"Then I’ll be leaving now, Yuxin. You don’t need to see me off any further."
Just as Ye Feng stepped out of the Su Corporation building, he was about to hail a cab to go home. Unexpectedly, Su Yuxin reached out and tugged at the corner of his shirt, looking up at him with a pitiful expression. "Big... brother..."
"Hmm? What is it, Yuxin?"
"It’s just... could you not tell Mucheng about this?"
"About this? You mean the tutoring sessions?"
"Yes..."
Su Yuxin nodded and quickly explained.
"Brother, you probably know that Mucheng can be a bit stubborn. If she finds out, she’ll definitely be upset."
"So... could you please not tell Mucheng, Ye Feng?"
"Well... alright."
After giving it some thought, Ye Feng agreed. It was better to avoid unnecessary trouble. Given Li Mucheng’s temperament, she might indeed react the way Su Yuxin predicted. Ye Feng had seen it firsthand.
"Then it’s settled! Goodbye, Ye Feng. I’m really looking forward to seeing you next week~"
Su Yuxin waved her hand with a smile slowly spreading across her face.
Next time... what strawberry-flavored treat should I prepare?
......
"Ding~"
"Miss, you... you’re off-key."
In the music room, a woman looked at Li Mucheng in surprise as she played a piano piece out of tune.
Since becoming Li Mucheng’s piano teacher, she had always been amazed by her exceptional talent. No matter the piece, Li Mucheng played it with grace and charm. But today, for the first time, she witnessed Li Mucheng playing off-key.
"......"
"Miss Mucheng, is... is something on your mind?"
The piano teacher didn’t scold her. Instead, she asked with concern. After so many lessons, she knew Li Mucheng was a child who was warm on the inside but cold on the outside—she responded better to kindness than harshness.
Li Mucheng withdrew her hands from the piano and placed them on her chest, lowering her head. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "I... I don’t know. I just feel this heaviness in my chest, and it’s really uncomfortable."
"It seems like you might be overworked. Let’s end today’s lesson here. Why don’t you go and rest for a bit?"
"Okay..."
Li Mucheng nodded expressionlessly. No matter who she was with, she always maintained that calm demeanor—except for one person...
Back in her room, Li Mucheng recalled the argument she had with Su Yuxin. Her heart ached at the memory. She didn’t want to be at odds with her best friend, but...
Ever since Su Yuxin found out about Ye Feng, Li Mucheng had felt an intense discomfort, as if something precious to her had been taken away.
Li Mucheng placed one hand on her chest and picked up a notebook from the table with the other. Only then did her restless heart begin to settle, as if Ye Feng were right there beside her.
"Teacher... I wish the weekend would come sooner... so I can see you again..."
Holding the notebook close, Li Mucheng finally showed a faint smile of happiness.
......
"Phew... finally home."
As soon as he stepped out of the taxi, Ye Feng let out a sigh of relief. He could finally go home and rest properly. He wondered if Xie Yuyan had eaten well.
Just to be safe, Ye Feng stopped by a bakery downstairs and bought some small cakes and yogurt to bring up for Xie Yuyan.
As soon as he entered the apartment complex, Ye Feng noticed a missing person notice posted on the community bulletin board. However, there was no photo of the missing person, only a very precise description of their appearance and height.
**[Missing Person Notice]**
**[Gender: Female, Height: 170 cm, Red hair, striking appearance... If anyone has seen this person, please contact the number below... A substantial reward of 500,000 coins will be offered upon locating the missing person.]**
Ye Feng only glanced at it briefly before walking away with the cakes in hand. Based on the description, the person they were looking for was undoubtedly Xie Yuyan. The fact that they were offering 500,000 coins indicated that she played a crucial role in her organization. If he wasn’t careful, trouble might come knocking on his door.
Ye Feng wasn’t foolish enough to take the notice or linger around the bulletin board. Since the notice had been posted here, it meant that people from the organization had already infiltrated the apartment complex. From now on, he had to tread carefully.
This was not only for the sake of the mission but also for his own safety.
It seemed he needed to have a talk with Xie Yuyan. Although she didn’t seem as tense or irritable as when they first met, her calm demeanor might shatter if she faced a major blow. He had to make sure she didn’t do anything reckless.
With these thoughts in mind, Ye Feng stepped into the elevator and headed toward his apartment. Meanwhile, outside the building, a group of men disguised as middle-aged chess players were playing with the elderly residents of the complex. When Ye Feng stopped at the bulletin board, they subtly observed him out of the corner of their eyes, only looking away when he left after a few seconds...
"Ding-dong"
At the door, Ye Feng hummed a tune as he pulled out his keys and unlocked the door. But just as he turned the lock, he hesitated to open it.
"Click"
A faint sound of footsteps came from behind the door, leaving Ye Feng puzzled. Normally, the peephole would allow Xie Yuyan to see him. If she were behind the door, she would have opened it by now—he posed no threat to her. Yet, there was still no movement, which made Ye Feng worry about what might be happening inside.
What was going on? Could Xie Yuyan be in trouble? No... if something had happened to her, the notice wouldn’t still be up. So, what was it?
Ye Feng slowly reached for the small dagger hidden in his jacket. Always cautious, he carried a weapon for self-defense.
"Click"
He turned the doorknob again, slowly opening the door a crack. When he saw that the living room was dark, he immediately stopped.
The hallway was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. In this tense standoff, Ye Feng suddenly pushed the door open, drew his dagger, and stepped inside, ready to defend himself.
But when he saw what was behind the door, he was stunned. There was no one there—just a coat hanger with some clothes hanging on it.
What? But I heard footsteps...
Just as Ye Feng was about to process this, a realization struck him. He had fallen into a trap!