Simulated Seed

"Phew..."

Shen Yi let out a soft sigh, savoring the brief moment of tranquility.

After a while, he quietly tiptoed to the wall and switched off the main light, leaving only the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the window.

Shu Yunyi, by now, could no longer maintain her sitting posture and had slumped onto the sofa, fast asleep.

Shen Yi frowned slightly as he looked at her.

This wouldn’t do—he couldn’t just let her sleep like this. She’d already had a tiring day, and on top of that, she’d been exposed to the cold night air.

If she spent the night in such an uncomfortable position, she’d likely wake up either sick or with a sore back.

With that thought, Shen Yi glanced toward the bedroom.

Moving silently, he stepped inside and approached the bed where Fu Nanzhi lay.

She was dressed, sprawled across the bed with a thin blanket loosely draped over her stomach.

Shen Yi leaned closer under the moonlight, studying her face. Her breathing was steady, her expression serene and strikingly beautiful in sleep.

‘She needs to move over a bit...’

Straightening up, Shen Yi carefully shifted to the side of the bed and gently nudged Fu Nanzhi’s body, trying to make space.

The sudden movement caused her to roll over, and Shen Yi froze mid-action.

Fortunately, she didn’t wake—only smacked her lips lightly before settling back into sleep.

After some cautious adjustments, Shen Yi finally managed to reposition her properly before slowly withdrawing his arm.

Leaving the bedroom, he returned to Shu Yunyi’s side. He removed her hairpin and placed it on the coffee table, then brushed aside the slightly tousled strands of her hair to reveal her face.

Crouching down, he slid one arm beneath her neck and the other under her knees, lifting her effortlessly into his arms.

Nestled against him, Shu Yunyi shifted slightly, finding a comfortable spot before going still again.

Seeing she remained asleep, Shen Yi carried her into the bedroom, carefully maneuvering around Fu Nanzhi to lay her down on the other side of the bed.

Once she was settled, he moved to the foot of the bed and removed Shu Yunyi’s shoes and socks.

Finally, he pulled the other end of the blanket over her, completing the task.

Standing upright, Shen Yi looked at the two women—Shu Yunyi and Fu Nanzhi—and nodded in satisfaction.

The most harmonious scene yet.

They lay on opposite sides of the bed, both deep in slumber. Perhaps because of their equally striking beauty, the sight was oddly pleasing and balanced.

Shen Yi drew the curtains shut and retreated.

Back in the living room, with the bed occupied, he resigned himself to spending the night on the sofa.

Not that it mattered much—his physique could handle a sleepless night without issue.

The bed, a standard rental unit, was just big enough for two. Squeezing in a third person was out of the question.

Even if it were possible, Shen Yi wouldn’t dare. He wasn’t sure what might happen if he did, and he preferred to stay alive.

Shaking his head, he headed to the bathroom for a quick shower.

Since both women were asleep, he skipped the hairdryer, opting to towel-dry his hair instead.

His hair had grown long, almost covering his eyes—he hadn’t had a haircut in over a month.

Sitting on the sofa, Shen Yi found himself wide awake, his mind filled with thoughts of them.

Now that everything was out in the open, the situation had deviated slightly from his expectations, though not drastically.

If not for the foundation of shared memories and the depth of their feelings for him, this arrangement would have collapsed long ago.

For now, things were holding together, but it was only temporary.

Fu Nanzhi, Shu Yunyi, and Cheng Jun were all strong-willed individuals. Once real competition began, there’d be no room for politeness or compromise.

Signs of tension had already surfaced tonight, though his presence had kept things in check.

But Shen Yi couldn’t monitor them around the clock. If, in some moment he wasn’t there, their conflicts escalated to the point of harming each other, the damage would be irreversible.

If he wanted them to accept one another, he couldn’t let that happen.

Lying back, he stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

Abruptly, Shen Yi sat up and summoned the long-dormant system panel.

Name: Shen Yi

Level: Lv.2

Strength: 8

Stamina: 9

Energy: 10

Charm: 81

Assets:

Attribute Points: 1

Romance Points: 14

Items: Simulation Seed

After months of steady effort, Shen Yi’s cash reserves had surpassed a million, despite continuous spending.

The progress bar under his level was nearly full, and the accumulated experience was close to pushing him to Level 3.

The system had manifested when he reached Level 2—he wondered what new functions Level 3 might unlock.

But now wasn’t the time for speculation. His gaze dropped to the bottom of the panel.

[Simulation Seed: Allows a real-time simulation with a freely chosen target.]

‘Might as well try. Who knows?’

Shen Yi’s eyes gleamed with contemplation. Until now, he hadn’t found a use for this seed.

Back when he’d just completed Shu Yunyi’s route and was swamped with other matters, starting a new simulation—especially one involving real people—hadn’t crossed his mind.

‘The description says ‘freely chosen target’—it doesn’t exclude previous subjects. Maybe I can...’

Tonight’s events had sparked the idea.

If he wanted to keep conflicts manageable, simulations were the perfect tool.

Even if things turned disastrous in the simulation, he could always reset and try again.

As for his biggest concern—memory synchronization—that remained to be tested.

This seed was a reward item, his first of its kind, so its exact mechanics were unclear.

But he suspected that memory synchronization wouldn’t come easily—there had to be conditions.

If he could achieve a perfect ending, synchronization would be ideal.

Even if it failed, the simulation would still help him explore possibilities and avoid critical mistakes.

The benefits outweighed the risks, and the downsides were controllable. Shen Yi saw no reason not to proceed.

Decision made, he willed the seed into existence.

A speck of light materialized in the living room.

It shimmered like a tiny star, trailing faint embers as it spun gracefully in midair.

Shen Yi took a deep breath and grasped it—

"Hum..."

The seed erupted with radiant light in his palm, activated.

[Simulation Seed]

"Host may initiate a real-world simulation. Select a target to begin."

"Warning: This simulation is self-directed and will not yield additional rewards. Proceed with caution."

"The seed cannot be reused. Initial usage limit: three times. Afterward, the seed will dissipate."

"Tip: Host may spend Romance Points to recharge it."

"Activate?"

At this point, there was no turning back.

"Yes."

With that, Shen Yi clenched his fist, crushing the light.

"Please select simulation target."