Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Sister-in-law, So Fragrant

Their gazes met in mid-air.

Jiang Qingli hadn’t expected to be caught, and it was a little awkward. But if she looked away now, wouldn’t it be obvious she’d been staring?

She didn’t want Yuan Shimo to think she was that interested in him and get the wrong idea.

After a moment’s thought, Jiang Qingli calmly lifted her hand and gave him a little wave.

It was as casual as if she were greeting someone she’d bumped into on the street.

The young man froze for a second, as if he hadn’t expected that. The corners of his mouth tilted up slightly before he quickly suppressed the smile.

His expression reverted to one of gentle, aloof dignity as he turned and said something to the professor.

"Whoa, your husband is the TA!"

Lin Xiyue had spotted Yuan Shimo too, and she leaned in to whisper in amazement.

When she didn’t get a reply, she turned and saw Jiang Qingli frowning at the figure below. She waved a hand in front of her friend’s face.

"You said he wasn’t your type, but look at you staring," Lin Xiyue giggled. "Woman, you say one thing and mean another, don’t you~"

Jiang Qingli said with a straight face, "Actually, I have a secret. Come closer and I’ll tell you."

"What is it? What is it?" Lin Xiyue leaned in, blinking her big, doll-like eyes.

"The secret is... I prefer your type to his—" Jiang Qingli said with a wicked grin, reaching out to pinch her chin and pretending to lean in for a kiss.

While whispering, "Help, I’m being harassed! Miss Jiang is taking liberties!" Lin Xiyue actually leaned her face closer.

Who could resist getting close to a beautiful girl?

But before she could feel a soft touch, something cold was pressed against her face.

Lin Xiyue felt a sudden chill. She looked up and saw that the young teaching assistant, who had been organizing materials down below just moments ago, had somehow walked over. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

His long, elegant fingers were holding a sheet of special paper, creating a barrier between them.

Lin Xiyue had leaned in too far and her face bumped right into the paper.

"Senior Yuan, can I help you with something?" Lin Xiyue’s Beast Husband asked, frowning.

His jade-green eyes swept over them, and a pleasant voice said calmly, "The lecture will begin in three minutes. Please remain quiet."

After speaking, he placed the paper in front of them and walked up the aisle toward the podium.

Jiang Qingli picked up the paper and glanced at it. She turned it over and saw the words "limited edition" written on the back.

It seemed to be some high-value merchandise related to the lecture.

’So he just gave it to us for free?’

"Does your husband have a problem with us or something? Plenty of people are talking, but he singles us out." Once he was further away, Lin Xiyue shook her head. "Is he like this at home? Can you keep him in line?"

Jiang Qingli handed the paper to Lin Xiyue and whispered, "He’s not my husband."

"Whoa, are you divorcing him?!" Lin Xiyue whispered with a laugh. Afraid he might hear, she snuck a peek toward the front.

She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but Lin Xiyue felt the young man’s back grow even straighter. His fists were clenched, his knuckles white.

The lecture was on the history of the Empire’s civilization, and it put everyone to sleep. Within half an hour, heads were thudding onto desks all over the room.

During the ten-minute break, Lin Xiyue simply curled up in her Beast Husband’s arms and went to sleep.

Jiang Qingli had wanted to sleep too, but she received a message on her terminal.

Qin Muye: [1]

Qin Muye: [[Image]]

Jiang Qingli didn’t reply.

A few seconds later, he lost his patience: [Don’t pretend you didn’t see it. You guys are on break right now.]

Jiang Qingli’s lips curled. Propping her chin on one hand, she typed back: [How would you know? Did you look up the schedule?]

The other side was typing...

Jiang Qingli knew he must be flustered and red-faced, trying to figure out what to say to save face.

While waiting for his reply, she tapped open the image and glanced at it.

It was a test from a digital screen with a score of 75. A pair of boxing gloves sat beside it.

She had no idea what had gotten into him lately, but he’d started studying all sorts of things, and he loved to send her photos of any small achievement.

He was like a puppy who’d learned a new trick and couldn’t wait to show it off to its master.

It was an unconscious sort of cute.

Jiang Qingli sent back a sticker of a hand patting a little leopard’s head. She couldn’t help but smile, imagining his reaction.

Halfway through her smile, she suddenly felt an intense gaze on her face.

She looked up, only to see the young TA’s back as he left the classroom.

Jiang Qingli thought for a moment, then put away her terminal and went after him.

Her footsteps were light, but the figure ahead of her quickened his pace, heading deeper into the academic building.

She followed him around a corner, only to find an empty hallway.

Before she could react, a door to the side flew open, and a long-fingered hand yanked her into an empty supply closet.

The door slammed shut, and she found herself facing a pair of chilling, jade-green eyes.

The young man braced a hand on the wall beside her, his back slightly hunched. His voice was low and cold. "Why were you following me?"

Jiang Qingli didn’t answer.

She tilted her head, staring at him for a few seconds before suddenly reaching for his hair.

"You—"

The young man dodged in a panic, but he accidentally stepped on some clutter and stumbled backward, falling onto a chair by the door.

Annoyance flashed in his eyes. He was just about to speak when he saw the girl approach and ask tentatively, "Yuan Shiyao?"

His jade-green, cat-like eyes contracted sharply.

"I—I don’t know what you’re talking about!"

He raised his voice, but it only made him seem more transparent.

"So it is you." Jiang Qingli stepped closer. "Why are you pretending to be your brother and acting as the TA? Where is he? Is he back, or still in the Ninth District?"

As she spoke, she reached out curiously and twirled a strand of his pale golden hair between her fingers.

But as her fingers touched it, the soft strand dissolved into particles that faded into the air, revealing the young man’s original, ink-black hair.

’Fun.’

Jiang Qingli wanted to touch it again, but he turned his head to avoid her hand.

"Why do you care about any of this?" Yuan Shiyao frowned, his cool voice laced with irritation.

’Her staring was so obvious earlier. Now that she knows I’m not my brother, she’s getting bold, asking a million questions about him.’

’Does she have any idea who’s standing in front of her right now?’

’Besides, what’s her relationship with Yuan Shimo anyway? They’ve barely even met...’

"Your brother is, for all intents and purposes, my nominal Beast Husband. If he disappears, I’m entitled to ask a few questions, aren’t I?"

Jiang Qingli leaned against the wall, facing him.

After she said this, she noticed Yuan Shiyao’s expression flicker for a moment. He turned to look at her, his gaze complicated, as if he desperately didn’t want to acknowledge this fact.

Jiang Qingli: "..."

’Did he only just realize I’m his sister-in-law?’

’I’m not that unmemorable, am I?’

Jiang Qingli shot him a glare.

"He’s sick and not feeling well, but the professor is his advisor, so he couldn’t just not show up. I used a temporary particle dye to match his hair color..." Yuan Shiyao averted his gaze, speaking grudgingly. "But I have a last-minute meeting, so I was going to take care of it during the break."

"Oh, I see." Jiang Qingli nodded. "No wonder you didn’t quite seem like him."

"What do you mean, ’didn’t seem like him’?" Yuan Shiyao’s head snapped up, and he stared at her. "You’ve met him?"

"On video, yes," Jiang Qingli said.

’They’ve video called?’

’Why didn’t Yuan Shimo ever tell me?’

Yuan Shiyao’s brow furrowed, and a wave of irritation washed over him.

’It feels like I’m being left out.’

"Now that you get it, you can go." The young man stood and walked to the door, about to open it.

However, just as the door opened a crack, Jiang Qingli suddenly grabbed his hand, pulled the door shut again, and clamped her other hand over his mouth and nose.

"Someone’s outside," Jiang Qingli whispered in his ear.

Yuan Shiyao heard every word clearly, yet he felt as if he couldn’t comprehend a single one.

As his nominal sister-in-law leaned in, the proud, arrogant young man’s mind was filled with just two words—

So good.