Chapter 104, One Hundred and Four: A Clash of Titans
Shen Mi walked into the house with the package. The box was a good size, and she shook it gently, hearing a dull, faint thud. It felt like the package was packed full, with not a single gap. She looked down at the package in her hands, her curiosity growing.
As darkness fell, the motion-sensor lights outside the gate automatically turned on, casting a dim, yellowish glow that stretched her shadow long and thin. The lights in the garden also began to illuminate one by one, scattered among the cobblestone paths and the branches of the trees and shrubs, like a swarm of playful fireflies flickering and dancing in the night, making the quiet courtyard both serene and vibrant.
I glanced into the living room but didn't see the two of them. Instead, I heard a series of soft sounds coming from the kitchen, like the rhythm of knives and forks scraping against a cutting board, mixed with the gentle clinking of pots and pans.
She put down the package and followed the sound. She saw two people with their backs to her, neither of them speaking, only their hands moving continuously. The air was strangely quiet.
—Why didn't you say a word?
Shen Mi stepped into the kitchen with a puzzled look and called out to Jing Yuan, who was busy with his head down. Looking up, he saw Jing Yuan calmly scraping a whole piece of black "solid" out of the pot with a spatula, as if he were trying to pry some stubborn stone out of the iron pot.
"...What's wrong?"
Jing Yuan turned around, and the moment he saw Shen Mi, he grinned, revealing a set of bright white teeth, and smiled radiantly: "Shen Mi, you're back."
At the same time, Dan Heng was half-bent over, scrubbing vigorously with a steel wool pad by the pool. Hearing the noise, he turned his head slightly.
The two looked at each other but neither spoke. Shen Mi was stunned: both Jing Yuan and Dan Heng had dark marks on their cheeks, foreheads, and even the bridge of their noses, as if they had just crawled out of a furnace.
"You guys..." Shen Mi's eyes widened in disbelief, "What's going on?"
Jing Yuan scratched the back of his head sheepishly, followed his gaze to the pot that was still emitting a burnt smell, and then said in a serious tone, "I wanted to cook you a dish myself, but I didn't control the heat well, and the flames suddenly jumped out of the pot. In a panic, I just grabbed some water and poured it on."
He coughed and glanced at Dan Heng as he said this: "Then Dan Heng came over to put out the fire, but I poured a bucket of water on him and accidentally got him all dirty."
Dan Heng paused, then lowered his head to continue scrubbing the bottom of the pot. He didn't refute, but his lips were tight, seemingly acquiescing to Jing Yuan's statement.
Shen Mi suspiciously looked the two men back and forth, his eyes darting around several times, but he couldn't find any flaws. One of them looked completely innocent, while the other remained silent, yet both their faces were as dirty as two little kittens.
She couldn't help but sigh, and shooed the two of them out of the kitchen, one after the other. As she rolled up her sleeves and tied on her apron, she said, "Go take a shower first, and don't cause any more trouble. I'll take care of dinner."
As Jing Yuan was being pushed out, he turned back with a smile and said, "Then we can entrust our belly to you with peace of mind."
Dan Heng simply adjusted his sleeves slightly, glanced at Jing Yuan with his eyes lowered, and said nothing.
Shen Mi was the only one left in the kitchen. Looking at the messy stove and the "ravaged" pots and pans, she couldn't help but shake her head and laugh: "Really."
Despite the absurdity, she rolled up her sleeves and deftly cleaned up the mess, her movements carrying a subtle hint of gentleness.
Leaving Shen Mi's view, they went into the restroom together. Their figures were clearly reflected in the mirror. Jing Yuan quietly watched Dan Heng in the mirror, who was wiping his face with his head down, the smile on his lips long gone.
He turned his head and stared at Dan Heng, who was standing silently beside him. His tone was low and slow, with a hint of a smile but also a subtle sharpness: "If I had known that I would have to trouble her to clean up the mess in the end, I would have preferred to have you do it from the beginning."
Dan Heng paused slightly, wringing out the soaking wet towel until water droplets dripped down his face, his knuckles turning white from the effort. He slowly raised his eyes to meet Jing Yuan's probing gaze, his eyes cold and restrained: "Since you already know the outcome, why bother trying?"
Jing Yuan's eyes shifted slightly, and a half-smile appeared on his lips, completely different from his usual gentle demeanor, sharp and provocative: "How can you know if something is suitable or not if you don't try it?"
The air suddenly froze, the two men were on the verge of exchanging barbs, each knowing the other had something on their mind.
The sound of running water was soft and gentle, like a silent urging, yet it only accentuated the tense silence. Dan Heng's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, a fleeting, unfathomable flicker passing through his eyes before he withdrew it. He walked over to Jing Yuan and reached out to turn off the faucet on the sink. The crisp "click" sound was particularly jarring in the quiet space.
She hung the towel back on the rack, her tone cold and incisive: "Jingyuan, neither you nor I have the final say. Only Chen Mi's word counts."
Upon hearing this, Jing Yuan chuckled softly, a low sound that betrayed no emotion. In the mirror, his smile flickered between light and shadow, as if it might shatter at any moment.
"I'm going to the bathroom in the back room. You can have this place." Dan Heng lowered his eyelashes, his tone cold and restrained, suppressing the emotions surging in his heart.
Jing Yuan stepped aside to make way, his gaze never leaving Dan Heng until Dan Heng brushed past him. Their shoulders almost touched, as if an invisible spark briefly ignited in the air.
Dan Heng walked back to his bedroom, looking around. The unfamiliar and the familiar intertwined in his vision, as if pushing him into a desolate wasteland in an instant. The corners of his mouth were clearly upturned, but it was clearly a smile of utter despair, and his eyes were filled with silent loneliness.
Yes, he should have realized it sooner. He should have understood when they met again in the woods that night—Shen Mi was no longer Shen Mi who belonged only to him.
She will make new friends, she will gradually integrate into a new life, and her smiles, her dependence... will eventually be given to others.
Dan Heng pursed his lips, not daring to think any deeper. But his eyes involuntarily showed panic and confusion.
How long can their memories last? They are just battles fought side by side, intersecting paths, and even the murderous intent that arose when they met... Compared to the daily interactions with others, will these seem too light, too faint, and eventually be diluted to nothing?
"Danheng, you are now nothing more than a wandering ghost sentenced to vagrancy. The only reason you can stand here and meet her is because they didn't report you," he said coldly to himself. He hadn't even fully figured out who he really was. The shadow of his past life, the name of this life—he constantly struggled in the blurred boundary.
What gives you the right to protect her? What gives you the right to stay by her side? You even bear some responsibility for the accident she suffered this time.
...What do you have to fight for?
Dan Heng lowered his head, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white. His chest ached as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing down on it.
He intended to protect her, but unknowingly became part of her misfortune.
Even more cruel than all of this was the realization that he was not the only one who wanted to keep her by his side.
When Danheng came out, Shen Mi had already prepared the meal, and even the kitchen had been restored to its original state.
Jing Yuan was sitting in his seat, eating with relish.
Dan Heng's eyes flashed and landed on him, but he walked straight to his side and sat down. He calmly picked up his bowl, as if nothing had happened, and quietly picked up the dishes on the table and ate them one bite at a time.
Seeing him engrossed in his meal, Shen Mi mistakenly assumed he hadn't eaten all day and couldn't help but smile, gently reminding him, "Slow down, there's still so much left."
After saying that, she casually pushed the dish that his chopsticks had touched in front of him.
Dan Heng lowered his eyes, his chopsticks pausing slightly, seemingly touched by this natural thoughtfulness. But the next moment, he simply responded softly, "Mm." His tone was calm, as if he didn't want to reveal any more of his feelings.
Jing Yuan squinted, turned his chopsticks, and smiled as if it were an accident: "I also feel like it's been a long time since I've had your cooking, even though it's only been four or five days."
Shen Mi didn't catch Jing Yuan's unspoken meaning and took it as him teasing her. Her ears turned slightly red, and she buried her head in the bowl, mumbling, "Then I'll cook for you all from now on."
Jing Yuan's smile faltered slightly, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes, but it was quickly masked by a nonchalant gesture. He looked up at Chen Mi, his tone steady, yet carrying a barely perceptible warmth: "Alright, as long as you're willing." Though he was speaking to Chen Mi, his voice lingered firmly in Dan Heng's ears, like fine needles gently pricking his nerves.
Dan Heng's chopsticks paused in mid-air, his fingers tightening slightly, as if suppressing the emotions surging within him. He looked up at Chen Mi, his gaze deep and complex, yet he remained tight-lipped. In his silence, unease, anxiety, and a possessiveness almost suppressed flickered like a dark fire within his chest.
Time passed quietly, and finally it was time to sleep.
Chen Mi put on a face mask and turned on the air conditioner. The weather in Luofu has been getting hotter and hotter these past few days, and it seems like summer is just around the corner.
She lay contentedly on the bed, the events of the day flashing through her mind like a revolving lantern. Thinking about how she almost kissed Danheng that afternoon, a subtle, secret joy welled up inside her.
Oh right, I haven't opened the things Jingyuan gave me yet.
Suddenly, she remembered the express delivery box that Jingyuan had handed her after dinner.
"Oh, right... I haven't opened it yet." She murmured to herself, gently placing the box on the bedside table.
After lunch, the image of Jingyuan handing it to her resurfaced—his expression was calm, yet carried a subtle air of mystery.
"This is for you."
"For me?" Shen Mi was somewhat surprised, looking down at the box in her hand. "What's inside?"
Jing Yuan just smiled without saying a word, his tone carrying a hint of mischievous mystery: "I'll open it and take a look when I go to sleep."
Sitting on the bed, Chen Mi gently stroked the box, a surge of indescribable anticipation welling up inside her. The night was quiet, the only sound the gentle hum of the air conditioner. She carefully opened the box, as if unveiling a grand prize.
Gently opening the box reveals a watch so exquisite it could almost be worn as jewelry. The watch face is smooth, the metal and glass reflecting light with a soft glow under the lamplight; its design is simple yet elegant.
A small instruction manual is neatly placed next to it, which details all the functions of the watch.
Aside from the "Lauvaux Limited Edition" gimmick, this watch boasts both exquisite appearance and basic functions, but its most crucial feature is its built-in alarm system—no matter where the wearer is, a simple press of the button on the side of the watch will instantly call for help.
Rather than saying this watch is expensive, it's more accurate to say that its accompanying security features are truly valuable. Shen Mi flipped through the instruction manual and discovered that the location and security functions were already charged from the very beginning of the customization process.
Shen Mi went online to research the design company of this watch and its associated security team, and found that both belonged to the Interstellar Peace Company. The watch was specially designed for high-ranking officials, nobles, and powerful figures throughout the galaxy, and its functions were highly targeted.
Simply put, it's not an ordinary watch, but a high-end luxury item designed specifically for security.
My goodness, I was shocked when I found out what I was looking into.
Shen Mi quickly put on the watch, feeling a warm glow in her heart. Looking at the watch face, she could feel Jing Yuan's heartfelt sentiments.
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Author's Note: Tomorrow, all the conflicts will erupt, a three-way standoff... [pity][pity][pity] Shen Mi: I want it all!
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