Engagement Annulled? Now The Husbands Kneel and Beg for Her Favor

Having a pop quiz on the weekend was miserable enough, but the questions were also exceptionally difficult. A heavy atmosphere settled over the classroom after the test was over.

Professor Lin stood at the lectern, glancing over the digital tests. ”Take a ten-minute break,” the professor announced. ”I’ll hand them back once I’m done grading, and we’ll resolve any issues on the spot.”

Lin Xiyue, who was usually sighing and complaining, was now draped over Jiang Qingli’s shoulder with a wide grin. ”Honey, you’re incredible! Everything you told me to review was on the test!”

She rubbed her cheek against Jiang Qingli’s. ”My dad already promised me, if I pass this time, he’ll buy me that sports car I’ve wanted for so long!”

Jiang Qingli pinched her cheek. ”Then you’ll have to take me for a spin.”

”Definitely!”

While they were chatting, Ai Li leaned over. ”Qingli,” she asked, ”Bai Yiyi hasn’t been around in a while. Professor Lin just asked me where she was. Do you know?”

Jiang Qingli shook her head. She hadn’t seen Bai Yiyi in several days, either.

”She took time off to take care of Su Jue,” Lin Xiyue, who was always in the know, said. ”She said Su Jue’s contamination value rises in unfamiliar environments, so she filed an application with the detention center to go take care of her Beast Husband.”

”After all, Su Jue’s uncle is the director of the Second District. They can’t reduce his sentence, but it’s not hard to pull some strings to let Bai Yiyi live there with him. Besides, the center doesn’t want to be responsible for a noble male’s contamination value spiraling out of control.”

”I didn’t expect Bai Yiyi to be so devoted to that lowlife...” Ai Li sighed. ”That detention center is a dump. I wouldn’t go there even if you paid me.”

”You might not have a choice,” Lin Xiyue said, raising an eyebrow with a wicked grin. ”You’re an A+ Level Healing System. If a High Level male in there loses control, you could be assigned to him.”

”Ah—No way!” Ai Li cried, grabbing her hair, looking like she wanted to cry but couldn’t.

Jiang Qingli latched onto the key word. ”Assigned? Is it a mandatory mission?”

”I forgot to tell you,” Lin Xiyue said. ”The number of female Healing Systems is low, and since some of them prioritize their families and don’t often take missions, the supply has always been tight.”

”So, someone recently proposed that high-level female Healing Systems from the academy could go to the detention center to help soothe the males with excessively high contamination values. It’s already been approved. It hasn’t been announced yet, but it’ll probably be implemented soon.”

Ai Li’s mother was the vice dean, so she knew the inside story as well. She pouted. ”The academy says they’ll use genetic data to find a match for the assignment, and only pair a female with a male who has a high Match Value to lower the risk... but all those criminal males are so violent... It’s terrifying just thinking about it!”

’The detention center?’

For some reason, Jiang Qingli’s thoughts drifted to when she first arrived—to the Vermilion Bird who had rampaged through the streets, only to then nuzzle his face against her hand like a spoiled child.

’I wonder how he’s doing in there...’

As her thoughts drifted away, she suddenly felt an intense gaze.

Jiang Qingli followed the stare and met the eyes of a black-haired young man standing next to the professor.

Yuan Shiyao stood at the front of the tiered classroom, tall and elegant with cool, pale skin. He was the classic ”unattainable flower on a high peak”—the most difficult character to capture in any campus dating sim.

But this usually calm and self-possessed lofty flower now had faint dark circles under his eyes.

His jade-green eyes, staring fixedly at her, were filled with a heavy, complex mix of emotions.

’Somehow... after not seeing him for a few days, it’s like Yuan Shiyao has become a different person.’

His gloomy, unnerving gaze sent a shiver down Jiang Qingli’s spine.

’Good heavens, I haven’t bullied Yuan Shimo at all recently! In fact, we’re getting along great!’

’Oh, well. Yuan Shimo will be here to pick me up soon. Yuan Shiyao should understand then.’

-

As the end of class neared, a light-colored figure appeared at the door.

As if by telepathy, Yuan Shiyao looked precisely in his brother’s direction.

Yuan Shimo quietly gazed back at the face identical to his own, his expression cold.

After a few seconds of eye contact, both turned their faces away at the same time.

The bell rang. Jiang Qingli said goodbye to her friends and walked with a light step toward the figure at the door.

Yuan Shiyao stood to one side of the aisle, watching helplessly as the girl walked past him, went to his brother, and took his hand.

His usually cold twin brother lowered his head and said something to her, and she nodded with a wide smile.

They left hand in hand, a couple that was the envy of everyone around them.

Yuan Shiyao stood rooted to the spot, staring at his brother’s back—a back identical to his own—as a cold, angry flame flickered in his eyes.

The light stretched his shadow long, a lonely shape cast beside him.

-

In the afternoon, Jiang Qingli slipped into Yuan Shimo’s room, clutching a pile of materials.

Midterm exams were in a few days, and Jiang Qingli, who had started late, was far behind.

But luckily, she had a ready-made teacher at home.

With a top student like Senior Yuan right there, Jiang Qingli naturally wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass.

Although he was the same age as her, Yuan Shimo had already completed all these courses.

Not only did he handle the obscure, difficult topics with ease, but he also explained them to her in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

But as the lesson progressed, the tips of her ”little white cat teacher’s” ears grew slightly red, and he began to shift restlessly.

The seventh time he changed his position, Jiang Qingli finally noticed something was wrong. ”What’s the matter? Are you uncomfortable?”

Yuan Shimo’s jade-green, cat-like eyes flickered. He pressed his lips together, his voice strained. ”...I’m fine.”

”Focus.” Her little white cat teacher’s expression was serious. He gently pushed her head away with one hand. ”I’m going to take a shower. You can work on the problems first.”

He checked off some problems for her and quickly walked into the bathroom.

However, if Jiang Qingli had looked back, she would have surely noticed there was something very strange about his walk.

...

After his shower, the sky outside the window had turned completely dark.

Dark clouds filled the sky, creating an oppressive atmosphere.

Yuan Shimo had just stepped out of the shower when his terminal suddenly vibrated violently.

Staring at the name ”Ah Yao” flashing on the screen, the young man remained silent.

Yuan Shimo didn’t answer the call, letting it ring until it stopped.

However, the terminal started vibrating again, this time with a frantic, insistent buzz.

The buzzing went on for so long that Jiang Qingli heard it from where she was sitting. She raised her voice. ”Someone’s calling you!”

With stiff fingers, he picked up the terminal and pressed the answer key.

The call connected, and an immediate silence fell between them.

After a long moment, Yuan Shiyao was the first to speak. ”Brother, you finally answered.”

His voice was low and hoarse, like a volcano on the verge of waking from a long slumber, with magma churning just beneath a crust of blackened rock.

Yuan Shimo frowned.

A twin’s intuition told him that he did not want to hear what his brother was about to say next.

Yuan Shimo took a step and said coolly, ”If you have something to say, say it.”

On the other end of the line, Yuan Shiyao suddenly asked, ”Is Jiang Qingli with you?”

Yuan Shimo’s footsteps faltered.

He had already walked out of the bathroom. Leaning a hand on the doorframe, he subconsciously looked toward the girl sitting in the study area.

Under the desk lamp, Jiang Qingli’s eyes were lowered, focused on her materials.

She was propping her head up with one hand, her thick, curled lashes casting soft shadows on her makeup-free face.

Yuan Shimo wondered if her shadow was just as soft.

As if sensing his gaze, Jiang Qingli turned, tilting her head at him in confusion.

’She still doesn’t know anything.’

’Like a precious kitten being cradled and protected in one’s palms, blissfully unaware of the many dark gazes in the world.’

On the other end, Yuan Shiyao finally couldn’t stand the silence and spoke coldly, ”Jiang Qingli’s gene Match Value with me is 92%. With you, it’s only 91%.”

Yuan Shimo withdrew his gaze, his tone flat. ”So?”

”My Match Value with her is higher than yours!”

Yuan Shiyao was infuriated by his twin’s attitude. He raised his voice and said through clenched teeth:

”The one who should marry her is me!”

BOOM—

Thunder roared and lightning tore across the sky, the blinding white light illuminating the side of Yuan Shimo’s face.

His fingers, gripping the doorframe, tightened abruptly.

His jade-green cat-like eyes widened, his pupils narrowing into rare, vertical slits.

On the other end of the call, his twin brother repeated his conclusion, each word painstakingly clear and certain—

”Jiang Qingli’s husband should be me, not you.”