The brewing mood was interrupted time and time again.

Gu Nian squeezed his eyes shut. He shot a cold look at the deliberate, affected fox beside him and curled his lip. "Nothing."

Baili Jing lowered his head to tend to the wound, his movements serious and meticulous.

But his mouth wasn’t idle; he was still talking to Jiang Qingli. "Xiao Li, you ran up several flights of stairs looking for Xiao Gu just now. Do you want some water? Or should we just head over?"

"I’m fine." Jiang Qingli glanced at her watch. "It’s still early. I’ll leave after the medical robot gets here."

As she spoke, she raised her hand and stroked Gu Nian’s back a couple of times. "Let’s have the robot check you out first, and then I’ll heal you, okay?"

Jiang Qingli had already requested a medical robot when she first arrived.

On the sofa opposite them, Yuan Shimo frowned.

He sized up Gu Nian and realized the other man had injuries caused by a Superpower. ’Those idiots actually used their Superpowers inside the academy.’

Ordinary medicine can’t cure Superpower-inflicted injuries; only a female master can heal them.

On the surface, the wounds didn’t look severe, but it seemed Jiang Qingli was planning to perform the healing right here.

Yuan Shimo recalled the anxiety on the girl’s face when she’d realized Gu Nian was missing, and the sight of her back as she rushed to find him. A tightness formed in his chest.

He had originally thought Jiang Qingli had no feelings for Gu Nian.

After all, nothing had ever happened between them on any Friday night. Even during the day, Gu Nian was very restrained, keeping his distance. They rarely had any intimate contact.

But her actions were like she was marking this seemingly fragile rabbit as her own territory, habitually taking care of him.

’So, is Gu Nian putting on an act in front of her because he knows this?’

This sense of déjà vu sparked a strong sense of crisis in the perceptive male.

Just as Baili Jing finished giving Gu Nian’s wounds a simple dressing, the medical robot arrived and gave Gu Nian a full-body scan.

After the scan, the robot reported, "Gu’s physical condition is excellent. There are no internal injuries. Medication has been applied, and he will recover in a few days. However, the injuries caused by the Superpower require spiritual soothing."

Jiang Qingli glanced at her watch. It was a little after two.

’It had taken her about half an hour to heal the lacerations Ye Linyuan sustained from a Superpower. Gu Nian’s shouldn’t take that long.’

Her two Beast Husbands wanted to accompany her, but Jiang Qingli’s eyes went wide as she adamantly refused.

After pushing them out, Jiang Qingli closed the cubicle door and let out a breath.

With her back to Gu Nian, she started awkwardly, "Um... let your ears out."

There was no response from behind her.

Jiang Qingli turned around to see Gu Nian sitting in the corner, cupping a glass. He stared into space with a dazed expression, his upright ears twitching, one forward and one back. They seemed even pinker than usual.

Although she didn’t know the first thing about rabbit habits, he looked extremely nervous.

Jiang Qingli sat down beside him and patted his back. "It’s okay. It’ll be over soon."

She thought for a moment, deciding to confirm the extent of his injuries first. "Lift up your shirt and let me see. Is that okay?"

Gu Nian’s eyes widened, his knuckles curling nervously.

’Now?’

’But I fell in the washroom earlier. I don’t know if there are marks. It’ll definitely be ugly.’

’I didn’t get to change my clothes, they’re filthy. My skin must be dirty and disgusting too. I’ll get her dirty...’

’But the girl he’d been longing for day and night was sitting right in front of him.’

’He would do anything she said.’

’He couldn’t find a single reason to refuse her.’

Gu Nian took a discreet, deep breath, quickly flexed, and lifted the hem of his shirt.

’Until now, because of Gu Nian’s overly delicate, handsome face and his clingy personality, Jiang Qingli had always thought he probably didn’t have much muscle, that his skin would be the soft and doughy type...’

’But only now did she discover that not only did he have abs, but his V-line was so perfect it was as if it had been sculpted to her exact aesthetic preferences.’

The young man’s skin was fair and fine, like the highest quality white jade, but his waist and abdomen were covered in large, terrifying patches of purple and blue bruises from the violence.

It hurt just looking at them. Jiang Qingli’s brows furrowed, and she couldn’t resist reaching out to touch one.

The moment her fingers made gentle contact, the young man’s already taut skin pulled even tighter.

And under her gaze, a pink flush crept over Gu Nian’s skin. His breathing grew unsteady as he carefully bent his knees slightly.

Jiang Qingli didn’t notice his small movements. "Does it hurt?" she asked.

The young man’s ears were flushed crimson. His beautiful eyes stared at her without blinking, his breathing shallow. "It doesn’t hurt when I get to see you."

It was an incredibly cheesy line, but his tone was earnest and devout.

Jiang Qingli couldn’t help but laugh. "Where did you learn such sweet talk?"

She sat beside him. "Let’s begin."

Gu Nian nodded.

In truth, from the moment Jiang Qingli came near, his mind was already filled with her scent and the sound of her voice. But, out of habit, he maintained an innocent expression. "So, how does the healing work?"

Jiang Qingli’s fleeting relief was replaced by a fresh wave of nervousness. She looked away, flustered. "If you don’t mind... I’m going to kiss you."

Gu Nian froze.

He seemed stunned by her words, his breathing becoming ragged.

’What did she say?’

’She’s going to... kiss me?’

’Does she mean it the way I think she does?’

For a moment, his head swam with elation, and then a profound sense of relief washed over Gu Nian.

’Thank god I didn’t kill those two earlier.’

’Otherwise, I wouldn’t be getting this kind of wonderful treatment.’

His eyelashes trembled. Still finding it hard to believe, Gu Nian suppressed his eagerness and confirmed her intention one more time. "You... you’re going to kiss me?"

"Yes." Jiang Qingli felt like a total creep and quickly explained, "For healing, intimate contact is more effective. It’s usually done with a kiss..."

Hearing the word "usually," the smile on Gu Nian’s face froze.

’Usually?’

’In other words, she’s done this with other people before.’

Recalling the gloomy youth’s face, Gu Nian understood everything in an instant, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

’So that’s how it is, that bastard Ye Linyuan.’

’It’s bad enough he gets injured and makes her waste her spiritual power, but he also uses his status as that damned professor to trick her, making her believe that kissing is a fast way to heal just so he can take advantage of her.’

’That shameless old bastard.’

Gu Nian nearly ground his molars to dust. He wished he could go to the Lower District right now and kill Ye Linyuan.

Suddenly, the pad of a finger gently caressed his lips.

Jiang Qingli leaned closer, her tone placating. "If you’re not used to this, just close your eyes."

’Her ears were bright red, but she was still trying to act all experienced.’

’Gu Nian found it adorable, and a bit nostalgic.’

’She used to be just like this, always pulling rank as the ’older sister’ since she was two years older. Whenever there was something she didn’t know, she’d insist on learning it herself before coming to teach him.’

Gu Nian sat up straight and turned off the light with one hand.

Before she could react, he straightened up, planting a hand beside her and trapping her between his arms.

Then he lowered his head and gently took the girl’s slender, soft fingertips between his teeth.

His scorching breath fell on the back of her hand, a strange sensation tracing between her fingers. Those normally innocent, pure, downturned eyes now held a powerful, predatory glint as he looked down at her.

’She was the one who was fully dressed; he was the one with his clothes in disarray.’

’And yet, Jiang Qingli felt like she was the one who should be shy and hiding.’

His breath had already traveled across her palm, and like a small animal, his lips nuzzled against her wrist.

In the dim light, his pink eyes turned somber, staring at her with a burning, greedy intensity.

’Jiang Qingli was inexplicably reminded of that time at home—of that elusive gaze, of that gloomy, morbid feeling of being watched, of something tracing over her skin...’

She tried to pull her hand back, but it wouldn’t budge.

Jiang Qingli resorted to babbling excuses. "I—my hand has disinfectant on it from earlier. I haven’t washed it. It’s dirty, don’t—"

Before she could finish, he opened his mouth and gently bit her wrist.

The young man’s voice was hoarse, his eyes swirling with a powerful, twisted love. His soft words fell beside her ear along with a kiss.

"Then do it. Make me dirty, won’t you?"

"Sister..."