Chapter 29: Chapter 29: This Damned Green Tea

Caught completely off guard, Jiang Qingli choked on his words and coughed several times.

"Eat slower." Baili Jing gently patted her back, waiting for her to recover before adding, "I was just saying that this dress suits you very well."

His expression was serious, and his eyes reflected only her.

Jiang Qingli didn’t miss the cunning glint that flashed in his eyes.

’She was growing more certain that he definitely knew something.’

’She also had a strange feeling.’

’As if this wasn’t the first time she had fallen for his tricks...’

’A few images of similar situations seemed to flash through her mind, but when she tried to grasp them, the memories slipped away like quicksand through her fingers.’

Jiang Qingli just hummed in agreement, but she edged away from Baili Jing and quickened her pace.

When they arrived at the banquet hall, an attendant quickly led them inside.

They had only taken a few steps when a male Beastman in a gray formal suit came striding toward them menacingly.

Jiang Qingli called out his name, "Qin Muye?"

Qin Muye stopped in his tracks. His face, which had been etched with annoyance just a moment ago, instantly softened.

As he drew closer, he could see her more clearly.

She wore only simple makeup, her face fair and pristine. Her crystal-clear eyes were beautiful, and her delicate eyelashes fluttered as she looked his way.

Like a butterfly gently flapping its wings in his chest, Qin Muye felt a slight tickle in his heart.

For a moment, Qin Muye was speechless.

Seeing him silently staring at the hem of her dress, Jiang Qingli raised her chin a bit smugly. "This dress is beautiful, isn’t it?"

She even took a few steps to show it off.

The tiny diamonds on the gown glittered brilliantly under the bright lights. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

But Qin Muye didn’t even notice the dazzling jewels. He stared at Jiang Qingli’s profile, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

A few seconds later, Qin Muye snapped out of it and sharply turned his face away.

He curled his lip, his tone stiff. "...It’s just average."

Jiang Qingli didn’t like that. "Try again."

Under her completely non-threatening stare, Qin Muye’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. "...It’s alright."

Jiang Qingli was barely satisfied. "Now that’s a good boy."

She looked from side to side and happened to see Lin Xiyue approaching.

Jiang Qingli’s eyes lit up, and she waved at Lin Xiyue.

Because of this, she missed the sight of Qin Muye’s beet-red ear tips.

Qin Muye stared unblinkingly at Jiang Qingli’s hair and waist, his heart pounding so fast he almost felt dizzy.

’She had called him a "good boy" again.’

’He hated it when people used that tone on him, like they were training a dog.’

’But her enunciation was so crisp... it was impossible to hate it coming from her...’

Nearby, Baili Jing, who had been silent all this time, took in every one of Qin Muye’s expressions and actions.

Baili Jing raised an eyebrow.

’An onlooker sees things most clearly. He could tell Qin Muye was developing feelings for Jiang Qingli.’

’But so what?’

’He had no intention of pointing it out, much less playing matchmaker.’

’It would be best if Qin Muye never figured it out and just divorced Jiang Qingli in three years.’

’Their female master only had so much attention to give. It was better to have one less person to share it with.’

Jiang Qingli didn’t notice that her two Beast Husbands were each lost in their own thoughts.

She was busy listening to Lin Xiyue chatter on about the latest school gossip.

"Have you heard?" Lin Xiyue took a bite of a macaron and lowered her voice. "Du Xixi is transferring to a school in the Third District!"

’Du Xixi was transferring?’

’That was highly irregular.’

’Du Xixi was born a noble. She wouldn’t be transferred unless she’d made some major mistake.’

"Her mother was demoted," Lin Xiyue said. "Remember how she was in charge of producing a batch of military equipment? Well, last night, Her Majesty the Empress received a tip that her mother embezzled ten percent of the funds during production... How could anyone let that slide?"

"If this had happened ten years ago, right after Her Majesty the Empress ascended the throne, she would’ve had the whole family executed and their corpses flogged," Lin Xiyue shrugged. "But to save themselves, her family handed over ninety percent of their assets. I guess we won’t be seeing Du Xixi around anymore."

Jiang Qingli nodded.

’Du Xixi was always trying to use her as a pawn, which made her thoroughly unlikeable. There was no reason to sympathize with her downfall.’

’But the news left Jiang Qingli with a faint sense of unease. She had a feeling it had something to do with her.’

As she was pondering this, a waiter passed by.

He was carrying a tray with two glasses of wine, but as he passed Jiang Qingli, his body suddenly lurched to the side.

Just as the wine was about to spill, another server nearby stumbled into him with a contorted twist, forcefully altering the waiter’s fall.

The wine splashed all over the floor, soaking the hems of several guests’ clothes.

Complaints erupted as the two servers scrambled to their feet, bowing and apologizing profusely.

The waiter with the wine said in a trembling voice, "I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry! My foot slipped... I really didn’t do it on purpose..."

Qin Muye’s brows furrowed. "And you say it wasn’t on purpose?"

’He had clearly seen it with his own eyes! The waiter had snuck two glances at Jiang Qingli before "falling" in her direction!’

’If that other server hadn’t intervened, he would’ve sent the man flying with a kick!’

The server lifted his ashen face. "Prince, I really didn’t do it on purpose! I beg you, don’t punish me!"

He looked at Jiang Qingli with a pitiful expression. "Miss Jiang, please don’t be angry. I beg you, ask the Prince to let me go. I’ll do anything..."

Qin Muye: ...

’This damn two-face! All he knows is how to suck up to females!’

During the standoff, a woman’s voice came from behind them. "I heard a server spilled some wine. My sincerest apologies. I have failed to manage my staff properly..."

Qin Muye turned to see the newcomer, his brow furrowing. "Qin Shu?"

Lin Xiyue looked at the newcomer with admiration, giving a small curtsy. "Good evening, Senior Sister Qin."

’That name, Qin Shu, sounded very familiar.’

’Was she a relative of Qin Muye?’

Just as the question popped into Jiang Qingli’s head, Baili Jing leaned close and whispered in her ear, "Qin Shu is Qin Muye’s older cousin and Her Majesty the Empress’s niece. She’s an S Level Attack System user, a fifth-year student, and the president of the Melt Star Association."

’The Melt Star Association?’

Jiang Qingli had a vague recollection.

There were many student organizations within the Royal Empire College, but two were the largest and served to counterbalance each other.

One was the Student Council, and the other was the Melt Star Association.

The Student Council was the traditional organization, responsible for overseeing and establishing the rules within the college. Its members were mostly descendants of Ministers of Administration, and they leaned toward tradition, revering supreme power and autocracy.

The Student Council had produced many famous figures. Several past Emperors had once served as its president, and many ministers had held key positions within it during their youth.

The Student Council’s rival was the Melt Star Association.

The Melt Star Association was a student organization that had risen to prominence twenty years ago. Its members didn’t focus on bloodlines, prizing Superpowers instead.

The most famous figure associated with the Melt Star Association was its founder—the only female in the entire interstellar space to possess three top-tier Superpowers—the current ruler, Her Majesty the Empress, Qin Shiyi.

The current president of the Melt Star Association was the Empress’s niece, Qin Shu.

Qin Shu had beautiful, smooth silver hair. She bore a slight resemblance to Qin Muye in her eyes and brows, but her features were gentler, and her blue eyes were like a bottomless ocean.

Her gaze swept over Jiang Qingli, and a small smile touched her red lips. "Miss Jiang, what a coincidence. I was just looking for you."

Qin Shu’s posture was polite, but it couldn’t hide the deep-seated arrogance of a royal.

Qin Muye couldn’t stand that superior air of theirs.

He took a step forward, shielding Jiang Qingli behind him. "What do you want with her?"

"This is a conversation between us females. It’s not for males like you to interrupt." Qin Shu raised an eyebrow, her attitude cold and proud.

Before Qin Muye could answer, she turned her gaze back to Jiang Qingli. "May I, Miss Jiang?"

When speaking to Jiang Qingli, her attitude did a complete one-eighty. Her tone shifted from icy to gentle, as if she were afraid of frightening her.

Jiang Qingli nodded. "You may."

The two walked out to a terrace and sat on a low bench.

Jiang Qingli got straight to the point. "Miss Qin, what did you wish to speak with me about?"

Qin Shu leaned back, took a sip of wine, and a slight smile played on her red lips. "Miss Jiang, how is the recovery of your Superpower coming along?"