After Mistakenly Binding The Matchmaker System

Chapter 5

In fact, he had been conscious all along, just in a hazy state, aware of the surroundings but not fully awake until he lay in the warm quilt.

Unsure whether the other party was friend or foe, he pretended to be asleep, wanting to observe their intentions while quietly gathering strength. If they posed a threat, he could counterattack when they least expected it.

It seemed these people had no harmful intentions for now.

The male protagonist had just experienced a betrayal and was not quick to trust others. Li Shu understood he wouldn’t trust him either, but as long as the male and female protagonists could be together peacefully so he can fulfill the mission, that was enough for him.

The male protagonist was exhausted after all, and couldn’t hold on for long. Soon, he fell into a deep sleep. Li Shu approached the bed and carefully examined the destined child of this world.

Just like those he had seen before, the male protagonist in this world was very handsome, with sharp eyes and features. Compared to when he first opened his eyes, the current male protagonist appeared less fierce and more soft. Li Shu observed him for a while before returning to the table.

[System, does completing the plot count as completing the mission, or is it necessary for the male and female protagonists to live happily together?] Li Shu asked, fiddling with the teacup.

[The latter,] 1314 explained. [At the end, the happiness values of both the male and female protagonists must exceed 60% for the task to be considered successful. If, at the end of the plot, the happiness value of either the male or female protagonist is below 60%, the mission is considered a failure. Correspondingly, the higher the happiness values, the higher the final rating and the more points earned.]

Li Shu: [So, the plot has minimal impact on completing the mission?]

[As long as a few crucial plot points stay on track, such as this time, where the female protagonist saves the critically injured male protagonist, it’s sufficient.]

So, the most critical factor was not the plot but the happiness values of the male and female protagonists.

Qi Mingxuan, the male protagonist, a cold-blooded God of War of the Great Zhou, joined the military at fourteen and achieved a significant victory over the Western Qi at twenty-two. His presence prevented the wolves lurking at the borders from venturing south, thus ensuring peace in the region. As his reputation grew, the people in the capital could no longer sit still. While he continued achieving victory, an imperial edict summoned him back to the capital. However, on the way back, he was betrayed by his subordinates and hunted. He sought refuge in Xian Guo Temple, where he was rescued by the female protagonist who came with her family to pray for blessings.

Thus began the twisted fate between them.

The kind and warm female protagonist brought light into the life of the male protagonist who has only had darkness in his life. A seed called “love” took root in his heart and quietly sprouted.

People are often drawn to what they lack. The gentle and kind female protagonist was like a flame, unintentionally pulling the male protagonist closer. The more he approached, the more attracted he became, and it was only a matter of time before he fell.

It only took two months from the first meeting to understanding each other and falling in love. However, no one expected the happy days to end so quickly. The female protagonist was unknowingly manipulated by the prime minister, and unwittingly destroyed the male protagonist’s carefully crafted plans.

Tragedy was inevitable from the moment they met.

The naïve and kind female protagonist was repeatedly exploited by her father to sabotage the male protagonist’s plans again and again. Although the male protagonist managed to survive disaster each time, the seeds of doubt were sown. Misunderstandings and suspicions spread between them.

The sensitive and suspicious male protagonist was unwilling to trust the female protagonist’s explanations, and concluded that he had been betrayed by the one he loved.

In a fit of rage, the male protagonist, no longer concerned about the female protagonist’s feelings, began to use her for retaliation.

On one side was her beloved, and on the other was the father who had cherished her since childhood. Caught between her lover and her family, the female protagonist was torn, unable to betray either side. She could only watch helplessly as the scene she least wanted to see unfolded.

By chance, the female protagonist discovered that both sides were using her. Unable to accept it, she wanted to leave, but she was already deeply entangled in the plot. How could she be allowed to leave so easily?

She stayed, but the relationship between her and the male protagonist was never the same as before.

Repeated tests, constant disappointments, manipulation, and betrayal led the two hearts that once loved each other to drift further and further apart, ultimately breaking away completely.

At the end of the plot, the male and female protagonists married, one was emperor and the other was empress. They stood together and accepted the blessings of the people. However, their hearts were already riddled with scars. The two wounded hearts leaned against each other, only left with exhaustion.

Li Shu: [In the original plot, what were the happiness values of the male and female protagonists at the end?]

1314 checked the world archives and it sounded confused: [The female protagonist had 25%, and the male protagonist only had 8%.] This was the first time 1314 encountered a world with such a low happiness value, and it was a little perplexed.

None even reached half of the minimum requirement. Li Shu pressed his now aching temples. No wonder this world needed a matchmaker system. Without it, it will be a case of ‘if you abuse me, I will abuse you’. If the abuse is not enough, abuse again. This mutual torment and hurting each other repeatedly makes it already challenging to achieve the final happy ending, not to mention that both the male and female protagonists need happiness values above 60%.

[In that case, strictly following the original plot won’t work at all.] Li Shu sighed. To achieve a happiness value of about 60%, the factors that caused the two people to abuse each other must be eliminated. Without those sadistic plots, the happiness value of the two people could rise when they finally get together.

Now was an excellent opportunity. In the original plot, the male protagonist secretly returned to the capital early, was betrayed by his subordinates, and was chased by enemies. He sought refuge here and the female protagonist saved him. If Li Cheng hadn’t discovered the male protagonist’s identity and used the female protagonist to manipulate him, many tragedies between the two could have been avoided.

After discussing the feasibility of the plan with 1314, both Li Shu and the system found that strictly following the original plot won’t work. The crucial point was the significant difference in happiness values, especially for the male protagonist, who didn’t even reach 10%.

[I’ll follow the host’s instructions,] 1314 gritted its teeth and made a decision.

“Young Master, the medicine is here.”

Accompanying it were clean gauze, wound ointment, and hot water. The medicine was bought by Li Xinuo’s people, while the gauze and wound ointment were brought by Qinghe from the Li mansion, prepared for any unexpected needs.

“Xinuo is indeed efficient. Was that person taken care of?” Li Shu walked into the inner room with a bowl of medicine for the male protagonist.

Qinghe followed with a copper basin. “Young Master, rest assured. That person won’t say anything.”

“Good,” he placed the medicine bowl on the table, “Are there any movements from Xiao Tao?” He intentionally brought Xiao Tao to take advantage of the situation and deal with her. Li Shu had little tolerance for disloyal subordinates.

“She had contact with the Third Young Master’s maid.”

“Continue keeping an eye on her. The incident may not be caused by Li Yang.” There was more than one person in the mansion with the motive to do it.

The male protagonist’s complexion improved slightly. Fearing he couldn’t hold on, Li Shu used points from the system store to buy medicine. After feeding it to the male protagonist, his life value slowly began to rise, stabilizing at 30%.

Using wet gauze, Li Shu wiped the wounds on the male protagonist’s body. The dirty clothes were removed, wounds treated, bandaged, and a loose undergarment was found for him to wear. Throughout the process, the male protagonist remained unconscious.

Qinghe brought clean attire for Li Shu. “Young Master, where will you stay tonight?”

Li Shu was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t considered this before. His living quarters were small, with only two rooms inside and out. Qi Mingxuan occupied the bed, leaving him with nowhere to sleep. Going elsewhere wasn’t an option, so he had Qinghe bring out a spare mat, improvising for the night.

When Qi Mingxuan woke up, it was already bright outside. Today happened to be exceptionally sunny, and there was a warm glow into the room. It made people feel lazy and unwilling to move. How long had It been since he experienced such a feeling? No need to worry about potential enemies appearing at any moment, no need to calculate constantly…it was ironic that he couldn’t enjoy true relaxation even in his own territory, yet he felt it in a stranger’s room.

He faintly heard the sound of deliberately hushed conversation outside. The voices belonged to the siblings who had saved him.

Sitting up with support from the bed, Qi Mingxuan noticed his clothes changed, and his wounds had been treated. Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t an illusion—his injuries had at least improved by 30%.

“Are you awake?” Li Shu leaned against the door, scrutinizing the male protagonist from head to toe. ‘Not bad, he looks much more spirited.’

[Of course,] 1314 said proudly, [this is a medicine from the system store, and the effect is naturally top-notch.]

“Thank you for saving my life. I was impulsive last night, and I apologize,” Qi Mingxuan said.

Qi Mingxuan also carefully observed the young man standing at the door. He looked young, perhaps around twenty, wearing a moon-white robe, and a palm-wide girdle that outlined a slender waist. He had flowing black hair, his eyes were slightly lowered, and he had a hint of aloofness. He had delicate and exquisite features, and a somewhat pale complexion, as if he had just recovered from a severe illness and not yet fully regaining vitality.

Moreover, he was indeed very thin. His wrists seemed fragile, as if they might snap with a light pinch. Qi Mingxuan rubbed his fingers, and the residual warmth from the young man’s wrist seemed to still remain on his fingertips.

“You just need to know that my elder brother and I have no ill intentions towards you.” Li Xinuo peeked out from behind Li Shu. She was wearing a semi-transparent veil on her face, revealing a pair of lively eyes.

In the liberal-minded Great Zhou, where restrictions on women were minimal, Li Xinuo wore the veil when encountering strangers to avoid any negative impact on her reputation. Moreover, with Li Shu and the attending maids present, there was no issue with her presence here.

Li Shu: “I’m not the one you should thank. If my sister hadn’t happened to find you last night, I wouldn’t have been able to save you.”

This almost openly conveyed his dislike for him. Qi Mingxuan chuckled, and sincerely thanked the girl behind the young man, “Thank you for saving my life, miss.”

Then, he shifted his gaze back to the young man. “No matter why you saved me, I should thank you. Thank you.”

Qi Mingxuan’s attitude improved Li Xinuo’s opinion of him somewhat. Recalling the events of last night, she was a bit puzzled and asked, “Why did you suddenly attack my brother yesterday?”

“I didn’t mean to,” Qi Mingxuan said in a low tone. “I came to the capital from the south for business. Unexpectedly, someone among my entourage colluded with bandits. Not only were all my belongings robbed, but I also almost lost my life. I thought you people…”

He didn’t finish his words, leaving room for others to speculate. Why? He just thought they were working with the bandits, so he behaved like that.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t expect…” Li Xinuo’s eyes showed sorrow. For a moment, she couldn’t think of anything comforting to say, only regretting why she had suddenly asked this question, poking in his scars.

“There is no need to apologize,” Qi Mingxuan raised his eyes, and suddenly met Li Shu’s half smiling eyes. He paused before continuing, “…it wasn’t your fault in the first place.”

He wondered to himself: ‘Does he know something?’