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

Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Is That All You’ve Got?

The tip of the pen pressed against his morbidly pale skin. Her unsteady hand caused it to drag, leaving a stark, black slash of ink.

A stifled groan, thick with emotion, sounded beside her ear, followed by heavy breathing.

Beneath the skin her fingers held taut, veins throbbed faintly.

Jiang Qingli’s cheeks flushed, and her grip on the pen wavered.

A moment ago, she’d only been thinking about those kinds of videos online where markings were inscribed on the male lead’s body; she hadn’t actually intended to write anything on him.

But some things, once started, weren’t so easy to stop.

"Continue."

His lazy voice drawled.

In the bright light, Ye Linyuan was lounging against the sofa. His long lashes cast shadows on his face as he looked down, but his gaze was fixed squarely on her, not wavering for an instant.

He looked like a teacher hovering over a student’s homework, demanding every stroke be perfect.

Yet his eyes held an unconcealable fervor.

’It’s as if... he genuinely wants me to write my name on him.’

Jiang Qingli pulled her hand back slightly. "It hurts to have someone write on you."

He moved closer, his breath warm against her ear, his whisper a taunting, sibilant hiss. "The one who texted me saying she was going to teach me a lesson... is this all the courage you have?"

After his lie about "kissing being a quick way to heal" had been exposed, Jiang Qingli had furiously messaged Ye Linyuan, vowing to teach him a lesson the next time they met.

Ye Linyuan had simply replied with a nonchalant, "Okay."

But after her tirade, Jiang Qingli had forgotten all about it until just now.

The provocation in Ye Linyuan’s tone was so thick that she felt she’d lose face if she backed down.

Sure enough, Jiang Qingli took the bait. "Who says I don’t dare?"

’Besides, it’s not like I’m the one being written on. Who cares what happens to him?’

She gripped the pen and, lowering her head, began to doodle on his waist.

Soft strands of her hair fell, tickling him with every movement she made.

To be honest, she wasn’t pressing very hard, yet Ye Linyuan’s hand, which had been resting at his side, clenched the blanket so tightly that the veins on its back bulged.

Seeing this, Jiang Qingli grinned smugly. "Now you see how tough I can be, huh?"

She was getting into the spirit of it now, her drawings becoming more elaborate.

But as his breathing grew heavier, Ye Linyuan himself grew quieter.

Unseen by Jiang Qingli, the young man lowered his gaze to her profile. His fingers occasionally lifted to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, allowing him to watch her more closely.

Ye Linyuan rarely paid attention to other people.

To him, most people were all the same.

Everyone he had ever encountered could be roughly divided into three categories: trash he had already killed, trash he was keeping around to use before killing them later, and trash not even worth the effort to kill.

There was no need to observe such people. The rule of the Underground City was kill or be killed; who cared what an opponent looked like?

But Jiang Qingli didn’t fit into any of those categories.

Perhaps a light shining in the darkness was naturally attractive to a creature like him, something raised in blood and filth.

When they weren’t together, Ye Linyuan didn’t think he needed Jiang Qingli all that much. It was just that the nights were harder to endure, the urge to kill was stronger, and his temper was shorter.

But all of that was within the bounds of his tolerance.

Yet, seeing her again, Ye Linyuan felt a strange sensation, as if something was clawing at the inside of his chest.

He couldn’t resist getting closer, wanting to watch her constantly.

He even wished she would act like a slave owner of old and brand him with her name, claiming him as her own.

As if that would finally stop the itching in his heart.

The pen on his waist stopped moving.

Jiang Qingli shook her hand out. Without looking at Ye Linyuan, she turned back to her work.

She was hunched over the electronic screen when, a moment later, she heard a low chuckle from behind.

It sounded like an adult laughing at a child’s crude drawing.

"What are you laughing at? Are you some great artist?" Jiang Qingli’s ears burned. She buried her head in her work and snapped, "Hurry up and go take a shower. I’m going to bed soon!"

"I showered before I came."

Ye Linyuan showed no sign of moving. Instead, he leaned in from behind, planting a hand beside her and caging her in.

He pressed close, absorbing her warmth.

Thinking he was looking at her screen, Jiang Qingli deliberately covered it with her hand. "This is classified."

"I saw this classified file last week." Ye Linyuan wasn’t looking at the screen; his eyes were on her profile. "Do you need me to recite it for you?"

Jiang Qingli remembered that even though Ye Linyuan hadn’t been to the academy in a while, he was still a specially appointed professor. He probably had his methods.

This made her curious. "Why did you get an identity to come to the Upper City District?"

’In the original novel, the story only covered his killing sprees. He was killed off by a mob before his true motives were ever revealed.’

Villains often acted illogically, so instead of trying to figure it out, Jiang Qingli decided to just ask him directly.

Ye Linyuan’s voice was nonchalant. "To kill the Emperor."

Hearing that, Jiang Qingli’s pen nearly shot out of her hand.

Her eyes widened, and she stammered, "Y-y-you’re going to kill the Emperor?"

The young man’s expression showed no hint of a lie. He tilted his head toward her. "Don’t I look the part?"

Jiang Qingli was baffled. "Why would you kill her? Did you take a contract? Is it a family feud or some deep-seated grudge?"

As she spoke, her mind raced through a dozen common novel plots—feuds from a past generation, and so on. But Ye Linyuan simply moved closer, brushing his lips against her earlobe, and uttered four words: "Bored. Figured I’d try."

Jiang Qingli was speechless. "...That’s it?"

"Mhm."

Ye Linyuan wasn’t lying.

He had spent most of his life engaged in meaningless, indiscriminate slaughter. After a while, even that got boring. Infiltrating the aristocracy to kill even more people might prove to be more interesting.

At least, that’s what he had thought before meeting Jiang Qingli.

It only took Jiang Qingli a few seconds to accept this reality. She then asked him in all seriousness, "So, is there any way to get you to drop the idea? After all, I have to report my work to His Majesty the Emperor at the festival the day after tomorrow, and I might end up working for her in the future."

The cool, rough pad of his finger gently brushed against her lips.

Ye Linyuan said, "Kiss me."

’He says it so casually. Looks like he gave up on that plan a long time ago. His head is probably just full of lewd thoughts now, isn’t it?’

Indignant, Jiang Qingli opened her mouth and bit down on his finger, deliberately pushing him backward.

Ye Linyuan didn’t resist and tumbled sideways.

They landed on the floor with a dull thud.

Jiang Qingli didn’t feel any pain, because Ye Linyuan had solidly cushioned her fall. His muscles, she noted, were quite comfortable.

As she sat up, her fingernail snagged on the silver necklace around Ye Linyuan’s neck.

It was the one he’d made her give him before he left last time, and he was still wearing it faithfully.

Her finger hooked the chain, pulling it taut against his skin and causing a slight, stinging pain.

Ye Linyuan tilted his head back, his eyes narrowing slightly. A maelstrom of conflicting emotions—resentment and submission—swirled within them.

It gave Jiang Qingli the satisfying feeling of taming a wild beast.

She leaned down and tentatively brushed her lips against his.

The instant they touched, the restrained serpent flipped their positions, grabbing her by the waist, crushing her against him, and kissing her deeply.

A serpentine tail coiled around her calf.

As their breaths mingled, her fingers tightened. The silver chain around the young man’s neck bit into his flesh, but the sting only made him hold her even tighter.

BUZZ—

The terminal on the floor beside them began to vibrate inopportunely.

Ye Linyuan grabbed it, about to end the call, when the girl in his arms happened to glance over and suddenly went rigid.

Seeing the word "Brother" flashing on the screen, Ye Linyuan raised an eyebrow. As if doing her a favor, he placed the terminal in her hand.

Startled, Jiang Qingli almost threw the terminal across the room.

Her fingers, weak from her Beast Husband’s kisses, trembled in the air, completely at a loss.

After a few seconds of hesitation, Jiang Qingli pressed the answer button with a trembling hand.