CHAPTER 411: CHAPTER 411: SENSIBLE GIRLS TEND TO BE AT A DISADVANTAGE

Cheng Lie froze, stunned that it was Yun Shifei.

He had once given Yun Shifei a key to his home, so it was natural for her to come and go freely.

But he hadn’t expected her to show up at this moment.

Yun Shifei couldn’t bear staying at the hotel anymore. After thinking it through, she decided to come to Cheng Lie’s house.

She figured Cheng Lie might be too busy with work to cook, so she thoughtfully went grocery shopping and brought some ingredients to make dinner.

When Cheng Lie heard Yun Shifei’s voice, the tension he had been feeling instantly vanished without a trace.

"Feifei," he murmured softly.

Yun Shifei saw Cheng Lie standing in place and stepped forward: "Where did you just go? I thought you were working at home."

"I had something to take care of outside."

Yun Shifei didn’t press him further. Everyone needs their own privacy after all.

She took Cheng Lie’s hand and led him forward.

Suddenly, Cheng Lie knocked over a nearby small stool.

Yun Shifei looked down, turned back to glance at Cheng Lie, and smiled helplessly: "So careless?"

Cheng Lie’s thin lips curved faintly.

Yun Shifei didn’t notice anything unusual.

She served Cheng Lie some food, and while they ate, both remained quiet.

But she found it a little odd.

"Isn’t this the fish you really like? Why aren’t you eating it now?"

Cheng Lie mumbled, "I don’t really like it lately."

The fish had bones, and he couldn’t see them.

He had actually changed his taste, but Yun Shifei thought it was normal—sometimes you eat too much of something and want a change.

After they finished eating, Yun Shifei thought that it was the perfect time to talk to Cheng Lie about her own matters.

After all, it had to be said eventually. Better to let Cheng Lie know sooner than have him unintentionally hurt later on.

With this thought, Yun Shifei grew increasingly uneasy.

Yun Shifei said to Cheng Lie, "Xiao Lie, I have something to tell you."

When Cheng Lie heard her words, he turned to her.

He couldn’t see her expression at that moment, but judging by her tone, it seemed to be something serious.

"The incident from last time—it was Mu Chengzhu who framed you." Yun Shifei carefully chose her words to start from here.

Mu Chengzhu?

Cheng Lie replied, "It wasn’t him."

Yun Shifei’s prepared words were disrupted and instantly dissipated.

She stared blankly at Cheng Lie: "How do you know it wasn’t him?"

"I found that person today; soon, we’ll know."

Even if Mu Chengzhu had been involved, he wasn’t significant enough. The Meng Family—though Cheng Lie didn’t know much about them—from Zhao Pan’s tone, they seemed to be on par with the Qin Family.

Someone like Mu Chengzhu wouldn’t have been able to call the shots among them.

It wasn’t likely that anything Mu Chengzhu asked them to do would be willingly carried out.

Cheng Lie leaned more toward believing there was someone in the Meng Family who genuinely wanted him dead.

This all awaited the investigation results.

"It wasn’t Mu Chengzhu?" Yun Shifei recalled the words Mu Chengzhu had said that day—it wasn’t him...

If that were the case, she suddenly lacked the courage to continue her planned speech.

Cheng Lie sensed Yun Shifei’s unusual demeanor and couldn’t help but ask, "What’s wrong?"

Yun Shifei shook her head. "Nothing."

At that moment, Yun Shifei’s phone rang.

She answered, and the voice of Yun Tiancheng came through.

"Shifei, it’s so late—why haven’t you come back yet?"

"I’ll be back soon."

Yun Shifei glanced at the clock—9 PM.

It was indeed getting late.

She turned to Cheng Lie and said, "Xiao Lie, I’m heading back now."

Cheng Lie let out a soft "Hmm."

Yun Shifei felt that Cheng Lie seemed genuinely distant lately. She looked at him and asked, "You don’t have anything else you want to tell me?"

Cheng Lie hesitated and said, "Be careful on your way back."

He didn’t even offer to take her home.

Yun Shifei couldn’t help but ask, "Cheng Lie, do you not like me anymore? You’ve been so cold to me lately."

At Yun Shifei’s words, Cheng Lie’s eyelashes trembled slightly. After a long pause, he replied, "No, I’ve just been a bit tired lately."

It’s just exhaustion? Then Yun Shifei felt like she could understand him.

She hadn’t really meant to get upset.

Lowering her head, she pressed a light kiss to the man’s thin lips: "All right, I’m heading back. You get some rest."

Cheng Lie sat on the couch, unmoving, until the sound of her departure completely disappeared. Only then did his ramrod-straight posture relax slightly as he leaned back into the sofa.

He looked up at the ceiling.

Of course, he was aware that he’d been too cold to her. But what choice did he have? He couldn’t see her, relying only on his senses to comprehend her joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.

He also didn’t dare to act too close.

Even though he now knew for certain who the other party was.

But if it wasn’t that person—wouldn’t she be exposed to danger?

Cheng Lie simply felt that, at this moment, he wasn’t strong enough.

He couldn’t even protect the person he loved.

Yun Shifei returned to the hotel. To be honest, she wasn’t very happy either.

She felt like Cheng Lie had been acting strange.

She lowered her eyes. Did he not like her anymore?

She had heard that it was Miss Wen who saved him, and in ancient times, a life-saving grace often led to a lifelong vow.

Could Cheng Lie have fallen for Wen Lin because of this?

Yun Shifei didn’t doubt Cheng Lie, but she doubted herself—she simply wasn’t confident enough.

When Yun Tiancheng saw Yun Shifei returning to the hotel alone—and by taxi, no less—he frowned: "Cheng Lie didn’t bring you back?"

It was so late at night, letting Yun Shifei take a car alone—how dangerous!

"It’s fine; the Capital has such safe public security." Yun Shifei reassured Yun Tiancheng.

Yun Tiancheng couldn’t help but shake his head.

"This won’t do. Back in the day, when I went out on dates with your mom, I’d ride a bicycle and take her home no matter how late it was. Now look at Cheng Lie—he won’t even take the car to drop you off..."

In Yun Tiancheng’s mind, Cheng Lie’s image suddenly took a hit.

Previously, Cheng Lie had laid everything in front of him, proving his sincerity.

But now, while he didn’t falter in the big things, he couldn’t even bother with simple gestures like seeing Yun Shifei back to the hotel. Yun Tiancheng couldn’t help but reevaluate Cheng Lie.

Yun Shifei noticed Yun Tiancheng’s displeasure and knew he must be dissatisfied with Cheng Lie.

She linked her arm with Yun Tiancheng’s: "Dad, I’m a modern, independent woman. What’s wrong with coming back alone? I don’t need a man to accompany me."

"Shifei, in relationships, girls who are too sensible tend to suffer." Yun Tiancheng couldn’t help but remind Yun Shifei.

Too sensible girls often suffer.

Yun Shifei paused briefly. She didn’t entirely agree with Yun Tiancheng’s point.

"It’s not sensible girls who suffer, Dad; it’s girls who don’t know how to fight for themselves. I’m sensible, but I do know how to fight for what I want." Yun Shifei explained.

Seeing her still defending Cheng Lie, Yun Tiancheng couldn’t fathom how much of a spell Cheng Lie must have cast on her to have her this enthralled.

"Forget it, Dad. I’m tired. Let’s rest. Tomorrow I’ll take you and Mom to climb the mountain—it’s perfect weather for hiking right now."

Beijing had a famous mountain, well-known for its cool summer weather.