Hesitation

“How is it? Looks good, right?”

Seeing Xie Yuyan fiddling with the phone, Ye Feng could tell she liked it.

“This phone is super functional. You can even use it to crack walnuts.”

“Pfft... Who would use a phone to crack walnuts?”

Xie Yuyan, who had been on the verge of tears from being moved, burst into laughter after hearing Ye Feng’s remark.

“Ye Feng, how about you give me your phone, and you use this new one?”

“It’s fine. Besides, I’ve grown attached to my old phone. You can keep this one.”

“Alright, when I start earning money, I’ll buy you a new phone too~”

“Okay.”

“Alright then!”

Xie Yuyan pressed close to Ye Feng’s shoulder and said eagerly, “Now it’s time to give me your phone number! And we should add each other on that social app too!”

“Sure, I’ve already bought a SIM card and put it in your phone. Give me your phone.”

Ye Feng quickly completed the setup and handed the phone back to Xie Yuyan.

“There, all done.”

Xie Yuyan took the phone and pressed the call button in front of Ye Feng. Instantly, Ye Feng’s phone rang, and only then did she feel reassured and put her phone away.

“Huh? Aren’t you going to play with it some more?”

Xie Yuyan brushed the hair by her ear, stood up from the couch with a smile, and said, “No need. As long as I can use this phone to contact you, that’s enough.”

“......”

Ye Feng was slightly taken aback by her words, but seeing her pursed lips and the mischievous smile, he knew she was waiting to see him flustered.

Oh, Xie Yuyan, is this how you treat your savior? Seems like you’ve gotten too comfortable.

Feeling his authority slipping away, Ye Feng decided to teach her a lesson as she turned around.

“Alright, today I learned a new dish, and I’m going to make it for you to try... Ah!”

Xie Yuyan suddenly felt a pair of hands gently touch her waist, sending a shiver down her spine. She instantly realized what was happening and leaned back.

“Hey hey hey! Xie Yuyan, you...”

“Thud.”

Ye Feng hadn’t expected Xie Yuyan to suddenly fall back, so he had no choice but to catch her firmly in his arms.

“Mmm...”

Holding her delicate figure, feeling her slender waist and the intoxicating fragrance, and seeing her turn her head to gaze at him with those affectionate, lively eyes, Ye Feng admitted that his heart skipped a beat at that moment.

Xie Yuyan, like a budding flower, was already blushing, her expression shy yet alluring as she stared at Ye Feng, her eyes gradually becoming hazy.

“Ye Feng... I...”

“S-sorry.”

Ye Feng suddenly let go of Xie Yuyan, his face showing a look of confusion. Just as he was about to leave, Xie Yuyan turned and hugged him.

“......”

“It’s okay... Can I just hold you for a little while? Just a little while...”

Xie Yuyan’s tone was no longer as shy as before. She simply held Ye Feng quietly, not saying another word.

The perceptive Xie Yuyan could see that Ye Feng’s eyes seemed to hide something, that look of confusion and conflict she had also experienced before—until Ye Feng appeared in her life.

Ye Feng... What is it that’s troubling you? Isn’t our relationship close enough for you to tell me? But I won’t give up!

You pulled me out of the abyss, and I won’t let go of your hand!

Never!

“Ye Feng... Thank you. I’ll go cook now. You sit and rest for a bit.”

“I’m sorry...”

“There’s no need to apologize, but you should know...”

Xie Yuyan suddenly leaned close to Ye Feng’s face, flashing a bright smile.

“I’m not giving up~”

“......”

With that, Xie Yuyan hummed a tune as she walked toward the kitchen, leaving Ye Feng standing there, seemingly lost in thought.

......

In the evening, Ye Feng gazed out the window at the night view, his soul seemingly adrift. Although he and Xie Yuyan had continued chatting normally afterward, he knew that an invisible barrier had formed in his heart.

Can someone like me still have freedom? I’m just a machine barely surviving by following orders. What room do I have to talk about anything else? Acting on emotions will only hurt me... and hurt her...

And did fate really bring me together with Xie Yuyan and the others? It was all just for my own survival. If not for the system’s demands, would I really have risked my life to save a stranger?

Would I...

“Sigh...”

Ye Feng let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes. Perhaps within that sigh, he had already found his answer.

......

“......”

Hearing the sigh from the room, Xie Yuyan pulled her ear away from the door. After blinking her deep eyes, she returned to the couch.

Is it because of my identity? Or does Ye Feng have some secret he can’t tell me? No... If this continues, I’ll only drift further away from him... No... Absolutely not!

As Xie Yuyan thought this, her eyes gradually grew vacant.

Is it... If I eliminate all threats related to me, will Ye Feng accept me? That would mean we can be together forever!

Xie Yuyan clenched her fists and turned to look at Ye Feng’s room, seemingly hesitating about something.

......

Late at night, in a dimly lit shop on a dark street, several figures were discussing something in a warehouse.

One of the masked men knelt on the ground, shivering as he said, “S-sir, we’ve thoroughly searched the surrounding areas, but there’s still no trace of that woman. Maybe she’s already run away?”

“Run? Where could she go, injured as she is? We’ve sent so many Dark Palace assassins, and yet not a single hair of hers has been found? What a bunch of useless fools.”

An old man with a goatee was smoking a pipe. After saying this, he exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.

“Goat, don’t be so angry. There’s always a way, right? We all know Cold Snake’s capabilities. The mistake lies with those above, thinking they had everything under control until things went wrong, and now we’re left cleaning up their mess.”

A seductive voice chimed in. If Ye Feng were here, he would find it familiar, as it belonged to the female clerk he had met when buying a recipe.