Bitberry—Jinzhou's infamous little green menace. Bitter, astringent, and far from appealing. Jiyan had long learned to tolerate it, though. His mother, steadfast in her beliefs, often reminded him, "Those who can endure bitterness will rise above others." So, as a boy, he'd eaten it. As a soldier, he'd accepted it. And as a general, he endured it without complaint.

But what he didn’t expect… was betrayal in the form of a kiss.

The evening was calm, a meeting finally winding down after endless discussion. Jiyan remained composed, ever the respectable leader. But the second he saw you waiting for him at the back of the room, a small, knowing smile crossed his lips.

You stepped forward, all sweetness and innocence. “General,” you whispered just loud enough for him to hear, “before you go… a kiss?”

He didn’t hesitate. Of course he didn’t. You were his peace amidst the chaos. So Jiyan leaned down—graceful, elegant, devoted—ready to offer you a soft kiss.

And then—you did it.

You slipped that cursed bitberry into the kiss.

The taste hit him like a sucker punch. His entire body froze mid-kiss. The faint crunch. That unmistakable bitterness. His eyes opened, and the betrayal was instant. He pulled back slowly, his expression a complex mixture of shock, dismay, and the deepest, most tragic offense.

You? You were already laughing.

Poor Jiyan. All that honor and dignity undone by one sneaky request and a vegetable he thought he had made peace with years ago.

From that day forward, any time you asked for a kiss, he gave you a very long, suspicious look first. He might still kiss you—but not without a thorough check.

Congratulations. The great General now had trust issues. All thanks to your sweet, bitter little prank.