Chapter 407 - 406: Hiding a Fox Spirit in a Golden House

Jiang Qingli’s first reaction was to stand on her tiptoes and plant a firm kiss on Baili Jing’s lips.

Then she stood firm, beaming as she said, "Congratulations, darling."

She was genuinely happy for him, and her voice was so sweet it would make anyone in the world feel giddy just hearing it.

Baili Jing’s eyes curved into crescents, and he was about to lean in for another kiss.

But she grabbed him by the collar and, in one swift motion, pushed him down onto the sofa.

Jiang Qingli straddled his waist, pressing down firmly on his shoulders.

From Baili Jing’s perspective, she was looking down at him, her dark eyes narrowed with a mix of dissatisfaction and playful imperiousness. "When did you get a second Superpower? Why didn’t you tell me right away? ’Fess up!"

Jiang Qingli was genuinely annoyed.

Judging by how proficiently he’d just used it, he must have had the Superpower for a while.

’And he didn’t tell me right away!’

’The nerve of him!’

’Back when they were kids, he used to run up to her to formally report it if he grew even a single centimeter taller!’

Jiang Qingli stared into Baili Jing’s eyes, successfully making him look utterly guilty.

"I’m sorry, baby, I..."

Baili Jing took her hand, trying to sit up, but Jiang Qingli raised an eyebrow and held him down. "Don’t get up. Just talk from there."

Baili Jing obediently stayed put, only sliding his hand from her wrist to her waist to steady her. His voice softened. "Baby, do you remember when I turned eighteen, how it took a long time for my Superpower to be detected?"

Jiang Qingli paused. "You mean, it was like what happened with your Barrier Superpower?"

Her mind drifted back to a long time ago...

On Baili Jing’s eighteenth birthday, Jiang Qingli had wanted to give him a surprise.

Instead of waiting in the back garden after arriving at the Baili estate, she had gone looking for him.

She finally found Baili Jing collapsed in a hallway.

There was a needle mark on his arm, which was bleeding.

But the members of the Baili family seemed accustomed to it. When Baili Chengyan walked by, he even remarked, "So weak."

Jiang Qingli already despised Baili Chengyan, so upon hearing this, she lunged at him and they fought.

Baili Chengyan didn’t dare to hit her back and was beaten black and blue. Jiang Qingli ended up with a few scratches on her face.

When their parents arrived, Baili Qing’s face darkened at the sight of Jiang Qingli for the first time ever, and he told the Jiang family to get her under control.

Baili Jing moved out of the Baili family home after that.

It was called "moving out," but it was more like he’d been driven away, because no one from the Baili family ever visited him.

Jiang Qingli apologized in a small voice. The young man stroked her hair and said gently, "It’s not your fault. I’m the one who’s a disappointment."

It was only then that Jiang Qingli learned he hadn’t manifested any Superpower on his eighteenth birthday.

Nearly ninety-five percent of male Beastmen manifest a Superpower on their eighteenth birthday. And yet Baili Jing—the most outstanding heir of the Baili family and a descendant of the S-Level Fox Clan—hadn’t manifested one at all.

For the Baili family, this was a colossal disgrace.

To save face, the Baili family publicly announced that Baili Jing was F Level.

A low level was better than nothing, and the lie wasn’t likely to be exposed.

It wasn’t that Baili Jing was completely without a Superpower. Six months later, he tested positive for the Barrier Superpower.

But during the test, the readings were highly unstable, fluctuating between E Level and F Level.

At the time, the person conducting the test speculated, "Maybe his physical constitution is too poor..." He stared at the medical report and asked Baili Jing, "Excuse me, do you have your blood drawn frequently?"

Baili Qing frowned, questioning the man’s professionalism, and the examiner immediately dared not say more.

Two years later, Baili Jing told Jiang Qingli that his Superpower had become A Level and demonstrated the many functions of his Barrier for her.

He could shape the Barrier into a ball of water, capture a piece of a cloud to make her happy, or even wrap it around them so they could spin on the water’s surface...

Back then, she was just happy that Baili Jing had a Superpower. She had no idea that from the day Baili Chengyan was born until he was ten years old, Baili Jing had to have his blood drawn every other day to keep him alive.

Later, as Baili Chengyan’s condition stabilized, the frequency of Baili Jing’s blood draws was gradually reduced to once a week...

It wasn’t until Baili Jing turned twenty, when Baili Chengyan was no longer so dependent on his blood, that his Superpower gradually recovered to its original strength.

Snapping back to the present, Jiang Qingli asked, "So what is your second Superpower?"

Baili Jing said teasingly, "Take a guess, baby."

"Copying," Jiang Qingli said without a second thought.

Baili Jing clutched his heart with one hand, feigning shock. He muttered dramatically, "Heavens! How could you possibly know? I... I kept it a secret for so long... How could you..."

Jiang Qingli was speechless.

She gave the fox tail wrapped around her a light, exasperated tug. "Please. You were so obviously showing it off just now. I’d have to be an idiot not to notice."

"Besides, I remember when that stinky fish Yu Chenglan dragged me into the pool, I saw a whirlpool just like his pulling at him... and you showed up right after. That was you, wasn’t it?"

"So clever, baby." Baili Jing took her hand, pressing it to his lips and kissing it again and again. "How is my baby so amazing?"

Her suspicions confirmed, Jiang Qingli grew even more displeased. She slapped his hand away. "So you had your second Superpower back then and you still didn’t tell me? Are you looking for a beating?"

"Forgive me, baby." Baili Jing’s smile vanished, and he spoke with sincerity. "Before, I could only copy C or B Level abilities, and it was very unstable, so I didn’t tell you... I only dared to say something now that I can reliably replicate A-Level effects."

"You know how I am. I always want to be perfect for you."

He wasn’t wrong about that.

Baili Jing had always been like this.

In front of Jiang Qingli, he was always gentle and flawless. He was obsessed with his image, to the point that even if he didn’t know how to do something, he would frantically master it beforehand just so he could be the one to teach her.

It was a little vain, but Jiang Qingli found that part of him adorable, too.

"Alright, I’ll halfway forgive you."

Jiang Qingli huffed, then asked, "But why did you show up here all of a sudden?"

At this, Baili Jing’s smile deepened. "Things have been a little unstable in the Lower District recently. Muye was very worried and wanted me to come protect you."

Jiang Qingli was skeptical. "Are you sure Qin Muye told you that himself?"

Baili Jing took out his terminal and showed her the chat log.

On it were a few messages from Qin Muye: [This place really isn’t safe. I’m worried about her being alone.]

Baili Jing: [Protecting our female master is our duty.]

Qin Muye: [Okay. I’m counting on you for this.]

Baili Jing: [^^]

The messages did indeed match Baili Jing’s story.

But Jiang Qingli couldn’t shake the vague feeling that something about the messages... didn’t quite add up.

Before she could give it more thought, Baili Jing put away his terminal and pulled her into his arms.

"Baby, I’m not working for a while, so it’s the perfect time for me to stay and take care of you."

"I brought groceries, so I can cook you three meals a day. You’ve gotten thinner..."

"If you have to go out for something, I’ll stay here and wait obediently for my baby to come home."

"Okay? Hmm?"

Kissed into a daze, Jiang Qingli struggled to hold on to her last shred of clarity. "Why do I feel like I’m keeping a handsome man in a gilded cage?"

Baili Jing pursed his lips, his eyes curving in a smile. He was quite satisfied with that phrase.

"Then I’ll be the husband in your gilded cage..."