Chapter 34: Chapter 34: This Position Should Have Been Mine

Qin Muye paused on his way to Jiang Qingli.

The normally short-fused Prince had now fallen suspiciously silent.

An uncontrollable blush crept up his pale ears.

As Jiang Qingli watched in confusion, Qin Muye turned his head away, rubbed the back of his neck, and said stiffly, "...I don’t remember."

’He would die before letting Jiang Qingli know how pathetic he’d been as a child, getting beaten up by a mob. He’d just pretend it never happened.’

Jiang Qingli nodded, not expressing any doubt.

She remembered Professor Ye saying that the thoughts of a Beastman who lost control would be chaotic, especially those of a low-level Beastman...

’So, it was probably normal for Qin Muye not to remember.’

’Besides, those memories were too dark. Remembering them would only cause pain. It was better not to.’

Jiang Qingli set aside the gown she’d changed out of for an attendant to collect, then walked out of the lounge with Qin Muye right behind her.

Coincidentally, at that exact moment, the door of the adjacent lounge opened, and a red-haired young man in a black shirt walked out.

"Jiang Qingli?" Chi Yun frowned, his gaze sweeping over her face in astonishment. "What are you doing here?"

Before Jiang Qingli could speak, a cold sneer came from her side. "What’s it to you where she is? And who the hell are you?"

Qin Muye stepped forward, completely shielding Jiang Qingli from view.

His brow furrowed as he stared at Chi Yun in displeasure. "I haven’t even asked you yet. What are *you* doing here?"

Qin Muye was half a head taller than Chi Yun. As he stepped closer, an overwhelming sense of pressure washed over them.

Male Beastmen generally lacked the calm temperament of the females.

Especially when facing other males.

They would instinctively size each other up, trying to assert dominance through sheer presence.

Chi Yun was, of course, no exception.

As an S Level male Beastman, Chi Yun had rarely been outmatched in terms of sheer presence.

But now, standing before Qin Muye, he felt so crushed he could barely breathe, as if he were the prey.

’How could this be? Qin Muye is just a good-for-nothing F Level!’

Chi Yun gritted his teeth, but his voice was unconsciously hushed. "I... I drank too much last night, so I was resting here."

"Is that so?" Qin Muye narrowed his gray-blue eyes.

Chi Yun’s brow furrowed, and he raised his voice. "Is the Prince going to police my drinking habits now, too?"

His voice was full of obvious bravado, and his eyes couldn’t help but dart in Jiang Qingli’s direction.

Qin Muye noticed the subtle movement. His first instinct was to teach the guy a lesson, but a glimpse of the girl’s dress out of the corner of his eye made him forcibly rein himself in. He snapped, "Get lost."

With that, he turned, grabbed Jiang Qingli’s wrist, and started to leave.

Cowed by Qin Muye’s presence, Chi Yun’s feet felt nailed to the floor. All he could do was watch them go.

He saw Jiang Qingli stumble slightly and frown in annoyance. "Why are you walking so fast..."

There was displeasure in her voice, but she wasn’t hitting and cursing like she used to.

’But surely Qin Muye wouldn’t indulge such a pampered little princess, right?’

’It was just a walk. If she couldn’t keep up, wasn’t it because she was a useless weakling with short legs?’

But to his surprise, Qin Muye stopped in his tracks as soon as he heard Jiang Qingli.

He glanced sideways at Jiang Qingli. "Then what do you want? Me to carry you?"

The male’s expression and voice were stiff, but his body instinctively leaned slightly in her direction.

He even gestured with his arms, as if trying to figure out the easiest way to carry her over his shoulder.

Jiang Qingli took a step back, crossing her hands in front of her to make an "X." She stressed, "I can walk on my own."

Qin Muye, who had already placed one hand lightly on Jiang Qingli’s waist, pulled it back at her words. "Suit yourself."

But for the life of him, Chi Yun could have sworn he heard a hint of regret in the Prince’s tone.

After that, the two of them left, one walking in front of the other.

Jiang Qingli walked ahead. Her pace didn’t quicken; it was Qin Muye who changed.

The male, who usually walked with a deadly swagger, now matched her rhythm, following slowly behind her, just a single step away.

Chi Yun stood frozen, watching their figures disappear. Suddenly, he found it hard to breathe.

’How could this be?’

’He’d clearly put a disfiguring drug in Jiang Qingli’s drink last night, so why was her face completely unscathed?’

’And why did Qin Muye come out of her room, acting so familiar with her...?’

’What in the world happened between them?’

Chi Yun recalled their retreating figures, and the sight of Qin Muye’s protectiveness over Jiang Qingli was a particular eyesore.

A voice echoed endlessly in his mind: ’That should have been my spot...’

’His... spot?’

Chi Yun was dazed for a moment before a sharp pain suddenly pierced his mind. He let out a wail as his body slammed heavily to the ground, and he passed out.

-

「The Bai Family Residence.」

Bai Yiyi was nestled in the arms of Ling Qing and another Mermaid Beastman, Mo Yu. With a face mask on, she was reading the message Chi Yun had sent last night.

She was very satisfied that Chi Yun knew what was good for him.

Taming a proud, prickly Beastman into a loyal dog was, without a doubt, a source of great pleasure.

It was just a shame that her "First Love’s Snowy Skin" had been inactive for three weeks. She couldn’t go out and could only use medicine to slowly recover while she waited for the right time to go after Qin Muye and earn more points.

At this thought, Bai Yiyi frowned.

’It was all the fault of that vicious side-character, Jiang Qingli. If it wasn’t for her, how could I have ended up like this?’

’If my face is like this, Jiang Qingli won’t get off easy!’

Bai Yiyi couldn’t wait to see Jiang Qingli be scorned by Qin Muye, so she sent a message to Chi Yun to ask about his progress.

However, Chi Yun didn’t reply.

Instead, the system’s voice rang out in her mind—

[DING!]

[Affection for Strategy Target ’Chi Yun’ has decreased by 10!]

[Penalty: Host Beauty -5! Charm -5! Item ’Slender Jade Physique’ disabled for one week!]

[DING!]

[Affection for Strategy Target ’Qin Muye’ has decreased by 10!]

[Penalty: Host Beauty -5! Charm -5! Item ’White Moonlight’s Natural Lips’ disabled for one week!]

’Affection dropped?! How is that possible?!’

Bai Yiyi’s eyes widened in disbelief, and she froze on the spot.

She felt her body grow heavy. Her once-firm skin loosened, and fat seemed to bulge from beneath her tight slip...

’Slender Jade Physique was disabled!’

Bai Yiyi let out a shriek, pushed Ling Qing away, and dove under the covers, wrapping herself up tightly.

The two Beast Husbands, caught off guard, hurried over. "What’s wrong, Yiyi?" they asked with concern.

"Chi Yun went to the party yesterday, so he must have seen Sister Qingli..." Bai Yiyi forced herself to calm down, her voice trembling. "It pains me just to think they might have met."

"I’m sorry, Ling Qing. Maybe I’m just too petty, but whenever I think about you having been with Sister Qingli, I just..."

"Yiyi!" the proud Ling Qing interrupted. "What are you saying? I can’t speak for anyone else, but the only one I’ve ever loved, from beginning to end, is you! Even during the year I spent with Jiang Qingli, you were the only one on my mind!"

[DING!]

[Affection from Strategy Target ’Ling Qing’ has increased by 2.]

[Affection from Strategy Target ’Yu Chenglan’ has increased by 5.]

[Congratulations, Host. You have received 10 points, available for item redemption.]

Bai Yiyi suppressed a smile, but her tone remained pitiful. "But Sister Qingli still likes you..."

"Is she trying to stir up trouble again?" Ling Qing had reached his limit. "She thinks she can act with impunity just because we signed that contract!"

Just then, Yu Chenglan, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke. "Yiyi, I’ll go teach her a lesson."

"The agreement forbids us from endangering her life, but there’s nothing wrong with a little prank, is there?" He narrowed his eyes in a cold sneer. "I recall that she and I have the same elective on Mondays."

"And when the time comes, I’ll make sure everyone knows what a disgusting and vicious female Jiang Qingli truly is..."