"Really?" Graces looked at Lu Xia intently, as if trying to determine if she was just humoring him.

Seeing him like this, Lu Xia thought he looked just like a big, adorable puppy. She couldn’t help but reach out and pat his head. "Really. Graces, your Beastification Form is the coolest I’ve ever seen!"

Graces couldn’t resist wrapping an arm around Lu Xia’s waist and leaning in to whisper in her ear, "Then tonight, how about Xiaxia pets my Beastification Form, too?"

Lu Xia’s cheeks flushed. ’Graces really knows how to be coquettish,’ she thought.

"Duke, Smelian’s... Oh, my apologies! I’m interrupting!" The researcher, who had come to deliver Smelian’s test results, saw the scene and immediately turned to leave. As he did, he couldn’t help but think, ’Duke Lu Xia and her main husband have such a wonderful relationship!’

Graces had already let go, now standing obediently to the side as if nothing had happened.

Lu Xia shot him a smiling glance. "We’ll talk about what you mentioned when we get home tonight. You get some rest. I’m going to look at Smelian’s physical data."

She gave Graces’s shoulder a comforting pat, then went to find the researcher for the report.

The report detailed the monitoring of Smelian’s entire evolution, which could reveal certain issues.

Holders of high-grade Beastification Genes, like Smelian and Graces, were rare among the volunteers, making this data extremely valuable.

Furthermore, from the few cases available, it wasn’t difficult to conclude that males with high-grade Beastification Genes had a much lower probability of becoming Gene Fusion Experts than those with ordinary Beastification Genes.

Once they awakened, however, they were far more powerful than their ordinary counterparts.

Both Graces and Smelian were destined to become powerful individuals.

Lu Xia backed up Smelian’s monitoring data to her personal terminal, then deleted the copy from the lab’s system.

Checking the time, she figured Smelian should have recovered by now.

And she was right. By the time she returned, Smelian had changed his clothes and was standing with Graces, talking about something.

When Lu Xia approached, they both turned to look at her.

Lu Xia smiled. "What are you two talking about?"

"I was just asking Graces if there’s a good place to train in my Beastification Form. He recommended one."

"Mm, now that your Beastification Form is complete, you’ll need some time to get used to it." As she said this, Lu Xia noticed a faint pink hue on Smelian’s fair-skinned face. He clearly remembered the earlier embarrassment of almost getting stuck in a glass of water.

Lu Xia didn’t say anything more, but she found it amusing.

"Smelian, now that your gene fusion degree has reached 100%, Lady Rafaelde can hold a celebratory banquet for you."

"I’ll be sure to confirm the time with her."

"Then let’s head home," Lu Xia said, turning toward the changing room. "Wait for me, I’ll be right back."

When the three of them arrived home together, Cecil, who had been back for a while, gave them a probing look. He didn’t say a word, but his eyes screamed, ’What were you three up to behind my back?’ Too bad nobody paid him any attention.

Cecil spent the entire dinner secretly observing them. Finally, after the meal was over, he couldn’t take it anymore and blocked Smelian on his way back to his room. "Why did you all come home together this afternoon? What were you doing?"

"What does that have to do with you? I thought you didn’t care about Xiaxia. Why are you asking?" Smelian looked genuinely baffled, as if he truly couldn’t understand why Cecil had such a drastic change of heart.

Perhaps because he’d been proven wrong so many times lately, Cecil’s skin had grown considerably thicker. He stuck his neck out and said, "Can’t I just ask out of curiosity? Or is there something I’m not allowed to know?"

"Well, there’s nothing to hide. This afternoon, we went to the No.2 Institute. Xiaxia helped me increase my gene fusion degree. Now, just like Graces, I’m a Gene Fusion Expert with a 100% gene fusion degree."

"..." Cecil never expected that answer. The surprise in his blue eyes was impossible to hide. "She just helped you become a 100% Gene Fusion Expert that easily? Without asking for anything in return?"

"Of course. Xiaxia isn’t the kind of person you think she is. You’ll probably never understand how good she is." ’And it’s better that way!’

Smelian pushed the guy blocking his path aside and walked back to his room with his head held high.

’Eat your heart out!’

And Cecil was envious. Not just envious—he was bitter.

It was one thing for Smelian to become a Gene Fusion Expert, but now his gene fusion degree was 100%!

There were three males in the house. Graces and Smelian were both Gene Fusion Experts now. Graces had even become the main husband, which meant Smelian couldn’t be far from becoming a secondary husband.

So where did that leave him?

He was the worst off now, it seemed. Aside from some polite concern, Lu Xia barely interacted with him, let alone showed him any favor.

Even Smelian hadn’t received her favor yet, to say nothing of him.

But he still had a chance. If he could win her favor before Smelian, it wouldn’t be too late. And even if he couldn’t, there were still two others after him!

Either way, he wouldn’t lose out too badly!

Lost in these thoughts, Cecil failed to realize that his current mindset was a complete departure from his original intentions.

He had gone from being suspicious of Duke Lu Xia and wanting to escape their arrangement to now being unable to resist the desire to get closer, to receive the same treatment as the others. Cecil’s resolve had crumbled to a point beyond his own control.

Oblivious to Cecil’s turmoil, Graces pulled Lu Xia into his arms the moment they were back in their room, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. "Xiaxia," he murmured, "do you remember what you promised me at the institute today?"

The moment he brought it up, Lu Xia knew what he was talking about. She laughed. "I don’t believe I promised you anything, Gra—

ces?"

Suddenly, a weight settled on her shoulder as Graces rested his head there. "So Xiaxia really does prefer Smelian’s Beastification Form, doesn’t she? After all, he’s fluffy and looks so cute and pettable. Not like me, all dark and black with no soft feathers, just hard scales that could cut Xiaxia’s delicate fingers. It’s only natural that you wouldn’t like me."

"Graces, did you sneak some tea after dinner?" ’Otherwise, how could you be acting so bitter?’

Graces fell silent for a few seconds. "I don’t know what Xiaxia is talking about. I’m just telling you what’s in my heart. If you don’t want to hear it, I’ll just stop talking from now on, and I won’t..." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Lu Xia turned, cupped his face in her hands, her eyes smiling. "Graces, I want to see your Beastification Form. Can you stop pouting now, please?"