Xie Yuyan's Conjecture

"If you two have nothing important to discuss, please don’t disturb my life. All I want now is to live a peaceful and ordinary life."

Shen Mengli spoke expressionlessly, her tone firm, revealing nothing about Ye Feng.

"Enough with the act, Shen Mengli! We already know everything—there’s no point in pretending anymore."

Su Yuxin’s frustration flared as she glared at Shen Mengli, unable to tolerate her continued evasion. Much of her resentment stemmed from the fact that Shen Mengli’s presence had left her as the only one who hadn’t gotten what she wanted. Anyone in her position would find it unbearable.

Perhaps unwilling to dance around the issue any longer, Li Mucheng cut straight to the point. "Shen Mengli, we know everything—including what happened with our teacher. Let’s skip the unnecessary back-and-forth, shall we? I doubt you want to waste time either."

"......"

Meeting their confident gazes, Shen Mengli finally dropped her facade, a mocking smile curling her lips.

"You two are the most persistent people I’ve ever met. Even after Ye Feng chose to jump off a cliff, you still won’t let him go? You had your chances before and squandered them. Now that I’ve seized mine, you suddenly care? Did either of you ever stop to think about how Ye Feng would feel?"

"We know we’re the reason things turned out this way," Li Mucheng admitted. "But even if it’s too late, we still want to make amends. We need to tell our teacher our decision ourselves."

"Hah..."

Shen Mengli scoffed at Li Mucheng’s words, crossing her arms in displeasure.

"All you’re doing is exploiting Ye Feng’s patience and forgiveness, wearing him down over and over. I told you—he won’t acknowledge either of you! Get out of here and go back where you came from!"

"Shen Mengli, you—"

Su Yuxin was about to snap, but Li Mucheng swiftly raised a hand to stop her, maintaining a calm tone. "I know our actions are overdue, but we truly want him to see how we’ve changed. This time, we won’t let him down again."

"Why won’t you just disappear? If you cared so much, you should’ve cherished him when you had the chance! Haven’t you hurt him enough already?"

Shen Mengli’s sharp words silenced Su Yuxin’s rising anger. Only Li Mucheng remained composed—after all, she had at least parted with Ye Feng on relatively peaceful terms.

"We were wrong," Li Mucheng conceded. "Whether it was during our search for him or in our discussions afterward, we’ve come to understand our mistakes. When you’re at fault, you apologize. We’re just asking for a chance, Shen Mengli."

"A chance? Who ever gave me a chance? Opportunities aren’t handed out—they’re earned!"

Shen Mengli’s voice grew louder, her anger flaring in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time.

"I’ve wasted enough words on you. Leave. Ye Feng won’t see you."

"Shen Mengli."

In an instant, Li Mucheng stepped forward, her tone still measured.

"What’s done is done, and it can’t be undone. Instead of dragging this out, why don’t we settle things openly and let the outcome decide?"

"No! I won’t hand Ye Feng over to you! Unlike you, I’ll protect him—make sure he never suffers at your hands again!"

With that, Shen Mengli pulled a fruit knife from her sleeve. The once-timid woman now stood her ground, radiating defiance. To her, Ye Feng was an inviolable line no one could cross.

"Miss!"

A uniformed bodyguard immediately drew his weapon at the sight of danger, but Li Mucheng waved him off.

"Stand down. Intervening will only make things worse. Let me handle this."

Cool-headed, Li Mucheng advanced step by step, while Shen Mengli held her ground, knife in hand.

The standoff stretched on in tense silence...

Meanwhile, the butcher had long since driven off in his truck after dropping them at the village entrance, oblivious to the confrontation. To him, their reunion had seemed like a heartfelt moment between old friends.

"Ye Feng... I miss you so much."

Xie Yuyan, walking leisurely with Ye Feng near the cabin, suddenly spoke the words aloud.

"Ever since coming here, I’ve stopped thinking about the future. Maybe this is where I belong—the life I truly want."

"No... This isn’t the life you want, Ye Feng. I can tell there’s something more complicated in your heart."

Xie Yuyan met his gaze head-on, her expression flickering briefly before she steadied herself.

"Is it because of me?"

"No."

Ye Feng shook his head.

"It’s because of all of you."

"All of us?"

Frowning, Xie Yuyan quickened her pace to stand before him. She decided to lay her cards on the table—if she didn’t act now, she feared Ye Feng’s emotions would drift further away, and that was the last thing she wanted.

"Ye Feng, we all know. The three of us talked for a long time—whether at the estate or on the cliff, we shared everything about our time with you."

"You figured it out? When?"

"I saw it clearly that day. After you took that pill, your entire aura changed. And that pill appeared out of nowhere. I’ve always known you had these... unusual abilities. I just never asked you about it."

"Why not? Something so impossible would shock anyone. Why keep it to yourself?"

"Because I wasn’t afraid of your secrets. Everyone has them, and you’re no exception."

"Right... the worst kind of secret."

"My guess? This secret is tied to everything you’ve done—getting close to us, even kidnapping us."

"!!!"