Bella looked at the strawberry basket that was about to overflow and finally stopped, completely satisfied. The bright red fruits piled together were a delight to look at.
She straightened up, rubbing her slightly aching lower back, her mind already calculating her next target.
She remembered catching a glimpse of a grove of dark, glossy mulberries when she walked by earlier. Come to think of it, it had been years since she last picked them herself.
In her memory, fruit was almost always washed, sliced, neatly arranged on a plate, and delivered right to her hands.
Doing it herself now actually brought her a long-lost thrill of excitement.
"Klee? Let's go pick some mulberries."
Bella turned around as she spoke, but Klee, who was supposed to be right behind her, was nowhere to be seen.
Looking past the strawberries at her feet, she was caught off guard as her eyes locked directly with a gaze from opposite her.
He had changed into a high-quality white shirt with the collar slightly open. The sunlight slanted across his aloof profile, and his dark, bottomless eyes were staring unblinkingly at her.
Bella's mind buzzed as she instantly went into flashback mode:
Did I secretly smile like an idiot?
I didn't do anything ungraceful, right?
My muttering wasn't too loud, was it?
Hmm... something felt off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
She rapidly reviewed her actions in her head, repeatedly confirming that her behavior had been normal and that she hadn't done anything worthy of going down in the annals of social death, before quietly breathing a sigh of relief.
But before she could fully relax, Ye Jinzhi moved.
Stepping over the soft soil with his long legs, he walked toward her at a leisurely pace.
As the faint scent of gardenias approached, Bella's enthusiasm for picking mulberries was instantly suppressed, replaced by a wild growth of awkwardness and lingering fear in her heart.
After all, their entanglement from last night was still vivid in her mind, and the man before her was the yandere demon king from the book.
As he drew closer, Bella subconsciously tightened her grip on the small bamboo basket in her arms, her toes involuntarily shifting back half an inch while she screamed internally:
Help! Klee, where did you go?! Why did you leave me alone to face this guy!
Ye Jinzhi stopped in front of her, his silhouette instantly enveloping her.
He cast his eyes down at how tightly she guarded the basket. A faint smile unconsciously tugged at the corners of his lips, and his deep voice carried an ambiguous undertone:
"Have you eaten your fill, good girl?"
Um, to be honest, Bella subconsciously overthought it.
But like a student having her homework spot-checked by the dean, she obediently gave a slight nod.
Her current strategy was clear: if the enemy doesn't move, I don't move.
Until she figured out the situation, she absolutely wouldn't mindlessly question Ye Jinzhi:
"What gives you the right to look at me like I'm your girlfriend, or even your personal property?"
After all, Bella hadn't lost her memory to the point of not knowing her priorities.
Last night she had been drugged with an aphrodisiac, and she could have been violated at any moment.
It was Ye Jinzhi who brought her back. She had been bitten all over like a dog's chew toy, but at least they didn't go all the way.
Although this man seemed moody and even possessed a somewhat sick desire for control, at least it was relatively safe here.
Staying alive and avoiding danger were her top priorities right now.
Thinking about the master of this place, she actually felt quite uncertain.
When it came down to it... was this place really safe?
But thinking of that damn mission, Bella could only grit her teeth, accept her fate, and figure out a way to stay here.
It was just his attitude toward her... Bella privately came to a conclusion about this situation:
Ye Jinzhi was probably having an episode.
Ye Jinzhi looked at her obedient demeanor, his eyes darkening as a profound look flashed through them.
He knew her too well; beneath the docility lay a trace of distant vigilance.
He didn't expose her. Instead, he simply reached out and took the heavy bamboo basket from her arms.
"Picking so much, aren't your hands tired?" His tone was flat and his actions natural, as if he had done this for her a thousand times before.
"It's alright."
Bella pursed her lips, trying to make her voice sound less tense. "Klee said the mulberries are ripe too, so I was going to..."
"Going to pick mulberries?" Ye Jinzhi cut her off, his gaze sweeping over a drop of strawberry juice staining her fingertips.
Bella somewhat awkwardly pulled her hand back behind her skirt. "Yeah, just wanted to take a look."
"The mulberry grove is on the back slope. The path there isn't as smooth as here."
Ye Jinzhi turned sideways, naturally freeing up one hand and extending it toward Bella. "Let's go, I'll take you there."
Bella stared at the large, well-defined hand reaching out to her, her heart skipping a beat.
Should I hold it, or should I hold it?
If I don't hold it, will he think I'm ungrateful?
She hesitated for three seconds, ultimately weighed the pros and cons, and lightly placed her hand in his palm.
The moment their skin gently touched, the warmth of his palm traveled up her fingertips.
Bella instinctively tried to withdraw her hand, but he had already tightened his fingers.
The grip wasn't heavy, but it carried an unquestionable firmness, forcing her body to involuntarily follow his lead as they walked forward slowly.
Along the way, Bella's attention was entirely focused on the large hand tightly enveloping hers.
Staring at their clasped hands, her mind was a mess. The sense of incongruity was so strong.
They arrived at the mulberry grove.
Layers of leaves blocked out most of the sunlight, and dark purple fruits hung from the branches like black pearls.
Before Bella had time to focus on the mulberries, she was stopped by Ye Jinzhi's next movement, the sensation on her palm making her stiffen.
"Don't move."
Ye Jinzhi casually placed the strawberry basket on a nearby stone table, turned back, and routinely reached out to brush away a stray strand of hair from Bella's forehead.
His gaze felt tangible, inching across Bella's small, vivid face that was taut with tension.
The dappled shadows of the leaves fell upon his prominent brow bone, shattering his usual unapproachable sharpness.
Replacing it was a thick, intense, and highly aggressive darkness that pressed down on Bella, making even her breathing erratic.
"Mulberry juice won't wash out if it gets on your dress."
As he spoke, he pulled a dark-patterned handkerchief from his pocket and gently supported one of Bella's hands.
Bella stared at him blankly.
What do you mean, bro? Isn't the focus a bit off?
Shouldn't a normal person ask 'Do you want me to help you pick them' or 'Do you want to sit here for a while'?
Why are you staring at my hand...
"I can do it myself."
Bella tried to pull her hand back, but his fingers slightly tightened, holding it firmly.
He didn't reply. Instead, he lowered his head and meticulously used the handkerchief to wipe away the specks of mud and strawberry juice she had picked up in the strawberry patch.
