Reborn As A Doomsday Villainess-Chapter 132: I’ll hold down the fort here

He meant them.

There was no wink, no teasing grin, no hint of dramatics. Just his hand over hers, warm and steady, lips brushing her skin with a reverence that made something catch in her throat.

The air turned heavy between them.

"You..." Her voice faltered, unsure whether to speak or remain silent.

She didn’t pull her hand away, but she didn’t look at him either. Her eyes stayed fixed on the folds of the blanket, lips pressed into a thin, unreadable line.

Feng Yizhou tilted his head slightly, gaze soft as he murmured, "I’m not asking you to feel the same right now. I know you’re focused on your mission. I know your priorities."

"Then why say things like that?" she whispered.

"Because it’s true."

Her chest rose, then fell in a slow breath. She didn’t move, didn’t respond. But she didn’t leave either.

"Affection: +3%"

A rare silence stretched between them. He didn’t push her this time. He didn’t flirt or joke or force her to respond.

He just stayed close, holding her hand as if grounding himself with her presence.

After a moment, Qingran turned to glance at the congee bowl resting on the nightstand. "You didn’t eat much."

"I was full on love."

"...Minus two percent."

"I take it back. Feed me."

Qingran let out a faint huff, barely audible but unmistakably a laugh.

She picked up the bowl again and scooped a spoonful, this time blowing on it with a little more care before guiding it to his mouth.

He ate in silence.

She fed him in silence.

Outside the room, the lights of the facility blinked steady and dim, unaware of the soft, tentative thread forming between the woman destined to lead and the man who refused to let her face anything alone.

"Affection: +1%"

By the time she finished feeding him, the congee was cold, but neither of them seemed to notice.

"I should go" she murmured, standing and collecting the tray.

His fingers brushed hers as he reached to help. Their eyes met.

"...Come back soon," he said again, quietly.

This time, she didn’t deflect it.

"I will."

And for the first time since she entered the room, she smiled. Small, fleeting, but it was there.

The door slid shut behind her. Feng Yizhou stared at the ceiling.

Then, with a wide grin, he turned to Caocao in his head.

"See? That smile. I got it. I’m telling you, I’m a natural."

"Affection: net result since arrival... +5%"

Feng Yizhou flopped back on the bed, arms spread like a man who had just conquered the highest mountain, and whispered triumphantly to the ceiling.

"I knew it. That was a smile. She smiled at me. I knew I was getting through to her."

Caocao’s voice echoed dryly in his mind.

"Correction: Qingran smiled. Not necessarily at you."

"She looked right at me!"

"She also looked at the bowl. And the tray. And the door."

"Caocao," he said with the patient exhaustion of someone explaining something very simple to a very slow child, "that smile had meaning. It said: ’I see you, I appreciate your existence, I’m low-key suppressing my fondness, but I’m scared to admit it.’ That’s what it said."

"...Unverified."

"I speak fluent ’Qingran,’ thank you."

"Assessment: delusional optimism. Suggest recalibration."

Feng Yizhou rolled onto his side and hugged a pillow to his chest. "Doesn’t matter what you say. She smiled. That’s progress. I’ll take it. We’ll call it a critical hit."

"...Host is advised not to grow overconfident. One misstep can..."

"I know, I know. Minus two percent if I wink at her. Minus five if I bleed on purpose. Minus ten if I should say the word ’baby.’ Got it."

There was a pause. Then Caocao replied, slightly more serious.

"Correction: Minus twenty if you say ’baby.’ Qingran considers it a red flag."

"...Duly noted, luckily I call her darling."

He closed his eyes, still smiling faintly.

Somewhere beyond the walls of the room, he could hear Qingran’s footsteps echoing down the hallway. Measured. Steady. Focused, as always.

He knew she wasn’t ready. She still had missions to complete, people to protect, responsibilities clawing at her from every side. Love wasn’t in her plans, not when survival was the priority.

But she had smiled.

That meant something, at least to him.

And Feng Yizhou, dramatics, ego, hopeless romanticism and all, was patient when it came to her.

He had no intention of rushing her, no delusions that she’d fall for him overnight.

But he would be here.

Waiting. Loving her, quietly, fiercely, and without asking for anything in return.

"Goodnight, Qingran" he whispered.

There was no answer.

Still, he smiled.

And somewhere in the cold, unfeeling mechanics of Caocao’s system, a single silent update logged itself.

"Affection milestone triggered."

"Unique flag unlocked: "First Smile."

"Progress saved."

The room settled into silence. Only the soft hum of the facility’s ventilation and the faint ticking of a nearby clock filled the air.

Feng Yizhou closed his eyes, letting his breathing even out.

Then...Ping.

His eyes snapped open.

"Caocao?" he muttered. "What was that?"

The system’s voice echoed in his mind with more gravitas than usual.

"Side Quest Unlocked: "Escort Mission – The Return to B City."

"Objective: Accompany Qingran and ensure her safe return. Optional Objective: Do not get kicked out of the mission party."

"Warning: Qingran currently plans to leave you behind."

"Well yeah. I was supposed to hold down the fort here. So I’ll opt out of this mission.."

"...."

"Opt out? But you know you’ll get a penalty right?"

"It’s obvious you gave me this mission so I could go along with her. So give me a lighter penalty."

"Very well. I shall think of lighter penalty for you. It might be painful but it will only last for a second."

Just like Caocao said, the pain came and it was excruciatingly painful but it only lasted for a second.

"Damn..that hurt. Why must you give me a penalty?"

" If I don’t, the penalty will fall on me. Just like you’re the boss over people, we have someone higher than us. "