Chapter 279: Grand Finale

Suddenly, Hu Qiumu’s kiss paused for a moment. But after just a second, he resumed, kissing her even more deeply.

“There’s still someone else here. Don’t you want to stop for a moment?”

But Hu Qiumu just stared into her eyes, his breath coming in short pants. The smile in his voice didn’t fade. “Female Master, do you think I need to care about a puppet’s opinion?”

Chu Liangyu was completely surprised. “How did you know?!”

Hu Qiumu kissed the corner of her mouth and replied, “I guessed.”

In truth, it wasn’t a guess at all. He had just read it from Chu Liangyu’s mind.

Hu Qiumu had never told anyone that the Talent Skill he had awakened was mind reading.

And facing Chu Liangyu’s confusion, he had no intention of explaining.

He understood Chu Liangyu’s personality. If he told her, she would surely be angry and dislike him for reading her mind.

But he just couldn’t control himself. Only by knowing her thoughts could he feel secure.

Since he didn’t explain, Chu Liangyu thought it over herself and concluded the issue was with his eyes.

‘A fox’s eyes can naturally charm and control others,’ she thought. ‘Perhaps after his bloodline awakened, his eyes gained some other abilities.’

As Chu Liangyu was lost in thought, an undeniable pressure came from her waist.

Looking down, she saw one of Hu Qiumu’s hands resting on the left side of her waist. He gave it a gentle squeeze. A moment later, as if addicted, the pad of his thumb began to caress her waist incessantly.

The motion was slow, up and down, and Chu Liangyu could see it clearly.

‘Am I overthinking this?’ she wondered. She felt the gesture was a bit suggestive, and the strong implication made her heart tremble.

Her reaction wasn’t subtle, and of course, Hu Qiumu took in every bit of it.

He didn’t say a word, just quietly closed the distance between them.

Feeling his arousal, Chu Liangyu’s face flushed crimson. It wasn’t the first time, but she still couldn’t help feeling shy when she sensed his undisguised desire.

But Hu Qiumu gave her no chance to be shy. As their kiss deepened, his body undulated gently. The sound of their clothes rustling against each other was like a fine aphrodisiac, drawing an involuntary sound from her lips.

The pleasure of kissing was no longer enough to satisfy them. Hu Qiumu wrapped one arm around her waist and moved toward the bed.

He casually placed the bouquet from his right hand onto the table. Now that his hand was free, he used it to pull her fully into his embrace.

The distance between them vanished, and with every breath, they could clearly feel the other’s panting.

“Female Master, do you think the flowers are beautiful?”

His hand was in a place it shouldn’t be, and his words were just as suggestive.

Chu Liangyu was so aroused it was almost uncomfortable. After a moment’s thought, she countered, “What do you think?”

“Of course they are.”

The look in his eyes darkened. His face was calm, but his hands moved with a domineering edge that betrayed his composed expression.

Chu Liangyu had her suspicions before, and now, seeing him bring up the flowers even in the heat of passion confirmed them.

‘He’s definitely trying to arouse me,’ she thought, ‘but there’s a good dose of jealousy mixed in, too.’

Without a doubt, Chu Liangyu knew the culprit behind his jealousy was none other than Feng Qiwu.

“If you think they’re so beautiful, why don’t you pick them? Are you holding back out of pity?”

Chu Liangyu leaned in close, her hot, moist breath ghosting across the side of his neck. At this proximity, her panting became more distinct, punctuated by an ambiguous, “Hm?”

He was already at the very edge of his self-control. Even someone like Hu Qiumu couldn’t possibly withstand such a blatant temptation.

The next moment, he could no longer hold back. He pinned her firmly to the bed, lowering himself to tangle with her…

Whether it was the effect of the alcohol or not, all his usual reason was thrown to the wind. His mind was filled with nothing but the person before him.

Before long, the only sounds left in the room were enough to make one’s face burn and heart race.

As for the puppet, Chu Si, it had long since left the room on Chu Liangyu’s orders. After all, even if it was just an emotionless puppet, its presence was still a bit off-putting.

They continued like this for an unknown amount of time, until the sound of birds chirping came from outside the window, and the noises in the room finally subsided.

“Are you tired, Female Master?”

Chu Liangyu’s head rested limply on his chest. She gave a faint nod, having completely lost the desire to speak.

A faint smile played on Hu Qiumu’s face. “Then get some sleep.”

In truth, she wasn’t so much tired as she was feeling the languor that follows intense excitement. More than her body, Chu Liangyu felt that her spirit was weary.

But it didn’t affect her much. A short rest would be enough to recover.

“Are you still jealous?”

Chu Liangyu couldn’t suppress a yawn, and her words came out a bit muffled, but he could still make out what she was saying.

“You… know what I’m thinking?”

Hu Qiumu looked down at her, a hint of confusion on his face.

‘Don’t tell me… she has the Mind Reading Technique, too?’

Chu Liangyu sighed and poked his cheek. “I’m not an idiot. I can put two and two together.”

“Ahem… I see.”

Hu Qiumu’s expression was a little unnatural. “It’s almost dawn. You should get some sleep.”

He was embarrassed that his little scheme had been seen through. Chu Liangyu saw this and didn’t press him, simply replying, “Alright.”

Seeing her really close her eyes, Hu Qiumu’s awkward expression eased. He lowered his head and gazed intently at her sleeping face.

—-

After the banquet, the tribe entered a new phase of activity, though this mostly concerned Chu Liangyu’s protégés.

The decision had already been made to have the protégés manage the subjugated tribes, and sure enough, their assignments were handed out as soon as the banquet concluded.

As for the more tedious remaining matters, they were discussed and sorted out by Chu Liangyu’s several Beast Husbands. Only the most concise and important information was left for her to review.

The days passed, and all across the Beast World, things were developing in a positive direction. The most obvious sign was the top of the once-gray World Tree, which had recovered a good deal of its green leaves and branches.

The only drawback was the speed of its recovery. It was far too slow, and the World Tree was so massive that there was no telling when it would be fully restored.

“I hear things on your end have more or less stabilized. So, when are you coming to help?”

Chu Liangyu was staring blankly at the World Tree when a message from Xu Rou, the Guardian of the Mystical World, popped up via the Trading System.

This wasn’t the first time Xu Rou had hurried her. Chu Liangyu had refused the last few times, not because she didn’t want to go, but because she wanted to wait until the situation in the Beast World was completely stable.

“I can come anytime.”

“I…”

Having grown accustomed to her excuses, Xu Rou was taken aback by such a straightforward answer and didn’t know how to react for a moment.

Still, this was undoubtedly a good thing. The sooner she came, the sooner things could be resolved.

“Great! I’ll come pick you up in the Sumeru Realm!”

Chu Liangyu didn’t know what would happen in this new world, nor could she predict it.

But the World Tree needed her to earn Origin Pearls. So, for better or for worse, she had to go.