My Spirit Farm Is A Love Magnet

The farmhouse was eerily quiet when Liu Fei returned, the wooden door creaking as she stepped inside. Her lantern flickered, casting long, wavering shadows across the room. The injured man still lay on the straw mattress, his dark robes even darker with dried blood. His breathing was shallow but steady, and the faint glow of the strange markings on his chest pulsed softly in the dim light.

"Host," the system chirped, its cheerfulness a stark contrast to the somber atmosphere, "mission progress: Moonshade Leaves successfully acquired. Suggested next steps: prepare a poultice and apply to wounds."

Liu Fei set the satchel of herbs on the table and slumped into a chair, her body sagging with exhaustion. "You make it sound so easy," she muttered. "How am I supposed to make a poultice? I'm not exactly an apothecary."

"Host possesses sufficient materials and basic knowledge," the system replied. "Initiating step-by-step guidance."

Liu Fei groaned but dragged herself upright, rummaging through the few supplies she had. The system's translucent screen popped up in front of her, displaying a detailed recipe for a basic healing poultice. Each instruction was annoyingly precise, and she wondered for a fleeting moment if the system took sadistic pleasure in her predicament.

The process was painstaking. First, she had to crush the Moonshade Leaves into a fine paste using a mortar and pestle she found buried under a pile of dusty kitchenware. Her arms ached from the effort, each grind of the pestle reminding her of how much she hated manual labor.

"Step two: Combine crushed leaves with clean water and stir until a smooth consistency is achieved," the system instructed.

"Clean water?" Liu Fei glanced at the murky contents of her water jug. "Define clean."

"Recommendation: Boil water before use to ensure purity," the system replied.

With a sigh, she set about boiling the water over the small hearth. The flames flickered weakly, and she had to stoke them repeatedly with bits of wood scavenged from around the farmhouse. While waiting for the water to boil, she allowed her eyes to wander to the stranger on the mattress. His face, though pale and drawn, was striking—a balance of sharp angles softened by an otherworldly beauty. The faint glow of the markings on his chest gave him an almost ethereal quality, and she found herself wondering who he really was.

"Host," the system interjected, "prolonged observation is unnecessary. Focus on task completion."

"I'm multitasking," Liu Fei shot back, stirring the boiling water.

By the time she mixed the paste, her eyelids were drooping, and every muscle in her body screamed for rest. The paste's aroma was faintly soothing, its bluish tint shimmering under the lantern light.

"Host, poultice preparation complete. Effective duration: eight hours. Suggested action: Apply immediately to prevent further deterioration of the patient's condition."

Liu Fei wiped her hands on her apron and glanced at the man on the mattress. His injuries looked even worse under the light, the deep gashes crisscrossing his chest and arms. She hesitated for a moment before kneeling beside him, the bowl of poultice balanced precariously in her hands.

She started with the wound on his chest, dabbing the poultice onto the glowing markings that radiated heat. His skin was warm under her touch, and for a brief moment, she wondered just how much of him was human.

"This would be a lot easier if you weren't so… big," she muttered, leaning closer to reach a deeper gash near his shoulder.

The man stirred, his golden eyes fluttering open. Liu Fei froze, her hand hovering mid-air as his gaze locked onto hers. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence thick with tension.

"You're awake," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

His lips quirked into a faint smirk. "And you… are a foolish human."

Liu Fei bristled, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Excuse me? You're the one who crash-landed on my farm and brought who-knows-what kind of trouble with you. You should be thanking me."

He chuckled softly, though the motion made him wince. "Thank you, then, for your valiant efforts."

She glared at him but resumed applying the poultice, her movements brisk and efficient. "You could at least try to lie still," she muttered.

"Your bedside manner is lacking," he said, the faintest flicker of amusement in his voice. But there was something else in his eyes, a flicker of appreciation that made Liu Fei's cheeks warm despite herself.

As she worked, Liu Fei found herself studying him more closely. His features were almost unnaturally perfect, the kind of face that belonged to a painting or a dream. The glowing sigils on his chest intrigued her, their intricate patterns pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.

"Who are you?" she asked, unable to stop the question from slipping out.

His gaze shifted to the ceiling, his expression unreadable. "No one of importance."

"That's a terrible answer," Liu Fei said, dabbing at a wound on his arm. "People don't just fall out of the sky with glowing runes and survive an attack by shadow monsters."

"Perhaps I'm lucky," he said, a hint of sarcasm coloring his tone.

"Or cursed," she muttered under her breath, earning another soft chuckle from him.

By the time she finished, her hands were trembling from fatigue. She sat back on her heels, surveying her work with a mixture of pride and relief. The poultice covered the worst of his wounds, and though she wasn't sure how effective it would be, it was better than nothing.

"There," she said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You're patched up. Try not to die, okay?"

He smiled faintly, his golden eyes heavy-lidded. "I'll do my best, foolish human."

Liu Fei rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the small smile tugging at her lips. She glanced around the room, realizing with a sinking feeling that there was only one mattress.

Liu Fei dragged a blanket from a nearby shelf and spread it out on the floor, the cold wooden planks doing little to soften the harsh reality of her new sleeping arrangement.

"You're giving up your bed for me?" the stranger asked, his voice laced with amusement.

"Don't get used to it," Liu Fei grumbled, settling onto the makeshift bed. "You're still a freeloader."

He chuckled softly, his voice trailing off as exhaustion overtook him. Liu Fei lay staring at the ceiling, her thoughts a jumble of questions and worries. Who was this man? Why had he come here? And what kind of danger had she invited onto her farm?

"Host," the system chimed softly, "mission completed. Reward: +8 Spirit Points. Current total: 18 Spirit Points."

"Great," Liu Fei mumbled, her eyes already closing. "Wake me up if another demon crashes through the roof."

And with that, exhaustion finally claimed her.