#yandere jinshi x reader

[donat-senpai]

Yandere!Maomao X Reader X Yandere!Jinshi Please don't read this if you are uncomfortable with the yandere! tw: possessive behavior, eunuch-related themes, stupid funny youth ٩(｡•́‿•̀｡)۶

Part one, Part two

Misunderstanding

It was nearing lunchtime. Maomao finally decided to take a break. She set the box down on the table, wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve, and glanced around in search of you. You were nearby, carefully arranging ingredients in their proper places. She wanted to call out to you to invite you to eat together, but she didn’t get the chance.

The front door swung open, and Jinshi glided in as gracefully as a butterfly, with his indispensable assistant at his side. To Maomao’s displeasure, the eunuch immediately captured your attention. You greeted the men politely, offering them a gentle smile. Maomao clenched her teeth so hard it felt like they might crack.

Maomao liked working in the pharmacy. She enjoyed handling medicines and having space for her poison experiments. She liked being useful, even though she rarely said so out loud. To her surprise, she also liked her apprentice. Curious and diligent, you had grown on her more than she cared to admit.

From the very beginning, you showed remarkable determination in your desire to learn her craft. Like her, you wanted to be useful to the imperial court. You wanted to ease Maomao’s workload, something you once admitted to her. You paid close attention to her every word, absorbing knowledge and striving to remember it for future use. Since you arrived at the palace, you had come a long way—transforming from a timid, frightened slave who couldn’t even write into a charming pharmacy assistant whom Maomao could already trust to manage a full day of work on your own. She was proud of you.

But, like any blossoming flower, you started attracting all sorts of insects.

Unfortunately, you weren’t only admired by Maomao. Lately, Jinshi had been visiting the pharmacy suspiciously often. At some point during your brief interactions, the eunuch-pervert (in Maomao’s one and only opinion, of course) had taken a liking to your delightful reactions. You were sweet and kind to him but didn’t swoon over his charm like every other girl (and not only girls) in the palace—excluding Maomao herself, who felt like vomiting every time he turned on his so-called charm.

He kept coming back again and again (though he could’ve easily assigned such trivial matters to any servant!) and flirted with you unbearably long—at least, as much as his status allowed (which, according to dear Maomao, was obscenely too much). Sometimes he grew bold enough to touch your shoulders or your hair (How dare he?), and—worst of all—he made you laugh. A lot.

Maomao snapped out of her thoughts and, deciding for now not to throw a book at the eunuch, smoothly slipped between the two of you, greeting the visitors in a (she tried) friendly manner.

“You’re here again, Lord Jinshi. Could it be that you’ve fallen ill? The sick are supposed to stay in bed and not get up.”

“Oh, not at all, dear Maomao. I’m here merely for a consultation,” Jinshi replied, ignoring the sly remark with his usual refined grace.

“With such burning enthusiasm for consultations, be careful—your manly virtue might awaken again,” Maomao fired back, choosing an especially sharp comment to jab at Jinshi and subtly remind you that he could never be a proper husband, so there was no point in even considering him as one.

“If that is fate’s will, then perhaps I’m destined for another purpose,” Jinshi responded lightly, as always unfazed by her mockery, casting a brief glance in your direction. Maomao’s eye almost twitched.

“But then you’d be dismissed from service. The entire harem would mourn such a loss. You’re of great value to us. If that ever happens, I’m ready to secretly prepare a special decoction just for you,” Maomao said with polite courtesy, omitting the fact that, instead of a decoction, she’d much rather put a hammer to good use. Perhaps to knock something else off the eunuch—like his head.

You watch their bickering closely. Your heart skips a beat with a sudden realization. You bring a hand to your mouth and whisper softly:

“Oh. They’re… madly in love with each other. How did I not see it sooner?”

Gaoshun, standing nearby, became an unwitting witness to your conclusion—and couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. He slowly turned his head, casting a shocked glance at you.

But you noticed nothing, too lost in your own fantasies.

Gaoshun let out a heavy sigh. These young people would drive him insane.

[kanroji-san]

Apollo x Shinobu!Y/n + Kids

Pretty boys = pretty parents

[moonmaiden1996]

The Monster Maomao Created

Slight Yandere Jinshi X Reader- Slight spoilers mentioned. Part two now out

Maomao would never describe herself as malicious or mean. She was not particularly nice, either. She didn’t find herself feeling many emotions—she felt them, of course—but she approached life with a pragmatic detachment.

For example, being kidnapped and sold to the rear palace had been more of an annoyance than a tragedy. Mildly inconveniencing, yes, but at the end of the day, it could have been much worse. The cold, gilded halls of the inner court had become just another backdrop to her daily life, the scent of expensive incense and silk-wrapped bodies blending into the clinical sterility of her world.

Regret was a rare visitor in her mind. She only ever felt it when a particularly sumptuous poison was snatched from her grasp, usually by Jinshi, Gaoshun, or Basen. The lost opportunities to study those delicate toxins still haunted her but now, she felt regret deeply, like a sharp knife pressing against her ribs, unrelenting and suffocating.

She had done this to you. She had put you in the path of an oddly obsessive man-child.

In her mind, she had been right to divert Master Jinshi’s fixation away from herself onto someone more suitable. It was far too dangerous for her to have such an attachment with someone like him. His current position would not remain the same forever. There would be an heir, and Jinshi would gain more freedom—within limits, of course. Maomao wanted to be nowhere near him when that happened. She was perfectly content in the doctor’s office, surrounded by the comforting scent of crushed herbs and aged parchment. With any luck, she might even gain enough favor to begin making medicine herself. After all, the Emperor was always changing the old rules., why should she benefit?

So, she had needed to find a suitable replacement for herself in Jinshi’s heart.

Love was fickle. She had seen for herself how quickly affections could change within the Verdigris House. But love could also be stubborn, clinging on despite adversity. If Jinshi was going to fixate on someone, they had to be capable of enduring his whims. They had to be intelligent—cunningly so. Beauty was a bonus but not essential. Body type seemed unimportant to the man. But there was something that was essential—they had to look at Jinshi in a way that, as Gaoshun had so eloquently put it, resembled looking at a slug.

And, of course, they had to fit his particular inclinations. Maomao knew all too well that Jinshi was a masochist. He delighted in the challenge, in the rejection, in the sting of disdain. It was part of his peculiar set of kinks and fetishes, his deep-rooted craving for resistance that made him all the more insufferable. If he had been the type to be satisfied with adoration, he would have long since picked a consort from the dozens of women who threw themselves at his feet. But no, he wanted the chase, the suffering, the thrill of unattainability. 

Obviously, the women of the rear palace were out of the question. Jinshi was still seen as a eunuch, and the Emperor would not take kindly to him stealing one of his consorts or concubines. The outer palace was also unsuitable—servants fawned over him too easily. Most of the women there were of too low a rank.

That left the imperial palace and the guest residences surrounding it. Visiting royalty, honored guests, and members of the Emperor’s council stayed there. A limited pool, much to Maomao’s relief.

From there, it became a process of elimination. Any woman who took an immediate interest in Jinshi was crossed off her list. Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that his unearthly beauty made him irresistible. Maomao had all but given up hope. She had already started flipping through the books she had given to the high-ranking consorts, mentally preparing herself for the inevitable.

And then it happened.

Jinshi’s encounter with you.

The apothecary could have wept with joy at your apparent disinterest in the Overseer of the Inner Court and Rear Palace. Your eyes barely lingered on his angelic features before shifting to the two young boys running around the garden. The sunlight caught the stray wisps of your hair, giving you an almost ethereal glow, but instead of focusing on the man before you, your gaze softened only when following your younger brother’s laughter. More concerned with your family than a man whose beauty could literally start a war.

That had hurt him.

And that was enough. Maomao could use that.

Slowly but surely, Jinshi became obsessed, and Maomao had helped every step of the way. She had been so happy to be free that she hadn’t realized the monster she was creating.

With her, he had been playful—flirtatious, yes, but in a way that treated her like an amusing pet, a source of entertainment when he was bored. With you, it was different. It was devotion. A consuming obsession.

He found any excuse to be in your presence. Any opportunity to gift you something. He even went so far as to have the absent Moon Prince himself present you with a birthday gift, reveling in the look of barely concealed disgust you tried so hard to mask at the sight of the hairpin, its delicate silver filigree catching the candlelight.

Maomao’s father had warned her not to toy with emotions—they were as unpredictable as poisons, capable of causing unforeseen damage. She was painfully aware of that now, watching as Jinshi’s besotted eyes followed you, his usually composed mask slipping whenever you so much as moved. The intensity of his fixation was suffocating, like a snake coiling tightly around its prey, biding its time while its prey slowly succumbed to the vice like grip.

You sat with your family, the warm glow of the lanterns reflecting off your skin as you softly chastised your unruly brothers, your father watching on with quiet amusement. Jinshi stood in the shadows, a predator watching its prey.

It would not be long before he had you. If Gyokuyou bore a son, there would be very few obstacles left to prevent him from claiming you. Maomao knew there had been several secret meetings between Jinshi and the Emperor. Even your father would be helpless against the Emperor and the Moon Prince's will.

The apothecary frown deepened. Yes, it would happen soon.

And for the life of her, the apothecary couldn’t figure out how to fix what she had done.

Had to get this out my mind. Maybe a smutty one shot coming...

[galaxyfoxes]

Know this that I am laughing as I write this. Platonic yandere besties Jinshi x reader. Reader is older than him she love to watch him suffer with his own feelings on maomao teasing him and totally not giving him fake advice half the time while the other time actually giving him good advice of the female perspective while sipping of her tea and eating the snacks. While also not realizing how much of a platonic yandere he is for her.

This is hilarious! Thank you for requesting this!

Tw: clingy behavior, mentions of guilt tripping, typical yandere behavior

A/n: I've only watched the anime btw

You and Jinshi have been friends for years, and he tells you practically everything that happens within the inner palace, especially the drama between the Consorts. However, something interesting was being brought up, a certain apothecary girl named maomao.

While you knew he charmed many people, he never got attached to any of them, so you were supportive of him finding someone. Especially if they make him flustered.

However, you also secretly hoped it'll get him off your back for a little while since he has the tendency to be very clingy towards you.

In the past, whenever you voiced your concern about him being too clingy. You were met with immediate guilt tripping or him conveniently 'forgetting' the conversation. And since he is much higher ranked than you, it's not like you can really say no to him.

While you can see some of his more light yandere tendencies, most of them are completely hidden from you as he greatly values how you see him. And you usually write the clingy behavior off as him being weird.

He feels extreme jealousy whenever you talk about other people too much. ESPECIALLY if you consider them a friend. You rarely tell him about these people as they are always fired or gone missing under 'mysterious' circumstances.

For a little while, he was too busy spending time with maomao to visit you. While you missed him, it was nice to have a break for once, even if it's short-lived.

After a particularly long time apart, Jinshi insisted you two have tea as he wanted to ask for advice on something. He wanted to know what he could do to win over maomao.

You were confused as women would kill to have a chance with him and that he wouldn't have to try. but you gave some basic advice on how common people flirt and Jinshi listened diligently. After you were you were done giving advice, Jinshi would go back to talking about other topics with you.

you hoestly expected that he'll leave you alone and focus on maomao. But to your surprise, he quickly goes back to his old behavior.

Eventually, he brings maomao to one of your meetups, and you could tell she wasn't an ordinary girl or all that interested in Jinshi. This gave you an idea to play with Jinshi a little.

You started to give him odd ideas on how to get maomao to like him when they obviously wouldn't. One idea was that Jinshi could give maomao a necklace that had a rather odd pendant, and that would get her to like him.

At first, you thought Jinshi wouldn't listen to you because your ideas sounded rather stupid. But to your surprise, Jinshi listened to every one of them though he did pout and whined to you when they obviously didn't work.

The thing is, you always mixed in good advice with the idiotic advice so Jinshi wouldn't fully dismiss your advice.

maomao may even confront you for the bad advice you have been giving Jinshi and get you to stop.

In all honesty, Jinshi is a rather tame platonic yandere that you can trick and fun with without any form of punishment.

[angelltheninth]

Random Fandoms

SFW - The Greek Gods Try to Win Your Heart

NSFW - Realizing Fiyero Is Probably Really Into Being Pussydrunk

SFW and NSFW - Oh Sangwoo as Your Toxic Boyfriend

SFW - Berserk Trio Kissing Headcanons

SFW - Nicknames Percy de Rolo Would Have For You

SFW - Husband!Gun Park Reassures You when You Get Post-Pregnancy Stretch Marks

NSFW - Guts Goes From a Gentle Lover to A Rough One

SFW - Teammates to Lovers with Sung Jinwoo

SFW - Choi Su-Bong Is Your Possessive Boyfriend

NSFW - Levi Ackerman Cleans You Up After Sex

NSFW - Having Sex with Maui

SFW - An Injured Gun Park Asks You to Be His Girlfriend

SFW - Guts Falls in Love with You

SFW - Jin "Jiji" Enjoji Walks You to Class

NSFW - Antinous x Fem!Reader - The Fire in Your Souls

SFW - Giving Sung Jinwoo a Massage

SFW - Morning After with the Greek Gods

SFW - Possessive Yandere CEO Hires You to Be His Secretary

NSFW - Emperor Geta Fucks You During a Feast

NSFW - Oh Sangwoo Marks You Up

NSFW - Hate Sex and Banter with Griffith

NSFW - Male!Kidnappers x Fem!Reader - A Good Girl's Corruption

NSFW - Karlach Eating You Out + Temperature Play

SFW - Sparing and Flirting with Guts

SFW - Kisses for Cover with Dogyeong and Isu Baek

NSFW - Prone Bone with Jinshi

NSFW - Luchino Diruse Loses Control While You're Giving Him a Blowjob

SFW - Coriolanus Snow + Arranged Marriage

SFW - Sung Jinwoo Becomes a Yandere After Getting Stronger

NSFW - Marcus Acacius Wants to Start a Family with You

SFW - Public Affection with Homelander

NSFW - Lucius Verus Breeds You in a Gladiator Cell

SFW - Dating Chat Noir

SFW - Telling Sung Jinwoo That He Means the World to You

NSFW - Solder Boy Bends and Fucks You Over the Table

SFW - Raging when Percy de Rolo and Vax'ildan Get Hurt

NSFW - Making Mickey Barnes a Whimpering Mess

NSFW - Somnophilia with Sung Jinwoo

NSFW - Ao Bing De Fucks You in the Back of the Car

SFW - Public Love Confession from Fiyero Tigelaar

NSFW - Apollo and Hermers + Fingering

SFW - The Love Languages of the Berserk Trio

SFW - First Relationship with Dante, Mary "Lady" Arkham and Virgil

NSFW - Sung Jinwoo Using His Powers to Dominate You During Sex

SFW - Dating a Yandere White Rabbit

NSFW - Size Kink with One Piece Men

SFW - Michael Robinavitch Makes Take a Break From Work

[purplxbuttxrfly]

Request rules

Rules:

▪︎ When ordering please be as specific as possible about what you want (Headcanons, oneshot, scenario, etc.)

▪︎ It is possible that if there is missing information in the order or just if I am not inspired, I do not do it. (Sorry in advance if this is the case🙏)

▪︎ NSFW possible

▪︎ WARNING: I do not write about sensitive subjects like depression, suicide, unless it is part of the past or the personality of the character. Also I will not write yandere x reader or reader!yandere

▪︎ I would write at my own pace.

☆ List of characters :

• Blue Lock. ~ Rin Itoshi ~ Michael Kaiser ~ Isagi Yoichi~ Sae Itoshi~ Nagi Seishiro ~ Riyusei Shidou ~ Yukimiya Kenyu~ Bachira Meguru

• Dr. Stone. ~ Ryusui Nanami~ Stanley Snyder~ Hyoga Akatsuki ~ Ukiyo Sakonji ~ Senku Ishigami ~ Sai Nanami

• Jujutsu kaisen. ~ Gojo Satoru~ Toji Fushiguro~ Inumaki Toge~ Nanami Kento~ Sukuna~ Yuji Itadori

• Wind Breaker. ~ Umemiya Hajime ~ Jo Togame ~ Hayato Suo~ Kaji Ren ~ Sakura Haruka

• Demon slayer. ~ Muichiro Tokito ~ Sanemi Shinazugawa ~ Uzui Tengen ~ Rengoku Kyojuro~ Muzan Kibutsuji

• Tokyo Revengers. ~ Manjiro Sano~ Chifuyu Matsuno ~ Mitsuya Takashi

• Mashle. ~ Rayne Ames ~ Lance Crow

• Assassination Classroom. ~ Karma Akabane~ Nagisa Shiota~ Hiroto Maehara ~ Isogaï.

• My Hero Academia. ~ Bakugo Katsuki ~ Keigo Takami (Hawks)~ Toya Todoroki ( Dabi)

• Attack on Titan ~ Levi Ackerman ~ Armin Arlet

• One Piece. ~ Shanks ~ Ace ~ Zoro

• Horimiya. ~ Akane Yanagi~ Miyamura Izumi ~ Sengoku

• Komi can't communicate. ~ Shosuke Komi ~ Hitohito Tadano

• The apothecary diaries. ~ Jinshi

• Possibilities to make Harry Potter characters among: ~ Draco Malfoy~ Harry Potter ~ Ron Weasley

[donat-senpai]

Yandere!Maomao X Reader X Yandere!Jinshi Please don't read this if you are uncomfortable with the yandere! tw: Jealousy (nothing special anymore)

Part one, Part two

The Letter

"New day – new achievements," you thought as you stepped into the pharmacy at the start of the day. Maomao greeted you. Jinshi and Gaoshun were there as well. You flashed a sly smile at everyone present. Today, you were going to do something that would change your friends' lives forever.

The presence of the harem overseer today was nothing unusual. Once again, Maomao was assisting him with an investigation. You didn't bother with the details. Their cases usually involved deaths and had a rather gloomy air about them.

Maomao was silently jotting down notes when Jinshi, who had been watching her, decided to break the silence. "Are you always this serious?" he asked with a faint smirk.

You perked up your ears.

"Unlike some people, I prefer to work rather than waste time on idle chatter," Maomao replied without looking up.

Jinshi chuckled. "Maybe you should finally try taking a break? They say it helps keep you from going insane with your own thoughts," he mused before shifting his attention to you and winking. Your breath hitched. He smugly thought himself charming for managing to fluster you without even trying.

But you weren’t thinking about him at all. You were busy coming up with a name for the kitten they would surely get once they ended up together.

"Better to go mad from thoughts than from stupidity."

You barely hold back a laugh, covering your face with the wide sleeve of your robe. Watching them is better than any romance novel all the harem girls are obsessed with these days.

Maomao notices your strange expression. She’s about to ask if you’re feeling alright but gets distracted by a servant entering the pharmacy. Not the one you had secretly made arrangements with the day before. But in his hands is the letter.

So, everything should be fine… Right?

No.

He hands the letter to you. The letter that was meant for Maomao.

"This is for you," the servant says obligingly.

"Are you sure?" you ask, alarmed, trying to send him a desperate signal with your twitching eye in a Morse code that has yet to be invented.

But the man nods coolly, shoves the letter into your hand, and leaves—abandoning you to the hell of your own making.

"It must be something important," Maomao says, setting her work aside as she approaches you with interest.

"Oh. No. I'm sure it's something silly," you laugh nervously, trying to hide the letter. But Jinshi gently—yet insistently—plucks it from your grasp.

"I shall read it!" he declares grandly and begins reciting the love letter aloud.

You are utterly mortified, wishing you could burn to ashes on the spot.

"…You have captured my heart."

Jinshi finishes with far less enthusiasm than he started.

"An anonymous love confession," Maomao summarizes dryly.

"Who wrote this?!" Jinshi exclaims, unusually agitated.

"Why are you so flustered?" Maomao glares at him from under her lashes, looking as if she's already considering which poison could take him out without raising suspicion. "Were you planning to confess yourself?"

"I just want to know who dared to write this to my— I mean, our… dear acquaintance," Jinshi barely corrects himself, too upset to choose his words carefully.

"It’s probably just a mistake," you blurt out in panic. Because if Maomao decides that this letter was meant for you from Jinshi… your days are numbered.

"This could be a conspiracy," Maomao concludes, finding her own logic perfectly reasonable.

"A conspiracy?!"

"Yes. To lure them into a meeting and rob them. Or interrogate them. She's connected to you, after all."

At this point, Gaoshun decides to step in.

"I still think… it's just a letter."

You're this close to bursting into tears. Here he is—your savior, the most reasonable of men. But, of course, no one except you is paying him any attention.

"We should interrogate that servant."

"We’ll wait for the sender to reveal themselves."

"NO ONE is going to reveal themselves! Because this was obviously not meant for me!" you shout at them in pure desperation.

The two paranoid lunatics finally fall silent. But not for long.

"Fine. But I’m still going to keep an eye on you. For your own safety," Jinshi says, reaching out in an attempt to touch your face.

A loud slap echoes through the pharmacy. Maomao has smacked his hand away. You feel your soul leave your body.

"Watch over them? What are you, some kind of pervert? I will be watching you—to make sure you don’t do anything stupid," she declares, wrapping her arms around you protectively, shielding you from the dangerous man.

"Enough!" Gaoshun’s patience finally snaps.

This time, the sheer authority in his voice forces the pair to pay attention. The room settles into silence.

"I’ll take the letter to confirm whether it was truly delivered to the right place. You all—get back to work. We don’t have all day, Master Jinshi."

Before leaving, Gaoshun casts a disapproving look your way.

You realize—he knows. You don’t have to worry. He’s got your back. But that doesn’t make you feel any less mortified. You should get him a gift to thank him for the trouble. Maybe then, the emperor will take pity on you and have you executed for something.

"Haha… funny how these things happen," you laugh nervously.

Neither Maomao nor Jinshi are willing to let you go just yet. They seat themselves beside you, one on each side, and begrudgingly return to work.

"The letter idea wasn’t so great after all," you admit to yourself in silent defeat.

[donat-senpai]

I enjoy ur Moamao x reader x jinshi series! I would love a part 3!

Hi, sunshine. Thank you! Appreciate the feedback 💙 (I haven’t replied to requests this fast in a while lmao). Part 3 is ready :3

Yandere!Maomao X Reader X Yandere!Jinshi Please don't read this if you are uncomfortable with the yandere! tw: Jealousy (nothing special anymore) I think this time, more attention was given to Jenshi. I'll try to write about Maomao next time. She's a sunshine and also deserves her happy time with the reader! (ﾉ･ω･)ﾉ

Part one, Part two, Part three

Minute of glory

— You want me to take part in the play? — you ask Jinshi in complete confusion. A thought creeps into your mind: has he lost his mind? As if agreeing with your thoughts, he gives you a confirming nod.

— You know I was assigned to organize the play. This performance is extremely important because the order comes almost directly from the Emperor. Everything has to be perfect. After all, it's a gift from the Emperor to the entire harem. There are only a couple of days left before the performance, but something happened that we weren’t prepared for. A few actors fell ill. Their roles are minor, but still crucial. We can't just remove them from the script, — Jinshi patiently explains the situation while your brain struggles to process it. He looks truly exhausted and tense. Organizing the event must have drained him. You start to feel a bit sorry for him, yet you still can't understand why he came to you with such a request.

— Just replace them with other actors.

— That’s impossible. All the actors are already involved, — Jinshi glanced at Gaoshun, who immediately joined the conversation.

— We also considered casting one of the concubines for the role, but one of the Emperor’s requirements was to keep the play’s storyline a secret until the main performance. We’re not sure whether the chosen concubine would be able to maintain that secrecy.

After Gaoshun’s words, things became a little clearer. You exchanged glances with Maomao. She had been quietly listening the whole time, stirring a mixture with a wooden spoon.

Jinshi took your hand in his and pressed it against his chest. The spoon in Maomao’s hand let out a desperate crack.

— Please, don’t refuse. I don’t know anyone else suited for this role whom I trust as much as you. I promise, everything will go smoothly. I’ll be right there with you. All we need to do is step onto the stage and perform a short dialogue. There’s still time before the performance. We can rehearse, — with each sentence, Jinshi moved closer. You barely noticed, too distracted by your own anxiety.

Performing in such an important play, in front of everyone—it was nerve-wracking. Oh, Emperor! What if you forgot your lines? But Jinshi was so serious, so certain that he would be by your side. Surely, he would help if anything went wrong. Your heart slowly softened. You wanted to help him.

— What’s the role?

— Lovers.

His answer struck like thunder in a clear sky. A loud crack echoed in the room. The poor spoon — it seems to have broken. You cursed internally. You should have suggested Maomao for the role instead. Such a golden opportunity, wasted.

---

You stand on an improvised stage set up in one of the large halls. A couple of eunuchs are busy checking the props. The main cast has gone on a lunch break. Jinshi said that the two of you should practice a few times on your own before joining the final rehearsal with everyone else later today.

Tense, you try to discreetly wipe your sweaty palms on your skirt. You can’t even imagine how you’re supposed to act. You’ve never experienced anything like this before. Unfortunately, no one thought to teach you acting skills between rounds of physical labor. The harem really should reconsider its system.

Right now, you’d gladly trade places with Maomao — not just for the sake of her and Jinshi’s bright future, but for your own peace of mind. You cast a helpless glance at the makeshift audience area. Maomao gives you an encouraging smile, trying to cheer you up. Gaoshun nods approvingly and gives you a thumbs-up. Your attention shifts back to Jinshi, who is patiently waiting. He’s too kind to pressure you, letting you take your time. You promised to help. There’s no turning back now.

Blushing slightly and taking a deep breath, you finally begin to say your lines.

— Ah, my beloved! Is fate not cruel? We come from different worlds! — you sigh dramatically, crossing your arms over your chest.

— Fate? I won’t let destiny decide for us! — With a sly smile, the man takes your hand and leans in, his lips almost brushing against your fingers.

To your surprise, Jinshi slips into his role effortlessly, as if he’s been acting his whole life. Watching his confident performance, you start to relax, feeling a little bolder.

— But what will people say?! What will my father say?! — You pull your hand away, turning your back to him, clenching your fists. Jinshi gently turns you back toward him, reaching for your chin and tilting your face up.

— Let them say what they will… You are all I need.

Maomao, watching the rehearsal, takes a hurried sip of tea, trying to hide the nervous twitch on her face. Was this cursed scene supposed to be this intense?

She knew. She felt it. No actor had actually fallen ill. That wretched eunuch had planned everything from the very start.

— Then… then kiss me, if your feelings are true! — you said, your lips trembling.

Jinshi smiles broadly and slowly leans in closer, enjoying the way Maomao grips her cup tighter. Gaoshun nervously swallows. It seemed like, any moment now, the apothecary might start killing. At the last second, you place your palm on Jinshi's face and suddenly pull back.

— No! I can't! — you cry out dramatically.

Maomao exhales in relief. Jinshi laughs, throwing a brief glance at her. With feigned regret, he delivers the final line.

— What a pity… I really tried so hard.

The eunuchs, who had abandoned their work somewhere during your rehearsal, suddenly clap. They enthusiastically mention that the passion between the lovers was played out so convincingly. Encouraged by their praise, you bow to them gratefully. As you finish, Jinshi places his hand on your shoulder.

— You did wonderfully… So, shall we do it again?

You mentally apologize to Maomao, feeling regret. How did it happen that you stole her shining moment? A crack of glass is heard. The poor cup… It seems to have broken.