I really don't want to date a girl addicted to the internet!

Ye Shuang's gaze, which felt like it was being pricked by needles, darted around. She then turned her face away and pouted, pretending to be calm. "How did you know I come here every day when you haven't been online for days? Today was just a coincidence."

"Is that so? Looks like I misunderstood you." The boy nodded nonchalantly, glancing sideways. "But how do you know I haven't been online for days if you're not online yourself?"

The obedient girl fell silent, then gritted her teeth, stomped her foot, and raised her voice to glare at him, "You're so annoying! What business is it of yours whether I'm online or not? Nana called me here anyway!"

"Yes, yes, yes, it was Nana who forced you to come by burning you with cigarette butts and hitting you with an iron rod. She's really guilty of a heinous crime." The boy nodded perfunctorily.

"Um, Cheng Fei seems to be talking about me?" Nagasaki Asuna, who was standing on the other side, leaned over with her hands behind her back, tilting her head curiously.

"I was telling Master Ye how smart and cute you are, Nana," the boy said earnestly.

"Huh? I have a feeling it's not true, but I'm still happy to be praised by Cheng Fei, hehehe~" Nagasaki Asuna smiled happily.

"Nana, don't spoil this scumbag who's lying." Ye Shuang sighed helplessly.

Just as Cheng Fei was about to say something, he suddenly felt a chilling coldness piercing him from somewhere nearby, as if it wanted to skin him alive.

The boy silently shut his mouth, took a few steps to the side and moved closer to the source of the chill, coughed lightly, and said, "Teacher Shen, why did you refuse my invitation to watch the fireworks at the Flowing Light Festival before? Why did you call me here now?"

"Did I call you?" Shen Xi looked up, her expression genuinely puzzled.

"Didn't call? Never mind then. The company is pretty busy. I'm thinking of working overtime. I'll log off now if there's nothing else." Cheng Fei immediately walked towards the cabin.

The aloof girl with long silver hair stood motionless, her eyes slightly narrowed as she stared intently at his back.

The boy suddenly hugged his arms and shivered. He turned around and came back, putting his hands in his pockets and muttering to himself, "Thinking about it carefully, working every day like this isn't good. I need to relax occasionally. I might as well visit some of the festivals here."

"Make sure you understand that we have an important task today. If you're going to participate, then take it seriously." Shen Xi frowned slightly and kicked him.

"Okay, may I ask what important mission it is?" Cheng Fei asked her.

"Take advantage of the festival to infiltrate the upper city and conduct reconnaissance." The girl said expressionlessly.

"So, what exactly are you investigating?"

"It's said that most of the Light Magic Crystals in the city were bought up by people from the Lord's Mansion. These crystals must be hidden somewhere, and we'll find an opportunity to steal a few buckets of powder." Shen Xi's expression remained unchanged.

"Are you sure it was stolen or not borrowed?" the boy hesitated.

"You're the one who stole it, so what's the problem?" The girl raised her chin and looked at him.

"No problem, but after searching for so many days without any goods, have you finally lost patience and come to this point? As expected, the Celestial Queen's usual law-abiding demeanor is just a facade; once she needs something, she will reveal her ruthless true colors." Cheng Fei scrutinized that completely unashamed little face.

"Stop talking nonsense. According to Riften's tradition, the Upper City will hold a festival celebration during the Festival of Light and open it to civilians to watch fireworks. This is the best time. Moreover, the situation could change at any time after the Festival of Light, so we can't delay any longer." Shen Xi frowned and kicked him.

Asuna Nagasaki glanced over without saying a word. "Well, so we decided to take this opportunity to look for An. After all, she was wandering around the upper district before, and if she's still selling fruit, she'll probably show up tonight."

"I see, that's a perfect plan." Cheng Fei nodded to indicate that he understood.

When they discovered that Edward hadn't used Shadow as a hostage to threaten them into revealing himself as they had imagined, but instead was searching for the Miriam, they realized that Shadow was likely not captured and that the two sides were still playing hide-and-seek.

Asuna Nagasaki raised her voice slightly to attract everyone's attention, "Um, since there will probably be a lot of people later, I'll say it again before we set off, just in case we encounter any enemies, please remember to stay near Leia and Ye Shuang and don't get separated."

The girl paused, "As for Cheng Fei..."

"Teacher Shen and I will go find fuel separately. You guys can handle Xiao An," Cheng Fei said first.

"Go on, have fun." Zhou Han looked at the boy with a smile, like a young mother looking after her child.

Shen Xi remained silent, her eyes lowered.

Nagasaki Asuna then looked to the other side, "Also, I'll trouble you to stay here for everyone. Please contact us via walkie-talkie if anything happens."

When Cheng Fei acquired weapons and ammunition, he also picked up some props for short-range communication.

“Miss Nagasaki, it’s no trouble at all!” Miriam replied with excited, starry eyes.

After quickly arranging their plans, the crew of the Miriam separated and left the dock.

……

Night had already fallen over the crash site, and subtle changes had occurred in Riften during the days Cheng Fei was offline.

The lower town, which is usually dark even before nightfall, now has more hanging magic lights on the streets. Although they are not very bright, the blue and white lights illuminating the depths of the canyon inevitably evoke a strange feeling in people's hearts.

The air was no longer filled with the smells of sweat and dust, but instead carried a complex, lingering fragrance. Freshly picked local fruits emitted an indescribable, refreshing aroma, while roadside stalls wafted the sweet scent of caramel, perhaps from some kind of specialty snack, along with the aroma of grilled meat fat from who-knows-where.

Groups of children ran past the roadside, their laughter the brightest notes. In their hands were glowing toys made of light magic crystals. The low-quality light magic crystal fragments were simply activated, emitting an unstable faint light that left shimmering particle trails in the air as they ran.

People's clothing was much brighter than usual. Even the poorest miners' families brought out their best new clothes, which were decorated with small, polished crystals. Young men and women dressed up especially carefully. Some girls' crystal hair ornaments even had a floating effect, and boys' collars were adorned with sparkling buttons. When their eyes met, a shy and sweet flutter filled the air.

Everyone was converging in one direction: the Upper Town. To allow people to enjoy the fireworks on the night of the Festival of Lights, the local nobles generously opened the Upper Town to all commoners on this day.

Cheng Fei and Shen Xi followed the flow of people, observing the surrounding scenery as they walked.

"Teacher Shen, in a place where there are light magic crystals everywhere, why haven't we been able to buy fuel for so many days?" The boy smacked his lips.

"We've come at the wrong time," the girl said coldly.

"Teacher Shen, could you be a little more enthusiastic about our long-awaited date alone? Everyone around us seems quite happy, but you seem rather reluctant." The boy said casually, his hands in his pockets.

"Shut up, we're on a mission, not playing around." The girl remained unmoved.

"Yes, yes, but it's just a side note. Actually, I have a small suggestion now." Cheng Fei said seriously.

Shen Xi glanced at him and said without hesitation, "No, unless you want to hold a regular meeting today."

"You already know without me saying anything?" the boy asked in surprise.

"It's nothing more than some boring, filthy talk about wanting to hold hands and hug someone because of the special circumstances today. At this point, who doesn't know what Cheng Feiyu's ambitions are?" The girl didn't even look at him, just flicked her hair and sneered.

"Then I still want to request to hold your hand without having to attend the regular meeting, Shen Xi." Cheng Fei looked at that beautiful yet cold little face.

The young woman frowned slightly and glanced at him. "I said I refused, unless there's a legitimate reason."

"The legitimate reason is for safety. Look at all these people around us. There will be even more people when we go up. What if we accidentally get separated and suddenly encounter enemies?" the boy said seriously.

The two followed the main group toward the upper city, where the flow of people was growing at a visible rate.

Shen Xi paused for a moment, stared ahead, and calmly raised one hand. "Understood. Then permission is granted."

Cheng Fei sighed comfortably, took that cold little hand in his hand, and intertwined their fingers.

The girl seemed completely unaware.

"Teacher Shen, by the way, what have you thought about the punishment we discussed the other day? When do you plan to carry it out?" the boy asked, looking at her again.

"What punishment? I don't understand." Shen Xi looked at him with a genuinely puzzled expression.

“Teacher Shen, I suddenly feel that you and Lin Xuanqi are quite similar in some ways, such as your tendency to pretend.” Cheng Fei looked her up and down.

697. Shen Xi will take responsibility.

"Trash, don't compare me to that lunatic surnamed Lin." Shen Xi glared at Cheng Fei, her little face displeased.

"Never mind what I said. Your Highness, please answer the question about punishment seriously." The boy said solemnly.

"If you truly consider me a princess, then don't talk about punishment." The girl sneered and turned her face away, her eyes flashing.

"Although it's true that you're protecting her as a princess, you'll still be punished for doing bad things. Little cutie, you don't even have that much awareness, do you?" The boy casually observed the stubborn little face.

"I only verbally lied to Cheng Feiyu as a test, and it didn't cause any loss at all. Why should I be punished?" Shen Xi frowned slightly and stared at him, not showing any weakness.

“Teacher Shen, this isn’t just an ordinary scam; you’re using our trust as leverage. Do you think you’re being reasonable?” The boy stared back at her.

"Ha, that sounds nice, but Cheng Feiyu hasn't revealed any truth to me yet. All he has are shady secrets. How dare he talk about trust?" The girl raised her voice.

"Secrets may be secrets, but you can't deny our feelings for each other now, can you? This kind of backstabbing isn't your style, Shen Xi." The boy squeezed her cold little hand.

The girl bit her lip and turned her face away, her gaze rapidly moving among the crowds attending the Floating Light Festival, as if she were engaged in a battle of wits.

Cheng Fei didn't rush her. He maintained a leisurely pace and walked forward hand in hand with her. The strolling young couple looked just like any other couple you could see on the road at that moment.

Shen Xi took a deep breath, still refusing to look at him, her expression carrying an indescribable undertone. Her voice was muffled, "Then I would never help you do that kind of thing, especially..."

"What is it?" The boy peered into her field of vision.

"Especially since he had to use his feet, Cheng Fei, how filthy and disgusting must someone's heart be to make such a request to a high school girl? I really can't imagine it. I almost threw up just thinking about it these past few days!" The girl glared at him with her teeth clenched, her expression complex, a mixture of contempt, disgust, and disappointment.

The boy sighed, "Teacher Shen, I've said it before, it's all your fault for kicking me all the time. Your feet are already small and soft, and you're always trying to get my attention. What do you think I should do? Please take this opportunity to take responsibility. And rationally speaking, I think this suggestion is good for both of us."

"Don't blame me for your disgusting fetish, and I can't understand the logic of what's good for both of us." The girl was annoyed and kicked him hard with her small foot covered by white boots.

“Teacher Shen, think about it. First of all, this is a punishment for you. If you don’t find it disgusting, then it’s not a punishment, is it? But to be honest, it’s not that disgusting. It’s just borrowing your foot for a bit. At worst, you can just close your eyes and not think about anything. It will be over soon, and there will be absolutely no pain.” The boy’s tone was nonchalant. “For me, it’s also a good release for the mental repression caused by your temptations over the long term. It’s good for my physical and mental health.”

"Please get this straight, for me to have to satisfy Cheng Feiyu's dark and damp fetishes, which are like those of a rat in a sewer, is already indescribably painful." The girl's slender body began to tremble violently, like a dental patient being comforted by a dentist with pliers in hand.

"Teacher Shen, you're exaggerating. Is it really that difficult for you to do something like this for me? I've touched every part of you below the legs. Why don't you just pretend we're together and you're fulfilling your wifely duties?" the boy coaxed patiently.

"Don't even mention such self-deceiving nonsense. Even if it's temporary, there's only a one in a billion chance that it will happen when you actually break up with that guy surnamed Lin." The girl said coldly, emphasizing her words.

"Sweetie, you did something wrong and you refuse to accept punishment. Do you think it's right for you to act like this?" the boy asked, looking at her.

"Fine, I'll let it go if you're trying to shift the blame. I didn't refuse to accept punishment. Please make sure you understand that it's this Cheng Feiyu who's making these absurd and unreasonable demands!" The girl was even more annoyed, glared at him, and turned her face away.

"I've been working hard every day to break up with Lin Xuanqi, and you think it's unreasonable to ask me to fulfill my wifely duties ahead of time? What about when you were sleeping in my arms all night? Shen Xi." The boy's expression held a hint of genuine sadness, and his hands, which were intertwined with hers, seemed to relax.

The girl fell silent, her brows furrowed as if she were pondering some kind of world problem, her small hand remaining pressed against the boy's palm.

The two seemed to have detached themselves from the lively festive atmosphere around them, and were locked in a stalemate in another dimension.

After a long while, Shen Xi raised her head and looked straight ahead, speaking softly with a look of resignation, "Cheng Fei."

"what?"

"As punishment for lying to you, I will..." The girl's stubborn pink lips moved slightly, her voice barely audible.

"What do you mean? Could you please turn the volume up?" the boy asked, puzzled.

Shen Xi took a deep breath, looked up and stared at him, her small face serious. "As punishment for lying to you, I will take responsibility and help you solve the problem at the next meeting."

"With your feet?" Cheng Fei asked calmly.

"Don't even think about it." The girl's eyes narrowed as she glared at him.

"But you can't actually do anything. Compared to that, the only thing I'm interested in is your feet. Is it really necessary to be so vigilant? Your ideas are too strange, Teacher Shen." The boy became helpless.

“It’s not a matter of perspective.” Shen Xi took a deep breath, turned her face away with a troubled expression, as if she was worried about something.

"What other questions are there?" Cheng Fei looked at her, completely bewildered.

"Is Cheng Feiyu's memory really that bad?" The girl glared at him impatiently again.

"Has this been mentioned before? Please enlighten me, Your Highness." The boy thought for a moment, then gave up.

The girl frowned, took another deep breath, her flat chest heaving, and said slowly and deliberately, "Using your feet is unhygienic."

"..." Cheng Fei finally swallowed his rebuttal, paused, and remained silent. "Teacher Shen, you really are my perfect, henpecked little cutie. May I ask what you plan to do then?"

"Shut up. In short, I'll make you satisfied at the next meeting. This topic ends here." Shen Xi turned her face away, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"Alright, then I look forward to Her Highness's actions." The boy lowered his head in a second.

The girl ignored him.

The two walked for a while.

"Could it be using your legs?" The boy rubbed his chin and suddenly asked.

"Shut up."

"It couldn't possibly be her breasts, could it?"

"Cheng Fei, if you dare ask another word, you'll die." The girl exuded a chilling aura as she spoke slowly.

"I was wrong, Teacher Shen."

As always, the two engaged in a meaningless conversation as they headed towards the Upper East Side, where the festival celebrations were being held.

698. Zhou Han felt that Ye Shuang had worked very hard.

Meanwhile, another group of people arrived in the upper city and wandered around the festive streets, searching for the figure of the shadow.

Under the dazzling starry sky, the streets of the upper town were bustling like never before. Commoners who came here for the first time were reserved yet curious as they looked around at the clean environment. On this one day of the year, the local rich and nobles also showed their generosity and friendliness, setting out free food in front of their doors to welcome these guests from the canyon, and even singing and dancing with them.

"Asuna, Asuna, actually I have a question, I don't know if it's convenient for you to talk about it." Zhou Han walked briskly, arm in arm with her best friend, observing the sweet girl beside her.