Chapter Twelve: Compulsory Reaction

Ye Mengxia got into a car and arrived at a dilapidated apartment complex—this was where Su Yichen lived.

After getting out, she grabbed her bag and hurried inside. Before she reached the building, her phone rang. Seeing Lu Chengze’s name on the screen, she quickly declined the call.

A sudden wave of dizziness swept over her as the phone kept ringing incessantly. In that moment, she truly felt like crying.

No, she couldn’t faint here. Digging her nails into her palm to stay conscious, she pressed on.

Panting, Ye Mengxia climbed two flights of stairs and knocked anxiously at the door. Soon, it swung open to reveal Su Yichen. He seemed surprised to see her.

Her eyes reddened at once, and she shouted at him, “You’re not answering your phone or replying to messages—what on earth are you doing at home?” She flung her backpack at him, hitting him squarely in the chest.

Ye Mengxia was furious, so much so that she completely forgot what her current status even was.

Seeing her cry, Su Yichen panicked and tried to help wipe her tears, but she shoved him away. He stood there, helpless.

She snatched her bag from his hands and stormed toward the stairs. She moved too quickly, missed a step, and began to fall.

Instead of the hard cement, she landed on Su Yichen’s shoulder—he had caught her, holding her tightly. With a heavy thud, she crashed into his body.

For a split second, he couldn’t mask his agony; the pain was plain to see.

“Su Yichen!”

“Are you alright?” Ye Mengxia scrambled off him, flustered. “Su Yichen, did you hurt a bone? Should I call someone? What should we do, are you okay…?”

“Ye Mengxia, calm down.”

“I’m fine, just help me up first.”

Her mind started to blur, the sound of car horns echoing in her ears, the sensation of her bones being crushed flooding back. She couldn’t help but feel nauseous.

“I’m alright, it’s just a scrape. See? I’m fine. Really.” Su Yichen, noticing something was wrong with her, kept trying to reassure her, standing up slowly to prove he was alright, though cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

“Ugh, I feel awful,” Ye Mengxia groaned.

“Yichen, I feel terrible, ugh—”

Su Yichen managed to hold her as her trembling finally subsided. Suddenly, Ye Mengxia fainted in his arms. Su Yichen’s eyes turned red as he held her, grabbed her phone, and dialed for an ambulance.

While they waited, Su Yichen leaned against the wall, cradling Ye Mengxia. Blood seeped from his thigh—a wound he’d gotten that morning on the way to her house, when an electric scooter sped toward him. He hadn’t dodged in time, but at the last moment his reflexes shifted his body, leaving a gash on his leg from a piece of metal.

The ambulance arrived quickly.

At the hospital, Ye Mengxia lay in bed while her mother, Ji Siya, questioned the doctor anxiously, wanting to know what was wrong with her daughter.

“The examination shows no physical issues. It’s most likely psychological,” the doctor said.

Ji Siya looked at her daughter, worry clouding her face. Would it be better to take her abroad?

“Yichen…”

“Yichen, I feel so terrible…”

Ji Siya rushed to her side. “Mengxia, what’s wrong, darling? Mommy’s here.”

“Yichen… Yichen…”

— — —

Ye Xingchen? Ji Siya’s eyes widened abruptly, panic flickering across her previously calm face. Her fingers tensed. No, it couldn’t be—how could something like this happen?

“Damn, Ye Mengxia, are you okay?” Ye Xingchen had rushed over when he heard the news and almost ran straight into Ji Siya, who stood there with her usual poise.

There was no time to escape.

He greeted her properly, “Auntie.”

Ji Siya’s expression changed; she clearly couldn’t hide her dislike, especially after hearing that name earlier. She responded with a faint “Mm.”

Ye Xingchen was not one to grovel for warmth. He had never understood why she disliked him since childhood—she looked at him like he was something filthy.

Fortunately, Ye Mengxia wasn’t like that. She was normal. Well, mostly normal—at least within the bounds he could accept.

“Are you and Mengxia in the same class?” Ji Siya sat with perfect posture, every gesture radiating elegance—even her gaze exuded nobility.

“No,” he replied. “My cousin is in Class Six, I’m in Class Three; we’re not even on the same floor.” He deliberately emphasized “cousin”—her rule, not his. But he’d call Ye Mengxia whatever he wished.

He’d say it as much as he liked—what could she do about it?

Wicked woman, Ye Xingchen thought behind his polite smile.

“Mengxia has a boyfriend?” Ji Siya’s sudden question dropped like a thunderclap. For a moment, he couldn’t believe his “elegant” aunt had said that.

Since when did she care about that?

“No, Auntie, why do you ask?” He absolutely couldn’t admit it, even though it seemed his cousin and Su Yichen had some feelings for each other. With her personality, she’d surely break them up.

“Is that so?” Ji Siya’s expression darkened. “When Mengxia wakes up, I’m considering taking her abroad to study.”

“Why?” he asked.

“My cousin’s grades are good; there’s no issue with her getting into college.” What was this wicked woman up to?

“We want Mengxia to receive the best education—not spend every day with you.”

Seriously? Ye Xingchen was dumbfounded. So, in the end, she thought he was a bad influence on Mengxia. He laughed dryly, “Auntie, I’m top of my grade.”

He’d aced more than a few exams, but left that part unsaid.

Ji Siya gave him a disdainful look, saying nothing; her meaning was clear.

Ye Xingchen rolled his eyes behind her back.

Who did she think she was looking down on?

“Yichen…”

Ye Xingchen heard the voice and turned. Oh no, not that—he hurried to the bedside under Ji Siya’s sharp gaze and “gently patted” Ye Mengxia. “Cousin, are you alright?”

Beads of sweat formed on Ye Mengxia’s forehead as she suddenly opened her eyes.

“Mengxia, you’re finally awake.”

— — —

“Ugh… ugh…” Ye Mengxia suddenly collapsed at the edge of the bed, vomiting violently, curling in on herself.

“What’s wrong? What’s happening? Doctor—”

After a series of tests, the doctors found no physical issues and advised a psychological evaluation.

Ji Siya breathed a sigh of relief—she had feared the worst.

“I feel awful… Yichen… it hurts so much…”

“What’s wrong? Ye Xingchen, what did you do to Mengxia?” Ji Siya snapped, startling him.

“What did I do? Seriously—” He sounded cold. How could she always pin everything on him?

“What does she mean by ‘Yichen’? You’re her cousin—why does she keep calling for you?”

Damn it, he took a deep breath. This foolish woman—she was the one who needed a psychiatrist.

“‘Yichen’ could mean the morning light, tranquility, or achievement, Auntie. Surely you don’t think I’m the only ‘Xingchen’ she knows?”

“It better be that way.”

Heh, sure—let’s hope they leave soon.

A nurse entered, checked some records, and asked, “Do you have the contact information for the family of the boy who came in with her?”

“Who?” Ye Xingchen’s eyes dropped, and he quickly took the nurse aside. “Who are you talking about? Could it be a mistake, maybe…”

Outside, he asked, “Where is he?”

They arrived to see Su Yichen lying in bed, several bandages wrapped around him. “What happened to him—is he alright?”

The nurse replied, “He has a deep wound on his leg and some other bruises, but nothing too serious.”

“Oh, and he’s a bit anemic. Make sure he eats properly.”

What on earth happened—what did they go through in just one day?

“Hiss…”

“Su Yichen, you’re awake—are you alright?”

“Here, have some water.”

Su Yichen shook his head, “Where’s Ye Mengxia? How is she?”

“She… The doctor said she’s physically fine, but after she woke up, she kept calling for you and kept vomiting.”

“Hey—where are you going?”

Su Yichen pulled out his IV. “I’m going to see her.”

Ye Xingchen stopped him. “You can’t go now—her mother’s there, and there are doctors with her. She’ll be fine.”