After Failing to Win Over the Gloomy Villain

★ A carefree little ray of sunshine who holds a grudge sometimes VS a gloomy, devoted man who puts up with everything

You won't know how deep a river is until you wade into it.

You won't understand the maddening devotion of a yandere until you try to win one over.

Qiao Mu considers herself an advanced otome game player, but one day she transmigrates into a novel as the female lead's rival and falls hard for the obsessive villain who is infatuated with the heroine.

After three years of failing to win the villain over, she takes off her title with her own hands and throws it on the ground, then stomps on it twice.

Qiao Mu spreads her hands. "I guess I'm not cut out for this. I've been single since birth."

"System! Change the mission!"

[Host, are you really sure? Xie Yinchen is just wary/slow to catch on/secretly flirtatious/and a little too devoted. You're so close to winning.]

Almost fooled, Qiao Mu glances at his affection level. "To hell with his devotion!"

After the mission fails, the System switches modes to "raising" at her request.

From then on, an exceptionally gifted workaholic artificer appears in the cultivation world.

Sect Leader: "The prodigal has turned over a new leaf. My heart is greatly comforted."

Senior Brother: "I'm glad I never gave up on her."

Qiao Mu: "When I was little, my dream was to have a robotic cat. Now my dream is to become one."

Years later, the once obscure little sect becomes famous far and wide, and the lost girl who once made people sigh eventually becomes a great artificer and a tycoon in the cultivation world.

The System has fulfilled its mission and retired. It lounges on the roof, sunbathing, occasionally glancing at the once fearsome Demon Lord, now sitting obediently beside the girl.

[Host, Xie Yinchen's affection level is completely full. Would you like to take on the other mode too?]

Qiao Mu closes her eyes and lounges comfortably in a wicker chair.

"No. He should get a taste of love's misery."

*

Xie Yinchen's parents gave their lives for the righteous path, yet instead of receiving the sympathy he deserved, he was secretly ostracized by his own clan. They stole his position as sect leader, took his family estate, crippled his spiritual roots, and treated him like a house dog.

After suffering one humiliation after another, the only person to show him kindness was a woman passing by.

Later, one thought turned him to the demonic path, and he became the Demon Lord whom everyone wanted to kill, branded unfilial and unrighteous.

Xie Yinchen scoffed at it all and focused on taking back what belonged to him, including that woman.

But on his way to abduct her, a little girl who couldn't even fly a sword blocked his path.

"Xie Yinchen, are you going to abduct someone? Don't go. You can't beat the male lead."

The girl is full of spirited confidence as she gestures toward his chest.

Xie Yinchen's expression turns sinister. That's where a blue mark appeared for no reason last night.

Could this woman have put a spell on him?

"An immortal gave me a sign. Since this mark appeared, it means you're my fated person. So, Xie Yinchen, don't go. I'll come back with you."

Xie Yinchen takes the girl back to the Demon Hall, wanting to see what tricks she has up her sleeve.

Unexpectedly, three years pass and all the girl does is treat him well. At last, Xie Yinchen, who had been certain she had an ulterior motive, begins to waver.

Perhaps...

At last, he wants to take the hand reaching out to him.

But the girl suddenly pulls open his lapel and looks at his smooth chest, visibly relieved.

"Xie Yinchen, look. The mark is gone. You're no longer my fated person."

"I'm leaving, Xie Yinchen. Don't fight that person in the future. Listen to good advice and you'll have enough to eat."

The girl leaves without looking back.

Xie Yinchen is dazed for days.

When he finally leaves the Demon Hall, his face is pale and his eyes are bloodshot. He looks like an asura from hell, yet his eyes brim with tenderness and affection.

"Mu Mu, it's time to come home."

Reader's guide:

1. The cultivation setting follows the one in The Female Demon Lord. There are lots of original additions.

2. Although the heroine fails to win the male lead over in three years, she never gives him her heart and picks up plenty of items along the way, laying the groundwork for her to raise an artificer. So this isn't a wife-chasing crematorium story, just a long road to winning her back.

Theme: Give sincerity, receive sincerity.