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

Yuan Shimo pulled Jiang Qingli through a long corridor, making several turns. Just as she was about to get dizzy, they finally stopped in front of a window.

Once they stopped, Yuan Shimo raised his arms and pulled her into his embrace.

Jiang Qingli thought he was still upset about not being able to find her last night. She wrapped her arms around his waist and gently patted his back, soothing him like a kitten. ”Alright, alright,” she whispered, ”don’t be upset, kitty. I’ll tell you in advance next time if something comes up...”

A sigh seemed to escape by her ear.

Yuan Shimo suddenly asked, ”Was it him?”

Jiang Qingli froze, still a bit dazed. ”What...”

She couldn’t finish her sentence, because Yuan Shimo raised his hand and pressed the pad of his thumb against her lower lip, caressing it gently.

The young man lowered his gaze, his eyelashes casting faint shadows on his face, giving him an inexplicably sensual look.

”Is it sweet?” Yuan Shimo sought her permission. ”May I have a taste? Female Master.”

Jiang Qingli understood what he meant. He wanted to kiss her.

She hesitated slightly. ”But, here...”

”I turned off the security camera just now.” Yuan Shimo braced one hand on the windowsill and leaned in close. Their lips were only a hair’s breadth apart as he asked again, ”May I?”

His voice was soft, almost like he was wheedling.

Cat ears popped out on top of the young man’s head, twitching under her gaze.

’Who could refuse a wheedling kitten?’

Jiang Qingli, being only human, was swayed. ”Well... have your shadow stand guard. If someone comes, no more kissing.”

”Okay,” Yuan Shimo nodded.

The shadow at his feet detached itself, turning into the little cat she had seen before.

Jiang Qingli recalled him saying a couple of days ago that his shadow could take on a human form. ”Can it look like you?” she asked.

Yuan Shimo paused for a moment. ”It can.”

He was actually a bit reluctant, but he did as Jiang Qingli asked. Soon, a translucent ’Yuan Shimo’ appeared before her eyes.

Jiang Qingli found this fascinating and couldn’t resist reaching out to touch the shadow.

She had expected it to be intangible like the shadow kitten from before, but her hand met the solid face of the shadow double.

The shadow even took her hand and pressed a kiss to it.

It felt very much like a human, only without any warmth—it was cool to the touch.

Jiang Qingli couldn’t help but caress the shadow’s face again. ”It feels so real. Much more impressive than last time. Has your Superpower gotten stronger?”

Seeing that the shadow wanted to kiss Jiang Qingli again, Yuan Shimo grabbed her wrist, pressed her hand against his own heart, and frowned slightly.

The shadow reluctantly moved away to stand guard at a nearby corner.

Yuan Shimo averted his gaze from it and answered her, ”Yes, but I can’t completely control it yet.”

Before, Yuan Shimo had always suppressed his Superpower and had barely ever used it. He only recently began to practice, so his progress was naturally swift.

But there was one frustrating aspect: the shadow was like a tail, and after taking form, it always amplified his emotions.

Just like last time, when the shadow kitten had suddenly kissed Jiang Qingli.

This current shadow, too, constantly wanted to be intimate with her.

Jiang Qingli, completely unaware of this drawback, stared at the shadow with flushed ears, wondering if it was the same as him in... every way.

Slender fingers slid between hers, interlocking their hands.

Jiang Qingli relaxed, gave his hand a little swing, then tilted her head up and closed her eyes, waiting for his kiss.

But then she heard him ask in her ear, ”Last night, were you with him?”

Jiang Qingli’s eyes flew open, meeting the pair of turquoise eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses.

Jiang Qingli’s eyelashes trembled. She avoided his gaze, her voice very soft. ”Are you talking about Baili Jing...?”

”You know who I’m talking about.” Yuan Shimo stared at her as if trying to see right through her. ”Don’t lie to me, Qingli,” he said in a low voice.

Jiang Qingli pressed her lips together. ”...Yes.”

Yuan Shimo’s pupils constricted, a storm raging within them.

”He seduced you,” Yuan Shimo said, his breathing tight. ”Did he force you?”

”No, I initiated it,” Jiang Qingli admitted frankly. ”I’m sorry I wasn’t honest. Before yesterday, I wasn’t sure how things would turn out between him and me. I was worried something might change, so I asked Jing to cover for me... I was trying to figure out how to tell you all today... I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to accept it...”

She bit her lip.

Although a female master didn’t need her other Beast Husbands’ consent to marry a new one, Jiang Qingli still didn’t want any conflict with them.

But she just didn’t know how to break the news to them.

Anyone who saw the sudden shift in her relationship with Xie Youchen would be surprised. Many people probably wouldn’t accept it, let alone her Beast Husbands who were already in love with her.

Yuan Shimo was silent for a moment before asking, ”How far did you go?”

He took a step forward, pressing their bodies close together, his voice hoarse. ”Holding hands? Kissing? Or—” He paused, finding it difficult to continue. ”Did you do... everything.”

Jiang Qingli looked at him, speechless for a moment.

Among her five Beast Husbands, Yuan Shimo was the calmest one, always so quiet.

But in reality, his emotions were intense, just constantly suppressed beneath a gentle facade.

”I...”

Jiang Qingli’s lips parted, just as she uttered a single syllable, but Yuan Shimo abruptly cut himself off.

”Sorry.” He looked down, his voice soft. ”I shouldn’t have asked that.”

”I overstepped.” Yuan Shimo let go of her hand and took a step back. ”Let’s go back.”

He had just turned to leave when she grabbed his wrist. Jiang Qingli threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips.

Yuan Shimo froze for a second before instantly grabbing her by the waist and kissing her back.

Yuan Shimo’s body always carried the faint scent of medicine, but his kiss held a light, sweet taste.

Though he was usually the one who preferred quiet, he now seemed completely unafraid of being seen, tangling his tongue with hers, refusing to let go. When she took a step back, he even grabbed her waist and pressed her against the windowsill.

Because of this, half of Jiang Qingli’s body was leaning against the glass. Sunlight warmed the side of her face, and in her peripheral vision, she could see the scattered crowd below.

A huge poster floated outside the window they were leaning against. Someone looked up in their direction, and Jiang Qingli’s fingers trembled.

Even though she knew it was a one-way window, the tips of her ears grew hot, and she wanted to hide behind the wall.

Yuan Shimo sensed her intention and simply lifted her up, setting her on the windowsill as he continued to kiss her in a near-frenzy.

An unknown amount of time passed. Jiang Qingli forgot about the people and the scenery outside.

Then, she suddenly heard footsteps.

TAP, TAP, TAP...

Drawing closer, step by step.

Startled, Jiang Qingli quickly tried to push him away and warn him, but he only held her tighter.

Not only did Yuan Shimo not let go, he pulled her more forcefully into his embrace, using one hand to pinch her chin, part her lips, and suck even harder.

Then, in the instant she was lost in the kiss, just as the newcomer was about to arrive, he released her.

Jiang Qingli’s legs went weak, and she uncontrollably fell into his arms, where she was gently caught by his slender arms.

At the same time, Yuan Shimo turned to the side, shielding most of the girl’s body from view as he gently stroked the ends of her hair with his palm.

For a fleeting moment, Jiang Qingli felt as if he had wanted them to be caught—as if he wanted everyone to know how intimate they had been, to know about their relationship.

But a second before the footsteps halted, Yuan Shimo did stop.

He picked up a baseball cap, placed it on Jiang Qingli’s head, and tugged the brim down slightly to cover her face before looking up at the newcomer.

”Sister-in-law. Brother.” Yuan Shiyao said calmly, standing behind them.

’So it’s his younger brother.’

Jiang Qingli breathed a sigh of relief and peeked out from Yuan Shimo’s embrace. ”What are you doing here?”

The black-haired young man’s gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds before he suddenly walked closer.

Yuan Shiyao stood beside her, raised a hand, and let the pad of his finger gently brush across her lips. His finger then ghosted down her chin and through her soft hair.

Despite his own brother standing right there, he acted as if there was no third person in the room. His eyes were fixed only on her, his Adam’s apple bobbed as he suppressed a gulp, and his voice was slightly hoarse:

”Sister-in-law, your lipstick is smeared again.”