Shen Mengli's Secret Indulgence

"Tricked... Mengli, you!"

As realization dawned on Ye Feng, he understood Shen Mengli's scheme. Xie Yuyan's appearance had actually played right into her hands. Taking advantage of Xie Yuyan's obliviousness, she had walked into the bathroom and discovered Ye Feng in the shower. To cover up the awkwardness, he had no choice but to leave the room—and from there, every step fell perfectly into Shen Mengli's plan.

"Hehe, Xiao Feng~ All's fair in love and war. Besides, this is your punishment for making decisions without me~"

Shen Mengli stepped forward, placing her hands lightly on Ye Feng's chest before giving him a firm push, sending him tumbling onto the bed, still wrapped in his towel.

"M-Mengli? Stop messing around. We still have breakfast to eat later. And my hair's still wet—if the bed gets soaked, it’ll be a hassle."

"I’m not messing around at all~ I’ve been completely serious with you from the start, Xiao Feng~"

Though her words were playful, her actions were swift. In just a few breaths, she had cornered Ye Feng, leaving him no room to retreat.

Feeling the towel around his waist being tugged by Shen Mengli’s mischievous hands, Ye Feng met her crimson eyes and swallowed hard.

"S-So... what do you want now, Mengli?"

"What do I want? Exactly what you’re thinking, of course~ ♡"

Seizing the moment his attention wavered, Shen Mengli leaned down and sealed his lips with her own.

"Mmm..."

Though Ye Feng had anticipated this, the sheer intensity of Shen Mengli’s gaze and the intoxicating sweetness of her scent left him powerless to resist.

Back when he still clung to his principles, he could at least muster some resistance against Shen Mengli or Xie Yuyan’s teasing. But ever since his first line of defense crumbled, he had been utterly defenseless. Their closeness was like a bewitching poison, eroding his will over time. No matter how many barriers he tried to rebuild, they would collapse in an instant under their relentless advances.

This moment was the perfect example.

"Mengli... stop... mmm..."

"Guh... hah... nn..."

Only when Shen Mengli finally pulled away did Ye Feng get a chance to catch his breath.

"O-Okay, Mengli? That’s enough. Let’s go before the food gets cold."

But Shen Mengli ignored him, still hovering over him, her gaze drifting away from his face.

"We’re just getting started~ Do you have any idea how long I’ve held back? You plucked the fruit before it was ripe, Xiao Feng. Now that it’s fully grown, you can’t just refuse to taste it~"

"Be reasonable, Mengli. We can talk about this later, okay? It’s not like I’m going anywhere."

"No exceptions~"

Shen Mengli paid no heed to his protests, her rationality long gone. She wasn’t even looking him in the eyes anymore—her focus had dissolved entirely under the weight of her desire.

"Before the demon king is defeated, the brave hero can’t afford to disappoint everyone’s expectations. So, Xiao Feng... it’s time for the demon king to bare her fangs and challenge you properly~"

"Mengli, this isn’t a challenge! You’re just—ah!"

With that, the sounds in the room abruptly ceased, as if everything had returned to silence.

Splash—

Cough! Cough!

Some time later, Xie Yuyan, now dressed in her pajamas, turned the bathroom doorknob and stepped out, a cloud of steam following her.

"Nn..."

Suppressing the dampness at the corners of her eyes, Xie Yuyan frowned, clearly uncomfortable.

She had accidentally inhaled some water earlier, and the irritation in her throat forced her into a coughing fit.

"Ugh, choking on bathwater... if I hadn’t been so distracted thinking about Ye Feng, this wouldn’t have happened. Wait—why was the living room so quiet just now? Even with the shower running, I should’ve been able to hear something..."

As the thought crossed her mind, Xie Yuyan suddenly realized something. When she had first headed to the bathroom, she had caught a glimpse of Shen Mengli holding a silver spoon in the air, her back turned. At the time, Xie Yuyan hadn’t paid it much mind, but now it struck her—she might have fallen right into Shen Mengli’s trap.

From the moment she left her room, to being "caught" with Ye Feng in the bathroom, to the spoon acting as a way to monitor her movements... everything had been part of a carefully constructed scheme.

Oh no—Ye Feng!

Panic surged through her. Without bothering to dry her hair properly, Xie Yuyan rushed toward Shen Mengli’s bedroom.

But just as she reached the living room, Ye Feng’s voice called out from the dining table.

"Yuyan? Done with your shower?"

"Y-Ye Feng?"

Startled, Xie Yuyan turned toward the source of the voice. There sat Ye Feng, looking at her with mild confusion, while Shen Mengli, seated across from him, remained silent, merely waving at her with a small smile.

"Why the hurry? You might trip if you’re not careful."

Ye Feng stood up and walked over, taking the towel from Xie Yuyan’s hands and gently drying her damp hair.

"Mm..."

The tenderness of his touch sent her heart racing. Without a second thought, Xie Yuyan buried her face in his chest, savoring the warmth of the moment.

But barely a second later, her sharp senses caught a lingering trace of Shen Mengli’s scent on him. A flicker of unease sparked in her chest.

It wasn’t unusual for Shen Mengli to hug Ye Feng, but mixed with her fragrance was another, all-too-familiar musk—one that stirred something deep inside her.

"Nn..."

Pulling back abruptly, Xie Yuyan shot Ye Feng a questioning glance before turning her gaze to Shen Mengli.

"Eep!"

Feeling the weight of Xie Yuyan’s dagger-like stare, Shen Mengli flinched, quickly lowering her head and focusing on sipping her porridge.

But her evasiveness only confirmed Xie Yuyan’s suspicions. Striding forward, Xie Yuyan planted her hands on the armrests of Shen Mengli’s chair, leaning down to whisper in her ear:

"Mengli... you sneaky little thief, didn’t you?"