"Here, have some water."
Ye Feng poured a cup of hot water and sat down on the sofa, speaking to Xie Yuyan, who was engrossed in her phone.
Xie Yuyan glanced at Ye Feng secretly, let out a cold snort, and turned away, completely ignoring his attempt to talk.
Well, it’s neither a win nor a loss, and now I’ve managed to upset this lady again. Why is it so hard?
Ye Feng was going crazy inside, but he knew he had to calm Xie Yuyan down. On the bright side, at least she had promised not to cause any more trouble.
"What’s wrong? Didn’t we agree not to be angry anymore?"
Xie Yuyan pouted and muttered softly, "I’m not mad about what just happened."
"Then what is it?"
"It’s about you hiding your true abilities! Did you keep your strength a secret just to embarrass me? I thought I could actually beat you..."
"Cough... I didn’t mean to do that. You never asked me before, did you?"
"I don’t care!"
Xie Yuyan turned her head sharply toward Ye Feng, her tone firm.
"Ye Feng, you’re not allowed to hide things from me anymore! We should be completely honest with each other, not keeping secrets. I’ve already given you everything I have..."
"Hey, hey, hey! Watch your words! Don’t make it sound like I’m some kind of villain."
"Then promise me you won’t hide anything from me."
"Alright, I promise that, except for my private matters, I’ll tell you everything you want to know."
"Hmm..."
Xie Yuyan felt something was off about Ye Feng’s words, but then she thought that everyone has their own secrets, and she let it go.
"Well... fine! It’s a deal! Whoever breaks the rules will be struck by lightning!"
"Now you should be happy, right?"
"I’m still not happy."
Seeing that Xie Yuyan was willing to talk to him, Ye Feng breathed a sigh of relief. He needed to carefully guide her emotions. He knew her anger had mostly subsided, but he had to make sure she didn’t do anything reckless.
"Today, when I came back, I noticed that the number of people watching us has decreased. I suspect they’ve moved to other areas, but there’s also a possibility that..."
"They’re luring us out?"
Xie Yuyan interjected.
"Exactly. I think they’re setting a trap. They’re trying to make us think they’ve left, but my gut tells me not to take any chances."
Xie Yuyan understood the deeper meaning behind Ye Feng’s words—he wanted her to stay at home and behave. After today’s duel, she felt a bit more reassured about Ye Feng’s ability to protect himself, but the danger could change at any moment. Despite her worries, she had promised Ye Feng and had to remain vigilant against the Dark Palace’s surveillance, leaving her in a dilemma.
"Ye Feng, are you still going to Li Mucheng’s class tomorrow?"
Xie Yuyan had unknowingly moved closer to Ye Feng. If she weren’t afraid of him noticing, she might have even rested her head on his shoulder.
"Of course, I have to go. The usual classes must go on, but I’ll need to be even more focused on safety."
"Alright then, you must be careful! If I see even the slightest scratch on you, I won’t let you off the hook!"
"Alright, alright, don’t worry. Don’t forget, I’m the Ye Feng who subdued you in one move."
"Stop it! That was because I let my guard down! You ambushed me; you didn’t fight fair!"
"Okay, okay, my bad, my bad."
Ye Feng smiled and glanced at the clock on the wall.
"It’s getting late, and I have class tomorrow. Xie Yuyan, you should rest early too. Don’t dwell on today’s events, okay? Everything will be fine."
"Mm..."
"Let’s call it a day. Goodnight."
"Goodnight..."
After Ye Feng left the living room, Xie Yuyan bid him farewell and returned to her spot on the sofa, her mind filled with images of Ye Feng’s sudden change during their earlier confrontation.
How... What could have made Ye Feng so strong? If he was hiding his abilities, his basics would have been exposed. It’s like he suddenly mastered techniques out of nowhere, which is impossible...
Forget it. As long as he’s strong enough to protect himself, that’s what matters. But I didn’t expect this to be one of Ye Feng’s trump cards. I thought I had him all figured out, but he still has secrets up his sleeve.
Still, it’s a good thing. At least I didn’t rush things. I thought I could use brute force to control him if he ever tried to leave me, but now it seems I’ll need to rethink my entire plan. Maybe this is for the best.
......
"Good morning, teacher~"
Early in the morning, Ye Feng arrived at Li Mucheng’s estate. Due to the recent special circumstances, Ye Feng had temporarily canceled all outdoor activities with Li Mucheng. Despite her repeated requests to go out, Ye Feng had refused, leaving her no choice but to stay indoors and attend class obediently.
During the break, Li Mucheng sat on the edge of the bed and reached under her pillow. Under Ye Feng’s watchful gaze, she pulled out a brand-new smartphone.
"Teacher! This is for you!"
"A phone? Miss, why are you giving me a phone? I already have one."
"Teacher, that thing you have can’t even be called a phone! It’s more like a flashlight starter. Who knows, one day it might not even turn on the flashlight."
"Miss, you’re really making my phone sound useless."
"I don’t care. It’s already bought, and it’s for you. You have to take it!"
"No, no, this is too expensive..."
Ye Feng waved his hand in refusal. If he accepted the phone from Li Mucheng, it would mean he owed her a huge favor, and he hated being in debt.
"Teacher, if you truly see me as your student, then take the phone! It’s just a token of gratitude for your guidance. If you still refuse..."
"Then every time you come over, I’ll pester you until you accept it!"
"Sigh, Miss, you’re really forcing this on me. Besides, who does business at a loss? This is practically giving me money."
"It’s a sign of my appreciation for you! Take it!"
Ye Feng couldn’t win against Li Mucheng’s persistence, so he finally accepted the phone, pretending it was part of his salary.
As Ye Feng examined the phone’s design, Li Mucheng suddenly added an unrelated comment: "Oh, and teacher, this phone can’t get wet, or... or it’ll break."
"Huh? Aren’t all phones like that?"
"W-well, yeah..."