Don't Be in Such a Hurry

"Su... Su Yuxin, hello."

Shen Mengli nodded timidly at Su Yuxin, her flustered expression betraying her surprise at Su Yuxin's unexpected visit.

Su Yuxin sized Shen Mengli up, thinking to herself:

Just as Li Mucheng said, this girl really is weak. I can’t imagine how she managed to get close to Ye Feng. But judging by her, she’s no threat. I’ll just get the answers I need and leave quickly. Every second Xie Yuyan spends with Ye Feng is unbearable.

"Li Mucheng told me you know a lot about Xie Yuyan?"

"I... I wouldn’t say a lot. I only know about her because Ye Feng mentioned her."

"What did Ye Feng tell you?"

"That Xie Yuyan is incredibly capable—both in combat and judgment, far beyond ordinary people. Even Ye Feng... might not be a match for her."

As Shen Mengli spoke, she recalled the nightmares she’d had. Though they hadn’t haunted her recently, she knew Xie Yuyan being with Ye Feng couldn’t mean anything good.

"She’s really that strong? How did someone like her even meet Ye Feng...?"

Su Yuxin, usually cheerful and lively, frowned deeply. If Xie Yuyan couldn’t be dealt with, getting Ye Feng for herself would be impossible.

"I’m not sure. Ye Feng spent the least time with me. I never had the chance to really understand him..."

Shen Mengli lowered her head, her expression despondent. Su Yuxin’s presence only made her feel smaller.

"Whatever. If you don’t have anything useful, I won’t waste my time. After all, with your condition... taking care of yourself must be hard enough."

Su Yuxin gave Shen Mengli a pointed look—perhaps out of pity, or maybe because she felt a twisted relief seeing someone so pretty yet so physically limited.

"Alright... but Miss Su, could I ask you for a favor?"

"Go ahead. If it’s within my power, I’ll help."

"Could you... tell me what’s going on? Before this, I only contacted Li Mucheng. I never expected to meet you too."

"Hah."

Su Yuxin let out a cold laugh before recounting the day’s events in detail.

"What?! Li Mucheng actually did that to Ye Feng?!"

Shen Mengli covered her mouth in shock, her horrified expression making it clear she doubted Su Yuxin’s words. This only made Su Yuxin lower her guard further.

"Talking to you is pointless. Someone like you should stay out of these matters. Ye Feng would never be with you."

Shen Mengli’s brows twitched. She opened her mouth to speak but ultimately stayed silent. After a long pause, she asked, "Then... is Ye Feng alright? Was he hurt?"

"That Xie Yuyan woman took him away. If it weren’t for Ye Feng, I’d never have helped her! Now she’s probably cozying up to him without a care. But mark my words—I’ll take Ye Feng back from her someday!"

Su Yuxin grew angrier as she spoke, eventually storming off without another word. She’d already decided this orphanage girl posed no threat. There was no point wasting time on her.

"......"

Only when Su Yuxin’s figure disappeared did Shen Mengli drop her timid act. She wheeled herself back to her room alone.

"Serves her right!"

Shen Mengli muttered under her breath, recalling Su Yuxin’s story about Li Mucheng’s attack on Ye Feng.

"Acting without thinking—did she really think Xie Yuyan would let things slide? And Ye Feng is the key to changing everything. What’s the point of just having him? She might as well make a doll of him. What an idiot."

"But this works in my favor. The more they fight, the better my chances. I just need to wait and watch. After all, I still have secrets even Ye Feng doesn’t know."

Memories of her time with Ye Feng flashed through her mind. Now that Xie Yuyan had taken her only refuge, resentment simmered in her heart. But she was powerless for now. She’d have to bide her time.

"Ye Feng... I miss you so much..."

......

"Sweetheart, dinner’s ready~"

Xie Yuyan set the last dish on the table, then untied her apron and sat beside Ye Feng, immediately placing a piece of spare rib in his bowl.

"Ye Feng, eat up before it gets cold. Or... do you not like today’s dishes?"

"It’s not that."

Ye Feng looked at Xie Yuyan with emotion, then at the feast before them, and spoke softly.

"It just feels too surreal, like a dream."

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

"Think about it, Xie Yuyan. If you were lost in an unfamiliar place, unsure of your path, and then at your lowest point, you met someone you could rely on... wouldn’t it feel like a dream?"

"Eh? Ye... Ye Feng, are you saying... I... I..."

Xie Yuyan, who had been listening intently, suddenly lost her words. She stammered, her cheeks flushing bright red.

"Yes. I’m talking about you."

"Eep...!"

At Ye Feng’s blunt "confession," Xie Yuyan’s body swayed toward him as if her bones had turned to jelly. She collapsed weakly into his arms, gazing up at him with dazed eyes.

"Honestly... how am I supposed to eat after you say something like that?"

"Huh? What did I say? And why are you in my arms? Come on, let’s eat."

"No!"

Xie Yuyan buried her face in Ye Feng’s chest, inhaling his scent greedily, then sat up to stare at him with burning intensity.

"This is all your fault! Who says things like that during dinner?"

"Wait, Xie Yuyan, hold on—"

Ye Feng sensed danger. Whenever Xie Yuyan looked at him like this, something embarrassing was bound to happen.

"Xie Yuyan, calm down—mmph!!!"