Have I slacked off

By the time Ye Feng and Shen Mengli returned, it was already past noon. Shen Mengli noticed everyone giving her knowing looks and couldn't help but bite her unusually flushed lips in embarrassment.

"Ahem... Little Feng, didn’t you say you wanted to take a nap? You should go now~"

"Huh? Mengli, I didn’t say... Mmph..."

Before Ye Feng could finish, Shen Mengli suddenly reached out and covered his mouth with her small hand, then began pushing him toward the guest room. At the same time, she whispered softly into his ear, "Little Feng, there’s something important we need to discuss among ourselves. Could you give us some space?"

"Ah... Alright... Sure."

Ye Feng hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn’t press further. Since Shen Mengli had put it that way, he didn’t want to be stubborn. He walked into the guest room alone and closed the door behind him.

"Phew..."

Shen Mengli let out a long sigh of relief. But as she turned around, she suddenly noticed Li Mucheng and the other two staring intently at her.

Oh no... Did Yuyan and the others find out that I took the chance to get cozy with Little Feng in the garden while we were supposed to be talking? What do I do now? Ugh... Whatever! They’re the ones who sent me to talk to him in the first place. It’s only fair I take a little reward for myself.

Just as Shen Mengli puffed up her chest, ready to face their questioning, a flood of inquiries poured into her mind one after another.

"So... how did it go?"

"Is Teacher doing alright?"

"Has he accepted us now?"

"Does Ye Feng still have reservations?"

"Mengli, don’t just stay silent—say something!"

"..."

"W-Wait a minute..."

Shen Mengli took a few steps back, trying to process their words.

"That’s all you wanted to ask?"

"What do you mean ‘that’s all’? This is exactly what we wanted to know!"

Su Yuxin stomped her foot lightly, her expression serious. Ye Feng’s true feelings were crucial—it would determine whether she could be with her beloved Ye Feng in the future. If he remained indecisive, she feared she might lose him forever.

"Then, Mengli, what exactly did you and Teacher talk about in the garden? You’ve been acting strange ever since you got back."

Li Mucheng also noticed Shen Mengli’s odd behavior, narrowing her eyes slightly as she scrutinized her expression for any clues.

"Alright, let’s all calm down first."

Finally, Xie Yuyan stepped in, gently patting Su Yuxin and Li Mucheng’s shoulders to settle the restless atmosphere.

"Ye Feng is resting inside right now. If we have questions, let’s go to the living room and talk properly. Besides, Mengli isn’t hiding anything from us on purpose."

"Y-Yeah... I just... There were too many questions at once, and I didn’t know how to respond."

Shen Mengli seized Xie Yuyan’s words as an opportunity to deflect, shooting her a grateful glance.

"Fine, let’s go outside then."

Su Yuxin cast a worried look toward the guest room door, making sure there was no unusual movement inside before leading the way out.

Just as Shen Mengli was about to follow them to the living room, Xie Yuyan suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Yuyan?"

Xie Yuyan pulled Shen Mengli aside, leaning in to whisper in her ear, "Mengli, tell me—how does Ye Feng really feel now?"

"Well..."

Seeing the urgency in Xie Yuyan’s eyes, Shen Mengli decided not to hold back and briefly summarized what had happened at noon.

"So... Ye Feng has fully accepted us?"

"That’s how it seems, but he’s still a little hesitant. I think he’s worried about letting any of us down, which is why he’s so torn."

"I see..."

Xie Yuyan nodded thoughtfully before letting out a long sigh.

"Thank you, Mengli. Without you, we might have..."

"Come on, I just did it for Little Feng’s sake. As long as he’s happy and unhurt, that’s all that matters to me."

"..."

Sensing the mood growing heavy, Shen Mengli quickly changed the subject. "Alright, Yuyan, let’s head to the living room."

"Okay. Oh, Mengli!"

"What is it?"

"Earlier, in the garden... did something happen between you and Ye Feng...?"

Before Xie Yuyan could finish, Shen Mengli bolted down the hallway like a startled rabbit, the tips of her ears still tinged with a faint pink.

But unexpectedly, Xie Yuyan didn’t follow her to the living room. Instead, a strange glint flickered in her beautiful eyes.

"Heh..."

......

"Sigh."

Meanwhile, Ye Feng lay on the guest bed, exhaling softly. He knew he had to face everyone properly, but balancing the feelings of so many girls was no easy task. What if misunderstandings arose along the way?

Just as he was lost in thought, the door to the guest room creaked open slightly before closing again.

"Who’s there?"

Ye Feng immediately sat up at the sound, only to relax slightly when he recognized the figure before him.

"Yuyan? What are you...?"

"Ye Feng, I just wanted to talk to you."

Xie Yuyan explained her sudden visit before sitting down beside him.

"Mengli already told me what happened between you two in the garden earlier."

"I see... So, Yuyan, is there anything you want to say?"

"I think... as long as you’re moving forward with what’s in your heart, that’s all that matters."

"What’s in my heart..."

"Exactly."

As she spoke, Xie Yuyan reached out and gently guided Ye Feng’s head onto her lap.

"Yuyan..."

"Shh... Just relax, Ye Feng. There’s no need to keep your guard up all the time."

Listening to Xie Yuyan’s soothing voice, Ye Feng gradually let his tension fade. Though he had been alone with her before, his heart still raced inexplicably.

Strange... Why do I feel like I’m not as composed as I used to be? Have I grown too soft?