Psychological Fortress

"Eh? Teacher, why are we having class out in the wilderness? Wouldn’t cultivating one’s temperament be better achieved through communication?"

Li Mucheng held up the hem of her skirt as she followed Ye Feng deeper into the mountains. Though puzzled by his actions, she obediently trailed behind him.

In her heart, simply being with Ye Feng was enough to make her happy.

"Alright, today’s lesson begins here."

After climbing over a small hill, Ye Feng gazed at the distant flower field swaying in the breeze and the occasional birds flitting by. The dazzling sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, painting a breathtaking scene.

"Teacher, this is..."

"Beautiful, isn’t it, Mucheng?"

"It is beautiful, but what does this have to do with cultivating temperament?"

Li Mucheng walked up to Ye Feng’s side, confused.

"Facing such beauty naturally brings joy to the heart and mind. It serves as a helpful foundation for today’s lesson."

"Mm..."

Li Mucheng didn’t quite understand his meaning, but she followed Ye Feng’s gaze into the distance.

"Mucheng, when you’re overwhelmed by emotions, do you ever feel like you’ve lost control of yourself?"

"This..."

She was about to say she’d never experienced such a thing, but then memories of the cruel things she’d done to Ye Feng flashed through her mind, and she fell silent.

"Teacher... I..."

"It’s alright, Mucheng. Progress takes time. If there’s a reason you don’t want to talk about it, then—"

"No!"

Li Mucheng suddenly interrupted him. She knew all too well that in moments of confusion and unease, a different version of herself would emerge, driving her to do terrible things. The reason she hadn’t resisted was because that other self acted on desires she secretly harbored—like her feelings for Ye Feng.

But after the incident where Ye Feng’s attitude toward her changed drastically, the pride she once clung to had vanished, replaced by regret and sorrow.

"I’m afraid... if I say it, you’ll hate me..."

"Hate you? How could I?"

Ye Feng sighed inwardly as he looked at Li Mucheng, who now carried herself with such timidity. In truth, she had already recognized her mistakes and was working to correct them. His forgiveness stemmed partly from his role as her teacher, but also from his desire to help her completely rid herself of that obsessive side. In a way, this was his way of repaying her.

"Mucheng, you must understand—if your emotions lead you to dangerous actions, you need to learn restraint. You can’t just let those thoughts run wild, or it’ll lead to disaster."

"I... I understand."

After considering Ye Feng’s words carefully, Li Mucheng nodded in agreement.

"Teacher, please help me! I... I don’t want to keep living like this. I’ve already lost you once—I can’t lose you again!"

"Mucheng..."

Ye Feng wasn’t sure how to respond. He had heard every word she said. In truth, guiding or helping her wasn’t difficult, but after everything that had happened, he no longer felt the same uncertainty as before. He was acutely aware that the girls around him all held some degree of affection for him. The more he did to move them, the harder it became for them to let go. By the time he wanted to step back, he found himself entangled, unable to break free from the web he’d unwittingly woven.

But this wasn’t the outcome he wanted. He had only ever aimed to complete the tasks assigned by the system and live a peaceful life. How could he find peace like this?

"Ah..."

He let out a heavy sigh, and Li Mucheng noticed the exhaustion in his expression.

Even Teacher wears such an expression sometimes... I wish I could help him. But right now, I can’t do anything.

"Alright, Mucheng. Can you tell me what usually triggers your emotional instability?"

"Mm... mm..."

She hesitated, unsure how to phrase it, but after seeing the seriousness in Ye Feng’s eyes, she finally spoke.

"When you leave me, I feel... empty inside. Because to me, you’ve always been the most important person in my heart."

"And then... when you interact with other girls, I get upset. Take Su Yuxin, for example. You were supposed to be my private tutor, but in the end, she stole the time that should’ve been mine alone. Just thinking about it makes my heart ache like it’s being pricked by needles."

"Compulsive love and strong possessiveness..."

Ye Feng nodded slightly, as if making a mental note. After hearing her confession, he had a clearer picture of her condition.

"So when I was on the verge of despair, a voice echoed in my mind."

"If I had to guess, that would be the other version of yourself, right?"

"Yes."

Li Mucheng answered truthfully, without a hint of deception.

"That voice kept reshaping my thoughts—from wanting to have you, to wanting to keep you by my side. These were all desires that grew from within me."

"I see..."

After a moment of contemplation, Ye Feng had a rough understanding of Li Mucheng’s situation. He concluded that since he was the root of her problem, he would have to be the one to resolve it.

"I’ve got it! Mucheng, I have a solution, but I’ll need your cooperation. My goal is to completely eliminate that obsessive side of you. Are you willing?"

"Of course, Teacher. I know you’re doing this for my sake. So I’ll follow your lead unconditionally! I... I want to stay by your side."

"Mucheng..."

Ye Feng knew the priority was to guide her back to the right path. Other matters would have to wait.

"Thank you, Mucheng. Now, can you focus all your attention on the scenery before you?"

"On the scenery...? Alright."

Li Mucheng turned her head toward the flower field, wondering why he’d asked her to look at it. Just then, Ye Feng’s voice sounded behind her.

"Mucheng, to strengthen your temperament, the first step is to build a mental fortress."

"A mental fortress? What’s that?"