Forget it, I’ll just call Yu Xin when she’s free.
With that thought, Ye Feng put down the phone in his hand and gave Shen Mengli, who was clinging to him, a stern look.
“Mengli, I hope you can give me a reasonable explanation.”
“Mmm… I couldn’t find you after my bath, so I came here.”
“Then why did you hug me while still wet? You could’ve just waited for me on the couch.”
“Because you didn’t look too happy, and I wanted to give you a warm hug.”
Shen Mengli’s voice grew quieter toward the end. Truthfully, she just wanted to be close to Ye Feng. Right now, she wished she could turn into a soft little creature and cling to him forever.
“Thank you, Mengli. I appreciate the thought, but…”
Ye Feng’s tone shifted as he flicked her forehead lightly, then scolded her with mock severity.
“Mengli, you’re already in poor health, and now you’re running around the balcony with your hair still wet? With this wind, you’re practically asking to catch a cold! Do you realize that during your recovery, you should be taking care of yourself instead of pushing your limits like this? Are you trying to defy me?”
Shen Mengli was left speechless by his lecture, but she knew every word came from concern. After a pause, she murmured, “I’m sorry.”
“Do you understand now?”
“Yes…”
“And if it happens again?”
“Then I’ll be a little pig!”
“Hmph, you said it yourself!”
Only after extracting this promise did Ye Feng nod in satisfaction. He wasn’t trying to punish her—he just wanted her to understand that she needed to rest and recover, not push herself recklessly.
“Alright, let’s go inside. It’s time for me to dry your hair.”
“Okay~”
This was the moment Shen Mengli had been waiting for. Whenever Ye Feng dried her hair, she couldn’t help but imagine them as a couple, naturally slipping into the role of his girlfriend.
Buzz…
After a while under the warm airflow, Shen Mengli’s silky hair gleamed as radiantly as ever. Even Ye Feng found the task soothing.
“All done! Mengli, you go ahead and sleep. I need to take a shower too.”
“Mm, okay.”
Just as Shen Mengli turned toward the bedroom, Ye Feng stopped her.
“Ye Feng?”
Her face slightly flushed from her bath, Shen Mengli gazed into his captivating eyes, holding her breath in anticipation.
Is he going to…?
“Mengli.”
Ye Feng looked at her seriously, then spoke under her expectant gaze.
“Sleep early tonight.”
“……”
“Th-that’s it?”
“What else did you think I’d say?”
“Stupid Ye Feng!”
Shen Mengli huffed and dodged past him, her carefully built-up emotions shattered by his blunt remark. She stomped off to the bedroom alone.
“This girl, always so dramatic.”
Ye Feng shrugged helplessly and headed to the bathroom.
“Punch you! Punch you!”
Once in bed, Shen Mengli vented her frustration by pummeling a stuffed bear, as if it were Ye Feng himself. Only after its head was thoroughly knocked sideways did she finally relent.
Staring at the defeated “Ye Feng,” she waved a triumphant fist.
“See? That’s what happens when you mess with me! If there’s a next time, I’ll… I’ll beat you up again!”
Then, softening, she pulled the bear into a hug, leaning down to whisper near its ear with cherry-red lips.
“Sorry… but you shouldn’t have made me mad. Don’t do it again, okay~?”
“Alright, now… bedtime~”
……
A while later, Ye Feng stepped into the room, refreshed from his shower. As he approached the bed, he paused, scanning the dimly lit space for any sign of Shen Mengli. Only after confirming her absence did he relax—lately, she’d taken to ambushing him under the covers, and he’d grown wary of her playful surprises.
Pulling back the blanket, he climbed in. He needed proper rest tonight; tomorrow would be an early start, and Mengli was in for quite the surprise.
Just as he closed his eyes, though, he sensed an intense gaze fixed on him. Turning, he found a pair of crimson eyes staring unblinkingly from the other pillow.
“Mengli! You’re still awake?”
Startled, Ye Feng realized their faces were nearly touching—she’d been motionless just moments ago.
“Mm. I… I want to sleep with you.”
He was about to refuse when he noticed her trembling voice. She seemed genuinely unwell.
“Are you feeling sick?”
“Mm… It’s like before… so cold…”
“What?!”
Ye Feng sat up and pressed a hand to her forehead.
“No fever… Maybe the blankets aren’t enough?”
“I don’t know. It’s just like yesterday. It’s fine, Ye Feng. I can tough it out.”
“Sigh… Mengli, if you don’t mind… we can do what we did last night.”
“R-really? But… maybe I shouldn’t…”
“It’s fine. Just until you’re better. Might still be side effects.”
“O-okay then… I won’t hold back.”
Blushing, Shen Mengli wriggled under his blanket. A closer look would’ve revealed she’d only covered half her body earlier, leaving the rest exposed—hence the chill.
As she nestled against Ye Feng’s chest, he confirmed how icy her skin was, save for the warmth where she’d huddled. The side effects weren’t fading easily.
Awkwardly, he asked, “Warmer now?”
“Mm, so warm~”
“G-good. Sleep well.”
“Goodnight, Ye Feng.”
“Goodnight.”
……
In the pitch-black night, a deafening roar pierced the silence. Inside the business class cabin of an airliner, a tall, alluring woman sat with her legs crossed, gazing at a string of phone numbers in her hand.
"Hmm... I’ll wait until we’re almost there to call him. I’m sure he’ll be pleasantly surprised by then~"
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!
iemie, male, Race: Moon. Hobby: Collecting anomalies. At first, he thought he possessed two systems: the Crimson Rainbow Moon and the Clear Cold Frost Moon. One day, he discovered that he himself could also become a system for others, holding the chessboard of fate. The Eighth Epoch, also known as the Eternal Moon Epoch. Humans, witches, elves, bloodline descendants, specters, demons, and spirits together compose a new history. Walking the path on behalf of the moon, before he knew it, Chen Miemie's footsteps were followed by all manner of strange and wondrous anomalies. As time passed, many titles circulated about him—The King in Yellow, Lord of Anomalies, Heart of the Eternal Moon, and more. "Me? I'm just a traveler who enjoys collecting interesting creatures," Chen Miemie said.
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
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."
