The sky broke open in a sudden downpour just as Jiang Yue and Li Zhenkai stepped out of the building.
"Seriously?" she muttered, tugging her coat tighter. "The weather has a personal vendetta against me."
Zhenkai wordlessly extended his umbrella over her head.
Except the wind immediately turned it inside out.
She blinked at the useless frame. He stared at it with a flat expression, then tossed it into the nearest trash can.
"Of course," she sighed. "My bad luck is contagious."
They started walking anyway, rain plastering her hair against her cheeks, droplets running down her neck. The city lights blurred through the curtain of water.
"Hey," she said, trying to keep it light, "at least it's atmospheric. Like one of those tragic romance movies."
Zhenkai glanced at her. "You call this romantic?"
She spread her arms dramatically, spinning once. "A cursed girl walking through the rain beside her brooding CEO. That's peak romance drama energy."
> [System Alert: New mission generated!]
Mission: Accidentally fall into ML's arms.
Reward: Survival buff + mild romance boost.
Jiang Yue nearly choked. WHAT?!
She glanced at Zhenkai, who was frowning at a puddle like it had personally offended him. There was no way she could fake falling into his arms without looking ridiculous.
Her chance came sooner than expected. The slick pavement betrayed her, her heel slipped, and with a startled yelp she toppled forward,
Right into him.
Zhenkai caught her instinctively, arms wrapping around her waist as they both lost balance and went down together, splashing into a shallow puddle.
For a moment, everything froze. The rain poured down, soaking them both, and she was sprawled on his chest, blinking water from her lashes.
Then, unexpectedly
She laughed.
Not a nervous chuckle, not a strained giggle. A real, bright laugh that echoed against the rain.
"You—" she gasped, clutching his shirt, "you should see your face right now!"
Zhenkai stared at her, stunned. Then something in him shifted. The corners of his lips curved, slow and hesitant at first, then fuller—an honest smile. His first real smile.
"You smiled," he said softly, his voice almost drowned by the rain.
She blinked. "I did?"
"Yes." His gaze didn't waver. "Guess even cursed girls get happy endings sometimes."
Her laughter quieted, her heart suddenly thudding so hard she was sure he could feel it. She wanted to look away, but couldn't.
> [System Alert: Mission complete! Reward unlocked—survival probability increased by 15%.]
[System Alert: New mission generated!]
Mission: Whisper ML's name when your heart races.
Jiang Yue nearly groaned aloud. System, you're evil.
"Yue," Zhenkai murmured, his thumb brushing over her wrist as though reassuring himself she was real. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Her lips parted. She wanted to say because you're smiling like a human for the first time ever, but what slipped out was a soft whisper—
"…Zhenkai."
His eyes darkened, his smile fading into something deeper, heavier. The rain fell harder, drumming against the pavement, but neither of them moved.
Her system buzzed triumphantly in her head.
> [System Alert: Mission complete! Reward: Emotional bond increased. Warning—intimacy levels dangerously high.]
"Dangerously high?" she muttered under her breath.
Zhenkai frowned. "What?"
"Nothing!" she squeaked, scrambling off his chest, her knees slipping on the wet ground. He stood smoothly, extending his hand to pull her up.
When her palm slid into his, warm despite the rain, she almost forgot to breathe.
They continued down the street, dripping wet and utterly ridiculous. Jiang Yue tried to tame her hair, but it clung stubbornly to her face.
"You look like a drowned cat," Zhenkai said.
She shot him a glare. "Wow. That's what you say after your first real smile? Unbelievable."
But his lips curved again, just barely.
Her heart fluttered. Two smiles in one day. The system's going to lose its mind.
Sure enough,
> [System Alert: Bonus mission activated!]
Mission: Make ML laugh out loud.
Hint: He's most vulnerable when you're yourself.
Jiang Yue wrinkled her nose. Make him laugh? What am I, a clown?
Still, she couldn't resist trying. She scooped water from a puddle and flicked it at him.
He stopped walking, staring down at the droplets on his expensive suit jacket. "…Did you just throw dirty water at me?"
She grinned. "Consider it artistic expression."
For a heartbeat, she thought she had crossed a line, then he actually laughed. A low, genuine sound that made her chest squeeze painfully.
Her breath caught. "You… laughed."
He looked at her, rain dripping from his hair, smile soft but real. "You're ridiculous."
"Mission accomplished," she whispered.
"What?"
"Nothing!" she said again quickly, tugging him forward by the hand.
Later That Night
Back in her apartment, Jiang Yue changed into dry clothes while Zhenkai quietly disappeared into her kitchen, returning with two steaming mugs of instant ramen.
She blinked. "You… cooked?"
"Boiled water," he corrected.
She laughed, curling her hands around the warm cup. For a moment, with the rain still tapping against the window and his smile lingering in her memory, the curse didn't feel so heavy.
But as she lay in bed later, the system chimed again.
> [System Alert: Host's curse progression slowed. But danger still looms.]
[System Flirty Tone: Also, nice job on the rain scene. Very cinematic. 10/10 romance vibes.]
She groaned, burying her face in her pillow. "I swear, you're enjoying this way too much."
> [System: Of course. I'm your wingman.]
She was utterly speechless and her lips twitched.