He stood at the edge of the courtyard, gazing at the moonless sky. Shadows stretched across the stone tiles, silent and cold. The night was deep, and the wind carried a faint scent of flowers. He listened quietly, as if searching for an answer within the darkness.

Xia Yuwei had no choice but to stop, smiling as she spoke to Ye Lifeng, “Senior, I truly appreciate your hospitality today, and that of your parents as well. Then, good night.”

Ye Lifeng reached out and took her hand, saying, “Yuwei, I have something to say to you. Come outside with me.”

Tonight, Xia Yuwei was actually a little upset. This sudden move left her feeling stifled. But she wasn’t very close to Senior Ye, so she couldn’t easily lose her temper. Besides, he had indeed helped her a lot, had treated everyone to dinner; if she were to get angry with him now, wouldn’t that be too much?

Yet now, he was holding her hand and asking her to step outside, and she was annoyed. She shook her hand free, saying, “Senior, I’m really tired today. Could we talk another time?”

Ye Lifeng held her wrist tightly. “Yuwei, please give me a chance. Tonight, I want to tell you what’s in my heart. You can take your time to think about it, but I’ve waited long enough, I can’t wait any longer. Please, I must ask you to agree, come outside with me tonight.”

He looked at her earnestly; such a proud man, now gazed at her with almost sorrowful eyes. She was right before him, yet as elusive as a drifting cloud on the horizon.

Xia Yuwei wanted to say something, but Wang Yanran saw her lingering and came back, asking, “Yuwei, are you returning home tonight? If you’ll sleep poorly here, it’s better to go home. I’ll call you in the morning to wake you up.”

“Don’t worry, Auntie, I’ll make sure Yuwei gets home safely,” Ye Lifeng said before Xia Yuwei could respond.

“Thank you, Lifeng,” Wang Yanran said, patting Xia Yuwei’s shoulder before walking away.

“Mama…” Xia Yuwei called after her, plaintively. But Wang Yanran didn’t turn back.

Wasn’t Mama clearly trying to match her with Senior Ye? What did Mama mean by this? Why? Both boys were from wealthy families, yet Mama didn’t like Lu Yichen, but favored Senior Ye? Did Mama’s preference mean she must follow suit?

“Let’s go.” Ye Lifeng didn’t let go of Xia Yuwei’s hand.

Watching her mother leave, Xia Yuwei suddenly felt so aggrieved, like an abandoned child, tears pressing at her eyes. Why, why had everything changed lately—why was everything so out of sorts, so infuriating?

She let Ye Lifeng lead her outside.

“Where are we going?” Xia Yuwei asked, her head lowered.

“Since you’re so tired tonight, I’ll take you home,” Ye Lifeng said, seeing her on the verge of tears and feeling a pang of compassion.

“Mm… alright. Wait—no!” Xia Yuwei answered absent-mindedly, then suddenly remembered Xin Xin and Lu Yichen’s dinner.

If she went home now, what would happen? What could she do? What had happened between them…?

---

Ye Lifeng was puzzled by Xia Yuwei’s ambiguous words—did she want to go home or not?

“Oh. I… I’ll make a phone call first.” Before getting in the car, Xia Yuwei quickly slipped her hand from Ye Lifeng’s grasp and ran to the side to call.

She hesitated, then dialed Xin Xin first.

The reply was cold and standard: “The number you dialed is powered off.”

She stared blankly, feeling suddenly cold, a suffocating weight in her chest.

Her hands trembling, she dialed another number—Lu Yichen.

The reply was the same, cold and standard: “The number you dialed is powered off.”

…

Clenching her fist, her teeth gnawed unconsciously at her knuckles, indifferent to the pain.

They really were united in their silence…

Are men truly creatures ruled by their lower bodies, so easily aroused?

She’d said she didn’t care about him, said she would listen to her mother, not associate with him, hadn’t she already decided? Why did she still care? Why did it still feel like she was suffocating…

Ye Lifeng saw her finish the call, but she lingered, head bowed, eventually crouching down and covering her face.

“Yuwei.” Ye Lifeng came over, concerned. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing… nothing!” Xia Yuwei slowly stood up, raising her head. “Senior, I want to go home. Right now!”

---

Qinglian Community. Xia Yuwei and Xin Xin’s residence.

Xin Xin undressed Lu Yichen, seeing a man’s bare body for the first time—he was strong, every inch exuding the beauty of power. Xin Xin’s face flushed.

---

She saw him stir, troubled.

Afraid she’d taken too long and he would wake, though shy and hesitant, Xin Xin slipped off her own clothes, piece by piece. She picked up the quilt, covering them both, then pressed her body against Lu Yichen’s back, her side turned towards him…

In his haze, Lu Yichen felt a soft, warm body pressed tightly against his back, a sensation he’d never known. Was he dreaming?

The person in his dream must be Weiwei—the enchanting girl he loved and hated so deeply. Why did she still haunt his dreams?

Didn’t she know he hated her now? Why did she come to seduce him?

That enchantress, that scourge—what was she trying to do?

Was her very existence meant to torment him, to drive him mad?

Even in his dreams, he was thinking of her.

She must care for him too, to come meet him in his dreams, right?

His throat felt blocked, aggrieved and heartbroken. He turned over, pinning her beneath him, and called out in a hoarse voice, “Weiwei…”

---

ps: Was she devoured or not?

Banxia hereby declares: Banxia is not an evil stepmother~~~~ Xiao Lu will always belong to Weiwei~~~~

By the way, do you really want Banxia to update four chapters every day?… Ha, do you want to exhaust Banxia?

~~~ Then give some motivation, where are the flowers?~~~~ More flowers, even if exhausted, four updates a day~~~~