Chapter 397 - 396: Did You Miss Me?

As a cool fingertip caressed her lips, Jiang Qingli realized that at some point, he had pulled her into his arms.

His pitch-black snake tail coiled around her waist, securing her in his embrace.

’It’s been a while since I’ve seen this tail.’

Jiang Qingli touched the snake tail. The scales on its surface were cool.

At her touch, the snake tail tensed for a moment, then wrapped around her even more tightly. Its tip even wound around her calf, rubbing gently against her skin.

It was as if it needed to be pressed snugly against every inch of her skin to feel comfortable.

Sometimes, Jiang Qingli felt like a little white mouse being hunted by a giant python, coiled tightly and waiting for the right moment to be swallowed whole.

While he didn’t actually intend to swallow her, Ye Linyuan was definitely getting restless.

After just a moment in his arms, the very tip of his snake tail lifted the hem of her skirt.

Startled, Jiang Qingli kicked the tail away.

"Don’t," she said, stopping him urgently. "They’re still waiting for me downstairs!"

Then she scolded him, "You pervy snake, is your mind always in the gutter?"

Ye Linyuan raised an eyebrow, seeming to let out a soft scoff.

The snake tail unwound from her waist, and he set her down on the sofa.

Ye Linyuan stood up. His snake tail pulled open a drawer in the coffee table and took out a pack of wet wipes.

Jiang Qingli watched, wide-eyed, as Ye Linyuan opened the pack and began to slowly, methodically wipe his well-defined fingers.

One finger, then the next...

Jiang Qingli sat up straight and rigid, preparing herself for a struggle.

After wiping his hands, Ye Linyuan crouched in front of her and took hold of her ankle.

Jiang Qingli tensed up. "Don’t—"

Before she could finish, Ye Linyuan turned her ankle slightly.

On the side of her fair calf were a few splattered drops of dark red blood.

’It must be blood from that frenzied Beastman from earlier.’

Ye Linyuan pulled out two wet wipes and, holding them in his hand, began to wipe away the bloodstains, one stroke at a time.

His lowered eyes were uncharacteristically serious, without a trace of lust.

Jiang Qingli: "..."

She stopped struggling. ’Please let him have forgotten what I just said,’ she prayed.

But of course.

Ye Linyuan was not the forgiving type.

He wiped her leg once with the wet wipes, then pulled out two more to wipe it a second time. He spoke slowly, "Why is *your* mind always in the gutter? Hmm?"

Jiang Qingli: "..."

Jiang Qingli had reason to suspect that Ye Linyuan had deliberately let her misunderstand him just now, but she had no proof.

She tried to pull her leg back forcefully. "I’ll wipe it myself. Let go."

"No."

He seemed to be intentionally provoking her, refusing to let go.

But his movements were gentle, and there was a hint of a smile in his eyes.

Jiang Qingli looked away and changed the subject. "By the way, how long does it take for you guys to run a background check?"

Ye Linyuan’s thin lips curved slightly. He didn’t call her out on the change of subject, simply replying calmly, "Thirty minutes."

Jiang Qingli nodded.

’Half an hour. It’s normal for someone to spend half an hour on the toilet.’

’After all, they’ll be playing on their terminals.’

Jiang Qingli picked up her terminal to see if anyone had messaged her in the past few minutes.

Thankfully, aside from Qin Muye sending four or five emoji stickers every few dozen seconds, no one else had messaged her.

’Looks like they’re having fun.’

Jiang Qingli’s lips curved into a smile. She sent a message to Lü Xin, telling her she had a bit of an upset stomach and might be in the restroom for a while, so Lü Xin should go back first.

Lü Xin didn’t ask any questions and just sent back an "OK" sticker.

Jiang Qingli put down her terminal. Finally having a free moment, she glanced around the room.

Ye Linyuan’s "secret hideout" was huge. With no walls to obstruct the view, each functional area was clearly demarcated. The black-and-white decor made it look like a hotel.

Except for the bed in the far back.

A waterbed. A round one.

It was huge and spacious.

Jiang Qingli estimated it was nearly three meters in diameter, large enough for Ye Linyuan to comfortably coil his snake tail.

Snakes can’t regulate their own body temperature; they’re what are commonly known as cold-blooded animals. Ye Linyuan’s beast side was stronger than most Beastmen’s, and he also preferred the cold. A waterbed would probably be very comfortable for him.

’The image is actually kind of cute.’

Jiang Qingli swung her legs. "When you get back, how about we install a waterbed in your room too?"

Ye Linyuan: "No need."

Jiang Qingli pouted. "Why not?"

By now, Ye Linyuan had finished wiping the bloodstains from both her legs. He stood and went to the sink to wash his hands.

Hearing her, he turned sideways, lifting his gaze to glance at her. "Because you’ll complain that it’s too cold."

’If she complains it’s too cold, she won’t sleep in my room anymore.’

’Wouldn’t that be just setting the stage for someone else?’

It was unclear if Jiang Qingli understood. She just nodded slowly. "Oh."

-

While Ye Linyuan was washing his hands, a call came in.

He answered it and spoke calmly, his gaze never leaving the girl sitting on the sofa.

After washing and drying his hands, Ye Linyuan said to the person on the other end, "Send it over."

Just as Jiang Qingli was about to ask what he was having sent over, a panel opened in the wall. A small robot flew in and hovered over the coffee table. Two mechanical arms extended from its sides and placed the contents from its inner compartment onto the table.

After the delivery, it chirped twice, flew into the trash can, and self-destructed.

It had brought out two plates of dessert and a bottle of sparkling water.

They were all her favorite kinds.

She picked up a plate, scooped up a piece, and put it in her mouth, smiling at Ye Linyuan. "Thanks, I love this!"

"Mm."

Ye Linyuan sat down beside her and swiped open a translucent screen. He began tapping and pointing at it, likely dealing with matters concerning their Twelve Cities. Jiang Qingli paid it no mind and leaned against his shoulder while eating her dessert.

The portions were small. After finishing, Jiang Qingli put the plate on the coffee table and took a sip of her sparkling water.

Suddenly, Ye Linyuan’s voice sounded beside her ear. "Is there anything else you like?"

Jiang Qingli turned her head and stared at him for a moment.

Her heart felt as if it had been poked twice by the cool tip of a snake’s tail, making it itch a little.

’There’s something I want to say, but I’m too embarrassed to get it out.’

’If I say something like, "How about I say I like you?" right now, he’ll definitely laugh at me for being cheesy.’

’And then, in less than three minutes, we’d end up rolling around on that round waterbed...’

’Forget it. I’ll say it next time.’

Jiang Qingli said, "I’m full."

Ye Linyuan didn’t reply.

The black snake tail circled around her, as if trapping her within its territory.

Jiang Qingli looked at her terminal for a while, then put it down again.

She hadn’t seen Ye Linyuan in a long time; for some reason, she didn’t want to waste time on her terminal.

But since Ye Linyuan had work to do, she simply turned, hugged her legs, and rested her chin on her knees, passing the time by watching his profile.

Perhaps because of the few drinks she’d had, Jiang Qingli felt a little hot.

She hooked a finger in her collar and fanned it a little, trying to cool down.

The movement of Ye Linyuan’s hands stopped.

His deep, magnetic voice was tinged with hoarseness. "Can’t wait?"

Jiang Qingli blinked, then suddenly asked, "I was actually a little curious about something..."

She paused.

She bit her lip, a little embarrassed.

Then she said quietly, "Never mind."

"Curious about what?"

Ye Linyuan pushed the screen away and leaned over, bracing his hands on either side of her, trapping her beneath his body.

The size difference between them was considerable; his tall frame cast a shadow over her.

But Jiang Qingli didn’t feel scared.

Stared at by those golden, slitted pupils, she felt the heat grow even more intense than before.

Jiang Qingli touched the back of her neck and asked, "Have you, um... you know... missed me?"

The last two words were so mumbled that even she could barely hear them.

She didn’t know why words that came so easily with her other Beast Husbands were so hard to say to Ye Linyuan.

Their dynamic just didn’t seem suited for that kind of talk.

Ye Linyuan probably thought so too.

Because after hearing her, he fell silent, his brow slightly furrowed.

’How weird.’

’Argh, I knew I shouldn’t have said anything!’

Jiang Qingli felt utterly mortified and was about to say something—anything—to change the subject and break the strange atmosphere.

Just then, Ye Linyuan looked at her intently and began to speak slowly.

"If ’missing’ means always wanting to see you..."

"Then I am, indeed—"

"Missing you."

He tilted his head and captured the rosy cupid’s bow of her lips with his own.