Ye Qingfeng's mind was dizzy from lack of oxygen, and combined with the continuous alert sounds in his head, he felt utterly disoriented.
"Belle... sorry, I didn't mean to crush you."
Ye Qingfeng forced himself to stand up, his steps unsteady and his body wobbling, as though a gentle breeze could blow him over.
"It's okay!"
Feeling the weight lift from her, a flicker of reluctance — barely noticeable — flashed through Belle's eyes.
*If only Qingfeng would crush me on purpose!! That would be even better!*
"Um, Wise, are you alri—" Seeing that Belle didn't mind the contact, Ye Qingfeng suddenly remembered Wise, who had been knocked down hard, and turned to look in his direction.
Wise, who had just taken Belle's heavy punch to the side, was looking back at him as if nothing had happened.
*(I am the legendary proxy Phaethon. I have been heavily knocked down...)*
It was just the look in Wise's eyes that inexplicably sent a chill down Ye Qingfeng's spine. "Uh... glad to see you're okay..."
"It's all brother's fault!" Belle hopped over beside Ye Qingfeng like a little rabbit, glaring fiercely at Wise. "He kept covering Qingfeng's mouth and wouldn't let go. I had to save him — that punch hurt me more than it hurt brother!"
Worried that Ye Qingfeng might think she was violent, Belle hurried to explain, eager to leave a good impression.
"I'm fine, Qingfeng..."
Wise completely ignored the fierce glare Belle was shooting at him from beside Ye Qingfeng. All he could think was that Qingfeng had just been concerned about him.
Thinking this, Wise's gaze unconsciously softened. "Oh, right — Qingfeng! I've had a documentary saved for ages that I've been meaning to watch. Let's watch it together later!"
"Wait a minute! Qingfeng should watch that newly released romance movie with me instead!!"
Hearing Wise attempt to steal Ye Qingfeng away, Belle immediately objected. She reached out and hugged his arm, staking her claim, and shot a defiant look at her brother.
"You'll watch with me, right, Qingfeng?"
Belle tugged at Ye Qingfeng's arm. The moment he looked at her, she immediately started batting her big, watery eyes and pouting her lips.
*So cute!*
Ye Qingfeng was instantly captivated. Her sparkling eyes were full of hope, and her pouty lips were like ripe cherries — plump and tempting.
Seeing she had successfully captured Ye Qingfeng's attention, Belle decided to press her advantage. The way her brother had been looking at him earlier had seemed very strange.
"Pretty please~ Brother Qingfeng~~!"
Belle hugged Ye Qingfeng's arm even tighter, deliberately making her voice syrupy sweet.
Ye Qingfeng's heart gave a sudden lurch. Warmth transmitted through his sleeve, and a tingling sensation shot up his arm.
Belle's soft, sweet voice carried just the right amount of cloyingness — like a pampered kitten gently pawing at one's heart.
"Wait a minute!!"
He opened his mouth to agree but was cut off by Wise's loud shout.
"Qingfeng definitely wants to watch the documentary with me!"
Wise took a quick step forward and grabbed Ye Qingfeng's other wrist, trying to pull him away from Belle.
"No way! Qingfeng won't watch a documentary — he'll watch the romance movie with me!"
Sensing Wise's determination, and feeling Ye Qingfeng slowly being pulled away, Belle tightened her grip on his forearm and yanked him back with all her might.
"What's so great about a romance movie!"
Wise refused to be outdone, increasing his pulling force.
"Documentaries are the boring ones!"
Belle threw all her strength into pulling Ye Qingfeng back to her side.
Neither gaining the upper hand, they both looked at Ye Qingfeng simultaneously without easing their grip.
Ye Qingfeng looked at Belle, then turned to look at Wise.
He couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. At times like this, no matter who he agreed with, he'd be wrong.
And something felt a bit off...
This scene felt strangely familiar — wasn't it just like when he first met Nekomata?
His Animal Allure Physique wasn't even activated! And these two weren't Thirens!
Feeling the force on both sides steadily increasing, it was clear time was running out.
He tentatively offered, "Um... how about we all watch a romantic documentary together?"
"No way!"
"No way!"
The Phaethon siblings shouted in unison, then immediately turned to glare fiercely at each other.
"Only Qingfeng watching with me is fine! Three people won't work!!"
"Exactly!"
Wise agreed.
Ye Qingfeng felt helpless. How had these two siblings suddenly become so perfectly in sync at a moment like this?
"Um..."
Their antics had almost made him forget why he'd come in the first place. "I came to pick up the things I left here, and I wanted to invite you both to the Cunning Hares' place for dinner."
"No!"
"First tell us who you want to watch with, Qingfeng!"
Ye Qingfeng pressed his lips together helplessly. "I'll cook."
"Let's go! I've already got your things!"
Wise dashed into the back room and emerged moments later carrying the two bags, hurrying over to Ye Qingfeng.
"I'll drive! Hurry up!"
Belle stood near the back of the store, holding the car keys, looking toward Ye Qingfeng.
Well — at least they've stopped fighting. That's something.
He could understand Belle acting this way; she was a young woman. But why was Wise acting like this too?
Ye Qingfeng seriously wondered whether the Phaethon siblings had Thiren ancestry. How else could they be acting just like Nekomata had back then — just not quite as extreme? Probably because his Animal Allure Physique was deactivated.
One person was manageable. But both of them together — he genuinely couldn't handle it.
He should spend less time with this sibling pair in the future. It was too exhausting.
"Alright, let's go..."
Feeling somewhat deflated, Ye Qingfeng followed Belle out to the car. After Wise loaded the bags into the trunk, predictably, the argument started right back up.
"Since sis said she was driving, I'll sit in the back with Qingfeng!"
"I suddenly remembered I'm not actually a very good driver. Maybe brother should drive after all!"
*How troublesome, you two.*
If he knew how to drive, he'd have done it himself.
"Then you sit in the back!" Belle trotted over to Ye Qingfeng. "Qingfeng, you drive, okay~? I'll sit in the passenger seat and help watch for traffic lights!"
"We can't have Qingfeng drive! Let me drive!" Wise snatched the keys from Belle's hand. "Qingfeng will be more comfortable in the passenger seat!"
"Wise... you drive." Ye Qingfeng, worn down to his last nerve, opened the rear door himself. "Belle, would you be okay sitting in the passenger seat?"
"No problem!"
Wise zipped into the driver's seat.
"Okay~!" Belle settled into the passenger seat. "Drive steadily! Don't let Qingfeng get carsick!"
Ye Qingfeng just wanted to rest quietly for a while. He closed his eyes and tried to empty his mind as much as possible.
Noticing this, Wise and Belle both fell quiet, and the car moved smoothly toward the Cunning Hares' base.
And so, this little farce finally came to an end.
Xiao Zhi, who had witnessed the whole scene through Ye Qingfeng's perspective, fell into deep silence.
She looked at Wise and Belle's affection levels for Ye Qingfeng — both having climbed as high as 60%. Quietly, she rolled back the hidden settings she had added to the two of them, though she left
a small amount in place for Belle.
Mainly, she really didn't want to see what might end up happening between Belle and Ye Qingfeng if things kept going this way.
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