Tenderness is the Best Remedy

"Whoosh..."

Sitting on the rocky shore, Ye Feng let the sea breeze wash over him. The initial shock from Shen Mengli's sudden advance had gradually subsided, but his heart remained tangled in a mess of emotions—like a tightly knotted ball of yarn, impossible to unravel.

"Mengli... since when?"

Ye Feng gazed at the horizon with a pensive expression, his heart heavy with mixed feelings. From Shen Mengli's earlier actions, he had begun to piece things together.

At first, he had dismissed her affectionate gestures as accidental or just excitement. But as time passed, he couldn't ignore the growing shift in how she treated him.

And then, with that sudden kiss, the fog in Ye Feng's mind finally cleared. The tenderness in Shen Mengli's eyes left no doubt—she had fallen for him.

"One storm barely passes, and another rises..."

A slender figure surfaced in Ye Feng's mind—Xie Yuyan. Her gaze had once held the same warmth. He still didn’t know how to face Xie Yuyan, and now Shen Mengli had added to his dilemma.

How should he define his feelings for Shen Mengli? At first, he could dismiss them as mere friendship. But over time, her gentle nature had seeped into him. Despite her own frail health, she had consistently showered him with kindness—even the words she had spoken earlier on the bench had touched him deeply.

For once, Ye Feng, the one who always extended warmth to others, had felt it returned.

So this is how comforting kindness can be...

But... he could never afford such happiness. If he stumbled in matters of the heart, he knew the consequences would be dire.

He refused to let his burdens harm those who cared for him. That was why he often played the fool around them.

"I know it's impossible, but... I don’t want this either. I just want... a life of my own."

"Why... why must you torment me like this, System? I’ve followed your tasks step by step, yet the cycle never ends. Even urgent missions force me to risk my life... What’s the point of all these so-called items? Substitute Dolls, Master Keys, even that Fake Death Pill! What use are they to me? Am I really being hunted down or something?"

At this point, the frustration Ye Feng had bottled up finally erupted. He stood and roared at the sea.

"What’s wrong with wanting a peaceful life? Kidnappings, systems—if you want to torture me, just erase me already! Progress bars, indexes... you never explain how to complete them or what they even mean. What kind of scam system are you?"

After his outburst, Ye Feng gradually calmed down, his heaving chest settling as his breathing steadied.

"Hah... shouting at the sea really does help vent emotions. I feel much better now."

His anger had come and gone quickly, and with rationality restored, everything seemed normal again. But now, he had one more problem to consider—how to handle Shen Mengli from now on.

"Xiao Feng? You're back."

Seeing Ye Feng approach from a distance, Shen Mengli offered a soft smile and opened her arms, expecting an embrace. But his expressionless face made her smile stiffen.

When Ye Feng stopped before her with heavy steps, she sensed something was wrong. Her voice lost its usual cheerfulness.

"X-Xiao Feng? You..."

"I’m sorry, Mengli."

Ye Feng cut her off, then spoke solemnly.

"Let’s not have any more... intimate contact like before, okay? I... I’m not comfortable with it."

"Huh? Wh-why... Xiao Feng, what’s wrong? Why are you suddenly saying this? Did you hear something? Is there a misunderstanding? Please, tell me."

Her voice trembled as she clutched his sleeve tightly, refusing to let go.

"Mengli? Wait a second—"

"No, it has to be a mistake. Xiao Feng, don’t listen to them. They’re lying to you—don’t... don’t believe them!"

Shen Mengli shook her head frantically, as if struck by some unseen shock. No matter what Ye Feng said, she didn’t respond.

"Mengli..."

"Xiao Feng, believe me... please believe me. I’m the only one who truly cares about you... the only one who loves you. Don’t... don’t do this, okay?"

"Your emotions are unstable right now. Let’s go back to the room and talk, alright?"

This was the first time Ye Feng had seen Shen Mengli so distraught. His words seemed to have carved a deep wound into her heart.

"No no no no..."

She kept muttering under her breath, her gaze growing vacant. It was clear his rejection had triggered something in her.

"Mengli!"

Watching the light fade from her eyes, Ye Feng panicked. His words had affected her far more than he’d anticipated. No matter how many times he called her name, she didn’t respond. For a moment, he was at a loss.

Originally, he had only meant to discuss toning down their physical closeness. But before he could even negotiate, Shen Mengli had spiraled into this strange state—like an angel slowly falling from grace.

Realizing this approach wasn’t working, Ye Feng gave up. He shook her shoulders gently.

"Mengli? Maybe I didn’t phrase things well earlier. Let’s talk this over again, okay?"

"......"

Only silence answered him. Shen Mengli’s eyes darkened further, returning to their former emptiness. Her lips parted slightly, whispering something inaudible.

Now, Ye Feng was truly alarmed. He hadn’t expected her reaction to be so extreme. Did he really mean that much to her? Was this a good thing... or a bad one?

In the end, with no other choice, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as her eyes deepened into a crimson hue. Leaning in, he whispered by her ear:

"Please, Mengli... let’s talk."

"Talk..."