Chapter 9 I'm Not Strong Enough_1

The morning sunlight spilled through the gaps in the curtains, laying a fervent and dazzling radiance upon the floor.

She changed into her clothes, her face unwashed in her haste, and dashed out of the room—she had to find Leng Youchen and get to the bottom of who exactly that man last night was.

Wei Anning ran downstairs barefoot, the maids going about their tasks—cleaning, dusting, standing guard. When they saw her rushing down, they treated her as if she were invisible, taking no notice.

"Where is Leng Youchen?" Wei Anning grabbed a maid and asked urgently.

The maid glanced at her, ignored her, and continued to wipe the dust off an antique vase.

Wei Anning: "..."

Wei Anning stood in the center of the resplendent living room, which was full of people, yet she felt as if she were the only living thing there, as if none of these people could even make a sound.

She stamped her foot, and then the sound of the elevator doors opening came from behind her. She turned around and saw the butler pushing Leng Youchen out. She hurried over, panting, "Leng Youchen, I have something to ask you."

Leng Youchen looked up at her. She was fair-skinned, and probably because she had run so urgently, her cheeks were rosily flushed like ripe apples, looking irresistibly tempting to take a bite, "What's the matter? Slow down, don't rush!"

Wei Anning opened her mouth, looked into his caring and tender eyes, and suddenly found she couldn't ask anything, "I..."

Leng Youchen took her hand, his gaze falling on her bare feet, his brow furrowed slightly, "Why aren't you wearing shoes? Someone, bring down the Third Young Lady's shoes."

A maid immediately went upstairs silently.

Leng Youchen let go of her hand, bent down to take off his leather shoes, placed them in front of her, and held her delicate, pale ankle. He brushed the dust off the sole of her foot and gently placed it in the shoe.

Wei Anning, feeling unsteady, instinctively grasped his shoulder. A shiver raced from the bottom of her foot up her entire body, warming her heart.

She looked at the men's leather shoes on her feet. Her feet were small and delicate, and wearing his shoes looked almost comical, as if a child had snuck into an adult's footwear.

She lifted her eyes to the pair of large feet donning dark socks in the wheelchair, her eyes slightly heating up. She had arrived at this place inexplicably, experienced all these inconceivable events. No matter how strong she was, she was still just a girl, and there were times when she felt unable to go on.

She threw herself into his arms and began to cry desperately.

Leng Youchen's body stiffened momentarily, but then he lifted his hand and gently patted her back, speaking softly, "Why are you crying? Are you homesick? It doesn't matter. This place is your home. Once you get used to it here, you'll not want to leave."

"Wuu, I don't want to stay here. Leng Youchen, can you please let me go? I don't want to stay another second," Wei Anning felt suffocated by the gloom in her heart. She lifted her small face, pleadingly looking at him.

Leng Youchen's eyes flickered with light, and after a moment, he looked at her with full apology, "Anjing, I'm sorry, I'm not powerful enough yet. I can't leave this island, and neither can you."

The hope in Wei Anning's eyes was gradually replaced by despondency. She turned her head to look outside the big door at the rising and falling sea, "Then what must we do to leave?"

"There's no way. We are destined to live here for a lifetime."