Before him was a blindingly bright light.

He was awake, but it felt as if he wasn’t.

Qin Muye’s mind was still in a fog.

He pushed himself up with one hand, but it met empty air, and he rolled off the sofa onto the floor.

The dull thud and the feel of the wool carpet under his hand left Qin Muye a little dazed.

He looked down and was instantly wide awake.

Qin Muye: "..."

At this moment, the silence was deafening.

A mumbled female voice came from behind him. "What’s wrong?"

Jiang Qingli wasn’t fully awake yet, her voice soft and syrupy.

A roar went through Qin Muye’s head as he snatched a throw pillow and shoved it between his legs.

He said stiffly, "It’s nothing!"

But he got no reply.

Qin Muye took a few deep breaths, then looked back. Jiang Qingli had fallen asleep again, her breathing even.

Qin Muye: "..."

’She sure is a heavy sleeper.’

Qin Muye glanced down, pinched the bridge of his nose, and couldn’t suppress his irritation.

Fuck!

What the hell is this!

In his twenty-one years of life, Qin Muye had never had a dream like this.

What made it even more absurd to Qin Muye was that in the dream, Jiang Qingli had been like a queen, high and mighty, ordering him around at will and even calling him—

"good doggy"?

It was utterly ridiculous! 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

’That wicked female! She must have done something to me while I was asleep. I heard some companies are making devices that can alter the content of dreams.’

Comforting himself with this thought, Qin Muye’s mood improved significantly.

His terminal vibrated.

Qin Muye’s first reaction was to clamp his hand over the terminal and look back to see if Jiang Qingli had been woken up.

The female, dressed in a sky-blue slip dress, turned over. The satin fabric slid like water over her snow-white skin, a sight that could take one’s breath away.

Qin Muye’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he quickly averted his gaze.

’That detestable female. So restless even in her sleep.’

’Once the three-year period is up, I have to divorce her!’

Qin Muye calmed himself by imagining the carefree life of a single man after the divorce, then opened the unread message on his terminal.

A message arrived from someone with the username "AAA Master Lu Pipe Repair": [I didn’t change the contract, did I? I sent it to you for review after I drafted it.]

Qin Muye: [...]

’Just looking at the words is annoying. Like hell I’d review it.’

With a sour look on his face, Qin Muye replied: [Get rid of the part about Spiritual Healing.]

AAA Master Lu Pipe Repair: [Buddy, you should try reading a book sometime. Once the contract is signed, it can’t be changed.]

Qin Muye: "..."

AAA Master Lu Pipe Repair: [Your female is going to give you Spiritual Healing? How come I remember her having a terrible reputation and no spiritual power? Did she have a second awakening? What’s her level? Can she even heal you?]

Qin Muye: [None of your damn business.]

AAA Master Lu Pipe Repair: [Dude, I don’t even want to bring up your contamination level, but I can’t alter the test results for you every time. If you keep holding it in like this, you won’t be able to maintain your human form. If His Majesty finds out, you’re finished.]

Qin Muye: [So what if she finds out.]

Then, without waiting for a reply, he tossed the terminal aside.

He closed his eyes, but dark, suffocating images swirled before him. Qin Muye’s hands, hanging at his sides, clenched into fists, veins bulging.

Countless negative emotions churned in his mind. He felt like a savage beast in a bloody world, wanting to tear something apart to relieve the violence raging within him.

"Qin Muye..."

Footsteps sounded from behind him.

Qin Muye’s self-control was at its limit.

He abruptly reached behind him, grabbed Jiang Qingli, and pinned her to the sofa, his eyes cold and harsh as he gripped her wrist.

Pinned to the sofa without warning, Jiang Qingli’s sleepiness vanished in an instant.

Backlit, she couldn’t make out Qin Muye’s expression, but she saw the snow leopard ears that had suddenly sprouted from the top of his head.

Fluffy and soft.

Under her gaze, the beast ears twitched slightly, as if waiting for her to touch them.

Jiang Qingli reached out unconsciously and gave one a gentle squeeze.

Pinning her down, Qin Muye went rigid. The violence in his eyes quickly faded, and clarity returned.

"You like having your ears touched this much?" Jiang Qingli chuckled slowly. "Wanting a rub first thing in the morning... could this be a little quirk of our dear Prince...?"

"What quirk! There’s no quirk!" Qin Muye abruptly released her and stood up. "Shut up!"

He straightened up and saw Jiang Qingli lying there motionless, her gaze seemingly probing.

Qin Muye felt inexplicably guilty and asked stiffly, "What’s wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Jiang Qingli held out a hand to him. "I’m drained. Help me up."

Looking at the hand reaching for him, Qin Muye was inexplicably reminded of his dream.

In the dream, he was kneeling on the floor, lifting this very hand with the utmost reverence, and then...

He cut the thought short, took Jiang Qingli’s hand, and pulled her to her feet.

Just as she was steady on her feet, there was a knock on the door.

"Is something wrong?" Jiang Qingli asked, raising her voice, thinking it was Yi Nuo.

"Qingli, I heard a noise from in there. Are you okay?" Baili Jing’s worried voice drifted into the room from under the door.

Qin Muye clicked his tongue in annoyance.

’What could possibly happen with me here? He makes it sound like I’m some unforgivable villain.’

’Has that fox spirit been waiting at the door this whole time? He comes running at the slightest disturbance.’

’Even a dog isn’t that eager to show its loyalty.’

"I’m fine," Jiang Qingli replied.

"That’s good." Baili Jing sounded relieved, a gentle smile in his voice. "I’ve already made breakfast. It’s in the dining room. Your favorite, preserved egg and pork congee."

’So the original owner liked this for breakfast.’

’Her tastes are quite similar to mine.’

Jiang Qingli sighed inwardly and answered in acknowledgment.

The bedroom only had Jiang Qingli’s toiletries, so Qin Muye didn’t linger and got up to leave.

He pushed open the door. The person standing outside looked up at the sound.

Baili Jing was wearing a light blue striped shirt today, with the top two buttons undone, revealing a pale collarbone and a silver necklace.

His hair was meticulously styled; every strand screamed sophistication.

Even the way he stood seemed calculated.

Hearing the door open, Baili Jing looked up in pleasant surprise, but his gaze turned cold when he saw it was Qin Muye. He gave a curt nod, a token greeting.

Qin Muye had no pleasantries for this "fox spirit" who acted like the head wife, either. He turned and left.

As he passed Baili Jing, Qin Muye caught a whiff of a crisp, clean scent.

It was similar to the scent on Jiang Qingli.

’He even deliberately uses the same scent as Jiang Qingli. What a suck-up.’

’I would never do something that disgraceful to all males.’

-

「Ten minutes later, in the dining room.」

Jiang Qingli sat at the head of the table, with Qin Muye and Baili Jing seated on either side of her.

Yi Nuo stood diagonally behind her, like a shadow.

It was rare for the dining room to be so crowded, yet it was completely silent, which made Jiang Qingli slow her eating pace.

Baili Jing’s congee was delicious. After Jiang Qingli finished a bowl, he handed her a glass of freshly squeezed juice.

As Jiang Qingli took it, Baili Jing’s fingers gently brushed the back of her hand.

Her fingers trembled, and she lost her grip on the juice, which fell onto the table.

The juice spread quickly, but just as it was about to drip off the edge, it floated in mid-air.

Then, as if held by an invisible hand, the juice stopped flowing.

Yi Nuo then stepped forward and wiped the juice clean.

Jiang Qingli couldn’t help but feel amazed. "Is that your Superpower?"

She remembered Yi Nuo’s Superpower was something like gravity; she never thought it could be used this way.

Yi Nuo nodded. "Mm."

Jiang Qingli reached up to pat his head, her fingers tracing along to his ear as she praised him with a grin, "Well done, good doggy."

The moment those words left her mouth, Qin Muye snapped his head up and stared at Jiang Qingli.