"It's okay... it's okay..."
Ye Feng held Xie Yuyan, whose body had gone stiff, and as he caught the scent of blood emanating from her, he knew she must have had a terrible time these past few days. A pang of guilt surged within him.
Why... why couldn't I have come sooner...
"Xie Yuyan, you're badly hurt. I’m taking you to the hospital right now. You have to hold on..."
Just as Ye Feng was about to move, he didn’t expect Xie Yuyan to stop him. With a smile on her face, she said, "It’s no use... I’ve been poisoned, and it seems there’s no antidote."
"Poison? What kind of poison?"
"I don’t know, but it seems like a really scary one."
"Then why don’t you seem afraid at all?"
"Pfft..."
Xie Yuyan, lying on Ye Feng’s shoulder, let out a soft laugh, though the pain caused her to cough violently a few times.
"Silly... don’t you get it? It’s because you’re here with me."
"......"
Xie Yuyan struggled to lift her head and moved her lips close to Ye Feng’s ear, her voice growing weaker. "I thought I’d never see you again, but here you are, just like the day we first met, showing up when I needed you most. Now I believe this is all fate~"
"Xie Yuyan..."
"But you know what, Ye Feng... it seems like... I won’t be able to go with you to see the new house after all."
Xie Yuyan’s breathing became more labored, and the numbness in her body, along with the spreading pain from the poison, made it hard for her to keep speaking.
"I actually learned a few new dishes to cook for you, but it seems like I won’t get the chance now..."
"Xie Yuyan, wait..."
"Ye Feng..."
Xie Yuyan interrupted Ye Feng and continued.
"Can you answer one question for me? I just want to hear your answer."
"Go ahead..."
"Did you ever like me? Even just a little... not too much, just a little?"
Ye Feng didn’t speak, but eventually nodded.
"Hehe..."
Xie Yuyan suddenly laughed as if she had won, murmuring to herself.
"I won~"
At that moment, Xie Yuyan felt a piercing pain in her heart, just as the wolf had warned. The sharp agony forced her to close her eyes, but she still gritted her teeth and nestled obediently in Ye Feng’s arms.
At least... let me die quietly in the arms of the person I love most...
Just then, Xie Yuyan felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. When she opened her eyes, she saw Ye Feng holding a syringe, injecting something into her shoulder.
"Huh? Ye Feng... what is that?"
"This? It’s an antidote. I just found it on the ground."
Ye Feng said without batting an eye.
"On the ground...? But how did you know it was an antidote?"
Xie Yuyan suddenly felt a chill in her heart. The intense pain she had been feeling was rapidly fading, and her wound stopped bleeding, clotting visibly.
"It had the word 'antidote' written on it. Anyway, never mind that."
Ye Feng tossed the syringe out the window and scooped Xie Yuyan into his arms.
"How do you feel now? Better?"
"It doesn’t hurt anymore... but this antidote..."
"Come on, don’t overthink it. Maybe they just dropped it by accident. Let’s get you home quickly."
Xie Yuyan blinked, as if she had realized something.
So that’s how it is... I bet this was your doing too, Ye Feng. Just how many secrets do you still have?
"Alright... fine..."
"Good, rest for a bit. Do we need to worry about these people?"
"No..."
Xie Yuyan’s expression suddenly changed, and the joy she had felt earlier diminished significantly.
Someone will clean up after them.
......
"We’re home!"
Back at home, Ye Feng carried Xie Yuyan to the couch. He had been holding her the entire way, and though he wanted to help her upstairs, Xie Yuyan firmly refused.
"Whew... I’m exhausted..."
Ye Feng wiped the sweat from his forehead and leaned back on the couch, breathing heavily.
"Ye Feng... are you really okay?"
Xie Yuyan took the opportunity to rest her head on Ye Feng’s shoulder and asked softly.
"I’m fine. See? I’m perfectly fine. The explosion just knocked me back a bit, but I’m not seriously hurt."
Ye Feng laughed it off, offering a casual explanation. In truth, he vaguely remembered the grenade landing right at his feet. Just as he thought it was the end, a voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding, host has suffered a fatal injury. Automatically using item: Substitute Doll.]
That must have been why he survived.
"Is that... so..."
"Alright, the threat is gone now. Xie Yuyan, you should rest up."
"No... I still have something to say..."
As Xie Yuyan spoke, she unconsciously unbuttoned the top of her shirt.
Strange... why do I feel so hot all of a sudden? Is it because of the wound getting infected?
"Is there something else? Aren’t we safe now?"
"Actually... I want to apologize..."
"Apologize? For what?"
"Because that day when you went to the manor to save Li Mucheng, I went too."
"What! You went too? When?"
"Right after you entered the manor... I didn’t want you to get hurt, so I secretly took out the mercenary group’s base. But as I was leaving, I was accidentally discovered by someone from the organization."
"So that’s why you were being chased. I told you not to act recklessly! You never listen, do you!"
Ye Feng’s tone grew noticeably stern, but Xie Yuyan found it oddly comforting. She knew he was just worried about her.
"I’m sorry... I just didn’t want you to get hurt..."
"Sigh, forget it. What’s done is done. You meant well, but now everything’s fine. We’re safe."
"......"
Xie Yuyan didn’t respond, her expression complicated as she lowered her gaze.
"And from now on, don’t act on your own without telling me, understand? If I find out you’ve done something like this again, I’ll be really angry."
"Hehe, got it~"
"Take this seriously!"
"Ye Feng, you’re still so gentle."
Xie Yuyan’s eyes grew hazy, and a burning sensation in her chest felt like it was consuming her. Even with her strong willpower, she was struggling to hold back.
"Ye Feng, I think something’s wrong with me..."