Chapter 454: The Love Rival Arrives on the Battlefield

Yuan Liang was briefing several military officers on important matters when the door of a nearby car opened.

A young man stepped out, walking toward them with a calm and unhurried gait.

The officers’ eyes widened.

Their gazes unconsciously landed on his face before they hastily looked away, their eyes darting around as if they had just seen some incredible secret.

Xie Youchen’s brow furrowed slightly. "What are you looking at? Is there something on my face?"

Marshal Xie had an imposing air, so the officers naturally didn’t dare to look again. After Yuan Liang finished his final remarks, they quickly boarded the aircraft.

Before departing, Yuan Liang gave Xie Youchen a few routine instructions.

After discussing official business, he patted Xie Youchen’s shoulder and said, "I’m relieved to see you two have made up."

"We were never fighting," Xie Youchen said, his tone emphatic. "Someone was just stirring up trouble."

Yuan Liang’s gaze fell on his face, his brows furrowed in a way that showed he was trying to suppress a laugh.

Xie Youchen glanced at him. "You don’t believe me?"

Yuan Liang had been Xie Youchen’s mentor when he first arrived at the military district years ago. Now, they were equals, a relationship of both teacher and friend. He certainly knew how headstrong Xie Youchen was, so he didn’t press the matter.

He simply pointed to his own face and teased with a click of his tongue, "Marshal Xie, your pristine reputation is going to be ruined by tomorrow."

Xie Youchen raised an eyebrow. "You’re speaking in riddles to me, too?"

Yuan Liang clicked his tongue again and held out his hand to Chen Mi. "Chen, you got a mirror?"

Chen Mi’s hand was halfway into his pocket when he stopped and cleared his throat. "Marshal Yuan, as you know, we aren’t permitted to carry items unrelated to our work..."

"Still pretending? Last time, I saw you secretly using a mirror at work to check a pimple on your forehead," Yuan Liang said, amused. "You think your superior didn’t notice? Hand it over, and I’ll spare you."

Embarrassed, Chen Mi pulled a palm-sized mirror from the inner pocket of his suit and handed it to Yuan Liang, muttering a defense, "It was a gift from my little niece. I’ve never used it during work hours..."

"I know, I know. I won’t break it."

Yuan Liang flipped the mirror over and aimed it at Xie Youchen.

The young man in the mirror lowered his gaze and instantly understood why everyone had been sneaking glances at him—

On his sharp, handsome profile, a striking red mark stood out in stark contrast to his pale skin.

The red mark was faint, a trace that hadn’t been completely wiped away.

Yet it was enough to reveal just how intimate their relationship was.

Xie Youchen stared at the red mark for a moment, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly.

Not until Yuan Liang took out a tissue and handed it to him, teasing, "Go on, wipe it off, Marshal Xie. Still looking?"

Xie Youchen took the tissue and turned to look toward the car, his gaze so intense it seemed capable of piercing the one-way glass to see every detail of the person inside.

Yuan Liang watched from the side, wanting to laugh but not daring to.

’He felt that since falling in love, Xie Youchen’s personality had changed quite a bit, becoming more vibrant and alive, more fitting for someone his age.’

’The power of love!’

Yuan Liang mused internally, then patted Xie Youchen’s shoulder. "Have a safe trip. And you have to invite me to the wedding."

Xie Youchen rarely responded to hypotheticals about the future, but this time, he unexpectedly curled his lip into a small smile. "You’ll be at the head table."

Yuan Liang roared with laughter.

Xie Youchen boarded the aircraft, ignoring the curious, gossiping gazes of his subordinates, and took the main seat.

The young man leaned back in his chair, took out his terminal to deal with unread messages, and simultaneously replayed his conversation with Jiang Qingli in the car.

Although Jiang Qingli hadn’t revealed any information, Xie Youchen knew with every fiber of his being who the vested beneficiary of this rumor would be—the one who would gain her pity and affection.

’Admittedly, I have been careless. I didn’t expect Jiang Qingli to have feelings for me too, I didn’t marry her first, and I shouldn’t have hidden things from her...’

’But that doesn’t mean I think Yuan Shimo has any right to criticize me.’

’Without me, how could someone of Yuan Shimo’s status ever have the chance to stay by Jiang Qingli’s side?’

’The Yuan Family secretly swapped out the Beast Husband behind my back, yet not only did I not revoke Du Yushan’s position, I even tacitly approved of Yuan Shimo’s status and didn’t have him killed after returning to the First District.’

’It was because, compared to the other Beast Husbands (specifically the likes of Ye Linyuan and Baili Jing), he seemed relatively honest and unassuming. He posed no threat to Jiang Qingli, and in terms of looks and talent, he was at least passable as a pet.’

’But I overlooked something. Pets like him are always fawning over their master, and they’re far too jealous.’

A moment ago in the car, Xie Youchen hadn’t wanted to upset his fiancée, so he gave her his assurance.

’Once I’ve married into the family, I’ll have to teach those Beast Husbands of hers a thing or two about the rules.’

...

RUMBLE—

As the aircraft started up, Chen Mi quickly sat down next to Xie Youchen.

’I really want to explain to Marshal Xie that the little mirror was a gift from my niece! It has nothing to do with me being vain!’

He was just about to say something to Xie Youchen when he saw him looking down through the window, the corners of his lips curved in a slight smile.

Chen Mi leaned over for a look and, just as he expected, saw Jiang Qingli get out of the car below. She was looking in their direction, watching them leave.

’Female masters who dote on their Beast Husbands are so rare these days. Our Marshal is so lucky!’

Chen Mi mused to himself, secretly thinking that once their Marshal married into the Jiang Family, he would definitely triumph over those useless, pretty-faced Beast Husbands and become the primary consort in one fell swoop!

’To go from being the other man to the top spot in just a few months... at this rate, our Marshal is incredible!’

Chen Mi gave the Marshal a round of applause in his mind. The aircraft had already entered the clouds, and the people below were no longer visible.

Xie Youchen withdrew his gaze, took out his earbuds, and put them in. He tapped the screen a few times with his fingertips, then closed his eyes to listen to music.

Leaning back against the chair, he seemed to be in a good mood.

Curious, Chen Mi glanced at the playlist title and was struck completely silent—

*"Destiny’s Turn: A Selection of 100 Songs Perfect for a Wedding!"*

-

After Xie Youchen left, Jiang Qingli’s workload didn’t lessen; on the contrary, it grew even heavier.

For the better part of a month, she was so busy she barely had a moment’s rest. Things only started to ease up toward the end of the month.

On Friday, Jiang Qingli had a charity event at a welfare home in the Twelve Cities.

This particular welfare home had originally been one of Lü Xin’s bases of operation.

Lü Xin found the failure rate of cultivating from embryos too high, and adult males too difficult to control after modification. So, he planned to directly modify healthy children, training them as Death Warriors from a young age.

Lü Xin had kept this matter hidden and unreported. It was only discovered a few days ago when the head of the welfare home, facing a funding cut, contacted Lü Xin for help, which was flagged by those monitoring Lü Xin’s terminal.

Upon learning of this, Jiang Qingli privately took on the expenses for the welfare home.

But there were many similar, underfunded welfare homes throughout the Twelve Cities.

At the same time, Jiang Qingli came up with the idea of holding a charity event to raise awareness, draw more public attention to the issue, and hopefully help the children find suitable adoptive families.

Thus, the military district planned this charity event.

Baili Jing was also participating.

Before she set out, Yuan Liang told her mysteriously, "Just having a big star is a bit dull. I have a good friend, a professor, who happens to be here for an inspection these few days. He’s coming to help out."

Jiang Qingli agreed with a smile.

She hadn’t expected that when she pulled open the car door, she would be met with a pair of gentle, jade-green eyes behind gold-rimmed glasses.

Yuan Shimo’s lips curved into a smile. "Female master, it’s been a while."