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

The morning sun cast a perfect glow.

Ye Linyuan, dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt, lowered his head to speak with Jiang Qingli beside him.

A breeze blew past, making her white skirt ripple like waves. Ye Linyuan turned to the side, and a black mist spread out, blocking the wind.

Old Qin emerged with Gu Nian, carrying the luggage. When he saw the picture-perfect scene, he smiled, looking both kind and gratified. ”Ah, what a lovely sight!”

Gu Nian: ”...”

Gu Nian, who had been dreaming of a romantic getaway for just the two of them for a whole week, nearly ground his teeth to dust.

’That old poser. Wearing a long-sleeved shirt on such a hot day, just to look cool? Don’t tell me he’s still trying to seduce the female master with his looks at his age?’

Gu Nian couldn’t help but speak up again. ”When I asked you a couple of days ago, didn’t you say you were busy?”

”I’m free now.” Ye Linyuan glanced at Gu Nian, easily seeing through his little scheme. His thin lips curled into a mocking smile. ”What? You got a problem with that?”

’That old snake deliberately lied to set me up!’

Gu Nian was speechless with rage, but in front of Jiang Qingli, he couldn’t voice the venomous, cutting thoughts on his mind.

In his heart, the young man sneered, cursing that wretched snake with impotence ten thousand times over. On the surface, however, his eyes crinkled into a smile, and his tone was sincere and kind. ”Of course not, Uncle Ye. I was just worried you hadn’t finished dealing with your messy affairs and that it might ruin my sister’s mood.”

”No need for your concern.” Ye Linyuan was completely unfazed. ”Worry about yourself.”

”You’re the most unpredictable factor here.” Gu Nian’s eyes swept over him, and his deceptively light tone held a clear warning. ”My sister has finally gotten some time off. She’s been looking forward to this for a long time. If you ruin it, I won’t let you off the hook.”

Ye Linyuan said, ”The most important thing for a vacation is peace and quiet. You’re too noisy.”

Gu Nian’s eyes widened, and he almost pulled the gun from his waist to shove it in Ye Linyuan’s face.

Before his expression could sour, Jiang Qingli wrapped her arms around him and steered him aside. Gu Nian’s anger hadn’t subsided, but his arm had already wrapped instinctively around her waist.

”Sister, he insulted me,” Gu Nian said, lowering his eyes pitifully. Then he added in a small, apologetic voice, ”Was I being too loud for you, sister?”

”No, of course not.” Seeing the conflict escalating, Jiang Qingli raised a hand to stroke Gu Nian’s hair and quickly changed the subject. ”I just remembered—the hairpin you gave me is still on the table. Could you go get it for me? You’re the best, Nian.”

He knew she was just sending him away to separate the combatants, but Gu Nian obediently turned and went to get the hairpin.

After Gu Nian left, Jiang Qingli turned to Ye Linyuan. She was about to tell him to calm down and also ask about Fang Chi’s memories, but he simply turned and slipped into the car.

”Get in.” His golden, vertical pupils were placid, his tone even.

Jiang Qingli climbed into the car, but before she could get her footing, Ye Linyuan grabbed her wrist, pulled her toward him, and settled her onto his lap. ”Go,” he told the driver.

The engine roared to life, and the car pulled away immediately.

Jiang Qingli was a little stunned. She glanced at the front row and realized the person in the driver’s seat wasn’t their family driver, but an unfamiliar man.

He had a sinister face, with a terrifying scar running down one cheek.

He was clearly someone Ye Linyuan had brought along.

Jiang Qingli asked, ”Where’s Old Sun?” Old Sun was their usual driver.

Ye Linyuan buried his face in the crook of her neck, the tension in his brow finally easing. His voice was low and magnetic. ”I gave him a generous sum and told him to take a vacation.”

”We can deal with you replacing the driver later. Stop the car,” Jiang Qingli said, speechless for a moment. She gave him a shove, but he didn’t budge. A note of panic entered her voice. ”Nian is still at the house—”

”There are other cars, and his legs aren’t broken.” Ye Linyuan raised the partition in the car and pulled her tighter.

Jiang Qingli: ”...”

In the time it took to exchange a few words, the car had already traveled a considerable distance. Turning back was impossible now, so Jiang Qingli had no choice but to give up.

’If I argue any more, Ye Linyuan is liable to crawl right up my skirt on the spot.’

’I have to wear a swimsuit later, and he’s far too fond of leaving bite marks. Better not risk it.’

Jiang Qingli didn’t bring up Gu Nian again, much to Ye Linyuan’s satisfaction.

Hearing her call Gu Nian by such an affectionate name had sent a strange, sharp ache through his chest, leaving him agitated.

’If it weren’t for her,’ he thought, ’I would’ve made my move the second Gu Nian uttered his first provocation. Someone would have ended up hurt.’

”Are you unwell?”

Jiang Qingli leaned in close, pressing her fingers to his chest. Her sweet breath caressed his face, and her dark eyes held a heart-melting concern.

”Why?” Ye Linyuan asked abruptly.

”Because you’re still my male, so I can feel all your emotions. Isn’t that what you taught me?” Jiang Qingli said, her voice softening. ”Professor Ye.”

Their breaths mingled.

’The air between them was charged with intimacy, but all Ye Linyuan could picture was her at home, calling out ’Cat Teacher.’ She’s trying to placate me with the same tricks she uses on other men.’

His irritation grew. Ye Linyuan grunted and averted his gaze. ”Did you have something to ask me?”

She had messaged him more in the past few days than ever before. Ye Linyuan figured she must need something from him; they wouldn’t see each other if she didn’t.

Jiang Qingli had wanted to ask about Ye Linyuan’s past, but she was worried she might be wrong and end up dredging up painful memories for him. After some thought, she asked in a roundabout way, ”Do you... have any relatives?”

’Those people who looked so much like him, both old and young, they seemed like family.’

Ye Linyuan toyed with her fingers, his head still lowered. ”Why do you ask?”

”You’re not part of the Ye Family, so I was just curious if you had any other relatives.”

”None.” Ye Linyuan stared into her eyes. He didn’t like beating around the bush with Jiang Qingli. ”Just say what you want to say.”

”Okay, fine. In Fang Chi’s memories, I saw images of people who look a lot like you. I figured they must be your relatives.” Jiang Qingli described what the people looked like. ”So, what’s their story?”

Ye Linyuan froze. Beneath his long lashes, his golden vertical pupils contracted, glinting with a bone-chilling light.

After a few seconds, Ye Linyuan said, ”Stay out of this. I’ll investigate it.”

”You’re right. Your people are more skilled at this sort of thing.”

Jiang Qingli remembered that the place in question wasn’t exactly reputable. The Underground City would surely have an easier time investigating, so she nodded.

”You have to tell me what you find out!” she added.

”Mm,” Ye Linyuan replied.

Jiang Qingli shook his shoulder. ”Don’t just ’mm’ me. Give me your word.”

”...”

Ye Linyuan said nothing. He simply cupped her face in his hands, and his thin lips silenced any further words.

...

The drive from the Jiang Family estate to the beach in the Third District was a long one.

Along the way, Gu Nian bombarded her with a variety of tearful emojis, asking if his sister was abandoning him. He also took passive-aggressive jabs at Ye Linyuan being old and past his prime, and even sent a few of his own carefully crafted selfies to tempt her.

Jiang Qingli didn’t reply much.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to.

It was because every time she tried to type a message, Ye Linyuan would kiss her, his tail coiling around her calf. It was utterly maddening.

The driver, making good time, finally arrived before noon.

When they got there, Lin Xiyue and Ai Li had already been waiting for a while.

Jiang Qingli hadn’t even gotten her footing before they pulled her away for selfies.

After editing a photo, Lin Xiyue posted it to her social media feed: ”Hanging out with my gorgeous girls! [Image]”

The post immediately started racking up likes.

As the three of them walked arm-in-arm toward a restaurant, Ai Li was scrolling her feed and gasped in surprise. ”Yuan Shiyao liked your post! I thought he never likes anything!”

She held up her device, and among the crowd of likes, Jiang Qingli spotted the familiar black cat avatar.

Ever since he got Xiao Xue, Yuan Shiyao had used a picture of the cat for his profile.

In the photo, the little creature was crouched in a hunting pose, its eyes fixed on a pear-shaped doll, filled with a look of absolute determination.