He gazed at Jiang Qingli, a smile in his viridian eyes as the corners crinkled upwards.

After she nodded, Yuan Shimo took her hand and gently slipped the rose quartz bracelet onto her wrist.

Once the bracelet was on, he didn’t release her delicate hand. Instead, he held her wrist, giving her no chance to pull away.

Footsteps approached from behind, stopping a short distance away. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Jiang Qingli didn’t need to turn around to know it was Yuan Shiyao.

’Just thinking about how she’d gotten drunk a few days ago made Jiang Qingli cringe. In front of Yuan Shiyao, she had kissed, hugged, and even felt up Yuan Shimo’s abs.’

’She didn’t want her friend thinking she was some kind of pervert who hit on guys anytime, anywhere.’

Pulling away from Cat Teacher’s embrace, Jiang Qingli turned and waved her hand at Yuan Shiyao. "Found it! All thanks to your brother."

In the brilliant sunlight, the bracelet refracted glittering shards of light, and her fair wrist seemed to glow.

Yuan Shiyao’s gaze lingered on the bracelet for a few seconds, his brow furrowing slightly. By the time he drew near, he had already composed himself into his usual cool, upright posture.

He looked at his brother. "What are you doing here, brother?"

His tone held a hint of surprise, but it sounded faintly sarcastic.

Yuan Shimo’s lips curved into a gentle smile. "I heard Qingli was visiting, so I came over."

As he spoke, he hooked his finger around the delicate hand at his side and gave it a little swing. She squeezed his hand in response.

"I see."

Yuan Shiyao raised an eyebrow, his fingertips twitching slightly.

"MEOW~"

A soft, delicate meow sounded.

Jiang Qingli turned her head and saw the little cat that had snatched the bracelet earlier. It had appeared from who knows where and was blinking at them.

And in its mouth, it held the bracelet.

’If the bracelet is in the cat’s mouth, then the one I’m wearing is...’

She glanced sideways at the man beside her.

Yuan Shimo averted his gaze, his expression a little unnatural.

Just then, Yuan Shiyao suddenly spoke. "Sister-in-law, don’t blame my brother. He didn’t mean to deceive you."

Yuan Shiyao walked over to the little cat, patted its head, and traded a treat stick for the bracelet.

He stood up, but instead of giving the bracelet to Jiang Qingli, he said apologetically, "I’m sorry, brother. I didn’t know you’d prepared the same one for Sister-in-law."

"I’ll be more careful next time."

The young man lowered his eyes, his long lashes casting faint shadows on his cheeks. His voice was filled with dejection.

As he spoke, he started to put the bracelet in his pocket. "I’m sorry, I was being thoughtless. I’ll just put it away."

Jiang Qingli was instantly filled with guilt.

’He went to all the trouble of getting me a protective bracelet. It would be horrible of me to refuse it just because it’s the same style as the one my Beast Husband gave me, right?’

Seeing Yuan Shiyao about to put the bracelet in his pocket, Jiang Qingli quickly reached out to stop him.

"No! You already gave it to me, you can’t take it back!"

A faint, long-missed fragrance wafted closer. The girl’s cool hands enveloped his, bracelet and all, and Yuan Shiyao froze.

In the second he was dazed, Jiang Qingli quickly snatched the bracelet back and slipped it onto her own wrist.

’The two bracelets really are almost identical, though the one from Yuan Shimo is a slightly lighter shade.’

’But they both looked great against her skin.’

’They really are brothers. Even their taste is the same.’

Jiang Qingli raised her arm and lifted her chin smugly at Yuan Shiyao. "See? It’s a perfect fit. That means it’s mine! You can’t take it back now!"

His heart skipped a beat.

Yuan Shiyao’s gaze fell on her pretty face.

’Even though her expression was a little cocky, it wasn’t off-putting at all.’

’Instead, it made him want to shower her with even more treasures just to win her favor.’

His Adam’s apple bobbed. Yuan Shiyao found himself smiling, and he tried his best to keep his voice calm. "Yes, it’s yours."

A cold sneer came from his side.

But when he looked over, Yuan Shimo still had that gentle look. "Qingli, a cat just had that bracelet in its mouth; there might be bacteria on it. I can disinfect it for you and give it back tonight, is that okay?"

Jiang Qingli waved her hand. "It’s fine, I’ll just wash it myself later."

She glanced over at Qiao Lan, who was still standing in the same spot, staring blankly at the floor below.

Jiang Qingli didn’t want to keep her waiting, so she asked Yuan Shiyao, "Is there anything else?"

"Nothing else," Yuan Shiyao said.

"Then Qiao Lan and I are off to get something to eat. You two should head home." Jiang Qingli waved to the brothers and walked away with a light spring in her step.

On the girl’s slender, fair wrist, two nearly identical rose quartz bracelets clinked together, creating a crisp, pleasant, and harmonious sound.

The moment her figure vanished from sight, Yuan Shimo turned, his eyes cold and dark.

"You just have to fight me for her, don’t you?"

"Brother, I don’t want to take what’s yours. I just want to help you take care of Sister-in-law." Yuan Shiyao looked into his brother’s eyes—identical to his own—adopting a humble stance, but his voice was laced with a seductive quality. "We’re brothers. We can get along more harmoniously than any other males, can’t we?"

"It’s like this morning at the temple. We both went to the Great Divine Servant, one after the other, without the other knowing. And yet, we both had her bless nearly identical bracelets."

Yuan Shimo was unmoved, his expression growing even colder.

Yuan Shiyao pressed his case. "As long as I can take care of Sister-in-law, I don’t need a title. I don’t need any kind of official status."

The young man kept his eyes lowered, his expression forlorn, tinged with a fragile, almost subservient air.

Yuan Shimo’s lips twitched into a sneer, as if he’d just heard the world’s funniest joke. "You actually thought you could have a title? Keep dreaming."

He turned and went straight downstairs.

’Without Jiang Qingli around, he couldn’t be bothered to stand here making small talk with his brother, who seemed to have lost his mind at some point.’

He had only taken a few steps when his brother’s quiet voice came from behind:

"Brother, whether or not I get a title isn’t up to you."

"The final say is with Sister-in-law, isn’t it?"

Yuan Shimo turned back, raising an eyebrow. "Last year, you rejected my female master, and it became the talk of the town. She’s only willing to be friends with you now because she’s generous. If you think that gives you the right to a place by her side, you’re delusional."

Yuan Shiyao choked.

The words clearly struck a nerve.

’Over the past few days, Yuan Shiyao had been tossing and turning, tormented by his past mistake. He’d woken up from nightmares several times, dreaming he had become an uncle.’

His face fell, and he argued stiffly, "That was because I didn’t know the real her at first."

"But brother, were you willing to become her Beast Husband from the beginning?" Yuan Shiyao’s tone shifted, his gaze sharp. "Aren’t you just like me? You only developed feelings after getting to know the real her."

"If it weren’t for Father, would you have chosen her?"

Yuan Shimo looked at his brother’s handsome face, which was almost twisted with jealousy. After a moment, he let out a soft laugh.

It was a mocking laugh, filled with the condescension of a victor—

"Say whatever you want."

"The one who is with her now, who does everything with her... is me."

...

After leaving the hospital, Jiang Qingli and Qiao Lan took a table at a chic restaurant.

Music flowed through the private room.

After Qiao Lan sat down, she didn’t immediately start talking.

She drank her water, gulp after gulp, as if trying to soothe her anxiety.

Jiang Qingli didn’t speak, waiting quietly.

’She was, for the most part, a very good listener.’

Qiao Lan finished a glass of water without saying a word. Just then, the terminal on the table started to vibrate.

Jiang Qingli glanced over and saw the call was from an unsaved number.

It rang twice before Qiao Lan hastily declined the call, but Jiang Qingli recognized the number. It was Bai Yiyi’s.

She pursed her lips and asked, "Is Que Feiling okay?"