Fainted Li Mucheng

"How is it? Not bad for a place I picked, right?"

Ye Feng led Xie Yuyan around their newly purchased home, showing off the surroundings.

Xie Yuyan glanced around curiously, taking in the decor with a calm expression that hinted at deep thought.

"Yuyan?"

When she didn’t respond, Ye Feng’s heart sank.

Did she dislike the place? She hadn’t even given any feedback—was she unhappy with their new home?

"Ah! Sorry, Ye Feng, I zoned out for a second. What did you say?"

Realizing her delayed reaction, Xie Yuyan quickly reached out and clasped his hand, tilting her head slightly with a soft smile.

"I was just thinking how much bigger this place is than our old one. And the decorations are so beautiful—I got a little lost in them."

"Oh? I thought you didn’t like it. I wasn’t sure what kind of layout you preferred, so I went ahead and bought it on my own."

"Hehe, I don’t care how the house looks. What matters is that you chose it for me... That’s why I love it."

"Really? Well, as long as you’re happy. So, should we move in today?"

"Hmm..."

Xie Yuyan closed her eyes, as if carefully considering, then gave a small nod.

"Sure."

"Then it’s settled. Wait here for me—I’ll go back and arrange for the movers."

Ye Feng handed her the keys from his pocket.

"Take good care of our home, okay?"

"Our home..."

Xie Yuyan clutched the keys tightly, pressing them to her chest as she murmured the words.

"Don’t worry, Ye Feng. I’ll protect it. Just come back soon, alright?"

"Of course!"

......

Not long after, Ye Feng arrived at his old apartment building by car. As he approached the entrance, he spotted a painfully familiar figure.

Li Mucheng?!

His brow furrowed. He hadn’t seen her in ages—why was she standing outside his apartment now? No doubt she had something to say. But Ye Feng wasn’t sure how to face her. Disappointment lingered, along with the nagging question: had her sudden change in attitude that day been a trick, or was there more to it?

Tap, tap...

Footsteps stopped behind Li Mucheng. Sensing his presence, she slowly lifted her head but still refused to turn around and meet his eyes.

"T-Teacher..."

Her voice was barely a whisper, as if even the word "teacher" was too heavy to bear.

"You’re not my student anymore. No need to call me that."

Ye Feng’s reply was blunt. At the end of the day, he couldn’t shake his disappointment. He’d poured his heart into trying to change this icy young woman, only to end up hurt himself. It was like lifting a rock just to drop it on his own foot—pointless effort.

"I... I’m sorry..."

"If there’s nothing else, you should leave. We don’t need to stay in contact."

"No... Please don’t do this..."

His words sent her spiraling, but even so, she cautiously turned to face him.

"I was wrong... I know I was wrong... Please, forgive me..."

"......"

Ye Feng took a deep breath. Seeing the once-proud Li Mucheng reduced to this state stirred something in him. But he couldn’t trust her apology—what if accepting it just led to another trap?

Tears streaked her face, her eyes swollen and red, as if she’d been crying nonstop.

"Go home. Don’t stand here anymore."

With that, he moved past her toward the building. He had too much to do to waste time on her.

As Ye Feng’s figure disappeared inside, Li Mucheng’s heart seemed to stop. Memories of their time together flashed through her mind, now slipping away like mist. She had no strength left to speak. Then, her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground.

Thud.

Hearing the sound, Ye Feng glanced back, half-expecting another ploy. But when he saw Li Mucheng lying motionless, he rushed over, shaking her shoulders gently.

"Li Mucheng? Are you okay? Li Mucheng!"

Panic set in. No matter what had happened between them, her status meant trouble if anything went wrong. Without hesitation, he scooped her up and sprinted toward the nearest clinic.

......

"There’s no major physical issue, but her mental state is fragile. She hasn’t been resting well, and her emotions are on the verge of collapse. Recovery requires proper rest—and no further stress. Another shock could worsen her condition."

The white-coated doctor nodded at Ye Feng, who thanked him and took the report.

"Understood. Thank you, Doctor."

Back in the ward, Ye Feng pulled out his phone to call Ah Fu—but then he heard Li Mucheng mumbling in her sleep, tossing her head weakly.

"Teacher... I’m sorry... Please forgive me... Teacher..."

"......"

Watching her, Ye Feng set the phone down. After a moment’s hesitation, he sat in the chair beside her bed, replaying their past encounters in his mind.

What had caused Li Mucheng’s drastic shift in behavior? Back then, he hadn’t had the energy to dig deeper. But now, looking back, there had to be a reason.

Mmm...

Just then, Li Mucheng stirred, her eyelids fluttering open. When she saw the unfamiliar ceiling, she bolted upright, eyes darting wildly around the room—searching for Ye Feng.