The Silent Response

"Everything really is just the same as before."

Ye Feng couldn't help but sigh as he looked around the all-too-familiar surroundings. Meanwhile, Shen Mengli, who had followed him inside, obediently placed the luggage in the living room before turning toward the bathroom.

"Mengli? What are you...?"

Noticing that Shen Mengli didn’t respond, Ye Feng stood nearby and asked softly.

"Feng, I want to clean the house. Since no one’s been here for a long time, I thought it’d be good to tidy up."

"It’s alright, Mengli."

Hearing this, Ye Feng reached out and pulled Shen Mengli back. Considering the toll yesterday had taken on her body, he spoke gently.

"Don’t push yourself, Mengli. Leave the cleaning to me. These next few days, just focus on resting and recovering, okay?"

"Mmm..."

Though Shen Mengli wanted to refuse Ye Feng’s suggestion, under the warning look in his eyes, she eventually nodded obediently. She knew he was saying this out of concern for her.

"Then... alright. But Feng, if you need any help, you have to call me, okay?"

"Don’t worry, I can handle these chores by myself."

Ye Feng patted Shen Mengli’s head with a smile. Just as he rolled up his sleeves, ready to tackle a thorough cleaning, he suddenly realized the living room was far tidier than he’d expected.

"Huh?"

Sensing something odd, Ye Feng stepped forward and carefully inspected every corner of the room. After a thorough check, he found not only the living room spotless but even the bedroom unusually neat.

"Who... who did all this? Did the previous landlord send a cleaner?"

Puzzled, Ye Feng was about to return to the living room when he suddenly heard Shen Mengli’s voice from outside.

"Feng, come look!"

Ye Feng walked out of the bedroom and followed Shen Mengli’s voice, only to see her pointing at a note on the sofa with a stunned expression.

"This is..."

Ye Feng stepped forward and picked up the note. When he read its contents clearly, he froze. Only now did he understand who had cleaned the room.

"Ye Feng, forgive me for taking the liberty of tidying up this place. I don’t know why, but I kept feeling the need to come back and see it. I also cleaned the house for you, hoping it would make your life a little easier. If you need anything, you can come find me at home."

Though the note wasn’t signed, there was no need to guess who had left it.

"Xie Yuyan..."

Ye Feng sighed softly, clutching the note in his hand before handing it to Shen Mengli, who was watching curiously.

"So it was her... It seems she’s really trying to make amends for you, Feng."

Shen Mengli only glanced at the note before returning it to Ye Feng. Looking up at his troubled expression, she opened her arms and hugged him.

"It’s okay, Feng. I know you must be feeling complicated right now, but it’s alright. I’ll always be here by your side."

"Thank you, Mengli."

Encouraged by Shen Mengli’s words, Ye Feng’s expression softened slightly. He picked her up and placed her on the sofa.

"Let’s just rest at home for the next few days, okay? I’ll go downstairs to buy some daily necessities and groceries."

"Eh? Feng, are you really leaving me alone at home? I want to come too!"

"No."

Ye Feng shook his head and pinched Shen Mengli’s soft cheek. Even though she put on an adorable pout, he refused.

"Mengli, just stay home and rest. Don’t think I didn’t notice how your legs were trembling when you walked earlier."

"Ugh... That’s all your fault."

"Alright, alright, I’ll be gentler next time. Don’t open the door for strangers, okay?"

"I know! I’m not a child..."

As she watched Ye Feng leave, the smile on Shen Mengli’s face faded. She glanced around the all-too-familiar place, her heart a mix of emotions.

So much has happened... Looking back now, it feels like a dream.

Though her ability to see illusions had disappeared, at least her life was happy now. Without that ability, she and Ye Feng might never have developed this kind of relationship. And deep down, she had a feeling that without it, she might have ended up as twisted as Xie Yuyan or Li Mucheng.

So... what should I do now?

Just as Shen Mengli was about to get up and check if anything else in the house had changed, a sudden ringtone echoed through the room. Following the sound, she found a phone on the nightstand in the bedroom.

"Is this... Feng’s old phone?"

Puzzled, Shen Mengli slowly walked over and picked it up. The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number, but she had a hunch this was Xie Yuyan’s doing. Without hesitation, she answered the call.

"Beep—"

A crisp tone sounded, but the other end remained silent for a long time. Finally, Shen Mengli spoke softly.

"Hello?"

As expected, Xie Yuyan’s voice came through.

"Hello, Shen Mengli."

"Hello."

Shen Mengli showed no particular reaction to Xie Yuyan’s voice, responding indifferently before waiting for the conversation to continue.

"Is Ye Feng... doing alright?"

"He’s fine. Very fine, at the moment."

"That’s a relief..."

"Xie Yuyan, there’s no need to be so cautious. Let’s just speak openly. The sooner we resolve Feng’s issues, the better it’ll be for both of us."

"Alright, then I won’t hold back."

After Shen Mengli’s words, Xie Yuyan on the other end seemed to regain some confidence—perhaps because Ye Feng wasn’t around.

"Regarding Ye Feng’s secret, we’ve discussed it and think it’s necessary for us to meet. Among all of us, you’re the closest to him now, so we’d like to ask you to gather more information about this matter."

"That’s not a problem, but I might not have time in the next few days."

"No... no time?"

"Mmm."

A faint, smug smile curled on Shen Mengli’s lips as if recalling something pleasant.

"Yesterday, Feng was like a monster—he completely devoured me. So, my body hasn’t recovered yet~"

"......"

The only response to her words was silence.