Chapter 482: Came Prepared

Amorous sounds echoed endlessly.

Qin Muye’s eyes were covered, but his ears were pricked. He could clearly tell who was making those sounds.

Three minutes later, Jiang Qingli removed her hand. The people below had long since vanished.

Qin Muye fell silent. He finally understood why there were no security cameras here.

This was where Lord Zhong, the City Lord of the Ninth District, and her Beast Husband engaged in their... activities. Of course, the area was kept exceptionally private.

Thankfully, they had only been talking dirty outside; they were indoors now.

On the way back, Qin Muye glanced at the girl beside him several times.

’She doesn’t seem to be reacting to any of that. Have her other Beast Husbands said far worse things? Does she think I’m boring? I don’t even know that many positions...’

Qin Muye stewed over it for a while before remembering what he had been about to ask.

He was just about to speak again when he saw a servant approaching. "Advisor Jiang," the servant called out, "do you know where the City Lord is?"

Jiang Qingli paused. "She’s... likely occupied right now. Is something the matter? You seem to be in a rush."

"Well, er... the Twelve Cities Military District is requesting a call," the servant said, pointing toward the study.

Jiang Qingli and Qin Muye exchanged a look, both seeing a hint of awkwardness in the other’s eyes.

"The situation has stabilized, so there shouldn’t be anything that requires Lord Zhong’s personal attention... I’ll take the call."

Important military matters would be directed to Zhong Tongyun personally. A call to the study at this hour was likely just a courtesy call.

The servant smiled. "I’m glad you’re taking it. The gentleman on the line just asked about you and said he wanted to have a word."

Qin Muye felt something was off. "Who?"

The servant thought for a moment. "He sounded very young. He said his surname is Que..."

It was Que Feiling.

Jiang Qingli smiled and asked Qin Muye, "I haven’t had a chance to ask you, what has Que Feiling been up to lately?"

Ever since Qin Muye and Que Feiling were transferred to the East District of Twelve Cities, Jiang Qingli hadn’t seen Que Feiling. He seemed quite busy, though he still chatted with her for a bit each day.

Their conversations were mostly about mundane things, though he would occasionally ask Jiang Qingli about that tail feather.

When Jiang Qingli left Twelve Cities, she took that tail feather with her.

A red as brilliant as fireworks, it made her think of the young Vermilion Bird’s handsome, aristocratic face every time she saw it.

Noticing that Jiang Qingli was clearly lost in thought, the corner of Qin Muye’s mouth twitched.

’What else could that damn bird be doing? Scheming to steal her away, of course.’

The Prince said sullenly, "He’s on duty. He must be calling just to gossip. It’s completely pointless."

Jiang Qingli asked with concern, "His contamination level hasn’t risen again, has it?"

’If Que Feiling’s contamination level rises, is she going to help him *again*?!’

’That damn bird’s Spiritual Domain is probably full of nothing but filth!’

Qin Muye ground his teeth. "No. He’s perfectly safe."

Only then did Jiang Qingli relax.

As they neared the study, Yuan Liang suddenly called.

Qin Muye pocketed the terminal he had just used to send a message. "I’m going to have a few words with Que Feiling."

Jiang Qingli shot him a suspicious glance. "You two aren’t going to fight, are you?"

"Of course not." Qin Muye chuckled humorlessly. "We’ve been ’sparring’ quite a bit lately."

With that, he took advantage of Jiang Qingli being on the phone with Yuan Liang and rushed into the study.

Yuan Liang’s call wasn’t about anything substantial. He just said that His Majesty had approved Xie Youchen’s return to the First District to recuperate. This also meant Qin Muye could go back to attend her ennoblement ceremony, and the others would watch the livestream from Twelve Cities.

After hanging up, Jiang Qingli still felt a little uneasy. She sent a message to Que Feiling, asking what the two of them had talked about.

Que Feiling replied quickly: "Don’t worry, Miss Jiang. Muye and I have no issues. We were simply discussing some matters of human nature."

Jiang Qingli replied with a nodding sticker: "That’s good."

The other end went silent for a moment before he asked, "Miss Jiang, next week... may I attend your ennoblement ceremony?"

Jiang Qingli: "You don’t have to stay behind as required?"

In his dorm room, Que Feiling stared at the message. He typed out a long reply, deleted it, typed another, and deleted that one too. After several back-and-forths, he finally sent his response.

Que Feiling: "Relations between the Military District and the Roaring Forest have been peaceful lately, and a lot of people are taking their annual leave. I can come back... May I?"

He didn’t mention that the main reason was because the Que family had signed a document the day before, donating three training grounds to the Military District.

The young man sent the message, then clutched his terminal, waiting nervously.

A few seconds later, the terminal chimed with a BEEP.

This time it wasn’t a text, but a voice message.

Que Feiling played it and heard the girl’s smiling voice. "Of course you can! I’d love for you to be there to see it. See you next week!"

’This might be the first time Jiang Qingli has ever sent me a voice message.’

Que Feiling covered his face and collapsed onto his bed, burying his burning cheeks in the covers.

After a moment, Que Feiling pulled his terminal under the covers with him and played the voice message again.

-

In the afternoon, Jiang Qingli and Zhong Tongyun attended a remote meeting together.

After the meeting, they had dinner.

By the time Jiang Qingli returned to her quarters, the sky was pitch-black.

She had just started up the stairs when she saw a tall, slender figure walking toward her.

"Good evening, Advisor Jiang."

The young man gave her a polite nod.

’It’s a little strange to see him acting so formal.’

Curious to see what new game he was playing, Jiang Qingli’s lips curled into a smile. "Good evening, Mr. Baili," she said warmly.

"Fancy seeing you here." Baili Jing stepped out of the shadows. A pure white casual suit made him look as gentle and refined as jade. His narrow eyes were fixed on her. "All alone?"

Jiang Qingli nodded, holding her ground.

The next second, Baili Jing was standing right in front of her.

The young man leaned in, his lips close to her ear, the corners of his eyes lifting in a sly curve. His voice was pure seduction. "Is your husband not around?"

His warm breath sent a tingling sensation through her ear.

She bit her lip, suppressing her reaction. Then, with a sideways glance, she patted his cheek with a wide grin, looking for all the world like a sugar mama picking out a boy toy. "That’s right. My husband’s away. Want to keep me company instead?"

"It would be my pleasure."

Baili Jing’s lips curved into a smile as his long fingers tugged his collar open.

From Jiang Qingli’s angle, she could clearly see the fine definition of his muscles underneath, as well as the "surprise" he had prepared for her.

Baili Jing had come prepared.

Unable to resist, Jiang Qingli’s hand snaked under the hem of his suit jacket, intent on getting a feel.

But just as her hand was halfway there, the door to the room was suddenly thrown open.

Qin Muye’s furious roar echoed from within:

"Baili Jing!"

"You! You! I knew it! This is why you suddenly ran off! You were going to se—"

Mindful that Jiang Qingli was still there, Qin Muye swallowed the word and let out a heavy, cold snort instead.

At that moment, Jiang Qingli had no attention to spare for whatever word Qin Muye had almost said.

Because as the door swung wide open...

Jiang Qingli saw, with perfect clarity—

...crammed into the small room were her other four Beast Husbands and a butler, packed in shoulder to shoulder.