083 A Feeling Without Scientific Basis

At dawn, the golden sun hung in the sky. A streak of morning light gently unveiled the day, bringing forth a brilliant and vibrant morning, fresh and new to the world.

It was impossible not to feel uplifted and relaxed, the heart opening with comfort.

In the front yard of the villa, lush branches and leaves flourished. Xuan Ye stood beneath the sunlight, a smile on his face.

Under a large tree, a little boy swung on a swing, his legs kicking back and forth, while a golden monkey behind him pushed the swing, filling the air with childish laughter and squeaky complaints.

“Higher, higher!” the boy giggled, gripping tightly to the safety bar, his short legs swinging energetically.

“Squeak... we agreed to take turns,” the monkey reminded him from behind.

“I know, Monkey Bro! You’ve said it ten times already,” the boy replied, turning to pout.

“Squeak... I’m just afraid you’ll cheat,” the monkey eyed him suspiciously.

“I won’t...”

Child and monkey, carefree and happy, their laughter painted the earth with joy.

“Ye, try this. I learned it from Auntie,” came a shy, gentle voice, tinged with nervousness. Peach Rabbit, dressed in a sundress and apron, her face slightly smudged, carried a plate of pastries in her hands.

Strange, very strange. Xuan Ye smiled ambiguously at Peach Rabbit until her cheeks flushed red, then turned his gaze to the plate.

Hmm? These pastries looked odd—were they round or oval? Why were they a bit burnt?

Under her expectant gaze, Xuan Ye reached out, picked up a piece, and took a bite.

The taste—well, it was special, very, very special. So special that Xuan Ye’s face turned green, his expression twitching slightly.

Yet, despite this, he swallowed the pastry without betraying his discomfort.

“How is it? Is it good?” Peach Rabbit’s big, watery eyes stared at him, making Xuan Ye feel a little embarrassed.

“It’s okay. Keep trying!” he nodded gently.

Lately, Peach Rabbit had been acting strangely. Whenever she had time, she stayed by Xuan Ye’s side, constantly asking the mistress for cooking tips.

Xuan Ye didn’t think much of it, treating Peach Rabbit as he did Qingzhi, just another friend.

But recently, Xuan Ye couldn’t help feeling puzzled. Peach Rabbit was behaving very unusually—sometimes blushing when she looked at him, sometimes staring into space, and once, inexplicably, she even cried.

Her tears brought trouble. That day, Crane came and demanded, “What did you do to Peach Rabbit? She’s been listless and not eating. Did you bully her? Boy, do you have a death wish?”

Crane’s questions left Xuan Ye baffled; only the mistress managed to calm her down.

Afterward, the mistress gave Xuan Ye a peculiar look. He swore he saw a mix of relief, surprise, and amusement in her eyes. But when he asked, she only smiled and said nothing.

From then on, whenever Peach Rabbit sought her help—especially if it involved Xuan Ye—the mistress taught her without hesitation.

“Really? This is my first time making them. Let me try!” Peach Rabbit, delighted, took a piece and, before Xuan Ye could stop her, bit into it.

Silence fell. The wind stopped. Her happy face froze, turning pale. Without a word, tears streamed down her cheeks.

Eyes reddened, Peach Rabbit dropped the plate and ran off, wailing—likely to complain to the mistress.

“What’s going on?” Xuan Ye was stunned.

True to his nature, he didn’t chase after her. Instead, he stooped to clean up the mess and resumed his healing.

As she ran, wiping her tears, Peach Rabbit felt sorrow in her heart. Ever since that night when she heard Xuan Ye cry helplessly, she was drawn to his side, not knowing why.

Whenever Xuan Ye smiled, her heart felt sweet. It was sudden and strange, but Peach Rabbit was lost in this feeling. If she went even a moment without seeing Xuan Ye, her heart felt incomplete, leaving her bewildered.

It was absurd, this feeling—so sudden and intense it often left Peach Rabbit breathless. Yet, she couldn’t escape it. Xuan Ye’s scent, his voice, his smile—these all affected her deeply.

There was no warning, no explanation, nothing scientific about it, but Peach Rabbit simply liked this feeling.

That night, Xuan Ye was called aside by the mistress.

“Mistress, what is it?” Xuan Ye asked, puzzled, facing the smiling lady before him.

“Nothing, just a question,” she shook her head. “What do you think of Peach Rabbit?”

“Peach Rabbit?” Xuan Ye was confused, then replied naturally, “She’s great, just like Qingzhi. If I borrow money, she doesn’t ask for it back.”

“Oh!” The mistress’s face stiffened, speechless.

“So you treat her as a friend,” she mused after a moment.

“Yeah, is there a problem?”

“You don’t have any other feelings for her?” the mistress rolled her eyes.

“Other feelings?” Xuan Ye frowned, then cautiously asked, “Do you mean romantic feelings?”

“So you’re not as dense as you seem!” The mistress smiled, nodding with a look of approval. “Don’t you think Peach Rabbit’s been acting strange lately? Her behavior is odd...”

“Mistress, are you saying she likes me?” Xuan Ye asked bluntly.

His straightforwardness made the lady choke on her words. She patted his head, saying, “So you knew!”

“Oh! I only realized now that you mentioned it.”

“So what do you think?” she asked, a hint of anticipation in her voice.

“Well...” For once, Xuan Ye felt embarrassed. He had never dated before; in school, he had dreamed of it, but it was always out of reach, unrealistic.

Besides, Xiao Xi was still missing. How could Xuan Ye think about romance?

“Don’t be shy with me, just say what’s on your mind!” the mistress encouraged.

“Mistress, I don’t want to think about this right now. Xiao Xi hasn’t been found yet, and I’m not qualified for such things,” Xuan Ye shook his head. His only concern was finding his sister.

“This matter...” The mistress sighed, then said, “You can accept someone’s feelings, you know. They’re precious. Don’t let Xiao Xi’s situation make you deny everything else—it’s unfair to you and to everyone.”

“But I can’t let go. Even if I accepted, it wouldn’t be responsible. I’m not that kind of person,” Xuan Ye replied frankly. What he felt was what he said—he couldn’t let go.

“Stubborn!” The mistress tapped his forehead. “If you keep this up, I can’t stand it. You’re over twenty; are you going to give up on yourself because of Xiao Xi? If she finds out, what will she think?”

“You’ve done enough for her, and you’re exhausted. It’s time to think about yourself.”

“Thank you, Mistress, but I’ll stick to my choice. Xiao Xi is my only one, my everything. If I can’t find her, I don’t know what I’ll do. Since childhood, due to her congenital condition, she’s suffered more than other children—a little joy for others is her whole happiness.”

“I promised Grandfather that I’d make her stronger and happier than anyone. That’s my only wish as her brother. So, for now, I can’t think about myself. I’m sorry.”

Xuan Ye’s lips curled into a smile. Whenever he thought of his little sister, his heart brimmed with love and endless care.

They had depended on each other since childhood—his only family. This bond could never be explained so simply.

“So your mind is made up,” the mistress sighed, saying no more, for further words would only make Xuan Ye uncomfortable.

“Mistress, thank you for caring. Let’s just let things take their course.”

“All right,” she nodded.

Neither noticed, in a hidden corner, a sorrowful face, beautiful and heart-wrenching.

“I won’t give up,” a silent vow echoed, leaving only a lonely silhouette behind. No one knew someone had stood there.

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