I'm in Mota, and they all want me to confess my feelings!

"What are you talking about?" Duanmu Yan rubbed his temples helplessly, finally deciding to end this torture. "What I mean is, shouldn't you go back to your room and put your clothes on now?"

The girl tilted her head slightly upon hearing this, her wet hair slipping down her shoulder with the movement. She then covered her mouth and chuckled softly, "What's wrong? If I don't get dressed, will you attack me?"

As Floro spoke, he took a step forward, his feet sinking into the wooden floor, each step accompanied by a damp, sticky sound that was particularly clear in the quiet room.

"Finally, like in the past, they can't hold back anymore?"

She put her hands behind her back and suddenly leaned forward.

The towel loosened slightly from the movement, and the shadow at the neckline rose and fell gently with each breath.

A faint smile played on the girl's lips as she looked up and stared directly into his eyes, her long eyelashes still glistening with a few wisps of water.

At such close range, Duanmu Yan could even smell a faint fragrance emanating from the girl—not the sweet scent of shower gel, but a cool floral fragrance.

His hands, hanging at his sides, tightened unconsciously, and his throat bobbed slightly.

Floro, however, seemed oblivious to the impending danger, and instead moved even closer, his warm breath brushing against Floro's tense jaw.

“I’ve done things that were even worse than this before…”

"It's just that you forgot."

Even so, the girl's eyes were frighteningly calm, concealing an indescribable melancholy.

Why use this to test veteran cadres?

Which veteran cadre can withstand such a test?

“Miss Floro.” Duanmu Yan forced himself to turn his head to the side, his tone slightly awkward, “Well, I may look a lot like that person, but I’m really not that person, so… it’s better if we just act normally with each other.”

"You say no, then it's not?" She took another half step closer, the edge of the towel almost touching his shirt. "I'm really curious... when you think back on what you've done someday, will you feel guilty—"

Her voice was as soft as a sigh, but her eyes were filled with an unyielding mist.

Even the slightest bit of guilt.

Duanmu Yan: "..."

What should we do now?

Judging from Flo's attitude, he really thinks I'm that person.

“Um, Miss Floro, are you hungry? Would you like... something to eat?” Duanmu Yan tried to change the subject.

"I am a little hungry," Floro replied softly, without moving an inch.

"Then I-"

Just then, the crisp sound of the door lock turning cut off the conversation.

Before they could react, the door to the room was pushed open.

Koleta stood in the doorway, carrying a bag of groceries, her smile freezing the moment she saw the interior.

Floro was almost entirely lying on Duanmu Yan, a bath towel loosely wrapped around her body, and her wet hair was disheveled and draped over her shoulders.

Duanmu Yan lay half-reclined on the sofa, his hands dangling in the air, looking rather awkward.

"What...what are you doing!?"

The bag in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud," and the potatoes inside rolled all over the floor.

"Get off her!" she yelled at Floro, then, as if realizing something, quickly corrected herself, "No! You're the one who needs to get off him! I'm his girlfriend!"

Volume 1: Chapter 177 Potatoes and Cows

Floro's movements suddenly stopped.

She slowly turned her head, her wet hair brushing against Duanmu Yan's cheek.

Those eyes, which were always devoid of any emotion, quietly gazed at Koleta, then slowly lowered, watching the potatoes that had rolled all over the ground.

Floro pursed his lips, as if he had something to say, but in the end he said nothing.

He silently tightened the loose bath towel again and took half a step back.

This tiny distance felt like a boundary suddenly drawn, and the ambiguous temperature in the air abruptly cooled down.

"What...what are you doing?!" Koleta's voice trembled with disbelief.

The scene she least wanted to see finally happened.

When Floro first suggested staying here, Coleta had a vague feeling that something was wrong, but since they didn't have any concrete evidence, she didn't take it to heart.

But now...

Suddenly, Koleta felt as if a hat had appeared on her head.

Enraged, she darted between the two, blocking Duanmu Yan's path like a puppy guarding its food. Then, she glared angrily at Floro: "I don't care what you've been through in the past! In short, you are not allowed to lay a hand on the cat's eye stone!"

The sentence was almost squeezed out from between his teeth, each syllable crackling with possessiveness.

what is the problem?

I am clearly Duanmu Yan's rightful girlfriend!

Why do they all treat me like this, one after another?

Ke Bao felt wronged.

"It seems Miss Koleta has misunderstood something." Floro's voice remained calm and indifferent, as if nothing had happened.

Her gaze drifted lightly over Koleta's trembling shoulders, lingered briefly on Duanmu Yan behind her, and finally settled on Koleta's flushed face.

“Nothing happened between us.” She raised her hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, the towel on her body swaying gently with the movement. “Besides, I have never had any improper thoughts about him.”

When Coleta heard Floro's explanation, it was as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world: "Do you think I'm a three-year-old?! You dressed like that and you were on top of him, and now you're telling me you don't have any feelings for him?"

“It was just an accident.” Floro turned slightly to avoid her burning gaze. “Whether you believe it or not is your business, it has nothing to do with me.”

Before she finished speaking, she had already turned and left, returning to her room.

Barefoot, I stepped across the mottled water stains on the floor, leaving behind marks that gradually faded away.

Koleta bit her lower lip hard until the door closed gently, then she turned sharply to look at Duanmu Yan. She crossed her arms, her chest heaving, and each word seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth.

"Now, do you have anything to say?"

"Uh..." Duanmu Yan froze on the sofa, feeling that every second was extremely difficult to endure. "Second Miss, are you willing to believe me?"

"Don't give me that!" Koleta scoffed, her skirt swaying gently with her stomping foot. "You fooled me last time, but you won't get away with it so easily this time!"

Duanmu Yan wanted to cry but had no tears.

The problem is, I'm truly innocent this time!

If you replaced Floro with Phoebe, he might have admitted it on the spot.

but……

How can we admit to something that's completely fabricated?

"But Miss, I just happened to be on my way home and ran into Floro after she had just finished taking a bath," Duanmu Yan explained with a worried expression.

Koleta looked incredulous: "What does this have to do with her pinning you down?"

Before she finished speaking, she suddenly leaned forward and gracefully straddled his lap, her hands resting on the back of the sofa beside him. Her warm breath washed over him, and her jewel-like eyes gazed unblinkingly into his.

"Tell me honestly, nothing really happened between you two?"

"Of course not!" Duanmu Yan replied immediately and decisively.

Seeing his decisive answer, Coleta couldn't help but waver.

She frowned slightly, then suddenly sniffed his neck like a wary kitten.

"Why do you have such an unfamiliar scent?"

"A fragrance?" Duanmu Yan's heart tightened—could it be left by Phoebe?

Before he could react, Koleta launched into a barrage of questions.

"Where did you go today?"

"Brushing against the wind by the water's edge."

"Going there to do what? Alone?"

"Two people……"

"with who?"

“...Phoebe.”

The last two words fell lightly, yet the air seemed to freeze instantly.

Koleta's fingertips trembled slightly, her voice tinged with bitterness: "You... you finally couldn't resist and made a move on her?"

Duanmu Yan's gaze became light and he glanced to the side, stammering, "As for this, Second Miss... actually, I haven't made a move on Phoebe yet."

"Huh? So you really intend to continue?" Koleta leaned down and bit her lower lip, her fingertips gripping his cheek even tighter. "Bastard! You fickle bastard!"

"Ouch—Second Miss, be gentle, it hurts a little."

"Now you know to ask me to be gentle? Then why didn't you listen when I told you to slow down and let me catch my breath? You even sped up—"

The unspoken words turned into a burning silence.

"..."

Duanmu Yan blushed, knowing he was in the wrong, so he simply stopped resisting and let Koleta vent her emotions.

Seeing Duanmu Yan's appearance, Koleta was also furious. Just as she was about to say something, her memories suddenly surged back—the image of Jiu Ni Chan Si Luo Luo standing in the night that day, and the words she had spoken, resurfaced.

"If he truly has a hidden past... what about those who met you earlier and had deeper ties with you?"

The question suddenly caught in his throat.

If those figures from the past truly exist, if their connection with Duanmu Yan is far deeper than she imagined…

So when the tide of the past sweeps in, where does she, who identifies herself with the present, stand?

Her fingers, which had been gripping his collar, gradually loosened, finally turning into a soft sigh as she rested her forehead on his shoulder.

Sometimes I really wish... you would always just be my cat's eye gemstone.

Duanmu Yan looked at the suddenly deflated Koleta and was also very puzzled.

Before he could voice his doubts, Koleta slowly got up, moved away from him, bent down to pick up the potatoes that had fallen to the ground, and sighed softly.

"In any case, let's make dinner first."

When she straightened up again, she had tucked her slightly disheveled hair behind her ear, revealing a profile that appeared to be calm.

"I'll make dinner."

"We're having beef stew with potatoes tonight."

Volume 1: Chapter 178 The Room Was Not Soundproof

Despite being the daughter of the Mortari family, Koleta was not the kind of pampered young lady who never lifted a finger.

Her elite education has given her exposure to various fields, including cooking.

Even without deliberate study, being around the family's top chefs since childhood has honed her excellent skills.

"Try it, my homemade beef and potato stew."

At the dining table, Koleta rested her chin on the back of her hand and looked at Duanmu Yan with a smile.

The warm yellow light shone on her silver hair, adding a touch of coziness to the moment.

"I didn't expect the Second Miss to be able to cook?" Duanmu Yan looked at the fragrant stew pot in front of her, her stomach, which had been empty all day, was already calling out honestly.

He eagerly forked a piece of beef and put it in his mouth—

The rich aroma of meat instantly bursts on the tongue; the beef is stewed to perfection, tender yet chewy.

What's even more wonderful is that the rich meat gravy subtly reveals the aftertaste of red wine, adding a touch of refinement to this dish.

"Now you know, right? I'm not like those naive young ladies." Koleta gazed at his satisfied expression, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "How about it?"

"Mmm, it's quite delicious." Duanmu Yan nodded, then looked at Koleta as if he suddenly remembered something, "By the way, where's Xia Kong?"

“Xia Kong?” Koleta gently stirred the soup in her bowl with a spoon and replied with a smile, “Don’t worry. You know, bards can’t stand being alone. Keeping her here is worse than being captured by the order. Right now, she’s probably playing her harp under the moon on some treetop by the Windswept River. She’ll be back tomorrow.”

"That's it."