thoughts, tiptoeing out of the room. He needed to prepare some nourishing food for her before she woke up.

......

"Wh-where am I...?"

When Shen Mengli opened her eyes, she found herself lying on the sofa in Ye Feng’s home. Slowly sitting up, she realized he wasn’t beside her.

"Xiao Feng? Xiao Feng?"

Panicked, she called his name, scanning the room, but only silence and her own echo answered.

Without Ye Feng in sight, Shen Mengli felt an irrational dread claw at her. She slid off the sofa, crawling weakly across the floor.

"Why...? Xiao Feng, you promised you wouldn’t leave me. Why aren’t you here when I need you the most?"

Just as she was about to collapse onto the floor, a strange noise caught her attention—coming from behind the closed bedroom door.

"Xiao Feng? Are you in there?"

As she teetered on the edge of falling, she suddenly noticed something astonishing—her legs could feel the cold touch of the floor beneath her.

"This... this is?!"

Her pupils shrank in disbelief. She pinched her plush calf, and sure enough, the sensation registered clearly.

"My... my legs... I can feel them?!"

A gasp escaped her lips, and she clapped a hand over her mouth, trying to steady herself. Then, an image of Ye Feng flashed in her mind.

"No... the legs can wait. That sound—Xiao Feng’s still in the bedroom. I have to find him!"

Clutching the sofa for support, Shen Mengli wobbled to her feet, inching step by step toward the bedroom.

As she drew closer, the muffled noises sharpened into clarity.

"Mmm..."

"Ah..."

......

The sounds from inside the bedroom struck her like a thunderbolt, obliterating the joy she’d felt from standing.

"No... it can’t be... Xiao Feng promised he’d stay with me."

Despite her denial, her hand trembled as it gripped the doorknob, her crimson eyes burning with an eerie glow.

Creak—

The door swung open, revealing a scene that froze her in place.

Ye Feng lay bound on the bed, a cloth gag stuffed in his mouth, his face twisted in terror as he silently pleaded for help.

Beside him stood three shadowy figures—their features indistinct. Before Shen Mengli could process the sight, the figures turned in unison, their gazes locking onto her.

One of them stepped forward, producing a gleaming scalpel from nowhere and extending it toward Shen Mengli.

Then, a familiar voice spoke, and Shen Mengli recognized the shadow as Li Mucheng, Ye Feng’s student.

"Mengli, thanks to you, your teacher surrendered so easily. We have to admit—your contribution was the greatest among us. So... we’ve decided to let you have the first cut."

"What... what do you mean?"

"Huh? Didn’t we agree? Whoever played the biggest role in capturing Ye Feng gets the first choice."

"First choice? Choice of what?"

"Isn’t it obvious? Of course, it’s—"

As Li Mucheng’s lips parted, a wave of dizziness crashed over Shen Mengli. Darkness swirled at the edges of her vision, swallowing her whole.

......

"No! Stop!"

Shen Mengli jolted upright with a gasp, her abrupt movement startling Ye Feng, who had been watching over her by the bed.

"Mengli?"