Li Muchen's Suicide Attempt

"Waaah! Waaah!!!"

Watching Li Mucheng cry like a helpless child, Ye Feng couldn't help but feel she seemed far more fragile now—nothing like the proud, swan-like Li Mucheng he once knew.

"Alright, stop crying."

Ye Feng pulled out a few tissues and handed them to her.

"If you keep crying like this, you’ll hurt yourself."

"Sniff..."

Li Mucheng lifted her head weakly at his words, her swollen eyes brimming with raw emotion. Her dry lips parted slightly as she repeated the same phrase.

"I'm sorry..."

"......"

Ye Feng still didn’t respond to her apology. The light in Li Mucheng’s eyes dimmed completely. She lowered her head like a wilted flower, already understanding that some broken things could never be mended. All she wanted was for Ye Feng to accept her apology—nothing more. But now, even his forgiveness seemed like an impossible hope.

"Li Mucheng, rest for a while. Ah Fu should be arriving soon—I’ll go check outside."

"Goodbye..."

"Huh?"

The sudden farewell caught Ye Feng off guard. Though puzzled, he stepped out, glancing back at her repeatedly.

"Teacher..."

Li Mucheng watched his retreating figure until it vanished, a bitter, regretful smile tugging at her lips.

"I... caused you trouble..."

With that, she pulled a small fruit knife from the folds of her skirt, gripping it tightly. Her thoughts were a mystery.

......

"Tsk..."

Meanwhile, Ye Feng stepped out of the clinic, unable to shake the image of Li Mucheng bidding him farewell.

"Goodbye? Why say goodbye? Shouldn’t she have just said ‘okay’ or something? Why...?"

As he muttered to himself, a blood-covered man suddenly burst into the clinic.

"Doctor! Help me, doctor!"

"What happened?!"

The man clutched his left hand, blood gushing relentlessly.

"I was cutting fruit and accidentally sliced off my finger! Doctor, save me! It’s my most important partner in life!"

"You cut off your finger while slicing fruit?! That’s not cutting fruit—that’s self-harm!"

"Self-harm..."

The word struck Ye Feng like a bolt of lightning. Connecting the man’s situation to Li Mucheng’s farewell, he spun around and sprinted back to the ward without another thought.

......

"Lost... I’ve lost everything... Not just Teacher, but even the mask he gave me. All of this is my own fault. Maybe this is how I should atone."

Thud.

Li Mucheng pressed the small blade against her throat, its sharp edge drawing a thin red line across her pale skin. At the very last moment, the ward door burst open with a crash. The sudden noise froze her in place. When she looked up, she saw Ye Feng standing at the doorway, his expression grave.

"Ye... Feng..."

"Stop!"

His eyes locked onto the bloodied knife tip. With a deep frown, he rushed forward and seized her wrist.

Li Mucheng snapped back to reality as he lunged at her, memories flooding back—of her holding a knife, intending to hurt him. The thought made her fingers go slack, and the fruit knife clattered onto the bed.

"Hmph..."

A weight pressed down on her. Li Mucheng let out a shaky breath, squeezing her eyes shut, terrified that Ye Feng would now despise her.

"Phew..."

Ye Feng kept a firm grip on her wrist, exhaling in relief when he saw only a shallow cut on her neck. He’d made it just in time.

"Why? Li Mucheng, why would you do this?"

"......"

She turned her face away, unable to meet his gaze. Beads of sweat clung to her forehead, dampening her hair. Her eyes were hollow, lifeless.

When she stayed silent, Ye Feng didn’t know what else to say. Finally, he picked up the knife and climbed off the bed.

"I’ll get bandages and antiseptic. Don’t do anything reckless."

A short while later, he returned to find Li Mucheng still frozen in place. He sat on a nearby stool.

"Talk. Why did you do this?"

"I... hurt you... so I wanted... to make up for it."

Her voice was barely a whisper.

"And ‘making up’ means trading your life for mine?"

"I don’t know..."

"Tch."

Ye Feng sighed heavily. There was only one way to get through to her now.

"Get up. I forgive you."

"......"

Li Mucheng’s body trembled violently. Then, her voice grew slightly louder.

"R-really?"

"If you don’t believe me, forget it."

He started to rise, intending to treat her wound before leaving. But suddenly, Li Mucheng turned over on the bed, her trembling eyes darting toward him hesitantly.

"I... I believe you!"

"Then sit up. Let me bandage your wound first."

"O-okay..."

Hearing the warmth return to his voice, she obeyed, carefully pulling herself up with the bedsheet for support.

"Stay still."

Ye Feng bent down, spraying antiseptic on her neck before gently dabbing it with a cotton swab.

"It might sting. Can you handle it?"

"N-not painful..."

Rustle, rustle.

After a few careful motions, he pressed a bandage over the cut and leaned back in his chair.

"Done. Luckily, it wasn’t deep—otherwise, it would’ve been serious."

"Thank you..."

"Don’t ever do something like this again, understand? Your body isn’t a tool for hurting yourself to prove a point!"

"I... I understand..."

Afraid he’d leave immediately, Li Mucheng hurriedly added,

"Ye... Ye Feng... Do you really forgive me?"