Chapter 143: The Two’s Bewilderment

A man is most handsome when he’s focused; a woman, most beautiful.

The look of intense concentration on Su Yuqing’s face made her seem both beautiful and strikingly cool.

Watching from the side, Chen Mo was momentarily captivated.

He once believed that fate had sent him back to the present to save Su Yuqing.

But now, a new thought occurred to Chen Mo. ’What if it was Su Yuqing’s spirit who saw me being tormented by my obsession and sent me back to save myself?’

’That figure who always appeared on stormy nights—I haven’t seen it once since I came back. Isn’t that proof?’

Her presence was the only thing that brought his heart a sliver of comfort, the only thing that made him feel completely at ease.

Only in a world with her did he have a chance to be himself again.

’Who was really saving whom?’

In that moment, a clear realization dawned on Chen Mo.

"You’re awake."

As Chen Mo was lost in a daze, a gentle, velvety voice reached his ears, both comforting and pleasant.

Seeing Su Yuqing turn her head to smile at him, Chen Mo hummed softly in acknowledgment.

"Are you hungry? I’ll go make you something to eat." Su Yuqing stepped forward, tucked him in, and sat on the edge of the bed, gently patting his stomach through the covers.

"Actually, I am... COUGH COUGH... I’m a little hungry," Chen Mo replied with a smile.

"Then you just lie here and rest. I’ll go make something right now." Su Yuqing gave him a sweet smile, then immediately got up and left.

Chen Mo had just woken up and his mouth was a bit dry. He wanted to get some water, but since Su Yuqing had already left the room, he decided not to call out to her.

But to his surprise, Su Yuqing, who had only been gone for a moment, turned right back around and returned with a glass of water.

The sight tugged at Chen Mo’s heartstrings.

’She’s so considerate.’

"You just woke up from a fever, so you must be thirsty. Here, drink some water first, and then I’ll go make you something to eat." Su Yuqing spoke softly as she gently helped Chen Mo sit up against the headboard. Only then did she bring the glass to his lips, slowly helping him drink.

When about half the water was left, she placed the glass on the bedside table and said with a smile, "You shouldn’t drink too much too quickly. If you’re still thirsty, you can slowly sip the rest of this warm water. I’m going to go cook now."

With that, Su Yuqing left the room.

Watching her retreating figure, a fantasy flashed through Chen Mo’s mind.

He imagined what it would be like to have a wife like her at home.

’With a wife like her, what more could a man possibly ask for?’

Lying in bed, fantastical scenes raced through Chen Mo’s mind.

When he snapped out of it, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of insecurity.

It’s true what they say—the ones involved are often the most confused, while outsiders see things clearly.

To any outside observer, Chen Mo and Su Yuqing were already a perfect match, a couple clearly made for each other.

But between the two of them, they still hadn’t crossed a certain line.

Take Chen Mo, for instance.

He could clearly sense Su Yuqing’s concern and care for him; he could even feel the affection and dependence she radiated.

’But are these feelings genuine? Is she only like this with me because she’s seeking to fill the emotional void left by her dysfunctional family? Or does she truly like me, love me, and want to be my partner for life?’

Chen Mo himself couldn’t get a grasp on the nature of these feelings.

The boundaries of emotion are inherently blurry, after all.

Some say that in the end, romantic love transforms into familial affection.

’So, can a love that starts out feeling like family exist as well?’

Chen Mo felt as if he and Su Yuqing had skipped the romance and gone straight to a state of familial companionship.

The sense of inseparability between them felt more like the unbreakable bond of family.

Having escaped her broken home, Su Yuqing surely needed a better family environment, a better sense of kinship, to fill that void.

So when he calmed down and really thought about Su Yuqing’s feelings for him, Chen Mo was simply lost.

This uncertainty grew into hesitation and fear, especially now that he had developed romantic feelings for her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

’If her feelings for me are just a form of dependence, a way to fill the void of family affection she’s missing, wouldn’t confessing my love seem sudden and out of place?’

’Would it make her feel trapped in an emotional entanglement?’

The more he thought about it, the more confused he became.

He shook his head, trying to rid himself of these chaotic thoughts. ’I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Best to just let things happen naturally. I’ll deal with the future when it arrives. It’s too early to be thinking about this now, anyway. I should at least wait until after high school graduation before considering such major life decisions.’

Chen Mo pushed down these stirring feelings.

In the kitchen, Su Yuqing hummed a little tune as she lovingly prepared a meal for him.

She seemed especially motivated when it came to taking care of someone.

In truth, this stemmed from Su Yuqing’s own psychological issues.

Having been raised with constant insults and belittlement from her mother, she always felt unwanted.

So, whenever she felt needed, whenever she felt that her existence had value, her spirits would lift unconsciously.

These situations gave her a sense of purpose.

’I’m not dispensable. I’m not a burden on my family.’

’I can be useful, too.’

Before, living in this house, even when Su Yuqing tried to prove her worth by cooking and cleaning, Chen Mo would often either rush to do it himself or insist on helping.

This made it hard for her to feel uniquely important.

It wasn’t until today, when Chen Mo fell ill and showed his reliance on her, entrusting her with everything at home, that she truly felt her own meaning and value.

Ultimately, however, this was an unhealthy mindset. After all, when a person feels the need to desperately prove their worth to others through their actions, they are already on the wrong path.

Those who truly care about you don’t need you to prove your worth.

In reality, neither Su Yuqing nor Chen Mo had yet fully understood what they truly meant to each other.

But for now, at least, this mindset did a great deal to alleviate Su Yuqing’s underlying depression.

Soon, Su Yuqing returned, carrying the meal she had prepared with such care.

Looking at the century egg and lean pork congee Su Yuqing had made, along with a few refreshing side dishes, Chen Mo, despite his illness and weakness, felt an unexpected surge of appetite.

After thoroughly enjoying the meal under Su Yuqing’s attentive care, Chen Mo inexplicably felt as though his illness had suddenly become much milder.

It was only then that he remembered something he had forgotten to ask the retired mercenary who was secretly protecting him from somewhere near his home.