Ten minutes later, Zhan Mengxi collapsed onto the stone bench, wearing a thoroughly worn-out expression.

She looked nothing like a youthful, beautiful manga artist now.

Her clothes were disheveled, her hair scattered—more like a ghost than a girl.

"Ahh, I stink so bad! Bad boy Mingxin, how could you do something so outrageous? I’ll never get married now, wah~"

Zhan Mengxi didn’t back down. She burst into tears on command, her tears flowing like a breached dam, unstoppable.

Wow, you’re the ultimate drama queen?

I just smeared the medicated oil smell from my hands all over you. Why act like I slept with you?

If I had those thoughts, you’d be home nursing kids by now.

"Enough. Is your foot better? We must head down soon."

Yun Mingxin glanced at the darkening sky, his face growing serious.

Waiting here meant no shelter for the night.

No fire, wet clothes—even an iron body would break after one night.

Her clothes were still damp.

Zhan Mengxi noticed Yun Mingxin’s impatience.

Usually the calmest, today he was the most frantic.

That made her feel oddly peaceful.

She didn’t care about wet clothes or catching cold. As long as she didn’t die, it was fine.

She’d rarely been sick since childhood, maybe due to her tough constitution.

Seeing Yun Mingxin’s crumbling composure almost made her laugh.

But the joy in her eyes didn’t escape him.

He felt a pang of discomfort.

So I worry about you, and you laugh instead of thanking me?

He’d wanted to scold her harshly, but his own dry clothes softened his heart.

His words shifted: "You... I must’ve owed you in a past life. Now I’m repaying it."

Zhan Mengxi swayed on the bench, giggling. "What if I owed you? You’re here to collect debt?"

"If so, you owe me way too much—especially from childhood."

Yun Mingxin shot her a glare and fell silent.

Zhan Mengxi pressed on, "I owe you plenty, but you owed me too! Every spicy snack stick I had, you got half."

"How many times did you trick me as kids?" Yun Mingxin grumbled.

"Uh... sorry, I can’t recall."

"Idiot! You can’t remember because there were too many!"

He sounded flustered.

His clearest memory was seventh grade, with mountains of homework.

He often tutored her, so he did that time too.

Unluckily, she’d just gotten twenty yuan pocket money from her uncle.

Her strict mom knew nothing.

She secretly swapped it for Bakugan and Dragon Warrior cards.

That day, her uncle slipped up. Her mom demanded where the money went.

Terrified, she claimed Yun Mingxin tutored her for cash and took it all.

His mom believed it.

After relentless questioning, she unleashed brutal punishment.

Yun Mingxin was an only child. His mom loved him fiercely but held him to rigid standards.

She’d taught him never to waste money—or steal, cheat, rob.

Before this, she’d been stubborn; his dad played the gentle one.

She saw tutoring-for-cash as cheating, a grave sin.

Worst, his stubbornness nearly got his leg broken.

Only when Zhan Mengxi saw his battered state, ran crying to confess, did it end.

After that, his mom never hit him again.

Mistakes brought scolding only after careful investigation.

Guilt must’ve forced her to overhaul her parenting.

He’d always hated instant beatings without questions.

Without that, his grades improved.

Even he couldn’t decide: repay Zhan Mengxi or thank her?

Pure accident.

Later, she’d rushed to him daily, tearfully begging forgiveness, urging him to hit her back.

He couldn’t stay angry.

Hearing this, Zhan Mengxi scratched her head awkwardly.

She’d truly felt guilty. She’d thought he’d just get scolded.

If beating was involved, she’d confess—losing allowance was bearable.

But Yun Mingxin’s mom loved deeply yet disciplined harshly.

A child couldn’t foresee that.

"I’m sorry, Mingxin. I didn’t think... I just instinctively relied on you..."

Zhan Mengxi whispered, fingers hooked and fidgeting, looking like a scolded schoolgirl.

"Never mind. It’s been seven years. If I blamed you, I’d have done it already."

"Thank you, Mingxin!"

She cried and hugged him, wobbling like a duck from her injury—utterly comical.

Her damp, warm body pressed against him, making Yun Mingxin feel stifled.

"Hey, careful! You’re hurt and bouncing around. Scared of crippling yourself?"

He lightly tapped her head.

She buried her face in his chest, rubbing hard. Her damp hair soaked his shirt.

"Sigh, you reckless girl. If you didn’t act without thinking, we wouldn’t have these messes."

"Yes~, I know I was wrong."

Her muffled voice from his chest—hard to tell if sincere.

Yun Mingxin rubbed his temples, helpless.

"Fine. I don’t want repayment. Your impulsiveness led to this coincidence. We became friends. Fate and chance often mix."

"I don’t want to be just friends..."

Zhan Mengxi sounded indignant.

"What?"

Clutching him, he couldn’t hear clearly.

She lifted her head. "I said, I must compensate you."

"Huh?"

"You said I should give myself to you as payment, right?"

Her voice faded to a whisper.

Yun Mingxin sighed. "Louder, please."

Zhan Mengxi puffed up like a blowfish, mouth wide open. "I said, I’ll give—"

A frantic female voice cut in.

"Brother Mingxin, are you here?"