Chapter 498: Extra: Ye Linyuan - Snowy Night’s Melting Kiss (3)

Jiang Qingli and Ye Linyuan went to a manor located on a suburban mountainside.

This was Ye Linyuan’s usual residence.

Jiang Qingli now spent most of her time at the Jiang Family estate. The Beast Husbands had mostly moved out, only going to the Jiang estate on their designated days or for gatherings.

On one hand, this was due to their work. On the other, the males were extremely hostile toward each other; sparks were bound to fly whenever they met.

After the award ceremony, the Beast Husbands had lived at the Jiang estate for a month.

’Qingli didn’t even want to think back on that time... It was a battlefield everywhere, absolutely terrifying!’

None of the Beast Husbands would yield to another.

Once, Ye Linyuan caught Xie Youchen feeding grapes to Jiang Qingli with his mouth. The two of them immediately started fighting right there in the garden. Flower petals were blasted into the sky by a black fog, then slowed under the effect of Time Stop. The gardener’s screaming face was also slowed down, resembling the famous painting "The Scream" from the old civilization.

Another time, Qin Muye discovered a love letter sent by Que Feiling. Staring at the lines of sappy, flowery script, he straightened his clothes and said he was going out to buy something.

However, that night, Jiang Qingli opened an entertainment website and saw the headline: a high-definition photo of a snow leopard and a Vermilion Bird tearing into each other on a training ground. Beside it was an exaggerated headline in bold red text—

"Prince and Que Family’s Second Young Master Tear Each Other Apart, Trading Crude Insults Over a Female! The Future of the Imperial Family Is Worrying!"

...

The final straw was when Gu Nian and Yi Nuo got into a fight over ingredient proportions while cooking. They punched a hole through the kitchen wall, and pots and pans shattered all over the floor.

Jiang Qingli, at the end of her rope, grabbed a wolf ear in one hand and a rabbit ear in the other. She glared at them until they finished cleaning up and even forced them to apologize to each other.

Both of them said, "I’m sorry," but their eyes screamed that they wanted to swallow the other whole and grind their bones to dust. Meanwhile, the other Beast Husbands were fanning the flames, and the air was thick with tension.

’Qingli suddenly felt the helplessness of a zookeeper...’

Afterward, everyone sat down to discuss the matter.

The original plan was just to separate Gu Nian and Yi Nuo. But with all the Beast Husbands blaming and eyeing each other suspiciously during the discussion, the final result was that everyone except Yi Nuo, who was in charge of housekeeping, moved out.

Although there was still friction when they occasionally ran into each other, the atmosphere improved significantly.

Ye Linyuan didn’t like crowded places. Plus, his Superpower allowed him to travel anywhere he pleased, so he had settled on a residence in the suburbs.

Entering the living room, Jiang Qingli looked around and asked, "How come I don’t see your Xiao Hei?"

"You mean that wild snake?" Ye Linyuan said.

"It already sees you as its boss," Jiang Qingli said. "You could at least show it some respect."

Hearing the earnestness in her tone, Ye Linyuan couldn’t resist reaching out to pinch her cheek. "If you like it, we’ll keep it."

"You go and wait by yourself for a bit." Jiang Qingli glanced at the darkening sky outside and pushed him into the bedroom. "Xiao Hei and I are going to prepare a surprise now!"

After saying that, Jiang Qingli closed the door and went downstairs.

On the first floor, she called out "Xiao Hei" a few times. A black figure slithered out from a corner and came before Jiang Qingli, its forked tongue flicking out with a HISS. Its pitch-black pupils showed a hint of affection.

This was the "Xiao Hei" they had just been discussing.

This manor had originally belonged to a fallen noble who couldn’t afford its upkeep. The backyard was overgrown with wild weeds. After Ye Linyuan became City Lord, he rarely visited, so the place had almost merged with the surrounding forest and was home to some wild animals.

The first time Jiang Qingli came, she wanted to have someone clean it up. Ye Linyuan told her to wait until after winter. She figured that it was indeed difficult for many animals to survive the winter, so she dropped the matter.

A month later, she discovered a long, thin black snake in the backyard.

Snakes are solitary creatures without much sense of hierarchy. But this particular snake seemed to have some intelligence; upon seeing them, it cautiously prostrated itself on the ground, watching their expressions.

The next day, when Jiang Qingli opened the door, she saw two dead mice placed by the entrance. The little black snake was hiding nearby, watching them. It was its tribute.

And from the look on Ye Linyuan’s face, this sort of thing seemed to be a common occurrence.

Jiang Qingli learned from Ye Linyuan that he had been injured a few years ago, and this snake had come and licked some of his blood. That was likely why its strength had greatly increased and it had gained sentience. Its intelligence was now roughly at the level of an elementary school student. After Jiang Qingli trained it a few times, it learned some simple commands and could even express emotions occasionally.

Probably because it was much thicker than before, Xiao Hei didn’t hibernate this season. It just slept for longer periods. When called by Jiang Qingli, it would still slowly slither over and circle her affectionately.

Jiang Qingli reached out and stroked Xiao Hei twice, then took a pile of things out of her Space Ring and directed the snake to give her a hand.

...

「The night grew darker, and the snow fell ever harder.」

The lights were off in the room. Ye Linyuan stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the snow rustle down outside. He listened to the occasional footsteps and quiet conversation outside his door, remaining perfectly still.

He didn’t look much different from his usual indifferent self, but a closer look would reveal the slight curve of his thin lips.

An emotion called "anticipation" was gradually spreading through the snowy night.

Suddenly, a slightly dazzling light flared up.

Ye Linyuan picked up his terminal and saw a message from Jiang Qingli: [Open the door! Quick!]

A few minutes ago, Jiang Qingli’s footsteps had gone downstairs.

She wasn’t outside the door now.

Ye Linyuan wasn’t sure what trick Jiang Qingli was playing, but when it came to her, his patience was always extraordinary.

The young man stood up and pushed the door open.

His eyes were met with complete darkness.

A snake’s night vision is very strong. Ye Linyuan could easily see a chain of decorative objects stretching from the doorway all the way to the staircase railing.

He took a step forward.

The next second, the decoration by his feet suddenly lit up.

Immediately after, starting from his feet, lights began to turn on one by one, forming a river of light like the Milky Way that flowed down the stairs.

And there, at the end of this river of stars, stood Jiang Qingli, her hands behind her back, raising an eyebrow at him.

Time seemed to condense in their gaze as moments they had spent together flashed before his eyes. Ye Linyuan’s heart stirred. He strode forward and pulled her into his arms.

His heartbeat spun out of control. Ye Linyuan felt a powerful, latent desire to merge their bodies into one.

’That way, they would never be separated.’

Jiang Qingli let him hold her, but when he leaned in to kiss her, she covered his mouth with her hand.

"Ye Linyuan, it seems you’ve forgotten something..." Jiang Qingli said. "Turn around. You haven’t gotten your birthday present yet."

Ye Linyuan indeed hadn’t noticed.

A moment ago, his eyes had only held Jiang Qingli; there was no room for anything else.

Jiang Qingli took his hand and led him back. They passed through the brilliant river of lights and returned to the bedroom door.

The girl picked up the largest of the lights, a moon-shaped lamp, and handed it to him. "This is the first present."

Ye Linyuan took it, twisted it open with ease, and revealed a small gift box inside.

He looked up at her, repeating her earlier words. "The first one?"

"Well, it is your twenty-sixth birthday," Jiang Qingli said, lifting her chin proudly. "So, there are twenty-five more presents hidden around this house!"