Just what kind of monster is Serena Feng? Her powers of recovery are almost inhuman.
Faced with Serena Feng like this, Holden Cui and Owen Yuan were at a loss for words. They'd prepared a whole speech to comfort her, but in the end...
They realized they'd been overthinking it—Serena didn't need their comfort at all. She drove everyone away, had her earth-shattering cry, and then picked herself up and set out again...
It wasn’t until Holden had escorted Serena out that Owen Yuan snapped out of it, pointing at her figure in plain white: “Is Serena really okay? Can she still operate on you tomorrow?”
“From the look of her, she’s fine now. Serena’s too smart to do anything reckless—otherwise she wouldn’t have let Reid Yale go yesterday.” Holden considered himself to understand Serena fairly well; she wouldn’t gamble with his life or her own.
But Serena was even stronger than he’d imagined. He’d thought it would take her at least a few days to recover, but after just one night, she was back to herself.
This woman is truly terrifying. Reid Yale’s stupidity has brought Night City a world of trouble.
“She bounced back that fast?” Owen Yuan’s hand trembled. If outsiders saw him now, they’d be shocked—wasn’t he supposed to be the famed guqin master? He looked more like a half-paralyzed patient.
“Serena Feng is something else. If I hadn’t been there myself yesterday, I’d almost doubt whether any of it really happened.”
Serena’s grief and anger were real, but so was her calm today. Owen questioned himself—had his self-imposed exile for over ten years after losing someone been a mistake? Maybe he wasn’t even as strong as a young girl.
Serena Feng is just a girl barely of age—and she can pull herself out of grief. So why couldn’t he?
“General Feng’s daughter could never be weak. Don’t forget, General Feng rose from foot soldier to commander in just five years. Serena Feng carries his blood—how could she bow to fate so easily?” Only those who refuse to yield and grow stronger through adversity can go far.
Serena was undoubtedly that kind of person. Maybe the Cui clan should take her seriously, instead of seeing her as just a healer. Holden was sure—as long as Serena lived, one day she’d shine across the Nine Provinces.
At this point, Owen Yuan could only nod. Seeing Owen still lost in thought, Holden didn’t bother with him—tomorrow was the surgery, and he needed to get his own mind straight.
Saying he wasn’t nervous would be a lie. But no matter how anxious he was, he had to face it. Tomorrow, he’d be waiting—waiting for Serena to work her magic, waiting for her hands to rewrite his destiny.
After a long while, Owen Yuan finally came back to himself, quietly putting away his guqin strings and murmuring, "A woman like her really would suit the Cui clan. She’d survive there for sure. Too bad... I ruined it. She even turned down the Young family’s proposal—why would she step into the Cui clan’s dragon’s den?"
Ah, what a pity!
......
After confirming tomorrow’s surgery with Holden Cui, Serena told Jada Tang and Mira Tang to prepare gifts—she was going to pay apology visits to the houses of the officials who’d come yesterday.
She had to go to the Crown Prince’s residence, Prince Samuel Manor, and Duke Ning’s house—those three were a must. As for the others, she’d see how much time she had; she’d visit as many as she could today.
Serena Feng wanted to tell Reid Yale—and all those lurking in the shadows waiting for her to fall—that she wasn’t some paper doll. If they thought they could break her, they were dead wrong.
"Miss, are you sure you’re alright?" The gifts had already been prepared, but her maids were genuinely worried Serena wouldn’t hold up—after all, she’d just suffered through a terrible ordeal yesterday.
"I’m perfectly fine. Just get ready." Serena herself wasn’t sure why—after spending an afternoon in the freezing wind and fainting from grief, she should’ve been bedridden. But when she woke up, she felt perfectly normal.
"Yes, miss." Jada Tang didn’t dare say more—she immediately ordered the carriage prepared and had the gifts loaded up.
Serena really had bounced back. But if you looked closely, you’d see she was even more commanding than before—her dark eyes were enough to make people shrink back in fear.
Maybe it was because the servants knew their mistress was in a bad mood, but everyone at Feng Manor worked with lightning speed—everything was ready in less than half an hour.
"Jada, Mira, you two stay here. Spring and Autumn, you’re coming with me." With Serena gone, Jada Tang and Mira Tang were basically acting heads of Feng Manor.
The three of them, mistress and maids, all dressed in plain mourning white, headed out. Just as they reached the gate, thick snowflakes began to fall from the sky.
"Huh? How did it start snowing all of a sudden? Miss, wait here a moment—I’ll fetch an umbrella." The snow was already biting cold as it landed on them.
Serena nodded. Her clothes weren’t suited for snow, and she didn’t want to end up sick. Besides, showing up at someone’s door covered in snow would be incredibly rude.
When the umbrella arrived, Spring and Autumn stood on either side of Serena, shielding her from the snow. The three boarded the carriage, which headed straight for the Crown Prince’s residence.
When the Crown Prince heard that Serena Feng had come in person to apologize, he was so shocked he smashed his teacup: “Serena Feng is already up and about?”
Was Serena part cockroach or something? She’d bounced back in just a day.
Good thing he hadn’t sent word to Ninth Royal Uncle—otherwise Nolan would’ve called him a worrywart. The Crown Prince quickly ordered Serena brought in.
Like Holden Cui, the Crown Prince was stunned by how normal Serena seemed. He secretly admired her—General Feng’s daughter really was extraordinary. He wanted her to stay for a meal, but when Serena said she still had to visit Prince Samuel Manor, he didn’t insist.
Serena went from house to house, completely unfazed by the shock and confusion in her hosts’ eyes. Most of those who’d come to Feng Manor were friends of Nolan Dongling and William Wang—while they wanted to show sympathy, seeing Serena’s composure, they wisely avoided mentioning yesterday.
Of course, there were those who tried to rub salt in the wound. Whenever someone brought up her parents, Serena just smiled and changed the subject; if they kept at it, she’d let them talk, refusing to respond or argue, her eyes going blank to show she wasn’t listening.
The gifts in the carriage dwindled, but there was no sign of nightfall—not because it was early, but because the snow was so heavy. In just one day, it had blanketed the capital, making night as bright as day—almost painfully so.
After leaving the house of an official named Qian, Serena finally let her tense body relax.
Finally done, Serena boarded the carriage and motioned for the driver to head home. Leaning against the seat, she rubbed her brow—she was too tired to speak.
Going door to door was hard work.
Spring and Autumn, seeing how tired Serena was, started massaging her. But her muscles were so tense that even after a long while, she didn’t relax. The girls’ fingers ached, but they didn’t dare complain—they just grit their teeth and kept going.
"That’s enough. Stop." Serena knew her body wouldn’t relax—if it could, she wouldn’t be so exhausted.
"It’s fine, miss. We’re not tired." The two maids smiled sweetly.
It was a rare chance to help their mistress—they wouldn’t give up just because they were tired.
"Alright, stop if you get tired." Serena didn’t push them, and their massage did help her feel a bit better.
Taking advantage of the break, Serena closed her eyes and started thinking about tomorrow’s surgery. Everything else had to wait.
Tomorrow’s surgery was critical—she couldn’t afford even the slightest mistake. If Holden Cui died, not only would vengeance against Reid Yale be impossible, but even the Feng family’s survival would be in doubt.
To be safe, she ought to cancel the surgery. She might look fine, but she knew her condition wasn’t good.
But she couldn’t cancel—she was out of time. If she didn’t operate on Holden Cui tomorrow, she didn’t know when she’d be free again; the days ahead would be packed.
First, she needed to pick a good day to bury her parents and let them rest in peace. Then, she had to investigate what happened years ago. Finally, she had to go to Xuanxiao Palace to uncover her mother’s identity.
Yes, today Serena decided she had to go to Xuanxiao Palace herself—it was her responsibility, not something to push onto Nolan Dongling. Even if she was unwilling, she had to face it, or she’d end up repeating yesterday’s disaster.
Reid Yale had thrown the so-called "truth" right in her face!
Thinking of Nolan Dongling, Serena finally relaxed a little, though she couldn’t help feeling a trace of regret—if only Nolan had been there yesterday, he wouldn’t have let Reid Yale off so easily.
But it didn’t matter. Reid Yale was the Young Lord of Night City—he could run, but he couldn’t hide. Since he’d dragged her parents into their feud, she’d hold all of Night City responsible. With such a useless heir, it was bad luck for the city’s people.
Lost in her thoughts, Serena didn’t notice Spring and Autumn’s worried faces—she just enjoyed their massage, letting it ease her fatigue.
Fortunately, the trip wasn’t long; before they knew it, they were back at Feng Manor. Spring and Autumn let out a breath and helped Serena down from the carriage.
Opening the carriage curtain, they saw the snow still falling—heavier than ever. Feng Manor was buried in snow, and the two trees at the gate were bent under its weight.
“How can it be snowing this hard? It’s been going all day—if this keeps up, the roof will collapse,” Spring Tang complained.
As soon as Serena stepped out of the carriage, her calves sank into the snow—the snowfall was truly overwhelming.
"A heavy snow brings a bountiful year—it’s a good omen," Autumn Tang said softly, wrapping a cloak around Serena.
Serena wasn’t interested. It was just snow—what’s winter without it? But she had no idea...
This snow would become a catastrophe for Dongling. From the moment Serena left home, it snowed for ten days straight—never stopping.
More than half the cities in Dongling were hit by the blizzard. Hundreds of thousands were left homeless; the disaster affected three hundred thousand people.
Afterward, people would say: Heaven couldn’t bear to see Serena Feng refuse to cry—so it cried for her.