Feng Feng froze.
Mu Anxiao stared at Feng Feng's stunned expression and asked, "Don't you believe me?"
Feng Feng nodded.
Mu Anxiao said helplessly, "I am the deepest part of you. I won't come out unless absolutely necessary. I came out because I couldn't stand it anymore. If you don't believe me," she said, "there's nothing I can do. But what I want to say is, if you continue like this, you'll harm not only yourself but me as well."
"..." Feng Feng remained silent, her gaze fixed on Mu Anxiao's face.
Mu Anxiao took a deep breath, stood up, and said, "Get up." She extended her hand to Feng Feng.
"Can you not force me like that person?" Feng Feng asked, looking up in pain.
Mu Anxiao looked calmly at Feng Feng's face and said, "If you don't need me, I'll retract my hand. But remember, this is your last chance. If you continue like this, you'll truly be ill. By then, even if you want to live, I won't appear again."
"Why?" Feng Feng asked.
Mu Anxiao looked sadly at her own palm and said, "I'm about to leave."
"Why?" Feng Feng asked again.
"Because your body is rejecting me," Mu Anxiao said, sighing. "I'm going to disappear."
"If I continue to be this dejected, you'll disappear. Is that what you mean?" Feng Feng's eyes darkened.
"Yes," Mu Anxiao confirmed firmly.
A hint of hesitation flickered in Feng Feng's eyes. She looked at her own hand and said, "From childhood, I've always been optimistic, so much so that I stopped crying, stopped thinking. I always liked to comply. In junior high, when they bullied me like that, I still yielded. At that time, I truly hated myself. From then on, I hated that... self that only complied, only was cowardly, more each day. But I wanted to change, yet my heart wouldn't allow it. From now on, I can't stand anyone's gaze on me from the outside, and I especially can't stand... my mother's voice, or anyone's advice, because they don't understand me at all."
Mu Anxiao looked at the expression on Feng Feng's face and said, "It's enough that you understand yourself."
"What you say sounds so simple," Feng Feng scoffed lightly.
"Often, the things that sound simple are the most difficult to do. Your biggest flaw is conceit. You always think everyone is focused on you, always think everyone in the world dislikes you. But have you ever considered," Mu Anxiao said, "that they don't even pay attention to you?"
"If they don't pay attention to me, why do they mock me, speak ill of me, curse me?" Feng Feng choked back tears.
"They are merely mocking you, pitying you for no reason. There's no mention of paying attention. But," Mu Anxiao took a deep breath, "only your parents and your brother pay attention to you. In other words, putting your relatives aside, it's better for you to live for yourself and become better than to continue like this. Life is short, and you only have one life. You are truly irresponsible towards yourself like this."
"You talk too much," Feng Feng said coldly.
Mu Anxiao's expression stiffened, and she continued, "Since you know I talk too much, get up."
Feng Feng looked at the expression on Mu Anxiao's face, a slight curve forming on her lips. She said, "For so long, my other self has been so verbose. I've had enough." Saying this, she reached out and took Mu Anxiao's hand.
Mu Anxiao pulled her up with a force and said, "Thank you."
Feng Feng tightly grasped Mu Anxiao's hand and said, "For you, I will live well."
"Mm," Mu Anxiao nodded and said, "Be yourself again. Don't wrong yourself, understand?"
"Understood," Feng Feng nodded.
Mu Anxiao stepped back half a pace and disappeared.
Feng Feng smiled faintly, her soul slowly returning to normal.
At the same time, Mu Anxiao returned to her own body.
"All done," the wolf demon said, still sitting at the foot of Mu Anxiao's legs.
Feng Qishi looked down at Feng Feng, whose eyelids were slightly moving, and breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhang Yan smiled and said, "It's done." He then turned and walked to the sofa, looking at Mu Anxiao, who had opened her eyes, and smiled, "Not bad."
Mu Anxiao looked up at Zhang Yan and asked, "Is she awake?"
Zhang Yan nodded.
Simultaneously, Feng Feng opened her eyes and said, "Brother."
"You're awake," Feng Qishi said with relief, bending to help Feng Feng up.
Tears streamed down Feng Feng's cheeks as she said, "Brother, I'm sorry."
"No, it's I who should apologize. I won't add pressure to you pointlessly anymore," Feng Qishi said, bending to pat Feng Feng's shoulder.
Feng Feng smiled faintly.
Mu Anxiao, worried about revealing a flaw, quickly sat up and asked, "Where is that guy?"
"Gone," the wolf demon pointed to the ground.
Mu Anxiao glanced at Zhang Yan and asked, "You didn't secretly take anyone's things, did you?"
"No," the wolf demon glanced at Zhang Yan. "I'm not that shameless."
Mu Anxiao said nothing and lifted the blanket. "Can you move aside?"
The wolf demon pouted and stood up.
Feng Feng's gaze fell upon the injured Mu Anxiao on the sofa, and she exclaimed, "What happened to you?"
The wolf demon crossed his arms and looked at Feng Feng, saying, "What else? Your mother beat her."
"Shut up," Mu Anxiao shot a fierce glance at the wolf demon.
The wolf demon averted his gaze and lowered his head.
Mu Anxiao stood up and walked to Feng Feng's bedside, saying, "You're awake."
"I..."
As Feng Feng uttered the first word, Mu Anxiao suddenly reached out and touched her forehead, then closed her eyes.
"What are you doing?" Feng Qishi asked, confused.
Mu Anxiao circled her finger on Feng Feng's forehead and stood up, saying, "Some memories cannot be kept." With that, she swiped her hand in front of Feng Feng's face.
Feng Qishi asked, "Are you alright now?"
"I'm fine," Mu Anxiao said, stepping back half a pace without looking at him.
Feng Feng opened her eyes, frowned, and looked at Mu Anxiao, asking, "What's wrong with your head?"
"I bumped it accidentally."
Feng Feng nodded, looked around, and asked, "Why am I here?"
"You attempted suicide," Mu Anxiao stated bluntly.
Feng Feng was startled and looked at Feng Qishi, asking, "Brother, I..."
Feng Qishi glanced at Mu Anxiao and said, "It's okay now. Think positively about everything. Don't do anything foolish again."
Feng Feng felt a sense of relief listening to Feng Qishi's words. "Understood, Brother."
"Alright, get some rest," Feng Qishi said, patting Feng Feng's shoulder.
Feng Feng pursed her lips and smiled, looking at Mu Anxiao, saying, "Why do I feel like your injury has something to do with me?"
Mu Anxiao looked at the recovered Feng Feng and said calmly, "It's good that you're awake. Get some rest."
"Who are these two?" Feng Feng asked, pointing to Zhang Yan and the wolf demon.
The wolf demon and Zhang Yan exchanged a look. Zhang Yan said, "We are Feng Qishi's friends. We came to see you."