He leaned back and laughed.
"This system really knows how to encourage me."
But as his chuckle faded, a different thought settled in his chest.
"Who next?"
The system would clearly continue rewarding him for building a legacy. But Ye Chen wasn't a fool. He didn't want chaos. He didn't want dozens of nameless women or future enemies under his roof.
He wanted mothers his children could depend on—women he could trust.
Someone worthy.
---------++++++++++----------
And then… a face surfaced in his mind.
Yun Yun.
His teacher. His savior. His guide.
Graceful. Cold. Noble.
Unreachable.
Ye Chen's expression shifted, darkening slightly.
"She's my teacher… No. I can't think like that."
He slapped himself lightly, shaking the thought out of his head.
But it lingered.
Because the truth was… he admired her. Respected her. Desired her.
And somewhere deep down, he knew if she ever looked at him not as a disciple, but as a man…
He wouldn't be able to resist.
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Just as he wrestled with the guilt, another face surfaced—soft, warm, and unexpected.
A voice from his past. A girl whose eyes once lit up just seeing him walk by.
Someone he had forgotten…
Until now.
"Wait… her?"
His heart stirred.
And then… another face surfaced in Ye Chen's memory.
Ya Fei.
Her gentle eyes. That playful, teasing smile. His childhood sweetheart.
Three years ago, she had been sent away to Wutan City to oversee the Mitel family's auction house. The separation had been sudden, a decision made by her grandfather the family patriarch but before she left, she had come to see him. In secret.
It was late winter when she came to say goodbye. The wind drifting through Mitel Manor still carried the fading chill of snow, laced with the faint fragrance of plum blossoms beginning to bloom.
In the quiet rear courtyard, beneath the old peach tree where they used to play as children, a young boy stood alone, gripping a wooden sword. His movements were slow, almost mechanical, as though weighed down by something deeper than just the cold.
"Found you," came a soft voice from behind.
He turned around and there she was.
Ya Fei. Dressed in her favorite red gown, the color bright against the grey sky. Her smile was still there, but her eyes... they held something more. Something quietly sorrowful.
She walked toward him with her hands behind her back, stopping just a step away.
"I'm leaving tomorrow," she said, her voice light but laced with finality. "Grandfather's sending me to Wutan City. He wants me to manage the auction house there."
Ye Chen blinked. "Already?"
She nodded, her gaze falling briefly to the ground. "Mm. It's all arranged."
Silence settled between them. Words hovered at the edge of his lips, but none escaped. He wanted to ask her to stay. But who was he to do that? They were family. Just children, really. And yet... something about this parting felt far too heavy.
Then, as if summoned by an invisible pull, she stepped closer her voice dropping to a whisper.
"Brother Chen… do you remember what you told me when I scraped my knee on my seventh birthday?"
He blinked again, frowning. That day had long faded into the haze of childhood but the feeling it carried lingered, buried deep.
She smiled faintly. "You told me, 'Don't cry. When we grow up, I'll marry you. That way I can protect you forever.'"
She looked up into his eyes. "I didn't forget. Did you?"
His heart quivered.
He may have forgotten the words, but not the warmth. Not the feeling of wanting to keep her safe.
Ya Fei reached into her sleeve and pulled out a slender red ribbon the same one she used to wear on her wrist when they were little.
She held it out to him.
"I'll wait for you," she said.
He hesitated, then took it as if in a dream, fingers closing around the soft silk.
"But… what if I take too long?" he asked quietly.
She looked at him, eyes calm, unwavering.
"Then I'll wait even longer."
Above them, the old peach tree shivered in the breeze, petals drifting silently through the cold air.
There were no goodbyes, no dramatic gestures. They didn't hug. They didn't cry. But that moment carved itself into Ye Chen's soul deeper than any cultivation imprint. A promise unspoken, but unbreakable.
And now, three years had passed.
He hadn't forgotten.
Had she?
They were both of the Mitel family. She, the proud granddaughter of the patriarch. He, the grandson of the second elder close enough to be kin, distant enough to fall in love. They had grown up side by side, shared meals, games, and perhaps, even dreams neither of them dared speak aloud.
But Ye Chen had never felt worthy. Not then. He had no talent, no strength, no future to offer her.
Back then, all he could do was make promises.
But now…
Now, everything was different.
"With this system… I can become stronger," Ye Chen whispered. "I won't just chase women for pleasure. I'll build something real. A place where they're safe. Where I keep my promises."
His fingers brushed against the red ribbon tied around his wrist.
A soft smile touched his lips.
"If I must go to Wutan City to cancel Nalan Yanran's engagement," he said, eyes thoughtful, "then I'll visit Ya Fei too. I want to see if she still remembers that day beneath the peach tree."
He leaned back in his chair, sunlight pouring through the window, casting golden lines across his face.
"I'm not a playboy," he said quietly to himself. "I just want to protect the ones who gave me their hearts."
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Please share your thoughts and impressions after reading this. I'd love to know how it made you feel.