Found Clues

Seeing Shen Mengli trying to wriggle out of his embrace, Ye Feng had no intention of letting her escape. He tightened his grip around her waist and lifted her up effortlessly.

"Hmph, as the saying goes, 'One won’t shed tears until they see their own coffin.' Mengli, your behavior is the perfect example of that."

"Mm..."

Realizing Ye Feng might be serious, Shen Mengli’s mischievous demeanor instantly softened. Within moments, she obediently wrapped her arms around his neck, wearing an expression of resigned determination before firmly shutting her eyes.

"I know you’re just trying to scare me, Xiao Feng! I won’t fall for it!"

"Oh? Seems like you still haven’t grasped the situation, Mengli."

Ye Feng let out a sinister chuckle as he carried her toward the wooden cabin, then unceremoniously tossed her onto the bed under her startled gaze.

As Ye Feng sat at the edge of the bed, staring intently at her, the teasing words Shen Mengli had been about to say died on her lips.

Because she faintly glimpsed it—the barely concealed desire burning in his eyes.

And she knew exactly where that desire stemmed from.

If Ye Feng were likened to a seed yet to sprout, under ordinary circumstances, he would have grown steadily, eventually becoming a towering tree.

That should have been his natural path. But along the way, unscrupulous forces had sought to accelerate his growth, eager to pluck his fruits at their leisure. They had corroded and polished his body through various means, and as they wished, Ye Feng had indeed grown into a tree. Yet at its roots, toxins had seeped deep...

Still, she had to thank those so-called toxins. Without their efforts, how could she have obtained the very tree she had always longed for?

"Xiao... Xiao Feng..."

Breathing heavily, Shen Mengli reached out and pulled Ye Feng close, her earlier pretense crumbling in an instant. Her delicate fingers traced lightly over his chest.

"Don’t think I don’t know what you’re scheming, Mengli. You’re trying to make me back down, aren’t you? But this time, I won’t let you have your way."

With that, Ye Feng seized her wrist and pinned her firmly against the bed, fully expecting her to yield and admit defeat. But before he could react, a pair of soft lips pressed against his.

"Mwah~ ♡"

Huh?!

His mind blanked as the sensation of her lips silenced him, leaving him momentarily stunned.

"Meng... Mengli?"

As Ye Feng tried to speak, Shen Mengli—somehow summoning unexpected strength—pushed him down, reversing their positions in an instant.

"Xiao~ Feng~"

Perched atop him, she gazed down with an entirely different look in her eyes, the earlier confusion now replaced with unmistakable allure.

"Mengli, you... you..."

A foreboding sense of unease prickled at Ye Feng’s heart, as if he’d stumbled into some strange, inescapable trap.

"You walked right into this yourself, Xiao Feng. Today, I won’t let you escape."

"N-no! Mengli, wait! I was just teasing you earlier—don’t take it seriously!"

Too late, Ye Feng realized the gravity of the situation. Just as he braced himself to forcefully push her away, her lips captured his again.

It was clear now—this had been Shen Mengli’s carefully laid trap all along.

"Mmph... Mmengli... slurp..."

"Mwah mwah~"

"Pant... Hah~ ♡"

As her scent filled his senses, Ye Feng’s resolve crumbled bit by bit. But most dangerous of all were her mesmerizing crimson eyes, bewitching him like a spell, drawing him helplessly closer.

"Haah... hah..."

Shen Mengli finally released his lips, her plan a resounding success. Yet her stamina couldn’t match his, forcing her to pause and catch her breath before continuing.

Noticing the dazed haze in Ye Feng’s eyes beginning to clear, she leaned in again—but this time, her target wasn’t his lips.

Today would be the most important day of her life. She would claim Ye Feng, and in turn, let him claim her. Everything she’d done had been for this very purpose.

"Mengli... I-I’m sorry, okay? Can we slow down? My heart feels... strange."

"Strange is good. That’s exactly the reaction I wanted."

Entranced, Shen Mengli caressed his cheek while her hands slid to the hem of his shirt, her gaze never leaving his.

"Xiao Feng."

"Y-yes?"

"I... I want to give you something."

"What is it?"

"I want to give you a happy life~"

With that, she nestled against his chest, murmuring softly as her fingers traced his jawline.

"Leave the rest to me, okay?"

"Mengli, what do you—mmph!"

Before he could finish, Ye Feng was captured once more—but this time, in a way he’d never experienced before.

......

"Young Mistress, are you alright?"

Su Yuxin’s bodyguard rushed forward as she suddenly clutched her chest, her steps faltering.

"I... I’m fine. It’s just—my heart suddenly ached for no reason."

Shaking her head, Su Yuxin tried to refocus on her search for Ye Feng’s whereabouts.

Yet inexplicably, her heart had clenched as if something were suffocating it. Distracted, she misstepped and slipped.

"Thud!"

She tumbled to the ground, but before her bodyguard could help her up, Su Yuxin scrambled to her feet—clutching something in her hand.

It appeared to be...

A bloodstained coat!

Most glaring was the small, gunshot-like hole near the chest area, the darkened bloodstains indicating it had been here for a while.

Ignoring the mud staining her shoes, Su Yuxin immediately dialed Li Mucheng’s number. She knew—this coat was a crucial clue to Ye Feng’s disappearance after his fall from the cliff. The truth was finally within reach.

The call connected swiftly, and Li Mucheng’s voice came through.

"Yuxin? What’s wrong?"

"Mucheng... I think I’ve found Ye Feng."