When Shen Mengli stepped out of the bathroom, Ye Feng was still in the kitchen, cooking.
"Hmm?"
Noticing movement behind him, Ye Feng didn’t turn around, keeping his focus entirely on the stir-fry sizzling in the pan.
"Mengli, you’re done washing up? Go dry your hair quickly—dinner’s almost ready."
"......"
Shen Mengli didn’t respond, which Ye Feng took as silent agreement, so he didn’t pay her any further mind.
Just as he was finishing the last dish, a pair of slender arms wrapped around his waist.
"Eh? Meng... Mengli? Did you dry your hair?"
Ye Feng freed one hand to gently pat the back of Shen Mengli’s hand, signaling her to go take care of her own business. But this time, she seemed unusually defiant, not even answering him.
Was she upset because he’d been too indifferent earlier?
As Ye Feng hurried to finish the dish so he could explain himself, Shen Mengli suddenly moved. She slipped around his arm and pressed herself against his chest, then tilted her head up to gaze at him intently.
Her long silver hair still glistened with droplets of water, like a freshly bloomed lotus—radiant and breathtakingly beautiful.
"Mengli?"
With Shen Mengli blocking his view, Ye Feng momentarily forgot what he was doing. He stared at her, swallowing hard.
"Xiao Feng."
Only when she sensed his full attention did Shen Mengli finally murmur softly.
"What’s wrong, Mengli? I’m here."
"I... I really... really like you."
"Eh?"
Ye Feng had expected her to voice some complaint, but instead, she confessed her feelings so earnestly.
"Uh... Mengli, are you... okay?"
"Of course I’m okay. I just... just want you by my side."
"I’ll always be by your side. But if you’re fine, could you please go dry your hair first? You might catch a cold otherwise."
"No~ I just want to hug you."
Faced with her coquettishness, Ye Feng couldn’t resist. He turned off the stove—just before the dish burned—and took her hand, leading her back to the room.
"Hehe, Xiao Feng is the best~"
"Alright, alright, I’m the absolute best."
"Whirr—"
As the warm air from the hairdryer hummed to life, Shen Mengli closed her eyes, basking in Ye Feng’s care.
"Mengli, be honest with me—did something happen?"
While meticulously drying her hair, Ye Feng probed gently.
"Something happen? N-no, not at all."
Shen Mengli tilted her head in confusion, her bright eyes blinking up at him.
"Then why do you seem so... dazed today? Like something’s on your mind."
"Mm..."
Instead of answering, Shen Mengli suddenly sprang up from the bed. The abrupt movement startled Ye Feng, causing the hairdryer to slip from his grip and land on the sheets. Just as he reached to steady her, she cupped his face in her hands, stood on her tiptoes, and pressed her lips to his.
"Mmph... mwah..."
Ye Feng’s eyes widened in surprise, but he soon wrapped his arms around her waist, returning her affection with quiet tenderness.
Though he didn’t understand why Shen Mengli was acting this way, he cradled her carefully, gently patting her back to soothe her fervor.
"Nngh... mm..."
"Hah... haa..."
"Xiao... Xiao Feng..."
The hairdryer continued to whirr on the bed, but Shen Mengli’s restless heart gradually calmed in the warmth of their embrace.
"Mmm~"
Only when she pulled away did Ye Feng pick up the hairdryer again, resuming his task.
"Xiao... Xiao Feng..."
Her cheeks flushed, Shen Mengli stole a glance at him, calling his name softly once she confirmed he wasn’t upset.
"Finally willing to settle down?"
Ye Feng pinched her cheek playfully, then booped her nose.
"Mm... I don’t know why I acted like that. I just suddenly wanted to be close to you."
"Oh? So now you’re not even bothering with excuses?"
Though his words sounded teasing, his eyes brimmed with nothing but adoration.
"It’s okay. If you ever need to vent your emotions, that’s fine. But don’t hide any troubles or negative feelings from me, alright? Otherwise, I’ll get mad."
"Don’t worry, Xiao Feng! I... I won’t do that."
Satisfied with her earnest expression, Ye Feng said no more. After ensuring her hair was fully dry, he put the hairdryer away.
"Then it’s settled. Let’s go eat."
As he turned to leave, Shen Mengli grabbed his wrist. Her once-tender gaze turned serious, her voice low.
"Xiao Feng, did you forget something?"
"Forget something...?"
Ye Feng repeated her words, racking his brain for any promises he might’ve made. But his memory failed him. As her eyes grew more intense, he gave up and asked outright.
"Mengli, what exactly are you talking about? I don’t think I..."
"Did you forget what you just said?"
"......"
The hint gave him pause. After a beat, he raised a brow.
"You mean... wanting to be close to me?"
"No! Next guess!"
Shen Mengli’s brows furrowed, her displeasure clear. If he kept guessing wrong, she might just pounce like an irate kitten.
"Uh... then, was it about hiding things from each other?"
"Bingo."
lanned to earn money steadily and take life at a slower pace. But he never expected... his father's remarriage, and the stepmother bringing along a dependent, would completely disrupt his life's plans...
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
tions: attribute allocation, analysis, proficiency, and simulation. Specializing in mechanical alchemy, from crafting sorcerous battle armor to handcrafting mechanical maidens, his mechanical legion conquers endless realms... Relying on his wits, he begins with a student-teacher romance, wins over a female director, enslaves a female assassin and a underworld queen, becoming the husband of a Grand Duchess... He enslaves the Goddess of Magic from the divine realm, developing his power simultaneously in both the Wizard World and the Realm of Gods...
