Transmigrated into a lewd little pervert, the crazy boss's kiss made his legs weak.

He brought the meerkats for a follow-up check-up. When he saw their pitiful state, he took off his coat without saying a word, draped it over the back of the only clean chair, rolled up his sleeves, and helped her move the broken cabinet that had been sitting there all afternoon.

Li Yaoyao didn't want to see him, but she had to admit that he was indeed stronger than her at moving things.

The little meerkat perched on his shoulder, quietly watching her with its round eyes, occasionally reaching out its little paw to touch the back of her hand.

"Now the whole circle knows about your love triangle with Qi Yuge and Shen Qiongluo."

Shang Hesheng leaned against the counter, which was half smashed, and wiped the dust off his fingers with a tissue.

"Do you know what people are saying about you right now?"

"An ungrateful snob, a heartless wretch who tries to climb the social ladder but then turns around and blames others."

"Qi Yuge is in jail, and with the Shen family's reputation intact, no one dares to touch him. But what about you?"

"You're not Shen Qiongluo. You don't have a prestigious family background or any powerful connections. They used to be polite to you because of Qi Yuge, but now that's all gone. Everyone in your circle can step on you now."

Shang Hesheng adopted the demeanor of a negotiator and pressed his advantage by stating the key point.

"So you really won't consider being with me? At least I can protect you."

"Come on."

Without looking up, Li Yaoyao used an alcohol-soaked cloth to wipe the dried red paint off the table.

"Following you will only make things worse. I'd appreciate some peace and quiet for a while."

The system remained silent for a while, unusually refraining from making any jokes.

[Host, don't be so serious, I'm scared.]

Li Yaoyao squatted on the ground, the rag in her hand suspended in mid-air.

She pursed her lips repeatedly, as if organizing her thoughts or trying to stop something from bursting out of her chest.

After a long time, she spoke in her mind, her voice quiet and weary.

"I've never been in a relationship. I have absolutely no experience and feel completely insecure."

"I don't know what Qi Yuge is thinking... Someone like him has had everything since he was a child, who can guarantee that I won't be his next 'get-and-get-it' type?"

"If you lose a shop, you can rent another one; if the equipment breaks, you can buy another one; if you lose a job, you can find another one... These are all tangible things that you can get back through hard work."

"But feelings... if I really fall in love, I'm afraid my whole personality will disappear when we separate. I'm afraid I'll become the kind of person who can't live without him. I'm afraid that the Li Yaoyao I've painstakingly built up bit by bit will eventually not even know who she is."

The system remained silent for a long time.

The database, which normally yields hundreds of complaints, now only contains one sentence.

[I apologize, host. My previous analysis focused solely on the mission and numerical aspects, neglecting to consider your mental state.]

This was my oversight.

Li Yaoyao turned the rag over and continued wiping the paint stain that she couldn't get rid of no matter how hard she tried.

"Although I keep trying to convince myself that this is just a comic book world, I am really trying to feel everything here."

She thought to herself.

"It tickled when Yanyan's feathers brushed against my ears, it hurt when Daodao carried me on its back and the wind hit my face, and the corn my mom sent was sweet..."

"Everyone I've met, and all the little animals I've rescued... they've made it impossible for me to calmly tell myself 'this is just a comic book' anymore."

"So I don't know what to do next."

"I'm afraid that if I take another step forward, I'll face utter ruin. I'm also afraid that I'll turn back and regret it for the rest of my life."

The finishing touches took several days to complete.

The damaged equipment was claimed through insurance, and the renovation was scheduled for next month. The air was filled with the mixed smell of new paint and disinfectant.

Since she couldn't open her business anyway, she bought a high-speed rail ticket back to her hometown.

Meng Xia received the call and was waiting at the village entrance early in the morning.

When she saw Li Yaoyao emerge from the taxi in the distance, her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

My daughter has lost weight; her chin is sharper, and most of her former plumpness has been gone. There are two dark circles under her eyes, and she still looks silly when she smiles, but no matter how you look at her, it breaks your heart.

She grabbed Li Yaoyao's arm, muttering "So thin, so thin," and pulled her into the house.

The chicken soup on the stove had been simmering for three hours, and her favorite braised pork with preserved mustard greens was piled in the steamer. A basket of tomatoes freshly picked from the vines sat in the yard.

As Li Yaoyao held the bowl of chicken soup, she suddenly realized that things were different at home than before.

The courtyard wall has been freshly painted white, the kitchen has been fitted with a stainless steel range hood, a brand-new mahogany coffee table has been added to the main room, and a massage chair that looks quite expensive is placed in the corner.

Although she video chats with her mother every few days and sends food, drinks, and clothing home, these things...

Meng Xia followed her gaze and a smile that was both gratified and guilty appeared on her face.

"It was all Xiao Qi's doing. Every time he comes to the South on a business trip, he always makes a detour here."

"This massage chair was brought to me last time. I said it was too expensive and I didn't want it, but he said it was already bought and couldn't be returned."

"This child is so thoughtful. Without me even asking, he sends me videos of you working at the hospital and photos of your daily life every few days, telling me not to worry."

"The other day you made the news for riding an ostrich on the highway in the middle of the night. I was so scared that I almost called a car to Beijing. He called me first to reassure me and said that he had already sent someone to pick you up."

She paused, wiping her rough hands on her apron again and again, her voice suddenly lowering, tinged with a mother's guilt.

"To be honest, it's Mom who's holding you back. If our family weren't so bad off, Mom would definitely have kept Xiao Qi with you. It's all Mom's fault."

The soup spoon in Li Yaoyao's hand clattered into the bowl.

she does not know.

She had no idea that Qi Yuge had done these things.

He didn't mention it at all.

But in places she didn't know, when she couldn't see him, he took good care of the only person she couldn't let go of in this world.

Her tears suddenly started falling, one after another, splashing into the chicken soup bowl and creating tiny droplets of oil.

She wiped it with the back of her hand, but the more she wiped, the more it spread. Her shoulders trembled, and eventually her whole body started convulsing.

She was sobbing uncontrollably, repeatedly saying sorry, though it was unclear whether she was apologizing to Meng Xia or to the man eating a boxed lunch behind bars.

She grew up without a mother and didn't know how to communicate with her, what to buy for her, or when and how to express her love.

And Qi Yuge.

That arrogant brat who doesn't even give his own father a kind look.

I did it all for her.

He thought of everything she hadn't had time to think of.

Meng Xia hugged her and patted her back, murmuring, "Don't cry, little girl."

Li Yaoyao buried her face in the shoulder of her mother's floral shirt, smelling the familiar scent of laundry soap and sunshine, and suddenly called out very softly, "Mom."

Meng Xia paused for a moment as she patted her back.

"mom."

She called out again, the sound coming out muffled from deep in her throat.

I miss him a little.