The sky had visibly darkened, and Yue Ning was alone in the room.
She laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling listlessly. Her fever had subsided, but she was not bothered by that.
Only a single day remained before the mission’s end—and the first step in building her reputation among the noble ladies had already slipped through her grasp.
"Darn it!" She cursed weakly.
The door creaked, and Huo Feng entered, carrying a tray with a steaming bowl of porridge.
"I’m not hungry," she murmured, her voice barely audible.
Huo Feng arched a brow, setting the tray down before settling beside her, his gaze fixed on her pale, flushed face.
"Tell me, why aren’t you hungry?" He asked gently.
She shook her head, unwilling to answer.
His voice dropped to a whisper. "Are you angry because of what the ladies are saying?"
Yue Ning froze. He wasn’t wrong, but he hadn’t guessed it all—her worry wasn’t just for herself, but for him.
She was unable to figure out the danger, and tomorrow was the deadline. She was at a loss on what she could do.
Seeing that she remained silent, Huo Feng’s face subconsciously softened. His heart also twisted. This was the first time she took an initiative to do something, she’d definitely be hurt by it.
"You are Yue Ning. You shouldn’t let their words affect you," he murmured softly, and helped her sit up. He placed a pillow behind her back, gently, and gave her a small smile.
Sensing his gaze on her, his lips curled. He seemed to have discovered a feeling that only he could describe. But he didn’t dare explore that emotion.
He hated to admit that he was afraid—afraid that once he explored it, he would be unwilling to let go.
"Your mother called," he said, scooping a spoonful of porridge and holding it to her lips. "She’s worried about you."
Yue Ning opened her mouth to speak, but Huo Feng slipped the spoon past her lips instead. She glared at him, but he didn’t flinch. Left with no choice, she chewed.
He fed her patiently, spoon by spoon, until the bowl was empty.
’So caring.’ The system gushed, causing Yue Ning to mentally roll her eyes. ’I wonder when I would also find a system who would take care of me this way.’
Yue Ning’s lips twitched at her words, but she remained quiet.
Huo Feng handed her two pills, and she swallowed it before drinking water. She scrunched up her face in distaste. Latest content published on novel~fire~net
"Bitter?" Huo Feng asked softly, and she nodded. He smiled before handing her a piece of candy.
Yue Ning was stunned as she accepted it.
"When Xiao Yan was little, she was always falling sick. She hated medicine, so I carried candy with me wherever I went," Huo Feng said casually.
"Thank you..." She muttered softly, and unwrapped the candy. Once she placed it in her mouth, the aftertaste from the pills disappeared instantly.
Huo Feng placed his hands on her forehead, and he let out a sigh of relief when he saw that she wasn’t burning up anymore.
"You are not burning up anymore, that’s a relief."
"Feng-ge," she called out softly.
She looked at him innocently as she questioned, "have you found out anything from Huo Mingjie?"
Huo Feng shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. I’ve had my men track him but we were unable to find anything."
Yue Ning’s heart sank. What they were planning, she had no idea. But she was overcome with immense fear. She couldn’t place her finger on it... but she knew something horrible was about to happen.
Huo Feng saw her lost in thoughts, and he narrowed his eyes. He could feel her fear, and he hated seeing her that way.
He stood up from the bed, vowing to her. "Ning Ning, you don’t have to worry. No matter what the danger might be, I’d never let any harm come near you or Huo Yan."
Yue Ning’s heart skipped a beat at his words. But how could she tell him she wasn’t scared for herself—her fear stemmed from losing him.
The other party was in the dark, and they were in the open. They were vulnerable. She hated this feeling immensely.
While she was busy with her thoughts, he had already helped her on the bed.
"You should rest. Stop thinking about matters which will worsen your health."
He picked up the tray, and walked to the door. Yue Ning wanted to speak, but she was overcome with drowsiness instantly, and her eyelids felt heavy.
"I... am worried about... you..." She said softly. Unfortunately, Huo Feng could not hear her confession as he had already walked out of the door.
Due to exhaustion, she drifted to sleep instantly.
When Huo Feng walked out of the room, he found Ah Si waiting for him already.
His eyes darkened slightly, and he handed the tray to one of the maids who was passing by.
"Let’s talk in my study."
Before Ah Si could respond, Huo Feng had already walked in the direction of his study. Ah Si exhaled softly before following him.
When they finally got to the study, Huo Feng gestured for him to have a seat.
"What did you find?" He probed.
Ah Si hesitated for a while before speaking up. "Huo Mingjie has been in contact with Song Kai as well as the HR manager in the company."
Huo Feng’s eyes narrowed. As expected, Yue Ning’s instinct couldn’t be dismissed. "What are they planning?"
Ah Si shook his head. "The men have been unable to find out. Huo Mingjie is sly... and very careful."
Huo Feng’s brows raised. "What about Director Zhou? Does he know anything?"
"Director Zhou said he doesn’t know anything. He has tried to find out from Song Kai, but the latter rejected him. It seems he doesn’t trust Director Zhou."
Ah Si answered, making an observation in the process.
Huo Feng rhythmically tapped his fingers on the table, his jaw working as several thoughts flashed through his mind.
"I understand. Keep on watching him. There would always be a slip." Huo Feng instructed.
Huo Feng waved his hands, dismissing him.
Once Ah Si left, Huo Feng fell into deep thoughts. ’Song Kai... do you really have to go against me just like in the past?’
He mused silently, staring at the ceiling.
Author: ML, may I say something?
Huo Feng: Sure, you can.
Author: Explore, please explore and finally come to terms with your feelings. It’s taking so much time already.