It was unclear when Duke Bolan had arrived at the villa. By the ti Teacher Dai Li noticed him, he was already standing in the shadows of the hallway, staring unblinkingly at the scene unfolding inside the open room.
Inside the room.
The young Rabbit Clan female had her back to the outside, her head ekly lowered, allowing the male before her to gently wipe her rabbit ears with a handkerchief.
The young man was exceptionally ticulous and careful with every wipe.
The young woman was practically nestled in his arms.
The two looked exceptionally intimate and affectionate. When the young man looked down at her, his eyes held a warm, gentle smile.
’This was the first ti Nicole had ever seen her brother get so close to a female.’
She stopped tidying her artboard, motionless for a long mont.
"Hmm?" Mumu of the Snake Clan couldn’t help but follow Nicole’s gaze. When she turned and saw the scene inside, her eyes widened.
Dai Li was closest to the Duke.
She could no longer spare any attention for what was happening inside the room.
All she knew was that the pressure emanating from Lord Bo Lan was suffocating, and she didn’t dare lift her head.
The Duke stared at the sweet-looking pair inside the room, his jaw tightening. A dark undercurrent swirled in his golden eyes; he was desperately trying to suppress sothing.
"There," Count Gray said, letting go. He still wore a gentle smile. "My little sister can be naughty. I hope Ms. Zhi Zhi won’t hold it against her."
Yu Zhizhi raised a hand to touch her rabbit ears and gently shook her head. "Miss Nicole is very nice. I enjoy spending ti with her."
She didn’t mind getting paint on them at all.
’I can just wash it off when I get back.’
The young Snake Clan man looked up and saw the two stunned females outside the door, as well as—
—the figure that had been standing in the hallway for quite so ti.
Count Gray took two steps to the side and bowed formally. "Duke."
’The Duke?’
Yu Zhizhi instinctively flinched upon hearing the title.
Feeling a pang of guilt, she stepped to the side and cautiously turned to look at the man walking toward them.
’I just said goodbye to him this morning.’
After just one day apart, his aura already felt unfamiliar and much colder.
Duke Bolan entered the room. A faint smile played on his lips, and his voice was as languid as ever. "I have so official business to discuss with Count Gray."
As he spoke, his gaze flicked to the young female with drooping ears beside them. "I’m not interrupting, am I?"
Count Gray faltered for a mont, then quickly replied:
"Duke, you’ve misunderstood. Ms. Zhi Zhi got so paint on her ears, and I was just trying to help her wipe it clean."
"My actions were a bit presumptuous. I hope Ms. Zhi Zhi can forgive ."
Count Gray looked at Yu Zhizhi, his expression apologetic.
The Duke said coolly, "There’s no need to apologize, Count. Perhaps she doesn’t mind at all."
’Not only does she not mind, she probably enjoys it.’
"Uh," Yu Zhizhi said, trying to follow the Duke’s lead. "That’s right, Count Gray, you don’t need to apologize."
The Duke shot her a cold glare.
Yu Zhizhi shrank back.
’What’s wrong?’
’Wasn’t I just agreeing with the Duke? Why is the look he’s giving even more terrifying than before?’
Nicole and Mumu of the Snake Clan also ca forward to pay their respects to the Duke.
They were about to discuss official business.
Nicole quietly pulled Yu Zhizhi out of the room.
Mumu snickered from the side, purely enjoying the drama and not minding if things got ssy—
As the highest-ranking male Beastman in the Snake Clan, the Duke’s expression was one Mumu had never seen before. It was as if he wanted to skewer the scene in the room with his gaze alone.
Recalling the business with the "pet," Mumu felt that this Rabbit Clan female must hold an incredibly special place in the Duke’s heart.
He even allowed her to keep a male pet.
Of course, Mumu had also heard that the Wild Dog was just kept in the storage shed by the courtyard. Perhaps Ms. Zhi Zhi simply pitied him and treated him like a slave.
Regardless, Mumu felt that the Duke was exceptionally patient with this young Rabbit Clan female.
It was a completely different attitude than the one he showed other Beastn.
He wasn’t even like this with fellow mbers of the Snake Clan.
The door was wide open, revealing the Duke sitting at the desk with Count Gray standing respectfully before him.
It was unclear what they were discussing.
Miss Mu Mu of the Snake Clan had already left, and Nicole, tired from the day’s activities, had returned to her room to rest.
Teacher Dai Li sat with Yu Zhizhi on the sofa, waiting quietly.
Just as Yu Zhizhi was about to drift off, she heard Teacher Dai Li call out softly, "Ms. Zhi Zhi, the Duke is coming out."
Yu Zhizhi, hugging a throw pillow, groggily opened her eyes.
She saw the Duke’s figure stride past, followed by a retinue of servants in an orderly procession.
Teacher Dai Li’s expression held a hint of pity.
’Seeing the Duke’s icy deanor, will Ms. Zhi Zhi be punished when they get back?’
Yu Zhizhi followed.
Night was falling, and the path was lit by quiet lamps.
The servants kept their distance.
The Duke and Yu Zhizhi were walking down a tree-lined path when he asked nonchalantly, "You had a good ti today?"
"Mhm~ Miss Mumu and I modeled for Miss Nicole. She’s an amazing artist, and she even gave one of her drawings."
As she spoke, she began flipping through a book.
She pulled out the folded drawing.
The Duke glanced at the book’s cover. It bore Gray’s signature and a short inscription—
"May the gods bless you."
"Count Gray. The most outstanding young male of the White Snake Clan. His status and standing are both excellent, and he has an impeccable reputation. If you were to choose him as your Beast Husband, it would be quite the celebrated match."
Duke Bolan’s tone was strangely serene; he didn’t sound like he was joking.
Yu Zhizhi was stunned.
’Choose him as my Beast Husband?’
’I’ve never even considered that before.’
’But my progress on the third main quest is stalled. If I don’t hurry up, I’ll be eliminated once the ti runs out!’
’In that light, if choosing a Beast Husband would complete the quest, it wouldn’t be out of the question... It just might be a bit complicated?’
Seeing the young female seriously contemplating his words, a sneer touched Duke Bolan’s lips. His expression darkened as he quickened his pace, forcing Yu Zhizhi to hurry into a small jog to keep up.
’She’s tempted.’
’This little creature.’
’The mont she heard she could choose Count Gray as her Beast Husband, I could see it in her eyes. She was genuinely wavering.’
’It was completely different from when I ntioned the K family, which she rejected without a mont’s hesitation.’
’My eyes don’t lie.’
’That "harmonious," "sweet" scene I saw at the door... even though the young female had her back to , I could imagine the shy smile on her face.’
’It was the exact sa look she has when I hold her and caress her.’
As they reached the courtyard gate.
The Duke suddenly stopped.
Yu Zhizhi almost bumped into his back.
As she was wondering what was wrong, the man in front of her spun around. One hand seized her chin, and he leaned in. A cold light glinted in his vertical golden pupils. "You like him that much?"
’Him? Who?’
’Count Gray?’
With her chin pinched, Yu Zhizhi was forced to tilt her head up, even rising onto her tiptoes. To an onlooker, it would seem as though he was about to lift the young female off the ground.
Bolan didn’t get the answer he wanted.
’Right now, the young female should be saying things like "No," or "I don’t," denying it.’
But she said nothing.
Not until he saw tears welling in the corners of her eyes did the Duke apathetically release his grip.
Yu Zhizhi clutched her chin, looking timidly at the man before her.
’Why did the Duke suddenly get so angry?’
’He was perfectly fine during the day.’
’When we woke up this morning, he even said "Good morning" so gently...’
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