"Rustle, rustle..."
Accompanied by the sound of footsteps brushing through the grass, Li Mucheng saw the face that had haunted her day and night appear before her.
"Teacher."
Li Mucheng called out to Ye Feng softly. She had so much she wanted to say, but when Ye Feng appeared before her, she found herself speechless. Perhaps all her words and emotions were already encapsulated in those two words: "Teacher."
"Miss."
"No..."
Li Mucheng shook her head and gazed into Ye Feng's eyes. After a long pause, she finally spoke.
"Call me Mucheng, Teacher."
"This... this isn't appropriate. Let me get you to safety first."
Ye Feng noticed a strange shift in Li Mucheng's tone. Her deep, captivating eyes bore into him with an intensity that seemed to pull him in. To avoid her gaze, he lowered his head and tried to help her up. But as soon as he took hold of her arm, Li Mucheng let out a pained gasp.
"Ah!"
"What... Miss, are you hurt?"
"Call me Mucheng!"
Li Mucheng glared at Ye Feng intentionally, but her expression quickly softened.
"I... I twisted my ankle while running earlier. If you try to help me up, it'll hurt a lot."
"Then... what should we do?"
"So~"
Li Mucheng suddenly spread her arms and pursed her lips, gesturing toward Ye Feng.
"Teacher, you'll have to carry me out."
"I..."
"It's fine. This is a special situation, after all. I'm sure you understand, right?"
Before Ye Feng could respond, Li Mucheng had already cut off his escape.
"Thump, thump..."
Ye Feng's head spun, and he nearly fell to his knees. Taking a deep breath, he realized that if he didn't get Li Mucheng out quickly, their pursuers might catch up.
"Miss, forgive me for this!"
Ye Feng bent down and scooped Li Mucheng up in a princess carry. Li Mucheng, seemingly prepared, wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest.
"Hehe, Teacher, you really are the safest person around."
"Alright, I'll take you back now."
"Mmm... but Teacher, your heartbeat is so fast... isn't this rate a bit unusual?"
At first, Li Mucheng thought Ye Feng's rapid heartbeat was due to embarrassment, but the intensity of it made her worry for him.
"It's fine, Miss. Don't worry, everything will be alright."
"Really..."
Li Mucheng set aside her playful demeanor and quietly nestled into Ye Feng's arms, her face glowing with a blissful smile as she looked up at him.
As Ye Feng headed toward the main gate, a shadow suddenly fell over his face. Looking down, he realized Li Mucheng had pulled out a fox mask from somewhere and placed it over his face.
Wait... a fox mask?!
"Just as I thought~"
Seeing how well the mask fit Ye Feng's face, Li Mucheng's tone turned mischievous, leaving Ye Feng utterly baffled.
"Should I call you Teacher... or Mr. Fox?"
"Miss, don't talk nonsense. I don't know any Mr. Fox."
Ye Feng replied without batting an eye.
"Hehe, don't worry, Teacher. This is our little secret. I won't tell anyone."
As she spoke, Li Mucheng tightened her grip around Ye Feng's neck and leaned in closer, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispered softly.
"I don't know why Mr. Fox kidnapped me back then, but I know you've always been protecting me, Teacher. So... please stay by my side from now on, okay? Fox Teacher~"
Her seductive, alluring breath tickled Ye Feng's ear, adding to the physical and mental strain he was already under. To make matters worse, his true identity had been exposed, leaving him utterly helpless.
As they approached the main gate, Li Mucheng could no longer contain her emotions. She leaned forward and planted a kiss on Ye Feng's cheek, causing him to stumble slightly.
"M-Miss, what are you doing?!"
Ye Feng hadn't expected Li Mucheng to suddenly kiss him and was momentarily flustered. He quickened his pace toward the gate.
"Hehe... so even Teacher can get flustered."
Li Mucheng, her face now a deep shade of pink, couldn't help but laugh at her own boldness.
"Teacher... call me Mucheng~"
Finally, Ye Feng reached the main gate, where a crowd had gathered. Officials, security personnel, and even Su Wanli and Li Jing, who had arrived late, were all present. Li Jing's expression was particularly grave. It seemed the danger had passed, and they were safe.
Ye Feng gently placed Li Mucheng on a stretcher. As he took in the shocked expressions of the crowd, the approving glances from Su Wanli and Li Jing, and the overwhelming affection in Li Mucheng's eyes, his heart suddenly began to ache intensely.
"Teacher?"
Li Mucheng had intended to hold Ye Feng's hand to prevent him from leaving, but when she saw the pain etched on his face, she panicked. She reached out to grab him, but it was too late.
In an instant, Ye Feng's body went limp, his heartbeat nearly stopping. Before losing consciousness, he caught a glimpse of Li Mucheng's wide-eyed, frantic expression as she screamed his name. He wanted to reassure her that he was fine, but it was clear that something was seriously wrong.
"Thud."
With the sound of Ye Feng collapsing, he completely lost consciousness...
"Te... Teacher?"
Li Mucheng's voice trembled, her outstretched hand shaking in the air. She watched helplessly as Ye Feng fell before her, her pupils shrinking in horror.
"Quick... call the medics! Hurry!"
As Ye Feng fell, the atmosphere grew tense once more. Su Wanli shouted for the crowd to make way, and medics rushed in to carry Ye Feng to a waiting vehicle, speeding off toward the hospital. Meanwhile, Li Jing tried to calm the nearly hysterical Li Mucheng, attempting to soothe her.
The scene descended into chaos, but this commotion also marked the end of the ordeal. Everything seemed to return to how it had been before.
"Ye Feng... please... you have to be okay..."
On a distant hill, a pair of deep blue eyes watched the scene intently before vanishing a few seconds later.
"I'm sorry..."
......