Chapter 177: Chapter 177: Beast Husbands Should Help Each Other

When her eyes met Ling Qing’s, Jiang Qingli felt no guilt for having just beaten him up. Instead, she lifted her chin, her expression utterly defiant.

The large hand holding hers tightened its grip. Jiang Qingli glanced at Baili Jing, flashed a slightly sheepish smile, and pulled him by the hand, quickening their pace to flee the "scene of the crime."

Ling Qing instinctively reached out toward her retreating figure. "Jiang..."

He had barely gotten the syllable out before a crowd swarmed around him.

While Ling Qing had been curled on the ground, no one could see his face clearly, so they had gathered around unsure of the situation. But now, they saw it was none other than Ling Actor, and they all scrambled forward, eagerly calling an ambulance for him.

Through the gaps in the crowd, Ling Qing vaguely saw the girl pulling the young man’s hand, walking with a light-hearted gait toward the RV.

She left with Baili Jing.

’In the past, no matter how Baili Jing put on an act or how coldly I rejected her, she would always choose me.’

’But now... she’s attacked me for another male...’

A pain shot through his heart as if it were being torn in two. Ling Qing’s eyes rolled back, and he passed out.

When he awoke, a slender figure was sitting by his bed.

The girl was looking down at her terminal, her dark hair falling to obscure her face. She was still wearing the same dress from earlier.

’She really can’t bear to part with me after all.’

A surge of joy at having her back filled Ling Qing’s chest, but his expression was a cold sneer as he raised an eyebrow. "So you decided to show up after all!"

"Your agent called me hundreds of times. Did I have a choice?"

Hearing his tone, Bai Yiyi grew impatient as well.

She and Yu Chenglan had been having a perfectly lovely time shopping in the adjacent Ancient City attraction when she suddenly got a call that Ling Qing had collapsed. They said it seemed like his pollution levels were rising. She’d rushed over reluctantly. Thankfully, it wasn’t bad enough to require healing, or her cover might have been blown.

Hearing no reply, Bai Yiyi clicked her tongue. When she looked up, she found Ling Qing frozen, the "Why is it you?" shock in his eyes not yet faded.

Bai Yiyi frowned. "What’s wrong?"

Ling Qing shook his head, but his eyes were filled with disappointment.

But Bai Yiyi was in a hurry to meet Yu Chenglan, so she didn’t notice. "You get some rest, okay? I’ll come visit you on set tomorrow."

"Oh, right. Baili Jing from the neighboring film set will be there tomorrow, won’t he? I wonder if my cousin will show up..."

As she spoke, Bai Yiyi finally put away her terminal, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him twice.

As she drew near, Ling Qing felt a tingling sensation well up in his chest.

In the past, this feeling always made him think he was falling more in love with Yiyi.

But this time, it just made him feel irritated.

Ling Qing saw the probing look in her eyes. Remembering the earlier scene, his tone grew harsh. "Don’t you mention them!"

’To be honest, I’d much rather just get rid of Jiang Qingli. But the Assassin I hired last time suddenly went off the grid, and now several Assassin organizations refuse the job as soon as they hear her name, as if they’ve been threatened. A bunch of useless trash.’

’On top of that, security is much tighter during the Moon Festival, so I’ll just have to find another opportunity.’

Bai Yiyi was very close. As he caught her scent, Ling Qing couldn’t control his agitation and began to vomit again.

Disgusted, Bai Yiyi left.

The retching continued for over ten minutes before it finally stopped. Ling Qing felt something sharp lodged in his throat.

When he coughed it up, he saw it was a thin, red fragment. It was brittle to the touch, like...

...the exoskeleton of some kind of insect.

-

「The night grew deep.」

The RV was surprisingly well-equipped. It had all the necessary amenities, including a full set of toiletries.

Jiang Qingli returned, took a shower, and came out to find Baili Jing reading a script. The warm light made his features look even more handsome.

She stood there watching him for a while, not even realizing when she’d stopped toweling her hair dry.

Baili Jing set down his script, walked over, and lifted her onto the sofa. He took the towel from her and began to dry her hair for her.

The girl’s body leaned naturally toward him.

After a moment’s hesitation, Jiang Qingli told Baili Jing what had happened earlier. She was afraid Ling Qing would try to deliberately sow discord between them later. ’That’s how it always goes in novels, after all.’

But she finished by emphasizing, "I’m really not interested in them anymore!"

"I know, baby."

Baili Jing smiled, not at all surprised by her words.

Even after three years apart, he knew his Xiao Qing Mei well. He knew that between himself and Ling Qing, she would always choose him.

His fingers combed through the girl’s damp hair. As if a gentle breeze had passed through it, her hair was dry in an instant.

"Your Superpower has this function, too?" Jiang Qingli asked, tilting her head.

She remembered Baili Jing’s profile said his Superpower was Barrier, not Wind Element.

Baili Jing chuckled. "It can do more interesting things. Want to try, baby?"

His long fingers slipped under the hem of her clothes, his knuckles brushing against her skin. Out of the corner of her eye, Jiang Qingli glanced at her terminal and suddenly saw over a dozen unread messages.

There had been a lot lately, so she had put it on silent.

’Once Baili Jing got started, they’d be at it for at least a few hours.’ Fearing she’d miss an important message, Jiang Qingli reached out, unlocked her terminal, and swiped the screen over in front of her.

The moment she opened her social media app, a dozen photos suddenly flashed across the screen.

The photos weren’t of scenery, but of a collarbone, shoulders, and abs...

It was clearly the body of a young adult male.

And a pretty nice one, at that.

Jiang Qingli glanced at the sender’s name, her eyes widening in surprise.

[Que Feiling]

’Wh-why is he sending me these?!’

Jiang Qingli distinctly felt the hand on her waist tighten. ’It feels like I’ve just been caught texting some hot guy behind my husband’s back...’

But Baili Jing said nothing, so she could only brace herself and hope the chat history would prove her innocence.

As she scrolled up through the messages, Jiang Qingli finally understood.

Earlier, Que Feiling had told her his wounds were healed. She had meant to reply, "I’m really happy for you," but she’d been interrupted by Ling Qing after typing just the first word. The message must have sent, because Que Feiling, thinking she was questioning him, had gotten anxious.

Jiang Qingli: [Really]

Que Feiling: [Yes, really, Miss Jiang! I wouldn’t lie to you.]

Three minutes later.

Que Feiling: [Miss Jiang, are you angry?]

Five minutes later.

Que Feiling: [Miss Jiang, I’m really not lying to you, I swear!]

Another ten minutes passed. Then, Que Feiling sent the pictures of his collarbone, shoulders, arms, and abs.

His tone was frantic: [Miss Jiang, look! I’m really all better!]

Jiang Qingli cursed Ling Qing under her breath and explained to Baili Jing, "It’s a misunderstanding. I didn’t ask to see these!" ’Although,’ she thought, ’they are certainly nice to look at.’

Baili Jing’s eyes crinkled into a smile. "I believe you, baby."

But the look he gave the screen was one of cold mockery.

’Jiang Qingli might not know what’s going on, but how could I not?’

’These photos look casual, but the angles were all carefully selected. He must have taken hundreds of shots to get these. So calculating.’

’It’s just that these are all tricks I stopped using years ago.’

Moments after the messages were marked as "read," another one came through. [Miss Jiang... you’re not angry anymore, are you?]

Jiang Qingli quickly replied: [I’m not angry. I was just busy with something. I’m glad you’re all better. The AC is probably blasting over there, so make sure to dress warmly and don’t catch a cold.]

A smirk played on Baili Jing’s lips.

’My dear Xiao Li doesn’t understand these little schemes.’

He coaxed Jiang Qingli into closing her terminal. A fluffy fox tail coiled around her, pressing her down into the bedding...

「On the other side of the screen.」

Que Feiling frowned, reading her reply.

He glanced up at the screen across the room.

The screen was playing the hottest idol drama of the season: *Help! Perpetually Single Male Faints After Being Kissed by His Arranged-Marriage Female Master!*

The supervision center didn’t have many recreational facilities. Television was one of the few, but you couldn’t choose the channel; you watched whatever they put on.

Today’s episode featured the male lead seducing the female lead with photos. When they met that night, sparks flew. He had decided to take a page from the male lead’s book.

He had taken over a thousand photos just to pick ten decent ones.

’But it seems Miss Jiang didn’t like it...’

Frustrated, Que Feiling sent a message to Qin Muye, asking him for advice on how to get along with females.

After all, Qin Muye was Miss Jiang’s Beast Husband. In the future, they would both be serving the same female master... ’Even though Qin Muye doesn’t know that yet, we should still help each other out.’

Qin Muye quickly sent back a question mark. [?]

Qin Muye: [Feeling horny in jail?]