Entangled with a Gloomy Creep in an Explicit Novel - Chapter 3

At that moment, Jin Yongyi was sneaking toward the window with her backside half-raised. Her hands gripped the quilt tightly, meaning the weight of her entire body rested on her knees and the ten toes dug into the bed.

The sudden voice gave her a massive fright.

Jin Yongyi waved her arms wildly, her body tumbling forward uncontrollably. Just as her face was about to hit the floor, a wave of warmth approached from behind, and a pair of arms circled her waist, pulling her back sharply.

The world spun, and she landed into a patch of softness.

In an instant, the candles in the room flickered to life, and Jin Yongyi gradually saw the person in front of her.

Zhao Fuzhou had no expression on his face. Perhaps because he had been sleeping, he wore only his inner robes, and his hair hung loosely down.

Jin Yongyi truly wanted to burst out in curses. She had made so much noise coming here and could not wake him, yet he chose to speak only when she was close. Was he trying to scare her on purpose?

But she did not curse, because their current situation was incredibly awkward.

Because she was so nervous and terrified, one of her hands was firmly clutching Zhao Fuzhou’s shoulder, while the other was pressed against his chest. To prevent her from falling painfully, Zhao Fuzhou had pulled her onto the bed and was now bed-pinning her.

That was not the main issue!

However, she really wanted to ask: “Male Lead, can you not tie your belt a little tighter?”

When people face danger, they always want to grab onto something. It turned out she was grabbing the male lead’s pectoral muscles.

The first time was an accident, but the second time was impossible to explain. Combined with the fact that she had stared at his body this morning, her identity as a rogue was now set in stone. How was she supposed to complete her mission like this?

Jin Yongyi closed her eyes helplessly and forced an awkward smile. She withdrew her hand and greeted him: “Hi… the weather is quite nice, have you eaten?”

“…”

Zhao Fuzhou straightened up and began to adjust his clothes slowly in front of her. He did not say a single word during the process.

When the male lead did not smile, he looked rather arrogant. This scene looked very much like a man abandoning someone after a fling.

Jin Yongyi’s mind wandered for a few seconds. To keep the male lead from thinking she was a pervert, she stopped staring. She sat up and looked around the room. The furnishings were very simple: a set of table and chairs in the center, with a screen and a wardrobe a few meters away. There was nothing else.

This was strange. She clearly remembered bumping into many things when she entered the room.

“Did you encounter a demon or a ghost, Miss?” Zhao Fuzhou asked in his usual gentle tone.

Jin Yongyi immediately nodded like a chicken pecking at grain.

“If you do not mind, you may rest here tonight. I will wait in the outer room so you can sleep peacefully.” Having said that, he took his outer robe and sword from the bedside and prepared to head out.

“Wait…” Jin Yongyi quickly grabbed his hand. “It is terrifying outside. Just stay in the room.”

He was the male lead, and she was just a minor lackey who had not even fully secured her job offer. Where was the logic in letting the male lead keep watch for a lackey?

She still had that much professional integrity.

Jin Yongyi shrank into the corner of the bed, patted the quilt, and said: “You sleep your way, and I will just huddle here for the night.”

She paused for two seconds and added: “With you by my side, I am not afraid anymore. Rest assured, I will not wake you again.”

The candlelight flickered, yet Jin Yongyi still felt a chilly draft. She could not help but pull a corner of the quilt over her legs. She noticed that Zhao Fuzhou remained standing still, his dark eyes staring at an unknown point. Jin Yongyi assumed he must be tired, so she flatteringly pulled back the covers for him and invited him onto the bed.

Zhao Fuzhou finally set his things down but only sat at the edge of the bed. He said softly: “How could that be right? You should sleep, Miss. I will stay right here and watch over you.”

These words moved Jin Yongyi deeply. She stopped refusing. She had been through too many scares that night and was truly exhausted. With the male lead nearby, she could finally set her mind at ease.

The moment Jin Yongyi lay down, the candles in the room went out.

She fell asleep instantly. Her sleep was deep but uneasy. In her dream, a ghost lay on top of her, leaning into her ear and whispering: “If you don’t run now, I will kill you and eat you.” She tried to turn over, but the ghost held her waist so tightly that she could not move.

Finally, the ghost said: “I won’t give you another chance. Jin Yongyi, you better not regret this…”

Jin Yongyi snapped her eyes open. She sat up in bed with a sharp gasp, drenched in sweat as if she had just been pulled out of the water.

It was already daytime. Warm sunlight streamed into the room, calming her heart.

After a long while, Jin Yongyi finally regained her composure and threw back the covers. The moment her feet touched the floor to stand up, a dull ache radiated from every bone in her body. She could not help but wail in pain, but her neck hurt so much it felt like it might break, leaving her speechless.

It had only been two nights, and she was already physically broken and mentally drained!

In her mind, Jin Yongyi frantically screamed for the useless System until it finally appeared.

[Host, what is the matter?]

“What is the matter? I am about to become disabled, and you ask what is the matter? I cannot do this job at all. I want to resign!”

The System was silent for a moment before explaining: [My signal is poor.]

Jin Yongyi: “…”

Although she was only making a slight threat to try and get a cheat code, the System’s attitude made her very uneasy.

System: [Host, please believe me. My signal is truly poor. Recently, I may only appear during task assignments and settlements. So, while I am here, please say everything you need at once.]

The System’s hurried tone sounded genuine. Jin Yongyi, half-believing, tested the waters: “Then give me a pain-blocking buff. For you, this should be…”

[No problem.] The System dropped a few words in a flurry. [Everything is negotiable. Keep it up, Host, you can do it! I am waiting to give you your second task.]

With that, it vanished.

Jin Yongyi froze in place. Realizing it late, she felt this System was like a terrible colleague who dumped a pile of work on her and then clocked out early.

She put on her shoes and walked a few steps, discovering that her body no longer hurt.

Jin Yongyi sat at the table and poured a cup of tea. She wondered where she had bumped herself last night to make her neck hurt so much. Before she could think long, Zhao Fuzhou pushed the door open, carrying a food container.

She immediately perked up, looking like a hungry fledgling waiting to be fed.

The dishes were laid out on the table one by one. When she saw that the main dish was the same green vegetable porridge she had eaten all day yesterday, she felt her face turn as green as the bowl.

Jin Yongyi poked at the porridge with a spoon, feeling completely deflated.

“Does your body still feel uncomfortable anywhere?” Zhao Fuzhou asked.

Before she could answer, he took out several small plates of meat from the container and placed them further away from her.

Jin Yongyi’s eyes lit up instantly. She replied immediately: “Last night’s sleep was incredibly comfortable! Look at me, aren’t I full of energy!”

Man is made of iron, but meat is the soul; missing a meal makes the heart ache. She wished she could do a backflip on the spot to let Zhao Fuzhou know she was not sick and could eat meat.

But she did not do it, lest Zhao Fuzhou think her body was fine but her brain was broken.

Jin Yongyi secretly reached out with her chopsticks to grab some meat and stealthily put it in her mouth. She chewed a few times and swallowed, saying with a grin: “Truly, thank you. If I hadn’t met you, my life would have been lost long ago, let alone being able to sleep and eat well now.”

After saying this, she quickly stuffed a few more pieces of meat into her mouth.

“Are you thanking me?”

The sunlight was beautiful today, still casting tiny points of light in her eyes through the window paper. Zhao Fuzhou looked into her eyes, the curve of his smile widening.

“Yes, yes! It is so good to have you!” Jin Yongyi responded indistinctly, her chopsticks leaving afterimages in the air. Before long, the meat plates were clean, while the vegetable porridge remained untouched.

Having eaten her fill and satisfied her cravings, Jin Yongyi began to think about how to complete her mission.

She rubbed her chin and looked at Zhao Fuzhou. He remained smiling, looking like someone with a very good temper. Even when she did something awkward, he never got angry.

While she was deliberating how to complete the task by any means necessary, Zhao Fuzhou spoke first: “Why do you keep looking at me, Miss?”

“Because… because I like you!”

Right! That was it. Go for it, Jin Yongyi! Throw away your dignity. From the moment you stared at his body, your persona was set!

“It was love at first sight! After spending this day and night together, I have fallen hopelessly in love with you. Just take me with you, okay? If I lose you, I will die!!”

“All right.”

“Eh?!” Jin Yongyi had just taken a deep breath to deliver a dramatic monologue when her spell was interrupted. The breath got stuck in her chest, and she had to pat her chest twice to catch her breath. “You agreed?”

Zhao Fuzhou nodded and poured a cup of tea for her: “Since losing me would put your life at risk, I cannot simply ignore it.”

Wow, was this the male lead? Jin Yongyi felt her own persona was far too weak compared to his.

A strange sense of shame made her want to curl her toes. Trying to stay calm, she drank a cup of water and explained: “The truth is… I have amnesia. I don’t remember where my home is. Don’t worry, once I regain my memory, I won’t bother you anymore. I won’t cause you any trouble during this time. If you say go east, I won’t go west. If you eat meat, I will only drink the soup!”

She held up three fingers and made a passionate vow. On the other side, Zhao Fuzhou had already begun clearing the leftovers. Just as she finished her last word, Zhao Fuzhou had coincidentally stacked the empty meat bowls together.

Jin Yongyi lowered her hand sheepishly.

Zhao Fuzhou smiled: “You do not need to be so hard on yourself. From now on, as long as you are by my side, you may do as you please.”

These words spoke directly to Jin Yongyi’s heart. It was like a boss telling you that you can do whatever you want in the company—watch TV or play games—as long as you are happy.

Even if it was just a false promise, she loved it!

After clearing the table, Zhao Fuzhou carried the food container toward the door. Just as he reached the entrance, he seemed to remember something and turned back to her: “Ah… traveling with me inevitably leads to danger. I hope you do not regret it, Miss.”

With that, he left with a faint smile.

Jin Yongyi waved goodbye blankly, her thoughts completely captured by the image of Zhao Fuzhou bathed in sunlight with dimples appearing on his cheeks. Only after he was gone did she feel a chill. Goosebumps rose on her arms; she felt there was something very strange about his words.

The male lead had agreed to take her along, so the task should be considered complete, but the System had yet to appear.

Bored, Jin Yongyi lay back on the bed. This world had no phones, and she was so lonely that she fell asleep shortly after. It was not until the middle of the night that Zhao Fuzhou woke her up.

“Wake up, Miss. It is time to set off.”

Dazed from sleep, Jin Yongyi struggled to sit up, her face scrunched: “Set off? Set off where? Into a dream?”

[Congratulations, Host!]

Jin Yongyi was startled by the sudden voice in her head. She shivered, and her consciousness cleared instantly. She saw Zhao Fuzhou holding his sword, his head turned toward the moonlight outside the window.

[The first task is complete. The reward for this task will be drawn after the second task is finished.]

Jin Yongyi: “?”

Was this transmigration story using a delayed salary system too?

[Host, please understand. This is to give you something to look forward to, so you will be more motivated to do your tasks!]

Jin Yongyi gave a cold smile.

“I’m not falling for your nonsense.”

She was speechless again when she stood with Zhao Fuzhou before a small forest, and the two of them stared at each other. Her forehead was covered in metaphorical black lines as she asked: “Why must we set off in the middle of the night?”

Is your life too long? You are the male lead, so you aren’t afraid, but I am different!!

Zhao Fuzhou: “The destination of this trip only appears after midnight. No matter, if you are afraid…”

Before he could finish, Jin Yongyi vanished behind his back in a flash.

Yes, she was afraid. How could she not be? By the moonlight, she saw several ghosts drifting through the woods.

Jin Yongyi made a please gesture with a fake smile.

At that moment:

[Host, please be prepared. Issuing the second task: Please hold the male lead’s hand tightly and lead the way for him.]

Jin Yongyi: “??”

Was there a mistake? She was afraid of ghosts and had night blindness. Once they entered the forest, she would be nothing but a blind person screaming at ghosts. How was she supposed to lead the way?

While she was frantically cursing the System, Zhao Fuzhou had already started walking.

[Task Countdown: 10, 9, 8…]

“Your grandfather! Isn’t this just setting me up?!”

Jin Yongyi cursed loudly and rushed forward to grab Zhao Fuzhou’s hand tightly.