CHAPTER 1372: CHAPTER 1371: I’M AFRAID SOMETHING BAD HAS HAPPENED

"Yexuan, once you’ve finished drinking this, I will leave immediately. I promise I won’t disturb you."

Fen Ling lowered her gaze humbly, daring not to display even a shred of audacity in front of Feng Yexuan.

At this moment, her slightly inclined posture exuded an unspeakable sense of humility.

Such servility stirred a fleeting softness in Feng Yexuan’s heart.

He had intended to tell her that there was no need for such deference before him.

But he feared that if he did, she might linger.

Recently, he indeed found her company undesirable, yet a part of him instinctively felt bound to take responsibility for her...

What a strange feeling!

Nevertheless, he truly did not wish to be with her.

If drinking this bowl of ginseng soup would make her leave, it wouldn’t be too bad.

Finally, Feng Yexuan reached out and took the bowl.

Fen Ling let out a heavy sigh of relief and said softly, "I’ll head back right away. I won’t come to see you tonight. After drinking the soup, take a good rest."

"Alright." Feng Yexuan showed no hesitation and raised the bowl to his lips.

The gesture, tinged with a slight note of pleasure, made Fen Ling feel profoundly unsettled.

To hear that she wouldn’t disturb him tonight—could that truly make him this happy?

How much did he detest being with her?

But once he finished this bowl of soup, everything would get better.

Soon, very soon, things would improve.

"Drink it while it’s hot." Her eyes held a veiled excitement and joy unknown to others.

Feng Yexuan did not notice her; he simply knew that once he drank the soup, she would leave.

Right now, he really didn’t want to be alone with her.

The bowl reached his lips, and it seemed he was about to drink it.

But suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded from outside: "Your Highness!"

Feng Yexuan paused and instinctively set the bowl down on the table: "Come in."

Fen Ling was so furious she nearly choked on her own anger, spinning around to glare sharply at Ding Chen, who had entered the room in just a few steps.

Ding Chen hadn’t anticipated being met with Fen Ling’s gaze filled with both bitterness and rage upon entering.

What had he done wrong?

Perhaps—or perhaps not—it was that he’d interrupted someone’s affairs.

But Ding Chen didn’t dwell on Fen Ling’s hostility. He quickly strode toward the desk and inclined his body slightly to Feng Yexuan.

"Your Highness, there’s still no news of Yuxing!"

Feng Yexuan furrowed his brows.

Three days—Yuxing had been missing for three days, and there wasn’t a single lead to follow until now?

Fen Ling lowered her eyes, her face hidden, her expression even more elusive to anyone present.

Ding Chen knew his own inadequacy but could only report honestly: "Yuxing has never gone missing like this before. Your Highness, I fear that he... I fear he may have met an untimely fate."

Feng Yexuan’s face showed little emotion, yet his fingertips tensed involuntarily.

Yuxing had been by his side for many years.

Out of all those under his command, apart from Leng Ji and formerly Qing Ming, the one most familiar and closest to him was undoubtedly Yuxing.

How could he not feel anything about Yuxing?

"Without conclusive proof, we cannot assume anything has happened. Keep searching!"

"Yes!"

However, as Ding Chen turned to leave, he appeared to remember something, hesitated, and turned back to glance at Fen Ling.

Fen Ling happened to raise her head, intending to watch him exit.

As Ding Chen turned around, his gaze inadvertently locked with Fen Ling’s.

Fen Ling pressed her lips together, silent, too late to withdraw her gaze.

"Is there something else?" Feng Yexuan noticed the odd exchange between the two.

Ding Chen glanced at Fen Ling once more before returning to Feng Yexuan’s desk, hesitating slightly as if deliberating.

After a moment, he said softly, "Before Yuxing disappeared, I discovered that he paid a visit to Miss Fen."