Chapter 18: Chapter 18: What Can You Teach Dressed Like That?

Being stared at so intently by three men made Jiang Qingli’s scalp crawl, and she silently cursed Ye Linyuan in her head.

’I told him to stay put. It would have been one thing if he’d just ignored me, but of course he had to stir up trouble.’

Thinking fast, Jiang Qingli put on a perfectly straight face. "Oh, well, you see, I haven’t been to the academy in two months, and there’s just so much I don’t understand. I wanted to ask Professor Ye... to tutor me."

After she finished, even she thought it was the perfect excuse, and her chin lifted unconsciously.

Only to be met with a cold scoff.

"So this is how an honorary professor from the Royal Empire College dresses for a private tutoring session."

With his arms crossed, Qin Muye leaned against the wall, his gaze brazenly sweeping over Ye Linyuan’s slightly damp hair, his loose bathrobe, and the hand resting on Jiang Qingli’s waist. Contempt flashed in his grayish-blue eyes.

"What sort of ’proper’ lessons can be taught like that?"

"Anyone who didn’t know better might mistake Professor Ye for being in the service industry."

Ye Linyuan raised a brow, his voice low and cold. "You sound very familiar with it. A frequent customer, are you?"

Qin Muye, still young and hot-headed, was instantly triggered. "You—! Who are you calling a frequent customer! I’ll fucking—!"

As he raised his voice in fury, his eyes subconsciously darted to Jiang Qingli, checking for her reaction.

Qin Muye’s public reputation was terrible.

Over the years, he’d never once cared about the slanderous rumors people made up about him.

But in this moment, he was afraid Jiang Qingli would actually believe the insinuation and think he wasn’t... clean.

Jiang Qingli was completely oblivious to his inner turmoil and just tried to diffuse the situation. "You all seem to know each other so well. Why don’t you go have a nice long chat about it?"

Ye Linyuan: "..."

Qin Muye: "..."

Qin Muye let out a bitter laugh.

’I must be going crazy,’ he thought. ’Why do I even care what Jiang Qingli thinks?’

’We’re getting a divorce in three years anyway. What does it matter what she thinks of me?’

’And I was even worried about her, thinking that incident in shooting class might have affected her, so I came to check in.’

’I must have had nothing better to do.’

The tense atmosphere lingered for a moment before Baili Jing finally spoke.

"Professor Ye is such a busy man. How could we possibly impose?"

Baili Jing had been watching the other two bicker from the sidelines. When they finished, he hooked his finger around the girl’s, bending down to look at her. "Qingli, I graduated with straight A’s last year, too. Let me teach you, okay?"

"It’s still early. Whatever you want to learn, I can teach you..."

He lowered his gaze, his lips, still glistening with moisture, parting slightly. His long, narrow eyes squinted, and his tone was a near-honeyed coaxing.

But the strength of his grip on her finger was domineering, allowing no resistance.

This contrast made Jiang Qingli feel an instinctual sense of danger.

Behind them.

Qin Muye’s brows were tightly knitted.

He couldn’t see Baili Jing’s expression, but the sound of his voice alone was enough to annoy him.

’He’s just teaching her shooting, but he’s acting like it’s something else entirely.’

’And that voice... so damn affected.’

’Phony.’

"Like he’s the only one who can teach?" Qin Muye grumbled, inexplicably irritated. "I can do it too."

"Weren’t you tired, Your Highness?" Baili Jing reminded him pointedly. "You should go rest. I’m all that’s needed to take care of Qingli."

"She’s mine," Ye Linyuan said, his voice cold and his words decidedly uncivil. "All of you, piss off."

Jiang Qingli: "..."

’How did the situation, which I’d just barely gotten under control, go right back to square one?!’

"All of you, out!" Jiang Qingli insisted. "I’ll just study by myself."

She swatted Ye Linyuan’s hand away and tried to push him out the door.

But he was like a wall of solid iron, unmoving.

Annoyed, Jiang Qingli was just about to say something when her terminal rang.

"I have to take this," Jiang Qingli said, looking terribly busy as she hit the ’accept’ button.

"Jiang Qingli!"

The furious male voice sounded particularly jarring in the quiet room.

The shout left Jiang Qingli momentarily stunned.

When she glanced at the caller ID, she was surprised to see it was Ling Qing.

On the other end of the line, Ling Qing, sounding as if he’d completely lost his mind, spoke in an icy, harsh tone, "Jiang Qingli, you listen to me and you listen good. No matter what tricks you pull, I will never fall for you. Cut out your pathetic little schemes. If I find out you’ve gone after Yiyi again, I’ll—"

Before he could finish, a delicate voice interrupted, "Ling Qing, stop it. Sister Qingli didn’t do it on purpose. She was just... Chi Yun, what do you think?"

"I..." Chi Yun’s voice held a surprising note of hesitation.

"Yiyi, you’re just too kind! That’s why she gets away with hurting you time and time again! If it weren’t for her, would you have gotten hurt today?" another Beast Husband raised his voice. "You’re our treasure, and we have to protect you."

Deeply moved, Bai Yiyi called out their names.

On her end of the line, Jiang Qingli was utterly bewildered. "..."

’Wait, what the hell?’

’Bai Yiyi getting injured was her own damn fault. What does that have to do with me?’

’Am I just a prop in their little roleplay session?’

’They just drag my name into it whenever they feel like it. Am I just some kind of tool to spice up their love life?’

Hearing them on the other end about to start their cooing and billing, Jiang Qingli reached her limit.

She took a deep breath and said with a sweet smile, "Yiyi, you’re overthinking things. I have someone new with me now. I haven’t been interested in secondhand goods for a long, long time."

And with that, Jiang Qingli hung up.

Back in Bai Yiyi’s room, the atmosphere turned strangely silent after that "secondhand goods" remark.

Bai Yiyi pressed her lips together, suspicion flashing in her eyes.

Her five Beast Husbands had always claimed that Jiang Qingli had never touched them.

’But they’d been with Jiang Qingli for a year. Had they really... not?’

"She’s trying to sow discord!" the Mermaid Beastman, Yu Chenglan, said indignantly. "She’s just jealous of you, stuck with a few inferior Beast Husbands herself..."

Hearing the phrase "inferior Beast Husbands," Bai Yiyi’s mood improved considerably.

’That’s right,’ she thought. ’Jiang Qingli is jealous.’

Bai Yiyi chuckled lightly and turned to Chi Yun. "Chi Yun, it’s a good thing you were there to protect me today. Sister Qingli was so scary..."

She reached out to hug Chi Yun, only to find him somewhat stiff.

[DING!]

A mechanical voice sounded in her head.

[Warning! Affection from Target Chi Yun has decreased by 3! Please be advised, Host!]

Bai Yiyi’s eyes widened in surprise.

Chi Yun had been the easiest of the five Beast Husbands to win over. Ever since she’d linked with the Guidance System, Bai Yiyi had captured his heart with very little effort. Why would his affection suddenly drop?

’Could it be... because of Jiang Qingli?’

Bai Yiyi lowered her eyes, a cold glint passing through them.

-

In the end, Jiang Qingli chose Qin Muye to warm her bed... ah, no, to keep her company.

Ye Linyuan was too dangerous, and Baili Jing knew the original owner of her body too well.

Qin Muye, however, had rarely interacted with the original owner and was bound to her by a contract, making him the safer option.

Before she closed the door, Baili Jing held her hand reluctantly. "Then... good night."

Jiang Qingli nodded, her lips curving. "Good night."

Baili Jing didn’t miss the look of relief in her eyes.

’She so rarely smiles at me, and it’s because she’s getting rid of me.’

Baili Jing gave a helpless tug at the corner of his lips.

He lifted his eyes and looked at Qin Muye, who was sitting inside.

Qin Muye was sprawled on the sofa like he was the lord of the manor, verbally nudging Jiang Qingli, "Hurry up."

Sensing Baili Jing’s gaze, Qin Muye raised a brow and gave him a deliberately provocative smirk.

Baili Jing’s smile didn’t falter, but when he closed the door, he used extreme force.

SLAM—

Thinking about how the other two Beast Husbands had fought tooth and nail while he swooped in to claim the prize, Qin Muye smirked in triumph.

’A couple of useless fools.’

"What are you smiling about?" Jiang Qingli asked, sitting down next to him.

As the girl suddenly drew near, her fresh, pleasant scent enveloped him.

Qin Muye froze. His previous smugness evaporated, replaced by a tension he himself hadn’t even noticed.

But Jiang Qingli, completely oblivious, leaned in even closer.

She placed her hands on his shoulders, her beautiful face slowly drawing near.

Her bright, clear eyes, sparkling like a sky full of stars, met his, and he could see his own reflection in their depths.

Qin Muye’s heart practically stopped.

"Qin Muye."

He heard her speak his name, her clear voice carrying an undertone of command.

"Your ears. Out."

’On what grounds?’

’A Beastman’s traits are private! Does she think she can just order me to show them?!’

Just as Qin Muye was about to refuse, the ears on top of his head popped out, completely against his will.

Qin Muye: "..."

’These damn ears! Why won’t they listen to me!’

He gritted his teeth, and just as he was about to retract them, the girl’s slender, pale fingers pinched a fuzzy ear tip.

Qin Muye’s pupils quaked.

’What is she doing?!’

’Does she even know? Touching a Beastman’s ears is a mating proposal!’