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

Lights and shadows flickered. The air was thick with the scent of wine.

Jiang Youchen lowered his head, his lips pressed into a thin line.

The distant chatter and pleasantries of the crowd blurred into a dull hum. The only thing that felt real was the warmth in his arms.

The corners of the girl’s eyes were flushed a deep, drunken red. Her glistening eyes narrowed slightly, her pupils reflecting his image.

”Why are you dodging me...”

Her slender arms wrapped around his neck. She tilted her face up, her rosy lips slightly parted as she sloppily nuzzled his chin and the corner of his mouth, leaving a messy trail of crimson lipstick.

The young man’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He leaned back against the sofa, but made no move to stop her.

A sweet fragrance wafted through the air. The young man tilted his head back, his jawline tense. But then, a soft laugh rang out with perfect clarity, as if she had seen right through his forced composure.

”You’ve always wanted me to treat you like this...”

”So why can’t you look at me now?”

”So timid...”

The girl leaned closer, her breath light and soft.

It wasn’t an intimate nickname. She was treating him as a male, calling him by his full name:

”Jiang... You... chen—”

Jiang Youchen’s eyes snapped open.

His gaze fell upon a blindingly white ceiling.

Breathing a little too quickly, Jiang Youchen realized this wasn’t the banquet. He was home.

The young man raised a hand to his forehead, his brow tightly furrowed.

’How could I have such a... ridiculous, impossible dream...’

’I must be going crazy.’

His terminal was still vibrating wildly. Jiang Youchen picked it up and glanced at the screen.

It was a message from Xie Qizhen:

[I heard from Chen that you’re planning to apply for a transfer back to the Upper City District?]

[Youchen, personally, I’d hope you’d get some more experience and rack up more achievements. It would make your promotion easier and stop people from stirring up trouble over baseless accusations when you return.]

[Of course, the Lower District is a tough assignment, so it’s understandable you want to come back. However, I’d still suggest you apply for a transfer to the Central District for a few years first. It’s been the safest route for a long time.]

[It’s just a suggestion, of course. The final decision is yours.]

Staring at the text on the screen, Jiang Youchen closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

The sensual dream and the cold reality intertwined, his mind briefly blanking as a rare sense of confusion washed over him.

KNOCK KNOCK.

The knocking sound broke him out of his daze.

”Brother, brother, brother—”

Outside the door, the girl’s voice called out, drawing out her words, ”Get up, get up! Aren’t you taking me to the Administration Center? Are we still going or not!”

The voice, so familiar it felt etched into his very bones, sent Jiang Youchen into a momentary trance.

His knuckles whitened as he unconsciously clenched the blanket. For a moment, he didn’t know how to face the person on the other side of the door.

But he had to do what he’d promised her.

Jiang Youchen told her through the door to go eat breakfast first. He quickly washed up, changed into his everyday clothes, and headed downstairs.

When he opened the door, Jiang Youchen’s face was once again a cold, stern mask, as if the last few moments had never happened.

Down in the dining room, Jiang Qingli had already finished eating. She was carrying a tray toward the elevator.

As she passed him, Jiang Youchen couldn’t stop himself from asking, ”Where are you going?”

”Nian—I mean, Gu Nian. He’s not feeling well today, so I’m bringing him some breakfast. You go ahead and eat, brother.”

Jiang Qingli didn’t break stride, her eyes fixed on the sweet rice dumplings on the tray, afraid of spilling even a drop. She didn’t notice how the other person froze at the nickname she’d used for her little rabbit.

Jiang Youchen’s gaze followed her until the elevator doors slid shut, only then did he look away.

Seeing him downstairs, Old Qin placed a bowl of sweet rice dumplings in front of him.

Jiang Youchen wasn’t picky about food, so he picked up the bowl and had a couple of bites.

Old Qin brought out the rest of the breakfast dishes, smiling. ”The Young Miss specifically requested this.”

”Is that so?” Jiang Youchen’s lips twitched into a small smile. ”Has she developed a taste for this recently?”

”It’s not for the Young Miss,” Old Qin said. ”She mentioned Mr. Gu is feeling unwell today. He has a sweet tooth, so she asked for this specifically.”

The old butler, who had watched her grow up, remarked emotionally, ”Our Young Miss is becoming more and more caring. A good female master like her is a rare find. All those people out there who were speaking ill of her marriage can finally eat their words.”

His face was crinkled with a wide smile, but then he saw Jiang Youchen set down his spoon. He picked up his napkin, wiped his lips, and his expression turned faintly impatient.

Old Qin asked, puzzled, ”What is it, Young Master? Is it not to your taste? I can have the kitchen prepare something else.”

”No need,” Jiang Youchen said. ”I’ve lost my appetite.”

He tossed the napkin aside and took the elevator upstairs.

Jiang Qingli’s bedroom door wasn’t shut; it was ajar.

Anyone passing by could clearly see the scene inside.

Jiang Qingli was sitting on the edge of the sofa. She reached out to feel the young man’s forehead and asked, a little worried, ”Are you sure it isn’t a fever or something? You seemed a bit under the weather last night.”

”Sister, it really isn’t...”

’Gu Nian felt a sense of helplessness every time he heard the word ”fever.” He sometimes suspected she was teasing him on purpose, but whenever he met her concerned gaze, his heart would soften. He figured it wouldn’t be so bad even if she was just teasing him.’

He took Jiang Qingli’s fingertips and nuzzled his cheek against them affectionately. ”I’m really just not feeling well. It’s not my contamination value, you saw it yourself, didn’t you, Sister? My levels are all normal. Maybe I just ate something that disagreed with me... Don’t worry about it, and go do your mission.”

”You’re really okay?” Jiang Qingli was still unconvinced.

In the middle of the night, Gu Nian had suddenly nudged her arm. She thought he was having an episode, but when she opened her eyes, she saw he was curled into a ball, his forehead covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

She had shaken Gu Nian awake, but he’d just said he’d had a nightmare.

Gu Nian was still for the rest of the night, but when Jiang Qingli woke up that morning and casually touched his back, she found it ice-cold instead of its usual warmth. A cold sweat had soaked his pajamas.

Gu Nian, however, didn’t seem very concerned about his own condition.

He lifted his gaze and saw the sullen young man standing outside the door.

Without betraying a thing, Gu Nian looked away and curved his slightly pale lips at Jiang Qingli. ”A kiss from you will make it all better, Sister.”

”What are you, Prince Snow White?”

”I’m your rabbit.”

”So cheesy.”

Jiang Qingli shook her head with a playful sigh, but still tilted his chin up and kissed him a few times.

When they parted, several messy red lipstick marks adorned the corners of Gu Nian’s mouth. Paired with his innocent, shy expression, he looked like a pure young man who had just been taken advantage of.

Sensing the oppressive aura from the person outside growing heavier, Gu Nian clicked his tongue in his mind.

’We haven’t seen each other in a few days, and the old bastard’s jealousy has already gotten stronger.’

As Jiang Qingli wiped the lipstick from his face, Gu Nian kissed her fingers again, a smirk playing on his lips.

’It’d be great if that peeping old bastard outside dropped dead from anger.’

A few minutes later, Jiang Qingli pushed the door open.

There was no trace of anyone at the door. Old Qin told her that Jiang Youchen was waiting for her in the garage.

Before leaving, Jiang Qingli called Doctor Meng and asked her to come by later to check on Gu Nian. She simply didn’t believe that he was completely fine.

The moment the door closed, the smile on Gu Nian’s face slowly vanished. His tense body instantly relaxed, and he flopped listlessly onto a sofa pillow.

Cold sweat began to bead on his back again. Gu Nian took a shallow breath and dialed a number.

The call connected almost instantly. ”Boss? Are you coming back?”

”Yes. Get everything ready.”

”Understood.”

Gu Nian picked up the bowl of sweet rice dumplings from the table and finished them, bite by bite.

After setting down the empty bowl, the young man lifted a finger and swiped it through the empty air. A rift tore open in space, offering a glimpse of a lavishly decorated room on the other side.

He stepped through, entering the room at the auction house that had been prepared for Jiang Qingli—the same one he usually stayed in.

An attendant in a server’s uniform was already waiting. Upon his appearance, the attendant lowered their gaze obediently and said, ”The medicinal bath is ready. Please follow me.”

His delicate face pale, Gu Nian walked past the attendant and into the bathroom.

The attendant glanced up and saw his footing was unsteady. But in the next moment, Gu Nian forced himself to stabilize, feigning that nothing was wrong as he continued inside, though his movements were much slower.

The bath was filled with a pale red liquid. Gu Nian swayed and staggered, instinctively reaching out a hand to brace himself against the wall.

But before his hand could touch the tile, the attendant behind him suddenly lunged!

The water in the pool surged violently, transforming in mid-air into a volley of long, sharp icicles that shot toward Gu Nian with murderous intent!