Crimson Rose

"My acquaintance with Meng Li was... quite accidental."

Ye Feng summarized how he first met Wenwen, then later got to know Shen Mengli at the orphanage, followed by the Old Dean's request, and finally bringing Shen Mengli home. Of course, he omitted any mention of the system.

"So... just like that, you took her in?" Xie Yuyan asked incredulously. She knew Ye Feng fairly well. In her eyes, he wasn’t the type to act out of pure kindness for everything. Though she didn’t understand why he had saved her, she knew he wouldn’t just help someone in such a situation without reason—unless he was forced.

It was almost as if some rule compelled him to act. But these were just speculations. She’d have to meet this girl named Shen Mengli before drawing any conclusions.

"Ah... so that’s how it is. Our Ye Feng is really..."

Xie Yuyan’s words dripped with jealousy as she let go of Ye Feng’s arm and suddenly settled onto his lap, nestling into his embrace. She traced circles on his chest with her fingertip.

"So~ gentle~"

Gentle again? Ye Feng frowned inwardly while hurriedly pushing her shoulders.

"Xie Yuyan, stop messing around and get off! Is this how you treat an injured person?"

"Ehh~ I’m not that heavy. What’s the harm in sitting on your lap for a bit?"

Snap

A crisp flicking sound echoed, and the living room fell silent.

"Mean Ye Feng, always bullying me."

Sitting at the far end of the sofa, Xie Yuyan turned her back to him, muttering under her breath like a wronged little girl. Her pitiful expression was enough to melt anyone’s heart—but Ye Feng employed the most effective countermeasure: averting his gaze. This way, he avoided the fluster of meeting her eyes and got a moment’s peace.

After her complaint, Xie Yuyan sneakily glanced at Ye Feng and clenched her fists in frustration. Taking advantage of his diverted attention, she inched closer before speaking again.

"Ye Feng, why aren’t you saying anything? Do you really not want to talk to me?"

Yet silence was all she received. Realizing Ye Feng was deliberately avoiding her, Xie Yuyan dropped the act and suddenly clung to his arm.

"Xie Yuyan?"

The familiar pressure broke Ye Feng’s composure. He turned to see her eyes closed, wearing a blissful expression.

"Didn’t you say I was bullying you? Why are you back?"

"I... I..."

She stammered, scrambling for an excuse before giving up entirely and blurting out,

"I like it! Not your business!"

"......"

After a long pause, Xie Yuyan finally lifted her head. Meeting Ye Feng’s gaze, she smiled softly and whispered,

"Ye Feng... after all this time, I’ve found you again. From now on, I’m sticking with you. Don’t even think about making me leave—unless... unless I die."

Snap

The same sound rang out again, though much lighter this time.

Ye Feng glared at her pouting face. "Xie Yuyan, can you stop saying things like that? You’re safe now. If anything happens in the future, I’ll help you. Just live your life well—you’re not an assassin anymore. You’re just an ordinary girl."

"Thank you, Ye Feng~"

Xie Yuyan beamed, relishing his concern. She wished he’d give her everything he had.

"I really like... being with you. I won’t leave you again, and you better not leave me either~"

"I’ll help wherever I can, but could you loosen your grip? My arm’s about to break."

"Hehe~ Sorry, sorry~ Got a little carried away~"

She released his arm and stood up from the sofa.

"Rest here for a bit, Ye Feng. I’ll go arrange my things."

"Mm... but Xie Yuyan, about your place..."

Before he could finish, she cut in, "Not the time for that! We’ll talk later. I just got back—give me a transition period. Besides, your injury is my fault too. I should at least wait till you recover before making plans."

"Alright then."

Ye Feng nodded. Given his condition, he really couldn’t manage much. Though his wound was healing quickly, sudden movements still strained it. Everything else would have to wait until he got better.

At that thought, he realized he needed to check the system for any updates. With one less decoy doll, he’d lost a lifeline. He used to scoff at the system’s rewards, but now they seemed invaluable. Without that doll, he’d have been a goner...

Hmm~

Xie Yuyan hummed as she began organizing her belongings. She’d make sure those vixens knew who truly owned this place. Anyone daring to encroach on her territory wouldn’t get off easy.

......

The moment Ye Feng opened the system, a gift notification popped up—labeled Evasion Reward. In the illustrated catalog, under Crimson Rose, he spotted a number: Evasion Count: 1.

Evasion Reward? Wasn’t this supposed to be in the exploration catalog? And what’s this Crimson Rose? It wasn’t there before. Where did this evasion count come from?

Lost in thought, his gaze inadvertently drifted toward Xie Yuyan, who was pulling a towel from the living room cabinet. Sensing his stare, she smirked and wiggled her fingers in a playful wave.

!!!

Ye Feng snapped his eyes away, a realization dawning.

Crimson Rose... Could that be Xie Yuyan’s alias?

Recommend Series

Transmigrated into the Villain, My Inner Thoughts Were Overheard by the Female Lead

Transmigrated into the Villain, My Inner Thoughts Were Overheard by the Female Lead

. As long as he maintains the villain image and follows the plot to the grand finale, he can obtain generous rewards and return to the real world. So Gu Chen'an entered the role and began to act as a scumbag villain, but who would have expected that the female leads could hear his inner thoughts. Miss Su from the Su family was shocked: "I originally thought Gu Chen'an was a scumbag, but I didn't expect he turned out to be a gentleman! What? You said I have to call off the engagement? I definitely won't, I'll piss you off!" Bai Yuan Tian was dumbfounded: "Young Master Gu is usually unreasonable and a complete brat, but he actually calls me little sweetie in his heart? What, Young Master Gu even said he likes me?" As the female leads' images collapsed more and more, the plot also collapsed with it. Gu Chen'an looked at all this chaos. "Ladies, don't aggro me, if you keep this up the male lead really will stab me, I still need to survive to the grand finale!"

Immortal Already, Now You’re Inviting Me to a Newbie Transmigration Group?

Immortal Already, Now You’re Inviting Me to a Newbie Transmigration Group?

Heart] Chen Yi traversed the cultivation world for eight hundred years, charging his way to the Tribulation Transcendence stage. Just as he was outwitting his 81st Heavenly Tribulation to ascend to immortality, he was suddenly pulled into a chat group called the "Multiverse Transmigrators Support Group." To his surprise, the group was filled with nothing but fresh-faced newbies who had just transmigrated. [Help! I transmigrated into a disgraced concubine in the cold palace, and the tyrant emperor is about to execute me!] [I ended up as a cannon-fodder villain, and the protagonist is still chasing me—WTF!] [I woke up as the protagonist’s father, but I’m about to be sacrificed in a ritual! What do I do? Urgent!!!] Chen Yi stared at the chaotic flood of desperate pleas in the group and fell into deep thought. "Seriously? You drag me into a newbie transmigrator chat group… only after I’m one step away from becoming an immortal?"

To Harm the Righteous Path, I Had No Choice But to Make Games

To Harm the Righteous Path, I Had No Choice But to Make Games

th】 【No prior gaming knowledge required】【The First Cultivation + Game Design Novel on the Platform】 In a world where the righteous path dominates and crushes the demonic sects, Lu Ze unlocks the "Son of the Demon Path" system. Killing righteous cultivators now grants him power-ups. Wait—deaths in illusions count too? As a former game designer, Lu Ze decides to give the cultivators of this world a little—no, a massive—shock... Sect Elders: "What is this 'Escape from the Demon Sect' game? Why have all our disciples abandoned cultivation to play it??" Elite Disciples: "You're saying... mastering 'Demon Slayer' can help us counter demonic schemes?" Reclusive Masters: "Why did I leave seclusion? Ask that backstabbing rat who ambushed me in 'Eternal Strife' yesterday!" Rogue Cultivators & Civilians: "'Immortal Abyss Action' is addictive! You can even earn spirit stones by loot-running..." Sect Prodigy: "My Dao heart is unshakable... except for that cursed black hammer." Royal Scions: "Can skins have stat boosts? I’ll pay 10,000 spirit stones for one!!" Sect Leader: "WHO IS CORRUPTING MY DISCIPLES?!!!"

Life Simulation: I Caused the Female Sword Immortal to Regret Forever

Life Simulation: I Caused the Female Sword Immortal to Regret Forever

ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"