Chapter 7: Ups and Downs

The knife in his hand dripped with blood.

The sun on the horizon was blindingly bright, its glare making the bloodstains on Pei Yan’s pale face appear even more vivid.

He looked like he had just crawled out of hell, his face and body covered in blood. On this desolate winter day, the sight was so shocking that Song Huan knew she would never forget it.

Song Huan’s heart trembled inexplicably, a chill creeping up from her feet and spreading through her limbs, freezing her neck and filling her with dread.

She watched as the gray bar above Pei Yan’s head skyrocketed from “-6” to “-99” in the blink of an eye.

The System’s notifications nearly exploded, beeping incessantly in her mind like a discordant symphony before converging into a single, prolonged, deafening tone.

Meanwhile, her life points flickered erratically, defying all logic.

Fuck, am I going to die again?

Song Huan instantly wanted to bolt.

But Pei Yan had already taken a step forward, blocking her path. His sharp, gloomy eyes stared down at her like a venomous snake stalking its prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

This invisible restraint left her paralyzed.

Her heart clenched violently, its pounding suddenly deafening. A primal fear surged from all directions, engulfing her.

She had never been adept at concealing her emotions—especially not from someone like Pei Yan, who had crawled out of a mountain of corpses. Her every thought was laid bare before his eyes.

Pei Yan curled his lips into a sneering smile, tightening his grip on the blood-dripping blade. Regret now? Too late.

Song Huan caught a flicker of movement from the corner of her eye—Pei Yan’s index finger twitching on the sword hilt. Her heart lurched. What should I do? Should I try hugging him again?

She threw herself into Pei Yan’s arms.

Pei Yan’s pupils constricted, his heartbeat momentarily halting.

Song Huan’s flickering life points finally stabilized. The favorability bar, which had been teetering on the brink of black, began to rise, breaking through zero and climbing steadily: +1, +2, +3…

It continued to climb until it reached +9—then abruptly stopped.

A murderous glint suddenly filled Pei Yan’s eyes. His icy lips pressed against Song Huan’s ear. “What, have you become addicted to this trick?”

Song Huan’s scalp tingled, her heart plummeting. She frantically called out to the System: I’m about to burst into tears! Dear System, are you there?!

System: […Dear, at this point, whether I’m here or not makes no difference. Good luck.] 

“Don’t go!” Song Huan cried out. “Save the child!”

The System remained silent, vanishing into the void.

“……?!” Song Huan stared in disbelief.

What’s the point of having this useless System?!

Pei Yan’s favorability toward her had plummeted back to zero—and was still falling, dropping at a terrifying rate of -10 to -20 points at a time.

Bereft of hope, Song Huan clung to Pei Yan’s waist, her hands tightening on his robes. Her palms felt sticky and warm—blood.

She didn’t care.

She tilted her head back, tear-filled eyes fixed on him without wavering.

The same sunlight that illuminated Pei Yan cast a completely different light on Song Huan. She looked like a celestial being who had mistakenly wandered into the mortal realm, her gaze utterly innocent and bewildered.

Truly, she was a sight to behold—a vision of pitiful beauty.

What a waste of such a lovely face.

Pei Yan’s eyes flashed with mockery. “Do you even know whose blood stains this marquis’s robes…?”

Who cares whose blood it is?

Song Huan stood on tiptoe and fiercely pressed her lips against Pei Yan’s, silencing his remaining words.

Jin Yue stared in stunned silence.

Pei Chen averted his gaze. One should not look upon such impropriety, he thought, pulling Jin Yue away from Ming Song Hall.

[Ding—Congratulations! You have completed the “Kiss Pei Yan, the male lead” mission for the first time. Reward: Three months of lifespan.]

[Ding—Pei Yan’s favorability toward you has changed.]

[Favorability +10.]

[Favorability +20.]

[Ding—Congratulations! You have received a 10% Fusion Degree bonus from the System.]

[Your Fusion Degree with the Host has reached 100%.]

[Importing the Host’s memories from her lifetime…]

…

In an instant, a flood of memories surged into Song Huan’s mind.

“Help me. Kill my father and Second Madam.”

Beneath the scorching sun, the woman spoke timidly, not daring to meet the man’s gaze. Her eyes remained lowered, her voice trembling slightly.

“Reason,” the man said coolly, a hint of mockery in his tone. “Based on your… appearance?”

The woman’s eyes flickered. “I’ll give you anything you want, anything I have.”

After a pause, she added, “Brother Pei Yan, for the sake of our childhood friendship… please, help me.”

Despite her words, she felt deeply uncertain.

The so-called childhood friendship was merely a few brief encounters at the Marquis Manor when her mother had taken her there as a child. She feared even these few words she had managed to exchange with him today had already exhausted whatever goodwill remained.

But no one else could help her.

If she didn’t take this chance, her father might listen to Second Madam and marry her off to her cousin—a widower from Second Madam’s family—as a replacement wife. No. She’d rather die than marry that disgusting old man.

Ever since Pei Yan had returned to the capital, she had been desperately trying to find a way to see him.

Today, she had finally managed to wait for him outside the Marquis Manor.

The man who had been quiet and reserved even as a child was now even more inscrutable.

“Brother Pei Yan…”

“Death?”

“If the price is death, would you still agree?”

The woman froze.

Pei Yan suddenly sneered and turned to enter the Marquis Manor. “Pei Chen, if any more unsavory characters approach the manor, report to Pei Shen for ten strokes of the cane.”

“As you command, my lord.”

“I agree!”

Seeing him walk away, the woman steeled her resolve and decided to gamble.

After all, things couldn’t get any worse.

……

Cough, cough!

Song Haun’s throat suddenly constricted—Pei Yan’s blood-stained hand seized Song Huan by the back of her collar and yanked her violently backward.

“Song Huan, today this marquis has fulfilled your wish. When will you honor your promise?”

Promise?

That wasn’t her promise.

Fresh, vivid memories of the original owner’s meeting with Pei Yan flooded her mind.

Song Huan gripped the front of her collar tightly, struggling to avoid being strangled. “I already died once! The promise has been fulfilled! Pei Yan! Let go of me!”

“Hmph.” Pei Yan lowered his gaze, his eyes dangerous yet alluring.

Song Huan watched the favorability rating above his head slowly descend, stabilizing around +5. She couldn’t help but lick her dry lips.

As her fear subsided, Song Huan grew increasingly emboldened.

“Are you going to let go? If not, I’ll kiss you again!”

Before she could finish, Pei Yan abruptly released her collar. “Shameless.”

Song Huan: “……”

He… let go?

Her mind froze for a moment. When she finally reacted, she turned to grab Jin Yue and flee.

But when she looked back, Jin Yue and Pei Chen had vanished without a trace.

“They withdrew when you were assaulting this marquis earlier.”

Song Huan: “……” Sometimes, people don’t need to be so tactful.