It began with a basket.
A perfectly woven thing, trimmed with tiny wildflowers and soft green vines, sitting patiently on the edge of Chen Ming's bed as if it belonged there.
He frowned.
"I definitely didn't leave that."
The scent of spring teased his nose—fresh petals, warm sunlight, a hint of something sweetly dangerous.
And then:
[System Alert – Divine Invitation Received]Sender: Hanami – Goddess of Fertility & GrowthStatus: Neutral (Potential Ally)Request: Join her for lunch beneath the Petal Blooming TreeLocation: Dreamspace Garden, Fertility DomainReward (???) – Based on 'Performance' and 'Emotional Resonance'[Caution: This goddess specializes in emotional manipulation and innocence-based seduction. Proceed with... curiosity?]
Chen grinned as he ran his fingers along the basket's handle. "Innocence, huh?"
He chuckled.
"We'll see about that."
Dreamspace Garden – 1:11 PM
The world shifted as he stepped in—warping not violently, but gently. Like waking from a dream and falling into another.
The air was warm, thick with the fragrance of wild blooms. Petals drifted on an unseen breeze, slow and deliberate, as though dancing just for him. At the garden's heart stood a single massive cherry blossom tree, its bark silver-streaked and gnarled with ancient age, its limbs heavy with pink blooms that pulsed with faint, divine light.
And beneath it—She waited.
Hanami.
Her beauty was the soft kind, the kind that bloomed unnoticed until it was too late. A flowing spring dress hugged her curves with playful grace. Her hair, long and a shade of blushed sunrise, was braided loosely and laced with petals. Lilac eyes sparkled with feigned shyness as he approached.
"Chen Ming," she breathed, her voice like a bell rung over honey. "You came."
He raised an eyebrow. "You invited me."
"I wasn't sure you would. The Moon is possessive. And the War Goddess… intense." She looked away, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. "I'm not like them. I don't want to fight over you."
[Lie Detected – Moderate Subtlety][Effectiveness: 83% on naïve targets | 28% on system hosts][Passive: 'Lunar Claim' & 'Wisdom 97%' – Charm Immunity Active]
Chen sat across from her, folding his legs casually. His gaze never left hers.
"So you don't want to claim me like they do?"
Hanami blinked, then smiled, sweet as nectar. "I just want to nourish you."
With graceful fingers, she opened the basket.
Inside: rice balls wrapped in moonleaf, pastries dripping in syrup, sun-ripened fruits, and nestled among them—several strawberries coated in shimmering pollen.
[Item Identified: Love-Fruit of Blooming Spring]– Heals fatigue– Boosts stamina– Mild arousal effect– Consuming three initiates "Ritual of Fertile Unity" (!!!)
Chen arched a brow. "You sure you're not trying to seduce me?"
Her eyes widened. "Seduce? No! I'm just feeding you."
[She is, in fact, trying to seduce you.][System Passive: Erotic Instinct – Activated]Host has entered a Fertility Zone. Libido increasing.
He took a rice ball, bit into it. The flavor was light, floral, and almost suspiciously perfect.
Hanami giggled and leaned in, plucking a strawberry. "May I?"
Chen leaned back, amused. "Go ahead."
She brought it to his lips. Their fingers brushed. A charge passed between them.
[Affection +6%][Desire +12%][Status: Arousal Masked as Innocence]
"You know," he murmured, lips brushing the juice from his mouth, "you're really bad at pretending to be shy."
She gasped—and then pouted. "I'm not pretending…"
But her body betrayed her.
She pushed him gently down onto the blanket, her limbs flowing with practiced ease as she settled atop his lap. Her weight was feather-light, but her hips rolled, just slightly, just enough.
Her voice dropped to a breathy whisper. "I just… like the build-up."
[Desire Clash Initiated – Hanami vs. Chen Ming]Strategy Detected: "Innocent Overwhelm"Host Reaction: Amused. Aroused. Holding Back.
"Chen," she said, lowering her face to his, "I don't want to own you like Ye Yue. I just want to plant something inside you. A little seed of affection…"
She licked his ear.
"…Maybe more than one."
[ALERT: Ritual of Fertile Unity – 70% Initiated]Proceeding will trigger Dreamstate IntercourseChance of Divine Conception: 87%Potential Reward: Fertility Blessing – Passive Charm Growth
Chen chuckled—and flipped her.
A delighted squeak escaped her lips as he pinned her to the petals, her hair splaying around her like a flower in bloom.
"You're a sneaky little blossom, Hanami."
She bit her lip. "You're not mad?"
"Mad?" He leaned in until their mouths barely touched. "I'm impressed."
And then he kissed her.
The sweetness melted. What began as spring rain turned into a storm—her legs wrapping around him, her breath hitching as the ritual completed in a tangle of sighs and blooming petals.
Afterward
The air shimmered with spent magic.
Petals rained down like silk snow as they lay tangled in each other's arms beneath the great tree, the sky now painted with the warm hues of divine twilight.
Hanami rested her head on his chest, her voice barely louder than the breeze.
"You're not like the others," she whispered. "You don't chase. You draw."
Chen smiled faintly, fingers tracing idle patterns along her bare back.
"And you," he murmured, "aren't nearly as innocent as you pretend."
She giggled.
"I never said I was pure. I just said I wasn't like them."
[New Harem Member Added: Hanami – Goddess of Fertility 🌸]Status: Emotionally BondedJealousy Level: Low (for now)Passive Effect Gained: Regeneration during rest + Lust GrowthReward: Fertility Blessing (Passive)– Charisma +10%– Divine Pregnancy Chance +200%– Flowers bloom when you climax. Yes. Really.