Collaboration

"So what you're saying is... you don't even know why you ended up doing such things to Brother Ye Feng out of the blue?"

Su Yuxin, sitting on the sofa, took a gentle sip of her milk coffee before speaking. She knew she needed to take things slow with Ye Feng, but she hadn’t expected the information gap between them to be this vast. After everything that had happened today, she had begun forming her own theories.

Though the unresolved conflict between her and Li Mucheng remained, her immediate priority was to uncover the information she lacked. Then, she would use her own methods to get closer to Ye Feng and drive away the swarm of admirers surrounding him—that was her ultimate goal.

"Honestly, being with our teacher brings me an unprecedented sense of calm. But after spending time with him, don’t you feel inexplicably upset when his attention shifts away from you?"

"Well... I do, a little..."

"Exactly! Now think carefully—has anything like this ever happened to you before?"

"Of course not! No man has ever gotten this close to me besides Brother Ye Feng!"

"That’s precisely the issue!"

Li Mucheng pointed out her observation, and seeing that Su Yuxin was listening, she continued.

"There must be some secret about our teacher that’s causing this. And don’t you think the way we met him feels like it was all preordained?"

"I’m not entirely sure... but I know the moment I saw Brother Ye Feng, my heart already skipped a beat."

Su Yuxin drifted into a daze as she recalled her first encounter with Ye Feng. Even now, her heart raced wildly at the memory.

"Yes, it all happened so suddenly. As if it was deliberately arranged."

Li Mucheng stood up as she spoke. Though her tone was calm and her words flowed smoothly, the sorrow in her expression betrayed her deep regret over what had transpired today.

"So this has been an endless battle from the very beginning. The situation is clear now—if we want to emerge victorious, it means..."

"Only one of us can win."

"Exactly. No matter what methods we use, no matter what strategies we employ, our goal remains the same—it’s our teacher..."

Li Mucheng’s thoughts wandered to the scene of Xie Yuyan supporting Ye Feng as they walked away from her. Her eyes visibly dimmed with melancholy.

"But my plan backfired. Rather than saying that restraining our teacher was the wrong approach, it’s more accurate to say... my actions were too reckless. Without proper planning, forcing him to comply was always going to be a long shot."

"So now you want to team up with me?"

"Precisely. You don’t want that woman to end up with our teacher either, do you? The only way to defeat her now is if we join forces."

"Aren’t you afraid she’ll lash out? If she finds out we’re secretly plotting against her, wouldn’t it be effortless for her to take us down?"

"But don’t forget—she has her own concerns too."

"Her concerns? What could a woman with no verifiable identity possibly be worried about?"

"Her concern is simple—it’s our dear teacher, of course~"

......

"N-No..."

Ye Feng, who had been sound asleep, suddenly jolted awake as if from a nightmare. He sat up in bed, his face pale with fear as he frantically scanned his surroundings.

"Ye Feng?"

At that moment, Xie Yuyan’s voice called from outside the room. In the blink of an eye, a comforting silhouette appeared in the doorway.

"Yuyan..."

Though Ye Feng had rested for a while, his haggard expression still bore traces of exhaustion. It seemed sleep hadn’t been enough to heal the wounds in his heart.

Seeing this, Xie Yuyan gently removed her cooking apron and walked over to sit beside him on the bed. She pulled him into an embrace, tenderly stroking his head as she whispered, "It’s okay. As long as I’m here, no one can hurt you."

"I... I..."

Ye Feng’s voice cracked, words failing him. He had never imagined going through so much turmoil. The system’s tasks alone had already drained him, but what truly shattered his mental defenses was the realization that his own students had developed... unconventional feelings for him.

"Shh, Ye Feng, no more talking for now."

Xie Yuyan’s heart ached at the sight of his broken state, but she wasn’t sure how to console him. Then, an idea struck her.

What could I do to make Ye Feng happy? What usually makes me happy...?

Ah—got it!!!

Just as Ye Feng was about to thank her, a pair of warm hands cupped his face, lifting it gently. Before he could react, soft lips pressed against his own.

"Mmm~"

"Yu—Yuyan...?"

"Mmph~"

Xie Yuyan, her eyes curved into pleased crescents, could tell her tactic was working. She deepened the kiss, losing herself in the moment as she sought to mend his spirit.

"W-Wait... mmm—!"

Seizing the chance while Ye Feng was still flustered, Xie Yuyan pushed him back onto the bed with a decisive move, leaving him utterly defenseless.

"Chu~"

"Smack... Smack..."

"Ahh~"

......

An immeasurable amount of time later, Ye Feng’s dazed gaze finally regained focus. As he looked at Xie Yuyan nestled contentedly against him, the shadows in his heart began to dissipate.

"Xie Yuyan..."

"Hm? Ye Feng, you’re finally responding to me~"

Xie Yuyan lifted her head, her bright eyes meeting his. Seeing his improved state eased her worries and filled her with pride at her own cleverness.

Hehe, see? I knew this would cheer him up! Too bad we couldn’t go further... I’m still itching for more~

"Sorry for worrying you, Xie Yuyan."

Ye Feng took a deep breath, the lingering taste of her on his lips making his cheeks flush. He pulled back the covers and sat up.

"Don’t apologize. Taking care of you is my duty~"

Xie Yuyan smiled sweetly before wrapping her arms around him from behind. The familiar warmth pressed against his back sent his heart racing all over again.

"Ahem... Yuyan, isn’t this hug... a little too tight?"