Chapter 94: Chapter 94: You Smell of His Perfume

After her evening class, Jiang Qingli walked out of the Spiritual Power Research Center Department with her new friends.

While her friends were chatting, she glanced at her terminal.

’Strange. Gu Nian still hasn’t replied to the message I sent this afternoon.’

Lately, her little rabbit had been saying the signal was bad on his end, so their chats had been intermittent.

But he had never gone more than ten minutes without replying.

What’s more, today was supposed to be Gu Nian’s turn.

Her little rabbit had been very excited about it, mentioning several times that he wanted to buy nice clothes to spend a romantic evening with her.

Jiang Qingli frowned. Something felt wrong.

Suddenly, she felt a nudge on her elbow.

Jiang Qingli looked up, a bit bewildered, to see a few of the girls wiggling their eyebrows suggestively.

"What’s wrong?" she asked, finding it strange.

"Secretary General Yuan is over there." A blonde girl named Ai Li blinked and pointed discreetly to a spot not far away.

Jiang Qingli followed her gaze.

The young man wasn’t in his uniform today. He wore a simple white shirt and dress pants, looking like the aloof campus genius from a TV show who had countless secret admirers.

Jiang Qingli didn’t think much of it, just giving him a casual glance.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Shiyao suddenly looked their way and gestured for her to come over.

Jiang Qingli pointed to herself, uncertain, and he gave a very definite nod.

"Does he have a secret crush on you?" Ai Li gossiped with a grin. "My brother is on the student council, and he said Yuan Shiyao has asked about you a few times."

"No way." Jiang Qingli waved her hand dismissively. "He’s just worried I’ll mistreat his older brother."

"I didn’t realize he had such a brother complex." Ai Li clapped her hands. "In that case, you should just take him in too! Save the brothers from being separated!"

"Exactly!" another girl agreed. "I have two Beast Husbands who are brothers. They’re very... compatible in that department. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts!"

Jiang Qingli: "..."

She’d sooner believe her five prodigal ex-husbands had all come back with secret crushes on her than imagine Yuan Shiyao having a crush on her.

Worried he might have something urgent to discuss, Jiang Qingli said goodbye to her friends and hurried over.

Yuan Shiyao stood under the shade of a tree, his expression softening unconsciously as he watched the girl run briskly toward him.

There was about a twenty-centimeter height difference between them. Jiang Qingli tilted her head up to look at him, her eyes squinting slightly against the sun. "What did you need me for?"

"Something very bad. I hope you’re mentally prepared." Yuan Shiyao took a step forward, his shadow blocking the sunlight.

Seeing his expression turn serious, Jiang Qingli’s heart leaped into her throat. "What is it?"

"Your Beast Husband, Gu Nian, has been sold to the black market," Yuan Shiyao said in a low voice.

Jiang Qingli was stunned for a moment. "The black market?"

"Yes." Yuan Shiyao’s tone was somber, as if expressing regret, but his pair of turquoise eyes stared greedily at her face. "He’s expected to be auctioned off this weekend."

’Auctioned off?’

’It’s not going to be like in those novels, right? Where they chop off your arms and legs and stuff you in a jar...’

Jiang Qingli couldn’t even begin to imagine Gu Nian being treated so cruelly.

She looked up at him and asked in a panic, "Is he safe right now? They’re not going to take his organs, are they?!"

As she spoke, Jiang Qingli fumbled with her terminal, trying to contact her other Beast Husbands, and didn’t notice that she was stumbling.

"Careful."

A slender hand pressed against her waist, steadying her.

The distance between them suddenly closed.

Yuan Shiyao lowered his eyes, his messy black hair falling over his forehead. The shadow cast by his tall frame nearly swallowed the girl whole.

"They won’t take his organs. Males with decent looks and a Superpower are usually auctioned off as pets. Highest bidder wins," Yuan Shiyao said.

Hearing that his organs wouldn’t be taken, Jiang Qingli let out a sigh of relief. "Then I’ll go buy him tomorrow."

"That place is shady. You don’t need to go." The young man’s cool voice carried an unprecedented tone of reassurance. "I’ll help you."

The knuckles pressed against the small of her back tightened. He called out to her in a low voice, "Sister-in-law."

-

As she settled into the aircraft, the furrow in Jiang Qingli’s brow hadn’t relaxed.

After a moment of thought, she looked down and started sending a message on her terminal.

Qin Muye leaned over to hug her and suddenly caught a scent that wasn’t hers.

’It smells like a cologne a male would wear.’

Qin Muye’s brow furrowed tightly.

’Which homewrecker is this now, trying to seduce Jiang Qingli when I’m not looking?’

’I heard that flirtatious fish, Yu Chenglan, is getting out soon. Could it be him? Didn’t he get beaten enough last time?’

Qin Muye sniffed at her suspiciously again and again, only then realizing she was unusually quiet today and hadn’t tried to stop him.

"Who are you talking to?" Qin Muye rested his chin in the crook of her neck. "You’re ignoring me."

"I’m asking if Ye Linyuan is coming back today. I want to ask him for a favor." Jiang Qingli stared nervously at her terminal.

’The big villain is so moody and unpredictable. I have no idea if he’ll help me.’

’Isn’t today Gu Nian’s day? Why is she calling Ye Linyuan back?’

Qin Muye guessed, "Something happened to the rabbit?"

Jiang Qingli nodded and briefly recounted what Yuan Shiyao had told her.

When Qin Muye heard this, he almost laughed out of sheer anger.

’Fuck, a homewrecker is a homewrecker, always looking for any little chance to climb the ladder.’

But seeing Jiang Qingli so worried about what might happen to Gu Nian, Qin Muye still reached out and patted her on the back, offering a dry attempt at comfort. "He probably won’t be missing any limbs. I know someone who was in there, and he’s fine now."

"Really?" Jiang Qingli asked.

"Really. All his arms and legs are still attached."

As he spoke, Qin Muye went to the blocklist in his contacts and found the bright red profile picture.

He unblocked Que Feiling and typed directly: [You there?]

Que Feiling: [What’s up?]

An instant reply.

’Looks like that dead bird really is bored out of his mind in prison.’

Qin Muye: [Tell me about the time you were sold to the black market. What was the treatment like before you were sold.]

Que Feiling: [? You want to know about me? Is it because *she* wants to know?]

Qin Muye, annoyed: [What’s with all this ’she’ nonsense? Say it or don’t.]

Que Feiling: [...Fine, I’ll save the surprise for when I get out.]

Que Feiling was bored stiff in his cell, so he furiously typed out a ton of details about his experience, meticulously including everything down to how many times a day they were given water.

Although they were "pets" about to be sold, the treatment was actually decent, since it was in the sellers’ best interest to keep them in prime condition to fetch a high price.

After he finished, Que Feiling made sure to add: [Oh, right. Those people didn’t lay a hand on me. I’m still a fledgling. My first hand-holding, first kiss, and first night are all still intact. Help me pass this on, it’s very important.]

Qin Muye glanced at the message and immediately blocked him again.

’A few months apart and this bird has only gotten crazier. "First hand-holding," my ass. He seems more like a brute than a fledgling.’

Qin Muye relayed what Que Feiling had said.

With the firsthand account from Qin Muye’s "friend" as evidence, Jiang Qingli’s anxious heart relaxed slightly.

-

After dinner, Jiang Qingli headed toward the master bedroom.

A set of footsteps followed her every move.

Standing at the door, Jiang Qingli turned around and, sure enough, saw Qin Muye right behind her. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Caught following her, Qin Muye’s face grew a little hot. He puffed out his chest. "If you’re scared, I can keep you company."

Before Jiang Qingli could speak, the master bedroom door was suddenly pulled open.

"It’s not your turn to keep her company." Ye Linyuan stood in the doorway, his face expressionless. "Get lost."

’How is this damned snake back?!’

Qin Muye wanted to get into a shouting match with him, to see who would come out on top.

But then he remembered that Jiang Qingli had turned to him for help first, so he held back.

’Whatever. He’s just a tool snake. Nothing to get angry about.’

’Jiang Qingli is just using him. She’ll definitely kick him to the curb once he’s no longer useful.’

The Prince managed to talk himself down. His mood shifted from a raging thunderstorm to a light drizzle, and he sulked away.

The door closed, and the two of them faced each other in the master bedroom.

"So, what is it?" Ye Linyuan sat on the sofa, his snake tail coiled up beside Jiang Qingli.

Jiang Qingli explained the situation with Gu Nian. She grabbed his collar and looked at him with pleading eyes. "You’re the boss of the Underground City. You can definitely rescue a poor, weak, and helpless little rabbit, right?"

’She certainly knows how to act pitiful when she wants something.’

Ye Linyuan snorted softly. His long fingers gently squeezed her cheeks, making her mouth pucker like a little goldfish.

The young man’s mood improved slightly. "The auction house isn’t in my jurisdiction."

"Then is there any way you can get me in?" Jiang Qingli thought for a moment. "I have money. I can bid on him."

His long, narrow eyes narrowed, his golden, slitted pupils flashing with dissatisfied reproach.

The cold-blooded naga flicked his forked tongue out, licking over her delicate lips.

His cool, thin lips traveled along her cheek, stopping at the base of her ear. His low, magnetic voice was enticing:

"I can fulfill your request, but... what are you planning to give me in return?"