"No... it's not like that, Xie Yuyan."
"......"
The moment Ye Feng uttered those words, Xie Yuyan's body trembled slightly. Perhaps it was because the way he addressed her had lost the warmth it once held. Yet, unlike before, she didn’t react emotionally to his distant tone. Instead, she forced a faint smile onto her lips.
"I’ve done too many foolish things. I abandoned the happiness that was rightfully mine. Looking back now, I suppose this is all my punishment."
"Xie Yuyan."
Ye Feng took a deep, heavy breath. He knew he couldn’t keep hiding the truth forever. His gaze fixed firmly on her.
"It’s not as simple as you think. That day at the cliff... I just wanted to end everything. Mengli’s appearance was nothing more than a coincidence."
"W-what? A coincidence?!"
Xie Yuyan was stunned by Ye Feng’s explanation. She knew he had no reason to lie to her now, yet in the minds of the other three, they had all believed Ye Feng and Shen Mengli had planned it together—that the so-called coincidence was just a comforting illusion. For Ye Feng to now claim their assumptions were entirely wrong... Xie Yuyan couldn’t accept it so easily.
"H-how could it be a coincidence? Ye Feng, you fell into the water and just happened to be saved by Shen Mengli, who had been missing for so long? The timing, the location, everything that happened—none of it adds up!"
"Uh..."
Faced with Xie Yuyan’s barrage of questions, Ye Feng didn’t know how to respond. Because that was simply how things had unfolded. Yet, Xie Yuyan’s doubts weren’t unfounded. The series of events was so uncanny, it was as if they were following a pre-written script.
"I was completely lost back then... When I woke up, I was already lying in that wooden cabin."
At this, Xie Yuyan’s lips quivered slightly before she finally voiced the question weighing on her heart. "So... that day, all your actions were just to end everything?"
"Yes."
Ye Feng lowered his head, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I was so exhausted... It felt like I’d hit a dead end. I didn’t have the strength to keep going anymore."
"......"
Xie Yuyan swayed slightly, as if she wanted to rise from the wooden chair and embrace the man she loved. But the impulse was swiftly suppressed. The only one who could truly comfort Ye Feng now was probably Shen Mengli. Yet, doing so would only confuse him further. So she remained seated, silently watching him.
"I’m sorry, Ye Feng..."
An unspoken quiet settled over the cabin, broken only by the occasional mountain breeze outside and the soft sound of their breathing.
"Let’s just leave it in the past," Ye Feng suddenly spoke, standing up from the chair. He avoided meeting Xie Yuyan’s eyes—whether out of unwillingness or fear, only he knew.
"Like a river that keeps flowing... Some things are meant to be let go."
"Ye Feng..."
Xie Yuyan stood as well, slowly stepping closer until she stood behind him.
"Do you like this life?"
"Huh? Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"
"Because you once told me... about the kind of life you dreamed of. A carefree, pastoral existence like this."
"So you still remember."
Ye Feng chuckled, walking to the cabin’s door. Just as Xie Yuyan thought he was about to leave, he turned back to face her.
"Want to take a walk after dinner? The scenery here isn’t bad."
"Okay."
......
"Mmm..."
Shen Mengli paused as the village came into view. For some reason, her heart had been racing ever since she left the house. At first, she thought it was just the distance, but even now, after resting, her pulse refused to slow. A sense of unease prickled at her.
"I should hurry back. I’ll grab the groceries first."
Just as she was about to enter the village, she nearly collided with a butcher’s truck pulling out.
"Eh? Uncle, what are you doing here?"
Hearing her sweet voice, the truck’s engine noise cut off. After a moment, the window rolled down, revealing the butcher’s face.
"Hey?! It’s you, little girl!"
"Good afternoon, Uncle."
Shen Mengli gave a polite nod. Before she could voice her request, the butcher continued excitedly.
"You’re just in time!"
"Just in time? What do you mean, Uncle?"
"Oh, right! You probably don’t know yet. Not long ago, your friends came looking for you. They asked me to let them know if I saw you again."
"F-friends?!"
Shen Mengli’s mind raced. She knew exactly who he was referring to.
How? How did they track me down? I’ve been so careful! No, I need to get back quickly—take Xiao Feng and leave this place. Every second counts.
Just as she turned to leave, the butcher suddenly looked past her, pointing eagerly.
"Look, your friends are here!"
"......"
Friends?!
Shen Mengli’s expression froze as she followed the butcher’s finger toward the village entrance. A black sedan had pulled to a stop right in front of her.
The doors opened, and two all-too-familiar figures stepped out—Li Mucheng, her face calm, and Su Yuxin, her delicate features twisted in barely contained irritation.
"Tap, tap, tap."
Su Yuxin was the first to approach, her shoes clicking sharply against the ground. She stopped inches from Shen Mengli, biting her lower lip.
"Long time no see, our long-lost little Mengli."
"Hello, Sister Yuxin. What a surprise to run into you both here. What a coincidence!"
Shen Mengli smiled sweetly, waving a small hand.
"Oh, it’s no coincidence. We’ve been searching for this ‘coincidence’ for quite a while."
Su Yuxin scoffed, her gaze dropping to Shen Mengli’s legs. Her jaw tightened imperceptibly.
"You’ve changed so much since you disappeared, little sister. Or were you always hiding your true self?"
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
iemie, male, Race: Moon. Hobby: Collecting anomalies. At first, he thought he possessed two systems: the Crimson Rainbow Moon and the Clear Cold Frost Moon. One day, he discovered that he himself could also become a system for others, holding the chessboard of fate. The Eighth Epoch, also known as the Eternal Moon Epoch. Humans, witches, elves, bloodline descendants, specters, demons, and spirits together compose a new history. Walking the path on behalf of the moon, before he knew it, Chen Miemie's footsteps were followed by all manner of strange and wondrous anomalies. As time passed, many titles circulated about him—The King in Yellow, Lord of Anomalies, Heart of the Eternal Moon, and more. "Me? I'm just a traveler who enjoys collecting interesting creatures," Chen Miemie said.
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
orn and Humiliation】【Forced Love】 In his past life, Lin Ran was betrayed and murdered by his girlfriend and family, while the yandere female aristocrat, who had treated him as a mere plaything, avenged him by doing in his enemies. Upon seeing the yandere female aristocrat lying in the same coffin, ready to die with him, Lin Ran realized how profoundly mistaken he had been. Reborn, he abandoned the fickle campus beauty and wholeheartedly embraced the yandere female aristocrat's arms. "Ran! If I dig out your eyes and turn them into a specimen, you'll only be able to look at me!" Lin Ran: "Darling, kiss me!" "Ran! If I break your legs, you won't run away anymore, right?" Lin Ran: "Love, hold me tight!" "Ran! If..." Lin Ran: "Hush now! Love me more!" Luo Yao: ... Seeing his scumbag dad: "Take him out!" Seeing his stepmother: "Get rid of her!" Seeing his brother: "Eliminate him!" Seeing his white moonlight: "Send that to Southeast Asia!"
