Natural Fit

"You mean her skills are literally that impressive? At best, she can only handle people without any training. What’s there to fear about that?"

"You don’t know her methods... Once you’ve dealt with her, you’ll understand just how ruthless she is. To achieve her goals, she’ll stop at nothing—even hurting those closest to her, believing it’s something she must do."

Shen Mengli recalled the bloody, horrifying scenes from the illusion, her face growing even paler. If things really reached that point, she wouldn’t be able to do anything for Ye Feng... But for his sake, she wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice herself, as long as... as long as Ye Feng remained unharmed.

Ye Feng had given her a new life, and when he needed it, she would return that life to him.

"So, you’re saying Xie Yuyan is currently staying at our teacher’s house?!"

"Yes. Not long ago, she returned after being away for some time."

"Why... Why didn’t our teacher mention this to me at all? And his phone..."

Li Mucheng suddenly stopped mid-sentence, casting a sharp glance at Shen Mengli, who was quietly sipping her coffee. She let out a relieved sigh—she had nearly revealed something private. Thankfully, Shen Mengli seemed too distracted to notice.

"Shen Mengli, since you’ve dealt with Xie Yuyan before, you must know her weakness, right? If we can find leverage over her, even she would have to comply."

Shen Mengli fell silent for a moment, then looked at Li Mucheng with an expression of reluctance. "The leverage you’re talking about... we already have it."

"How is that possible? There’s no way it could be the same..."

Li Mucheng cut herself off as a realization struck her. After a long pause, she finally spoke again.

"...Our teacher?"

"Yes. Ye Feng."

......

"Ugh..."

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Ye Feng recalled the embarrassing incident from earlier, unsure how to face Xie Yuyan now. He never expected that someone as disciplined as him—even with the aid of his system’s skills—would falter in front of her. In her presence, he felt like an amateur whose every move was effortlessly countered.

And whenever he was around Xie Yuyan, she would always, intentionally or not, exude an alluring charm. That was precisely why he had been avoiding close contact with her.

But there was one more thing weighing on Ye Feng’s mind—his relationship with Xie Yuyan...

"Why did things turn out like that?"

Though he wasn’t entirely blameless for the severity of what happened, he still didn’t know how to approach the situation.

"Ye Feng, what’s with the sigh~?"

Just as his thoughts were spiraling, the bed suddenly dipped beside him, and Xie Yuyan’s seductive voice reached his ears.

Every word she spoke was like a tantalizing pluck at his nerves, stirring his restless heart and shifting his emotions.

"Xie Yuyan, can you just let me be alone for a while? I need to sort some things out."

"What things? Maybe I can help you sort them out~"

In an instant, Xie Yuyan coiled around him like a nimble serpent, disrupting his thoughts with relentless interference. To her, this was all part of dismantling Ye Feng’s defenses and eroding his rationality. Once his resistance crumbled, he’d surrender completely... and then, she could take their relationship to the next level.

"No, Xie Yuyan, I appreciate the offer, but I need to think this through myself..."

Before he could finish his refusal, Xie Yuyan suddenly pressed her hands against his shoulders and shoved him down. Ye Feng fell flat onto the bed.

"Xie Yuyan?"

Staring up at her—her face inches from his, those captivating eyes locking onto his—he froze, forgetting to sit back up.

Seizing the opportunity, Xie Yuyan cradled his face between her hands, gazing down at him with dominance.

"You know, Ye Feng, the day you brought me back was the day you lost any chance of shaking me off. A new life, a new environment—none of that changes the fact that we can’t be separated. To put it nicely, what happened between us has bound us together. To put it bluntly, we’re two bugs on the same vine—our fates are already intertwined."

"No... that’s not it. Xie Yuyan, I saved you not to make you feel this way about me. I just wanted you to leave your past behind and start fresh..."

"Do you really think that’s possible?"

Xie Yuyan leaned closer, her nose nearly brushing against his.

Her words struck like a hammer, shattering the last barrier in Ye Feng’s mind.

"Do you think it’s possible to undo things now? We can’t escape each other. Like fish need water, you need me."

"I... need you?"

"Yes. You need me."

As she spoke, Xie Yuyan covered Ye Feng’s eyes with one hand, then swiftly closed the distance between them.

In the fleeting moment that followed, Ye Feng’s dry lips were sealed by a soft, insistent pressure. The faint scent of Xie Yuyan’s perfume filled his senses, and his mind—once clouded by darkness—went completely blank...

"Mmm..."

"Ah..."

"Hah..."

......

"It’s... gone."

"What’s gone?"

Li Mucheng watched as Shen Mengli stirred her coffee absentmindedly, puzzled by her occasional cryptic remarks.

"The sugar... it melted into the coffee."

Shen Mengli took another sip, her expression unreadable.

"What’s wrong? Too sweet?"

"No... it’s more bitter now..."

......

"Xie... Xie Yuyan, w-wait..."

Ye Feng finally snapped out of his daze, gasping for air as the lack of oxygen pulled him back to reality.

Xie Yuyan, having savored her victory, slowly released him, licking her lips with satisfaction.

"See? We’re a perfect match~ Meant to be together~"