Li Cheng didn't move.
Didn't breathe.
Didn't even blink.
Because the system had just said the six most terrifying words he could ever hear:
[Host… they're walking toward you.]
He turned his head an inch.
Just an inch.
And he saw them.
Marching.
Not walking.
Marching.
Like four generals preparing to court-martial a soldier for smiling too much at the enemy.
Chen Yuxi in the front—business-sharp and terrifyingly calm.
Shuxian, beside her—expression unreadable, eyes calculating damage.
Mengyu was slightly behind—trying to look normal, but her jealousy was practically steaming out of her ears.
Auntie Mei in the back—hands folded, face serene, aura DEATH.
Li Cheng whispered:
"…System… is it too late to jump out the window?"
[Host, we are backstage. No windows.]
"…Can you make one?"
[I am a system, not Minecraft.]
Li Cheng began planning his funeral in a hurry.
And then—
They arrived.
The Four Horsewomen of Jealousy.
The Interrogation Begins
Chen Yuxi crossed her arms.
"Li Cheng."
Two words.
Just two.
But they carried the weight of a thousand contracts and the tone of "sign here or perish."
Li Cheng straightened his back immediately.
"Yes?"
She leaned slightly closer.
"That woman touched your hand. On stage. In front of investors. And the media."
Li Cheng blinked.
"…Are you scolding me or giving me a PR briefing?"
"Both."
Before he could defend himself, Shuxian stepped forward.
Her voice is quiet. Too quiet.
"Her eyes lingered on you… longer than necessary."
Li Cheng opened his mouth.
"I swear I didn't—"
"And you stepped in front of her when the light stand fell."
"That was ACCIDENT—"
"Instinct?"
"Yes!"
"Unacceptable."
Li Cheng coughed up blood internally.
Then Mengyu timidly tugged his sleeve.
"L-Li Cheng…"
Oh no.
Not the soft, trembling Mengyu voice.
That was the one that guilt-stabbed straight into his soul.
"I… I know I'm not as pretty or sophisticated as her, but… You didn't have to protect her like that…"
"I DIDN'T. I SWEAR. IT JUST—HAPPENED."
She looked up at him with big, wounded eyes.
System:
[Host, jealousy index rising dangerously. Recommend immediate remediation.]
"What remediation?!"
[Hug someone.]
"I'M NOT HUGGING ANYONE HERE."
[Then prepare for emotional destruction.]
And then—
Auntie Mei stepped forward last.
Calm.
Serious.
Deadly.
"Li Cheng."
"Yes, Auntie Mei."
(He automatically stood at attention.)
"Explain."
Li Cheng stood helplessly in the center of four women, feeling like a baby penguin surrounded by hungry wolves.
He inhaled.
He exhaled.
Then, I tried the truth.
"I didn't know she'd appear. I didn't invite her. I didn't flirt. I didn't accept anything. I didn't agree to anything. I DEFINITELY didn't want to be— touched or stared at or… scouted… or bought."
They stared at him.
Silence.
Li Cheng swallowed.
"And the protecting thing wasn't protecting! It was just—"
He waved his hands wildly.
"—reaction time, okay?! My body moved before my brain! I didn't CHOOSE to look heroic!"
Another silence.
Then—
Shuxian nodded slowly.
"…Fair."
Chen Yuxi sighed and rubbed her forehead.
Mengyu relaxed her shoulders slightly.
Auntie Mei nodded, satisfied—for now.
Li Cheng nearly collapsed with relief.
But then—
The system struck.
---
The System Butchers His Peace
A notification chimed loudly in his brain.
Too loudly.
[Daily Sign-In Pending.]
Li Cheng froze.
"...Now?"
[Yes, host. You have not signed in today.]
"I'm being interrogated by four scary women!"
[Sign-In must be completed before 23:59.]
"It's like 3 PM!!"
[Early signing is recommended.]
Li Cheng clenched his teeth.
"Can I do it later?"
[No.]
"WHY NOT?!"
[Because you keep forgetting.]
Before he could argue, another popup blasted his mental screen.
[Reminder: Host has not signed in. Sign in. Sign in. Sign in. SIGN IN.]
Li Cheng snapped.
"Can you SHUT UP? I'm in the middle of dying!"
Four heads turned toward him.
Shuxian: "Who are you yelling at?"
Chen Yuxi: "Do you… Need medication?"
Mengyu: "A-Are you hearing voices again?"
Auntie Mei: "Hm?"
Li Cheng panicked.
"N-Nothing! Nothing. Everything is fine. Perfect," he lied with a dead smile.
System:
[Host, sign in.]
"I SAID LATER—!"
[Sign. In.]
Li Cheng ground his teeth like a stressed coffee grinder.
---
Damage Control — Or Attempted Damage Control
Chen Yuxi finally stepped closer.
Close enough that he instinctively held his breath.
"Li Cheng," she said quietly. "You really need to be more careful."
"I AM careful. The universe is not."
"That heiress will return."
"Don't remind me."
Shuxian tapped her pen against her palm thoughtfully.
"She is persistent. Resourceful. Ruthless. And competitive."
"That's exactly what I don't want."
Mengyu whispered:
"W-What if she really tries to… take you?"
Li Cheng choked on air.
"MENGYU—WHAT—?! TAKE ME WHERE?!"
She looked away, cheeks red.
"You know. Take you…"
Auntie Mei folded her arms.
"If she enters our school unannounced, I will remove her."
Li Cheng:
"CAN WE NOT TALK ABOUT REMOVING PEOPLE—"
But the women weren't done.
Oh no.
They had entered the "Protect Li Cheng from Everything That Breaths" mode.
Chen Yuxi flipped open her tablet.
"We need new protocols."
"For what?!" Li Cheng cried.
"1. No heiresses allowed backstage."
"I didn't invite her!!"
"2. No touching hands."
"That wasn't my fault!"
"3. No stepping in front of falling equipment."
"I WAS NOT TRYING TO IMPRESS HER!"
"4. No dramatic eye contact exceeding 2.3 seconds."
"WHO MAKES THESE RULES?!"
Shuxian calmly added:
"5. No saving rich women."
"THAT WASN'T—SAVING—IT WAS—LIGHT PHYSICS—!!"
Auntie Mei concluded:
"6. No more having your aura on."
Li Cheng froze.
"...I can't turn it off."
That stopped them.
Four heads snapped toward him.
"What?"
"My aura. It activates when I'm stressed. Or emotional. Or embarrassed. Or alive. I don't know anymore."
Mengyu whispered,
"S-So it's not your fault everyone keeps falling for you…?"
Li Cheng squeezed his eyes shut.
"IT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT MY FAULT."
System:
[Host, please sign in.]
Li Cheng twitched.
---
Lin Jue Appears to Make It Worse
"BROOOOOO—!!!"
Lin Jue burst into the backstage area like a tornado made of stupidity and energy drinks.
"CHENG—YOU—ABSOLUTE—KING—!!!"
Li Cheng held up a hand.
"Lin Jue. Stop."
"NO, LISTEN—YOU JUST REJECTED A HEIRESS IN FRONT OF EVERYONE. DO YOU KNOW HOW COOL THAT IS—?!"
"LIN JUE, I SWEAR TO GOD—"
"THE MEDIA ALREADY MADE A LIST CALLED 'MEN WHO DIDN'T SIMP 2025' AND YOU ARE RANK ONE!"
Li Cheng looked like he was ready to vomit.
All four women glared at Lin Jue.
Lin Jue froze.
"…I'll be leaving."
And he vanished.
---
The Women Close In
Shuxian was the first to move.
She stepped closer—
Too close—
Until her breath lightly touched his neck.
Li Cheng jumped.
"H-HEY—personal space—?!"
She ignored that.
"Li Cheng… I don't care if the heiress returns," she whispered.
"…Huh?"
"I'm not afraid of her."
Her eyes sharpened.
"I will simply try harder."
Li Cheng's brain shut down.
Then Chen Yuxi moved in from the other side.
"I don't lose to people with money," she murmured. "I work harder than they."
Li Cheng's soul left his body.
Then Mengyu hugged his arm.
"H-Hey! I'll also fight!"
Li Cheng: "PLEASE DON'T—THAT'S NOT NECESSARY—"
Auntie Mei placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"You will not be taken."
Li Cheng's head dropped.
"I… wasn't being taken…"
Shuxian corrected:
"Yet."
Li Cheng nearly cried.
System:
[Sign in.]
He snapped.
"FINE—FINE!!!"
All four women froze.
"…Fine what?" Chen Yuxi asked.
"NOTHING—NOTHING—"
He turned internally and screamed mentally:
"FINE, SYSTEM, SIGN IN!! HAPPY?!"
The system chimed like a satisfied cat.
---
Daily Sign-In Complete
[Daily Sign-In Successful!]
[Reward: Passive Skill — Calm Immunity]
"...What is that?"
[Prevents panic when surrounded by jealous women.]
Li Cheng stared blankly at the universe.
Then looked at the four women surrounding him.
"…Fair enough."
System:
[Also, side quest accepted: Survive the Heiress Arc.]
"SHUT. UP."
---
The Emotional Explosion That Didn't Happen
The women eventually calmed down.
Slowly.
Suspiciously.
But they calmed.
Chen Yuxi returned to organizing the next segment.
Shuxian returned to paperwork.
Mengyu fetched bottles of water.
Auntie Mei watched him with a protective gaze.
Li Cheng finally exhaled.
"Thank God…"
The system disagreed.
[Host, someone else is coming.]
Li Cheng froze.
"…Who?"
[Yue Yiran.]
"WHAT—?!"
[With flowers.]
"NO."
[And a gift.]
"NO NO NO—"
[Estimated arrival: 30 seconds.]
Li Cheng felt his soul escaping his body.
Behind him, the four women slowly turned—
Their auras are igniting like volcanoes.
He whispered:
"…Can someone knock me unconscious?"
Auntie Mei raised her hand.
"I can."
"NO—WAIT—NOT LITERALLY—!!"
Fade Out.