Newly Developed Doll

"Two people in total, right? How many rooms would you like, sir?"

"Um... one room is enough."

"Ah, understood. Please wait a moment~"

The hotel receptionist glanced at Ye Feng, then at Shen Mengli, suppressing a smile as she lowered her head. Her demeanor made it clear she assumed they were a sweet couple.

Shen Mengli didn’t bother correcting her—in fact, she secretly wished everyone would think the same. To her, it only proved how perfectly matched she and Ye Feng appeared. There was no need to explain.

Ye Feng noticed it too, but he didn’t dwell on it. In his mind, he was here solely for Shen Mengli. What others thought didn’t matter; his only duty was to accompany her during this time.

"Sir, here’s your key card. Please keep it safe."

After completing the check-in, the receptionist handed the card to Ye Feng with both hands, even giving Shen Mengli an encouraging thumbs-up, as if blessing their eternal happiness.

Shen Mengli responded with a gracious nod, as if thanking her for the well-wishes.

"Mengli, do you want to rest first, or should we head straight to the beach?"

"I’d like to go to the beach now..." Shen Mengli replied softly.

"I want to see the ocean properly... and greet my parents."

"Mengli..."

Ye Feng’s heart ached at the forced smile on her face. He sympathized deeply with her emotions, which was why he often overlooked her occasional overreactions.

"Alright. Let’s drop off our things and go to the shore, okay?"

"Okay."

......

"Miss Su, this is the treasure we’ve worked overnight to create!"

In the research lab of Su Corporation, a balding man in a white lab coat excitedly handed a strawberry plushie to Su Yuxin.

"Are you sure this plushie has the functions I asked for?"

Su Yuxin scrutinized the seemingly ordinary toy, skepticism creeping into her voice. To her, this so-called "surveillance plushie" appeared utterly useless.

"The whole point is to make it undetectable," the man explained, growing even more animated.

"Miss Su, try pressing the plushie’s nose."

"Nose?"

Following his suggestion, Su Yuxin pressed the nose—but nothing happened. Her patience began to wear thin.

"And then?"

"Heh, don’t rush, Miss Su. Let me explain. First, we specially modified the nose. Its color scheme makes it nearly invisible, so—"

"Get to the point."

Su Yuxin cut him off, forcing him to condense his lengthy explanation into a single sentence.

"The nose contains a specialized night-vision lens and a pinhole camera. It can record high-definition footage of the room and capture clear images in darkness using the night-vision feature."

"Oh? Is it really that impressive?"

"Absolutely! However, due to the plushie’s limited range and the need for stable equipment, it doesn’t pick up audio."

"Not bad. Hand it over."

Su Yuxin’s eyes gleamed with anticipation. She couldn’t wait to test this device for spying on Ye Feng.

"Of course! Though, Miss Su, regarding the research department’s funding..."

"Don’t worry. I’ll speak to my father."

"Ah! With your assurance, I feel completely at ease. I’ve already synced the operational details to your phone."

"Good. Thank you."

"No need for thanks, Miss Su. Serving you is our duty."

After the researcher left, Su Yuxin clutched the plushie tightly, abandoning all decorum. At this moment, she looked less like a poised heiress and more like a lovesick girl obsessed with her prize.

"Ye Feng... I’ll watch your every move. Surely you’d understand, right? If Li Mucheng can act so boldly, why can’t I?"

......

"Ye Feng."

Just as Ye Feng was about to wheel Shen Mengli out of their room, she suddenly called out to him.

"Mengli?"

"I... I want to leave the wheelchair behind this time. I want to prove to my parents that I’m living well... so they won’t worry."

Her voice wavered with emotion. Understanding her meaning, Ye Feng didn’t refuse.

"Okay," was all he said.

"Thank you, Ye Feng. Then... I’ll have to trouble you again."

"It’s nothing. You’re light and petite—carrying you is no trouble at all."

"I’m not that petite..."

She mumbled under her breath, but when Ye Feng stepped forward, she let it go, stretching out her arms as he lifted her effortlessly.

"Let’s go."

"Mm! To the sea!"

......

"Crash—"

Waves rolled onto the golden sand under the caress of the ocean breeze, while the radiant sun bathed the two figures in warmth.

"Ah, the scent of the sea..."

Shen Mengli inhaled deeply, clutching Ye Feng’s collar as she marveled.

"This is the ocean... Just as Mother described—vast and boundless. The sunlight dancing on the water is the most beautiful sight."

The wind seemed to answer her call, brushing against her cheeks like invisible fingers.

Ye Feng watched her quietly, holding her steady, letting her soak in the moment.

Only when a soft smile graced her lips did he whisper, "How do you feel, Mengli? Better now?"

"Yes. Father and Mother... they must be happy, right?"

"Of course. You’re such a wonderful daughter—they’d have no reason to worry."

"But it’s all thanks to you, Ye Feng. Without you... I’d never have seen such beauty in this lifetime."