n

nYang Feng woke up in the middle of the night as he always does. He ran a tired hand through his silky hair before realizing his situation. He was already in his bed, barely covered by the blanket. He was still wearing the crisp black three-piece suit from this morning, except it was a bit disheveled from being used as pajamas.

n

nWhen he climbed out of bed, he remembered what happened. He had flashbacks of readily eating the only food he was allergic to and pretending it was his favorite.

n

nThere was a chance he could die from not being treated fast enough since he did not bring along an EpiPen. He knew he shouldn't have consumed it, but it was the first time Zhao Lifei had given him something to eat of her own accord. This was progress and he didn't want to discourage her from doing it as much as possible in the future.

n

nA slow smile spread on his face when he realized he can still smell the flowery scent on him that came from being so close to her. He remembered how at ease he felt when he had her to lean on for support, and how she shifted her body for him to be in a comfortable position.

n

nSmiling to himself like a fool, Yang Feng was prepared to leave his room and do some work in his home office. But then something caught his attention. On his black leather couch was a woman curled into a ball with her back facing him.

n

nNot believing his eyes, he slowly walked towards the couch. When he got closer, he confirmed that the figure truly belonged to the woman that had been occupying his mind for way too long.

n

nZhao Lifei remained unaware as she was still deep in slumber. Her eyes were peacefully closed, lips slightly parted to slowly breath in, and half of her face was covered with her hair.

n

nHis smile got bigger at how messy her hair was. It looked funny, albeit a bit uncomfortable. He brushed her hair aside to reveal her soft pale cheeks. They seemed so inviting, he couldn't help but lightly curl one long finger to caress it. Indeed, they were as smooth and soft as they had looked.

n

n

"It's not good to sleep here.

" He lightly chided her, despite the fact that she couldn't hear him. Her position was also really awkward. Without a pillow supporting her neck, she would surely wake up sore.

n

nHe bent down and scooped her into his arms.

"Foolish woman. At least use the fur blanket.

" He sighed, his eyes trailing to the white fur blanket draped over the far side of the couch she was laying on.

n

nShe was as light as he had remembered. As a matter of fact, she seemed to have gotten thinner than the last time he saw her. Did she lose weight again? He frowned at the idea. She was already skinny as it is, if she lost more weight, she'd become a skeleton. He debated whether to order from her favorite restaurant but they just had it for lunch. He then decided to cook her a hearty breakfast the next morning.

n

nLike a jewelry master placing a precious jade into a craft box, he gingerly placed her onto the bed. He treated her like a priceless treasure and Yang Feng couldn't figure out why.

n

nSeeing her soundly asleep in the same bed he sleeps in and covered by the same blanket he used, Yang Feng couldn't help but be filled with a sense of satisfaction. She slept without a care in the world and when he looked closer, he nearly chuckled. She was lightly drooling. He shifted her chin upwards so that her mouth was closed.

n

nAfter making sure she was securely tucked into the bed, he got up to leave. Just then, a hand reached out to grip an inch of his cuff. He looked down and saw Zhao Lifei was still asleep, but this time, her expression was no longer serene.

n

nZhao Lifei unconsciously realized the loss of his warmth and quickly reached out for it before it left her. In her nightmare, she was reliving the memory of Zheng Tianyi's disappearing back. She was on the floor, reaching out to him, begging him not to leave. Walking away with an arm securely wrapped around the crying Xia Mengxi, Zheng Tianyi never looked back. The last thing she saw was the fading view of his silhouette, as the world she had built for herself crumbled and the future she prepared for slipped away.

n

n

"Don't go!

" She sobbed in her dreams, her voice coming out in reality.

n

nYang Feng felt his heart skip a beat at her voice, so sweet and pleading. It instantly beckoned him back to her. Like a bear chasing after his honey, he aimed to fulfill all of her wishes, conscious or not.

n

n

"Please...

" She pleaded in her dreams, trying to stand up to chase after Zheng Tianyi but her legs refused to move.

n

n

"Shh, I'm here.

" Yang Feng gently comforted her, brushing her fringe aside to reveal her round forehead. He grabbed her dainty fingers that desperately clung onto his sleeve.

n

n

"There, there...

" He whispered, holding her hand and gently patting the blanket.

n

nWithin her dream, Zhao Lifei felt something warm and cuddly wrapped around her. When she looked around, Zheng Tianyi was no longer there. The stabbing pain she felt in her chest was gone. Her tears had dried up and instead of a heart-wrenching scene she never wanted to remember, there was a figure approaching her.

n

nShrouded by a mist, the man was tall and a powerful aura surrounded him as he moved. The comforting sound of his leather shoes clicking on the floor made her realize how familiar it sounded. His face was still hidden by the thick fog, but she could see his hand was stuffed into the front pocket of his dress pants.

n

nComing out of the same fog that Zheng Tianyi left through was Yang Feng in his full glory. Like before, Zhao Lifei couldn't control her limbs. She felt like an outsider watching the scene before her unfold.

n

nIn her dream, he was saying something to her, but she couldn't hear him. He smiled at her, his eyes tender, and his face gentle.

n

nHer mind became hazy when she looked at him. How could a man look so alluring to the point of where a simple smile was enough to make her go weak?

n

nHe said something again, but she still couldn't hear him. Without waiting for her reply, Yang Feng stuck out a hand to help her up. Zhao Lifei stared at his outstretched palm. It was rough and yet, it seemed reliable. Her eyes trailed from his palm to his warm and kind expression.

n

nZhao Lifei didn't want to reach up to him, but her mind consciously forced her limbs to move. Like a wounded deer terrified of humans, she slowly reached up to him.

n

nWith a beckoning smile, he remained patient to her clear hesitation. Even when she warily stared at him like he was crazy, he still stood there without making her feel any pressure. After what felt like forever, Zhao Lifei finally placed her cold hand onto his. The moment she did so, he quickly enclosed it around hers, his hand providing her the security she needed.

n

n