The small "birthday party" went well. Yin Longshen was pleasantly surprised when he received the cake and noodles. Throughout the entire meal, he couldn't stop himself from smiling.
Feng Yongrui was also grinning from ear to ear. His heart, though, was weighed down with the System's words. In the morning, the System had told him that he had a side quest.
At that time, Feng Yongrui refused to do it, but for some reason, he was afraid that he had made the wrong choice.
Feng Yongrui pushed away his messy thoughts and focused on eating the green-tea flavored cake with his Gege.
When the meal was finished, Feng Yongrui handed the paper plane he had made to his older brother.
Yin Longshen couldn't stop himself from smiling when he saw the paper plane. It was just like his younger brother, very cute.
Suddenly, Feng Yongrui heard the System's voice.
"Ding~ You have failed the side quest~ Please receive your punishment~" the System said.
Feng Yongrui's eyes widened.
"What?! W-why did I suddenly fail the task? I've told you in the beginning that I won't do it, right? So why am I getting punished right now?" he asked.
"Host, there was a time limit for the side quest. As long as you pushed Yin Longshen down the stairs within that time frame, you would be rewarded. However, time's up and you still haven't pushed the protagonist, so you will get punished."
Feng Yongrui's face was filled with incredulity and anger. Since when was there a time limit for the side quest? The System didn't mention it!
Also, why was there a penalty?!
"Host, this is your first time getting a penalty, right?" the System asked.
Somehow, Feng Yongrui felt that the System's voice was tinged with happiness.
"Yes, it's my first time," Feng Yongrui said with gritted teeth.
"Then let me explain everything about the System's punishments," the System said gleefully.
"As you may know, the purpose of your existence in this world is to make sure this world works properly. When a world has a problem, it is your job to fix it... And the best way to fix a world is by completing the tasks given by the System."
Feng Yongrui nodded in understanding.
"Well, whenever the Main System detects that you haven't done your job properly or that the world is not working properly, you will be punished. This punishment is meant to give you a warning and to set the world back on track," the System said.
Feng Yongrui pursed his lips. So the Main System was like the System's boss, who would check if his "subordinates" were doing their job properly or not.
"In the original timeline, the protagonist blackened on his tenth birthday, because he was pushed by the butler. Host, this System knows that you don't want to push the protagonist down the stairs," the System said rather empathically.
"Host, you plan to get close to the protagonist and then make him blacken when you get older, right?" the System asked.
Feng Yongrui quickly replied with a "yes".
"But by that time, it will be too late. The whole point of pushing the protagonist down the stairs is to make him blacken at a young age. If he blackens when he gets older, he won't have enough time to become a business tycoon."
"We need the protagonist to blacken NOW, so that he can start building his business empire early on... If he blackens later, he will miss all those important side plots that allows him to become powerful!"
"...Okay... But... Why are you just telling me this now?! Previously, I already planned not to push the protagonist down the stairs, but you didn't explain all of this to me! If you persuaded me some more..."
"If I persuaded you some more, would you agree to push the protagonist down the stairs?" the System asked flatly.
Feng Yongrui sighed and shook his head. "I don't know..."
"Hey, don't change the subject! Why didn't you tell me about this before?" Feng Yongrui asked.
"Host, would you believe me if I said I forgot to tell you?" the System asked.
Feng Yongrui: "..."
What a useless System.
"In any case, Host, you failed the side task, and the Main System has judged that you made a mistake. The protagonist has to blacken right now," the System said.
"So you're going to punish me?" Feng Yongrui asked.
"Exactly, Host~"
Even though Feng Yongrui couldn't see the System, he knew for sure that it was dancing happily at the moment.
"Right. Regarding the punishments, there are three types of punishments: light punishments, moderate punishments, and hard punishments," the System explained.
"...I can't choose which one I want, right?" Feng Yongrui asked.
"You can, Host. In your dreams~"
Feng Yongrui felt his stomach churning with unease. "Just get to the point and tell me what my punishment will be," he said gruffly.
"Alright~ The Main System has judged that you need to get the hard punishment. The butler will push you down the stairs today, Host. Please prepare yourself mentally~"
Feng Yongrui's breath hitched and he looked around, trying to find the butler, but he didn't see the man.
"System, didn't you say that there's an error with the butler, so he won't push the protagonist down the stairs anymore?" Feng Yongrui asked.
"That's right. The butler won't push the protagonist down the stairs, he will push YOU. This way, you will get punished and Yin Longshen will blacken~ This is called hitting two birds with one stone~"
Feng Yongrui was speechless and turned to look at his older brother. Yin Longshen was still playing with the paper plane, oblivious to Feng Yongrui's plight.
Feng Yongrui wanted to scream in exasperation. No matter how well he planned things, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't really do anything against the System.
"I can't avoid this punishment, can I?" Feng Yongrui sighed helplessly.
"Of course not~ Host, just be a man and accept it wholeheartedly, okay?" the System said coaxingly.
Feng Yongrui gnashed his teeth and ignored the System. His heart was in turmoil at the moment, so he stared blankly when Yin Longshen tried to tease him.
Yin Longshen...
Feng Yongrui felt like his head had turned into a mess.
"Didi~ Didi, what's wrong?" Yin Longshen waved a hand in front of his little brother, but his little brother didn't respond.
Sneakily, Yin Longshen stretched out a hand and pinched his brother's face. Feng Yongrui went back to his senses and gave a wan smile at his older brother.
What will come, will come. It was better not to think too much about it.
The entire day passed uneventfully, but Feng Yongrui could not stop feeling uneasy. He pretended to be fine, but only he knew how chaotic his heart was.
Every time he was close to the stairs, Feng Yongrui would look all around, trying to spot the butler, but each time, he didn't see anyone.
Feng Yongrui told himself to stop being paranoid, but he couldn't stop his heart from beating wildly at the thought of the butler popping out of nowhere and pushing him down the stairs.
When evening finally came, Feng Yongrui grew hungry, and he began to crave some snacks.
Knowing that the chef downstairs would be willing to prepare something for him, Feng Yongrui headed downstairs.
Out of the corner of his eye, Feng Yongrui saw a shadow moving towards him, and he clenched his fists.
The shadow grew closer and closer, but Feng Yongrui pretended not to notice.
Closer... closer...
Feng Yongrui felt someone reach out his hands and give him a hard push. Thankfully, Feng Yongrui was prepared.
He was pushed forward, and Feng Yongrui saw the stairs enlarge in front of him. He was falling!
The System was grinning excitedly when it saw him flailing his arms, ready to fall any minute.
Feng Yongrui gave a small smile. Did the System really think that just because it wanted to punish him, he would willingly submit to fate and let the butler push him?
Absolutely not!
Feng Yongrui felt himself falling down the stairs, but before he could even get scratched or fall down miserably, he quickly activated his "Flying Ghost" Skill.
A split second before he could fall down, Feng Yongrui floated in the air. He quickly looked around.
Thankfully, there was no one here other than the butler. The butler was a middle-aged man with a shrewd face. He had a goatee beard and fox-like eyes.
Feng Yongrui had known the butler for quite some time now. When he was around 8 months old, the previous butler resigned, and this person became the new butler.
He used to look sharp and intimidating, but at the moment, when the butler saw Feng Yongrui floating through the air, he could not hide his astonishment and incredulity.
Usually, when Feng Yongrui used this skill, he would combine it with his "Invisibility" Skill. Today, though, he wanted to give the butler a good scare.
***
System: Hahaha~ Host, you will be punished~
Feng Yongrui: Sure, sure~
***
Finally, Feng Yongrui disobeyed the System! If you were Feng Yongrui, would you willingly let yourself get punishment or not?
Comment below~