Chapter 128: Emperor Xingyuan’s Dream 19

**Chapter 128: Emperor Xingyuan’s Dream – Part 19**

For Liu Yandai, dinner that evening was agonizing.

Her heart dangled by a thread, suspended high in the air, the other end held tightly in Chen Feng’s grip. She feared he might suddenly let go, sending her heart crashing down and shattering into pieces.

But Chen Feng was a gentleman toward her.

He seemed to have forgotten her escape, the scathing note she had left him, and all the conflicts between them before. He behaved with warmth and courtesy.

After dinner, Chen Feng saw her home.

His leg couldn’t handle the precision of driving, so the driver took them back together. They sat side by side in the spacious back seat.

Liu Yandai pressed herself at the very edge, closest to the window.

She was a wisp of snow; he, a blazing furnace. She kept her distance, afraid of being warmed—or worse, melted—by him.

Yet the more she tried to avoid him, the more *inescapable* he became.

The faint scent of frosty pine from his cologne, the idle tap of his fingers on the leather seat, the weight of his presence beside her—even as she leaned against the glass, she could still see his reflection.

His hair was slicked back, bangs swept neatly behind his ears, revealing a striking face. Through the window, Liu Yandai could only see his profile.

His nose was sharp, the bridge high, his lips soft pink. The play of light blurred his eyes, leaving only the delicate curve of his mouth visible.

At the sight of those lips, Liu Yandai suddenly remembered how, long ago, they had trailed over her skin—careless, possessive—

She stiffened, adjusting her posture uncomfortably.

They had only been apart for a little over half a year—seven months, exactly—but Chen Feng had changed so much. He had shed every trace of youthful naivety, as if time itself had hardened him, sharpening his edges until he looked years older. Liu Yandai barely recognized him.

The black car weaved through the city’s steel veins before pulling into Liu Yandai’s residential complex.

She lived in a modest high-rise building. After passing the gate, the car descended into the underground parking garage.

The silence in the back seat was thick. Gritting her teeth, Liu Yandai broke it. “I’ll head up now.”

Chen Feng gave a noncommittal hum, not moving.

Normally, she might have invited him upstairs for tea, but she didn’t dare—he might accept.

She had been navigating adulthood for years now, stumbling forward, learning as she went. But when faced with Chen Feng, all her hard-won courage vanished. As soon as she stepped out of the car, she hurried toward the elevator without looking back.

Not breaking into a full run was already an act of bravery.

She got out smoothly—Chen Feng made no move to stop her. Her hand was still on the door when her legs carried her forward instinctively. The staccato tap of her heels echoed sharply through the parking garage.

By the time she reached the elevator, pressed the button, and stepped inside, she turned to face the corridor.

Chen Feng was still in the car.

He wasn’t looking at her. Just sitting there, lighting a cigarette.

Tendrils of smoke coiled through the empty space, the ember pulsing in the dim interior.

As the elevator doors slowly closed, he never once turned around. Liu Yandai didn’t dare check whether he had left. She trudged home, shoulders slumped.

Her new apartment was 110 square meters, tastefully decorated. White tiles covered the floors, and a thick wool carpet lay in the living room—a favorite spot where Liu Yandai liked to lie and clear her mind.

This is her "snug little home," her personal haven. When she's utterly exhausted from the outside world, she heads to the bathroom to wash herself clean, then returns to the carpet to lie down completely naked.

The heated floors are blazing, making the room feel like midsummer. The moment she steps inside, the cold seeps out of her bones, leaving her incredibly comfortable.

Her thick hair, blow-dried halfway, still carries a hint of dampness as it fans out over the carpet. She pulls a soft, thick white fleece blanket over herself.

Memories of the past flash through her mind like a movie reel. She lies there quietly, listening to the sound of her own heartbeat, and drifts into a deep sleep.

Liu Yandai has no idea that Chen Feng hasn’t left.

After she took the elevator, Chen Feng finished his cigarette and stepped out of the car.

He didn’t follow her upstairs—he’d never shadow a woman just to sneak a peek at her home. Sooner or later, he’d make her invite him in herself.

He merely stood outside her door for a moment, letting the night air sting his cheeks, before slowly returning to his car.

Liu Yandai, inside the apartment, remains clueless.

She sleeps until eight the next morning. When she first wakes, her body feels like jelly, too weak to even rise. Just as she’s sinking into sleepiness, her phone suddenly blows up with alerts.

Liu Yandai picks it up and checks—it’s a message from her agent.

"Scored you a new script. Study it and squeeze in time to film." Liu Yandai opens the document and realizes it’s the very script she had mentioned to Chen Feng before.

If Chen Feng said he’d give it to her, he would.

Her agent’s messages keep pouring in, one after another, buzzing with excitement.

"This script suits you perfectly. Once you film it, we can run a promo push—more roles will come your way."

"Once your visibility rises, you’ll have more choices."

"Didn’t I tell you? You’re about to blow up."

"But think carefully—why *you* got picked?"

"There are so many beautiful women in this industry. Yet this script falls into your hands. You know why."

"Mr. Chen treats you well. He’s generous. Other sugar daddies with starlets rarely shell out like this."

"With this kind of backing, you’re golden."

"Even if you don’t want to be with him, stick it out till you’re on top. Otherwise, no one will support you—you won’t even compete for resources."

"Once he’s boosted your career and you don’t need him for roles anymore, break up if you want. I won’t force you to stay."

The flood of texts feels like pressure, echoing in Liu Yandai’s mind. She stares at the screen for a long time before finally typing a single reply: "Copy that."

Then, she opens the script she received.

Her role is that of a soft-spoken doctor—no love angle, just a minor part to showcase her face, fitting her appearance well. As she flips through the script and checks her phone again, she finds a text from Chen Feng.

He’s asking her out to a movie.

Liu Yandai bites her finger, fidgeting and rolling around on the soft white carpet, before finally agreeing.

She tells herself—every time she goes, she gains resources. No reason to refuse. Besides, Chen Feng has already apologized and made amends for the past. She shouldn’t hold grudges. If she can go, she should.

In the adult world, there’s no black and white. She’s gotta play the game—this is a lesson she’s learned as she’s grown older.

Liu Yandai and Chen Feng began seeing each other frequently.

Chen Feng insisted on meeting Liu Yandai every day, developing an increasing need to control her. Perhaps because she had slipped away once before, he was terrified she'd disappear if he looked away, so he made sure to keep a constant watch on her. No one knew that whenever Liu Yandai was too busy to spare him any attention, Chen Feng would sneak onto her set to watch her.

Even Liu Yandai herself was unaware.

Now that winter break had ended and the new semester was approaching, Liu Yandai’s class load was light, with few courses. She could film during the day on weekends and even at night, then rush back to campus from Monday to Friday. Though it was a hassle, fortunately, her scenes weren’t too demanding. Whenever she had a break, she would meet up with Chen Feng.

They mostly met at restaurants—sometimes cafés, occasionally Western-style ones. Liu Yandai wasn’t picky and enjoyed all kinds of food, so their meetups went smoothly.

Yet, their interactions were oddly tense.

Most of the time, they barely spoke, acting almost like strangers. Whenever their eyes met, Liu Yandai would quickly look away, while Chen Feng calmly averted his gaze.

It was as if they were… barely acquainted.

But inexplicably, the tension between them was electric.

Both knew exactly what the other was thinking, yet both played dumb—one maintaining a composed demeanor while pressing forward step by step, the other appearing gentle but ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble, only to slowly return when no pursuit followed.

Liu Yandai knew he would pounce eventually, but since Chen Feng hadn't made his move yet, she waited on edge.

Chen Feng, aware of her fear, watched her squirm like a cat playing with its prey.

Beneath the calm, tension simmered.

—

That night, Chen Feng dropped Liu Yandai off at school.

Her short break was ending, and she was about to resume classes. To prepare for the semester, she had wrapped up all her scenes ahead of time, leaving the rest to others. Tomorrow, she could finally focus on her studies.

They sat side by side in the backseat of the same car as before, heading toward the campus.

From the start of the semester, when Liu Yandai signed the contract and began dining frequently with Chen Feng, nearly a month and a half had passed, bringing them close to May.

In that time, they’d eaten together countless times, and things between them seemed to ease up a little… or so it appeared.

At the very least, Liu Yandai wasn’t plastered to the car door anymore.

Notably, they had yet to cross any boundaries.

Chen Feng remained like a wolf holding back at an unseen boundary, never stepping over it, merely watching his prey in silence.

—

Liu Yandai attended an ordinary university in T City, one that allowed vehicles and outside cars to enter. Chen Feng’s car took her all the way to the dormitory building—she preferred living on campus for convenience. Though she was a minor, barely-there celebrity, no one paid her much attention, and her daily life remained largely unchanged.

“Text me your schedule,” Chen Feng said just before she got out of the car. “I’ll pick you up when you’re free.”

Liu Yandai murmured an "Mm" and stepped out on her own.

She had barely walked to the dormitory entrance when, before she could even head upstairs, a pack of guys suddenly rushed out.

The one at the front raised his hand and—*pop!*—let off a confetti cannon.

Amid the flurry of colorful confetti, Liu Yandai froze in shock. Then, from the crowd emerged a boy—her class monitor, who’d been chasing after her nonstop.

Holding a bouquet of flowers high, he shouted, “Yan Dai, be my girlfriend!”