He watched the little girl sob with her face buried in her hands, her tiny shoulders shaking with every hiccuping breath.
His smile faltered just a little as he rubbed the back of his neck and sighed dramatically.
"Ai… maybe I went too far," he muttered, his tone ced with mock guilt.
Then he slowly climbed down from the tree, nding lightly a few paces from her. He approached carefully, like someone trying not to scare a kitten.
“Yin Rou, don’t cry,” he said in a much gentler voice. “I was only joking. You’re not that old.”
He crouched in front of her and patted her head softly.
“Maybe… thirty at most?” he added in a whisper.
Ding!
Influence +10,000
Ding!
Influence +10,000
(Emotion provoked: Hatred)
“Wuuuuu…” Yin Rou cried louder and hid her face deeper into the tree. Her little buns of hair trembled with every sob.
“Okay, okay! I’m sorry,” Jin Yu said quickly, putting both hands up. “It was my fault. You're five. Just five. The cutest little five-year-old I've ever seen. With… with the voice of a little fairy and the face of a baby phoenix.”
He leaned closer and said with a wink, “An ancient baby phoenix, maybe, but a phoenix nonetheless.”
Ding!
Influence +8,000
Ding!
Influence +8,000
(Emotion provoked: Fury)
“I said I’m sorry!” Jin Yu crouched lower, trying to meet her eyes. “Here, you can sp me if it’ll make you feel better.”
He offered his cheek, even patting it twice.
“But just a little sp, okay? I’m fragile. Very soft-hearted.”
Yin Rou peeked out, her big red-rimmed eyes still teary, her little lips pouting. “Y-You’re mean…”
“I’m not mean! I’m just… educational,” he said, nodding seriously. “I teach important life lessons. Like not to trust every handsome big brother you meet in the woods.”
Ding!
Influence +5,000 (Anger)
“You…” She sniffled. “You said I look like… powdered porcein.”
Jin Yu gasped and held his heart. “I said that as a compliment! That’s top-tier praise where I come from. Do you know how rare fwless skin is? Even Rainbow here gets jealous.”
At that, the tiny flower on his neck twitched, as if annoyed.
Yin Rou blinked slowly and looked down at her feet. “You still made fun of Yin Rou’s voice…”
“No, no. Your voice is very cute,” Jin Yu said solemnly, holding her hand in both of his. “So cute that it made me forget the difference between real and fake emotions. You’ve awakened something deep in my soul.”
She blinked again. “…Really?”
Jin Yu nodded with a soft smile. “Truly. In fact…”
He leaned in and whispered dramatically, “If you cry a bit more, I think I might break through to the Nascent Soul Realm.”
Ding!
Influence +12,000
Ding!
Influence +12,000
Ding!
Influence +12,000
(Emotion provoked: Hatred)
“WAAAAAAA!!”
“Oh no! I was just kidding!” Jin Yu filed his arms in a panic. “Don’t cry for real! I’ll..uh...I’ll buy you sweets! A whole mountain of it!”
Yin Rou looked up again, face streaked with tears, clearly trying to decide whether or not to forgive him.
“You really mean it?”
“I swear on Rainbow’s petals.”
The flower on his neck pulsed red once again, clearly disapproving.
Jin Yu put a hand on her head and sighed.
“There, there. Let’s be friends. No more bullying. Just peace, trust, and a little bit of light teasing.”
He gave her his best innocent smile.
“Unless you do that fake cry again… then I’ll have no choice but to call you Granny Rou.”
Ding!
Influence +15,000
Ding!
Influence +15,000
Ding!
Influence +15,000
(Emotion provoked:Hatred)
His points skyrocketed again.
Jin Yu blinked, then smirked.
At this rate, I might break through by just standing here and sweet-talking this little demon.
He peeked at her sulking face and thought with amusement,
And to think, all I had to do was bully a five-year-old granny…
Just as Yin Rou began to calm down, hiccupping quietly with tear-stained cheeks, Jin Yu cocked his head and asked casually, “So… what exactly were you running from back there?”
Yin Rou sniffled and looked up at him with big, glistening eyes. “M-Monsters,” she said weakly. “They attacked me and my parents… I got separated. Yin Rou doesn’t know if they’re still alive…”
She looked down, her little fists clenched by her sides. “Please, big brother, can you help me? You’re strong… please save my family.”
Jin Yu blinked.
Ding!
Influence +3,000
Ding!
Influence +3,000
Ding!
Influence +3,000
(Emotion provoked:Anger)
"Oh?"
He gave her a soft, understanding smile, but deep down, his thoughts turned sharp.
Still angry, even while begging?
And your tone just now… too polished, almost rehearsed.
He scanned her from head to toe as Rainbow pulsed faintly on his neck, reacting to the deceit.
This little fox. Lying through her baby teeth.
But he didn’t say anything. Instead, he knelt to her level and gently wiped a smudge of dirt off her cheek. “Of course I’ll help,” he said with a warm, brotherly tone. “How could I ignore such a tragic tale?”
Ding!
Influence +6,000 (Anger)
Ding!
Influence +6,000 (Anger)
She hesitated for a second, then gave a small nod, sniffing again. “T-This way.”
He followed as she turned and began leading him deeper into the forest. Her small steps were slow at first, almost unsure, until she thought he wasn’t watching. That’s when she gnced back, ever so subtly.
Jin Yu caught the look. He smiled to himself.
There it is.
The spark behind the tears. The calcution behind the innocence.
She was checking to see if he was buying it.
Ding!
Influence +7,000
(Emotion provoked: Disdain)
Aha! Gloating already? .
Thought you've got me?
No worries,the more you keep on. the more points I get.
He thought zily, hands behind his back as he strolled after her.
I should hire her as a training partner.
He whistled a little tune and called out, “Hey, Yin Rou. Are your parents strong?”
She looked over her shoulder. “Mm! Very strong. They protect our vilge. They're cultivators!”
Ding!
Influence +2,000
Ding!
Influence +2,000
(Emotion provoked: Disdain)
“Wow, that’s amazing,” Jin Yu said with exaggerated awe. “Then how did they lose to a few monsters?”
She froze for a second, then quickly turned forward. “T-There were… a lot of them! Big ones! They came out of nowhere!”
Ding!
Influence +5,000
(Emotion provoked: Irritation)
Jin Yu bit back a chuckle.
She’s good. But not good enough.
Still, he made no effort to expose her. Instead, he quickened his pace until he was beside her. “Don’t worry, little Yin Rou. I’ll protect you.”
He leaned closer, voice low and velvety.
“Even if a whole army of monsters is waiting for me up ahead.”
She flinched ever so slightly.
Ding!
Influence +10,000
(Emotion provoked: Fear)
He smiled wider.
Got ya.
But he said nothing, just strolled beside her as if nothing had happened. He even whistled a cheerful tune again.
I'll py along. For now.
After all… if someone was setting a trap, it was only polite to step into it with a grin, and then turn it right back on them.
