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

Chapter 239: Chapter 239: Awakening

On the way back, Jiang Qingli snuggled in Qin Muye’s arms and took another nap.

In her daze, some cool tea was fed into her mouth. She swallowed it unconsciously, which seemed to wake her up a little.

Before long, Jiang Qingli felt a fuzzy touch against her hand, then her neck, her waist, her legs...

It tickled, so she raised her hand and swatted at the source. A muffled grunt followed.

Jiang Qingli sensed something was off. She forced her eyes open, just in time to see Qin Muye pressing her hand against his face.

Seeing her eyes open, the snow leopard ears on top of Qin Muye’s head twitched, and the base of his ears turned bright red.

The spot on his chin seemed a little red, too.

Realizing what had happened, Jiang Qingli sat up unsteadily. She cupped his face, leaned in for a closer look, and asked, "Did I just hit you? Does it hurt?"

Qin Muye raised an eyebrow. "It felt more like you were scratching an itch."

Jiang Qingli narrowed her eyes, pinching his cheeks and pulling them outward. "Trying to get fresh with your female master while she was asleep? Were you trying to provoke me into hitting you?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt the skin beneath her hands turn scorching hot.

The Prince’s arrogant, handsome face flushed completely red. He raised his voice and stammered, "What do you mean, get fresh?! I... I... I was giving you tea to sober you up!"

"Giving me tea? All the way into my dress?" Jiang Qingli teased.

Qin Muye’s bravado faltered. "I was changing you into your pajamas."

Seeing that the "puppy’s" neck was completely red, Jiang Qingli stopped teasing him. She sat up and stretched a bit.

Looking around, Jiang Qingli realized they weren’t at home but at Qin Muye’s secret base.

Jiang Qingli was suddenly alarmed. "Where’s my terminal?" she asked.

"By the bed." Qin Muye gestured with his chin, then asked warily, "Who are you trying to contact?"

Fearing she would utter the name of another Beast Husband, Qin Muye offered a poorly disguised reminder, "It’s Wednesday today."

’It’s my turn! She can’t be contacting other men!’

His anxious expression made Jiang Qingli laugh. "I’m spending the night out with you, so I need to let my family know. Otherwise, they might worry."

Given the status of Jiang Yi and her Beast Husbands, it was inevitable that she would have political enemies.

Jiang Qingli had been the target of several kidnapping attempts as a child. Although none were successful, Xie Qizhen had been extremely anxious ever since. Bodyguards would follow her at a discreet distance wherever she went, and that only eased up once she started middle school.

Recently, with her return to this world, Xie Qizhen’s protective instincts had been triggered again. He was always reminding her to take someone with her when she went out.

Hearing it was about her family, Qin Muye relaxed. "Don’t worry. Your brother knows. He’ll probably tell your mother."

Jiang Qingli froze for a moment. The comment jogged her memory, and she recalled the scene: drinking with several members of the Melt Star Association, passing out after a few glasses, then struggling out of Jiang Youchen’s arms to dive straight into Qin Muye’s.

She was suddenly reminded of something from the past.

One evening, when Baili Jing wrapped filming for his first movie, Jiang Qingli decided to surprise him. Even though he’d said she didn’t need to come, she bought a bouquet of flowers and snuck over.

At the time, Xie Qizhen was away on a business trip and had forbidden Jiang Qingli from going out casually.

Afraid of making them worry, Jiang Qingli had claimed she was visiting a friend’s house. But just as she neared the film studio, she ran right into Jiang Youchen.

It was her first time ever doing something so sneaky. The moment her eyes met her brother’s, she was so startled she dropped the flowers.

It was Jiang Youchen who picked up the flowers and led her inside by the hand.

Jiang Qingli’s face still flushed at the memory.

The corners of her lips curved up, but then she thought of her conversation with her brother earlier that night and felt a twinge of wistfulness.

’Although Jiang Youchen doesn’t have a wife now, he’ll definitely have his own family in the future.’

’He probably won’t have time for me then.’

Jiang Qingli let out an uncharacteristic sigh, then told herself she needed to get used to the idea. It wasn’t as if her brother could stay unmarried forever.

Jiang Qingli shook her head, trying to dispel the strange sense of loss.

She turned to look at the clock. It was almost eleven. She had slept for two hours and didn’t feel tired. ’There’s still time for something else,’ she thought, her gaze falling back on the young man beside her.

Qin Muye sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for her. His snow leopard tail tapped idly against the mattress, his eyes fixed on her in a direct and silent invitation.

Jiang Qingli beckoned with her finger.

The next second, Qin Muye pounced, pulling her into his arms and kissing her fiercely.

Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Jiang Qingli’s mind felt hazy. The slight dizziness dulled her senses, yet it also made her more proactive.

Qin Muye sensed she needed him more than usual. His tail wagged rapidly behind him until it was suddenly caught by a slender hand.

A shudder ran through Qin Muye as if he’d been struck by a bolt of electricity.

Before Jiang Qingli could say a word, she was tackled back onto the bed.

...

"Qin Muye—"

An unknown amount of time later, Jiang Qingli planted a foot on Qin Muye’s shoulder and pushed him away.

Qin Muye wiped his lips with the back of his hand and leaned in to kiss her again, but she turned her head away. "Go rinse your mouth."

"What, disgusted with a taste of yourself?"

Qin Muye tilted his head, raising an eyebrow with an infuriatingly smug tone.

As he spoke, he deliberately dipped his head to kiss her.

A fading rose-pink blush still colored her cheeks, and she kept her head turned, refusing his kiss.

Qin Muye took advantage of her distraction to plant a kiss on her cheek. Then, before she could get angry, he leaped up to rinse his mouth. He returned to hold her, snuggling under the covers and peppering her with lazy kisses.

He was a hundred times clingier than usual.

Jiang Qingli was exhausted and getting sleepy. She told him to hurry up and go to sleep.

"I can’t sleep." Qin Muye closed his eyes. "I’m leaving tomorrow morning."

Jiang Qingli was taken aback. "So soon? But aren’t there still a few days left in the Moon Festival holiday...?"

Qin Muye said, "My father’s old subordinates have to go back early, and I’m going with them."

’It wasn’t just that. Within the Imperial Family, his three older sisters were all vying to be the heir, and they all coveted his High Level Superpower.’

’In a power struggle, not picking a side meant dying even faster.’

’He wanted to get to a military district beyond their reach as soon as possible, to build his own merits and power, and to investigate the suspicious circumstances of his father’s death.’

’And then there was her...’

Qin Muye clenched his jaw.

’He couldn’t bear to leave Jiang Qingli, but he knew her journey wouldn’t end here. She was destined for greater heights.’

’If he remained useless, then even if Jiang Qingli herself didn’t mind, external pressures would eventually drive them further and further apart.’

’He wanted to become stronger, to become useful to Jiang Qingli.’

’He wanted the power to protect her, to stand beside her at the very peak.’

Qin Muye wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling the side of her neck with a lingering reluctance, just like a small animal.

Jiang Qingli patted his back, then reached behind him, her fingers finding only empty air.

The tail that had been wagging into a blur moments before now hung listlessly behind him, dejected at the thought of their separation.

After a long moment, she heard his muffled voice. "While I’m gone, you’re not allowed to find any other dogs."

Jiang Qingli laughed silently.

Dissatisfied, Qin Muye pressed her. "Did you hear me?"

"You’re the only puppy I have. There are no others," Jiang Qingli said, stroking his ear.

Qin Muye huffed. "And that Yi Nuo. Stay away from him."

"He’s a wolf," Jiang Qingli corrected.

Qin Muye gritted his teeth, suddenly annoyed.

’Who the hell was he to be worthy of having Qingli remember his species?’

’But on second thought, that just proved the guy wasn’t even qualified to be a dog. He wasn’t worth a second glance.’

The magnanimous Prince decided not to dwell on it. "Let’s sleep."

Jiang Qingli breathed a sigh of relief.

She felt like she had been completely worn out. She had barely closed her eyes for a moment when she suddenly heard Qin Muye speak again.

"On Saturday, you’re forbidden from going to the detention center alone. That damned bird has his eyes on you."

"And that... thing, Yuan Shiyao. What are you planning to do with him?"