"Alright, alright, I was wrong. Mengli, please stop tugging at me."
Ye Feng finally stopped laughing as Shen Mengli pulled at the corner of his clothes, offering an explanation.
"I laughed because I think your complexion looks much better now than before. You’re really cute, you know."
"Wh-what! C-cute?!"
Shen Mengli’s hands trembled involuntarily. She hadn’t expected Ye Feng to praise her so openly. The playful mood she’d been in evaporated instantly, and her face burned like a boiling kettle. Overwhelmed, she lost her balance and collapsed into Ye Feng’s arms.
"Mengli?"
Ye Feng panicked as he looked at the nearly unconscious Shen Mengli. Feeling the heat radiating from her cheeks, his chest burned as though scorched by flames. He quickly steadied her, gripping her shoulders and shaking her gently.
"Mengli! Mengli, wake up!"
"Mm... ah..."
Under Ye Feng’s insistent shaking, Shen Mengli finally opened her beautiful eyes. Seeing the concern etched on his face, she couldn’t help but giggle.
"Xiao Feng... hehe..."
"Mengli, are you okay?"
"I'm fine~"
She patted her cheeks with both hands and took several deep breaths before finally calming down.
"Xiao Feng, l-let’s eat."
"Alright."
......
After the meal, Ye Feng carried Shen Mengli to her wheelchair before heading off to wash the dishes. Initially, she had insisted on helping with the cleanup, but Ye Feng refused. So instead, she wheeled herself into the living room and settled on the sofa, watching him as he worked.
*Xiao Feng is always so focused, no matter what he does. I could watch him like this all day and never get bored.*
"Phew... all done!"
After drying his hands, Ye Feng joined her on the sofa. Just as Shen Mengli was about to speak, his phone buzzed to life.
"Hold on a sec, Mengli. I need to take this."
"......"
When he pulled out his phone, he was surprised to see Li Mucheng’s name flashing on the screen. He pressed the answer button and brought the phone to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Good afternoon, Teacher~"
A mature, melodic voice came through the line—one that Shen Mengli could hear clearly from her spot on the sofa.
*T-Teacher? And a woman’s voice at that?*
Her attention locked onto the call, her crimson eyes narrowing as they fixed on Ye Feng’s phone. The warmth in her gaze chilled instantly.
"Good afternoon, Mucheng. Is there something you needed?"
Ye Feng replied politely.
"Nothing urgent. I just remembered that you didn’t look too well during our last lesson. I called to check if you’re feeling better now."
"Oh, that’s very kind of you. Don’t worry, I’m fine. I was probably just overworked last time."
"I see... That’s a relief. By the way, Teacher, would it be possible to take a break from lessons this week?"
"You mean cancel this week’s classes?"
A hint of delight seeped into Ye Feng’s tone, as though the idea of a little downtime was more than welcome.
"Not at all!"
Before he could finish, Li Mucheng cut him off, her voice turning urgent.
"I was thinking we could spend a day out together this weekend. You know, balance work with leisure."
"A day out? Does Mr. Li know about this?"
"Of course Father knows! I even got his permission."
"Ah..."
Ye Feng pursed his lips, unsure how to respond. Under normal circumstances, he might have agreed without a second thought—after all, he lived alone and could afford to be spontaneous. But now, with Shen Mengli in his care, he couldn’t just leave her behind. Neglecting her after bringing her into his home would be no different from abandoning her.
Just as he was about to decline, a soft hand gently covered his. Turning, he met Shen Mengli’s gaze.
She pressed a finger to her lips in a silencing gesture, then shook her head. Leaning closer, she whispered into his other ear, "It’s fine, Xiao Feng. I actually need to visit the orphanage and talk to Mother Superior about something. I’ll explain later."
"Teacher? Are you still there?"
Li Mucheng’s voice crackled through the phone again, tinged with impatience at his prolonged silence.
"Ah... just one day, right?"
"Yes! Any day you’re free will do. So... will you indulge me in this little request?"
"W-well, alright. But I’ll let you know which day works for me later."
"Great! I’ll see you then, Teacher."
"Mm."
After hanging up, Ye Feng set his phone aside. Before he could speak, Shen Mengli was already questioning him.
"Xiao Feng, who was that?"
"Oh, Mucheng? She’s one of my students. Right now, I work as a private tutor."
"A private tutor? What subjects do you teach?"
"A bit of everything—academics, practical life skills. But my main role is more like a bodyguard."
"I see... That sister must really admire you. Someone as kind as you would be popular anywhere."
Her voice carried a hint of melancholy. From her subtle probing, she’d gathered that this student—Mucheng—was on a first-name basis with Ye Feng. And if her family could afford a private tutor, they must be quite wealthy.
"You’re giving me too much credit, Mengli. I’m just an ordinary person. Everyone has their own strengths, right?"
"Mm. You’re absolutely right, Xiao Feng."
She forced a weak smile before turning away and hugging a stuffed bear tightly.
"But Mengli, why did you want me to say yes earlier? I was actually going to refuse."
"You were going to decline... because of me, weren’t you?"
"Yeah."
Ye Feng didn’t bother making excuses—he admitted it outright.
"I promised to take good care of you. How could I just leave you behind?"
*Xiao Feng...*
His words warmed her heart. The grip on her bear loosened, and she tossed it aside before resting her head on his shoulder.
"M-Mengli?"
"I know how much you care about me. That’s why I’d never use myself as a chain to hold you back. But... you had your reasons too, didn’t you?"
Her silvery-white hair cascaded over his arm like freshly fallen snow—pure, pristine, and beautiful.