Chapter 56: Contention

Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Contention

As if suddenly remembering something, Que Hongjin finally turned to look at Bai Qianluo.

Bai Qianluo stood there quietly. Like a figure stepped out of an ink wash painting, his sharp, handsome features carried a frost-like chill, and his eyes were remarkably clear.

Que Hongjin’s picturesque brow furrowed slightly. Naturally, he noticed the change in the other man.

Bai Qianluo’s eyes were no longer covered by a white cloth. They now harbored a myriad of emotions, entirely different from his previously indifferent demeanor. Furthermore, he hadn’t shied away from being close to their wife. Que Hongjin had automatically ignored his presence earlier—after all, Bai Qianluo usually kept a low profile and always maintained an aloof disposition. He knew Bai Qianluo harbored special feelings for their wife, but he hadn’t expected those feelings to run so deep.

In the brief moment their eyes met, it was as if they had exchanged countless blows. The air seemed to freeze into solid ice, and the atmospheric pressure around them plummeted. Even though the two men were merely standing in silence, an invisible yet palpable tension clashed between them like crossing swords.

Hearing Que Hongjin’s earlier question, Qiao Suluo touched her own face. It really had become fairer. She smiled and explained, "I just awakened my Healing Ability, so it made my skin a little lighter."

She didn’t mention that this body’s skin was dark due to accumulated toxins. She was afraid that telling him would only make Que Hongjin worry.

However, as soon as she finished speaking, Qiao Suluo noticed something amiss. She could clearly feel that the atmosphere wasn’t right. Looking up at Que Hongjin, she followed his gaze over to Bai Qianluo. It felt as though the two were about to break into a fight. She shook her head, convincing herself she was overthinking things.

Their relationship had always been good in the past. Back when she used to mistreat them, they had found solace in each other’s shared misery. Even on the day Bai Qianluo fell into the water, Que Hongjin had been genuinely worried about him.

What Qiao Suluo didn’t understand, however, was that when it came to competing for a female beast partner, even the most rational male beastman would exhibit fierce territorial instincts.

Hearing Qiao Suluo’s words, Que Hongjin finally withdrew his gaze. He looked down at her with a hint of shock, but his expression was dominated by concern. "Wife, now that you’ve awakened this ability, do you feel any discomfort in your body?"

He guessed that their wife’s bloodline power might be uniquely strong, which was why she could awaken such an ability. However, when awakening certain bloodline powers, many people experienced various side effects, including physical distress.

Qiao Suluo shook her head. "Not at all. I feel perfectly fine." Having purged some of the toxins, her body actually felt much lighter and more energetic.

"Oh, right! I managed to cure Bai Qianluo’s eyes, so I think I might be able to use this ability to heal your body too. Even without drinking medicine, I can help detoxify you and nurse you back to health."

Qiao Suluo had absorbed a significant amount of medicinal energy while on the mountain, converting it into her Healing Ability. She still had plenty of power left to spare.

Hearing this, Que Hongjin’s mind reeled. He turned to look closely at Bai Qianluo’s eyes. Upon careful inspection, he realized that Bai Qianluo’s gaze truly was different now—his vision had genuinely been restored. No wonder he no longer needed the white blindfold. No wonder his eyes showed no signs of distress under the bright sunlight.

At this moment, the shock surging in Que Hongjin’s eyes was like a cracking glacier. A storm of emotions raged in his heart, and his ears rang for quite a while. It was incredibly hard for him to believe that Bai Qianluo’s eyes had healed.

He murmured, "Countless people were helpless against his eye condition back then. Otherwise, even if he had simply been stripped of his Blood Power, he wouldn’t have been abandoned.

"It was only because a brilliant talent, proficient in all the classical arts, developed an incurable eye disease that he was discarded as trash.

"If not for that, he would still be the stunningly brilliant Eldest Young Master of the Left Minister’s Mansion, revered by all."

Because of this, he was utterly astounded. If even Bai Qianluo’s eyes could be cured, could he dare to hope that his own body might recover? But how could he entertain such a thought? Then again, just that morning, he had distinctly felt an itching sensation where his wings had been severed. It had been completely numb before. Could this sensation mean his wings were beginning to grow back?

He focused his gaze on Bai Qianluo and said, "Now that your eyes are healed, the Left Minister’s Mansion will presumably come to take you back."

Bai Qianluo’s expression shifted, his gaze turning as cold as frost. "My home is here. I won’t go anywhere, and the people in the Capital City won’t learn of my condition."

Saying this, Bai Qianluo looked at Qiao Suluo with a fragile, shattered expression. "Will you chase me away, wife?"

The pressure suddenly shifted to Qiao Suluo. Bearing the weight of both Que Hongjin and Bai Qianluo’s stares, she felt an awkward urge to flee. The two had been on such good terms before, but now they were practically at each other’s throats. Still, not wanting to make Bai Qianluo sad, she answered, "No, I won’t."

A rippling softness spread across Bai Qianluo’s features as he spoke in a gentle tone. "Mhm. I am my wife’s Beast Husband, and I always will be. Wherever my wife is, I will be there too. As long as you don’t drive me away, I will never leave."

Que Hongjin pinched the bridge of his nose, suppressing the possessiveness swelling in his heart. He looked at Qiao Suluo and said, "You must be tired, wife. Go back inside and rest. Leave the rest of the chores to me."

Bai Qianluo chimed in, "Wife, I’ll go grind the soybeans." While on the mountain, their wife had mentioned that she wanted to go to the county town tomorrow to visit Yue Hanzheng and set up a stall to sell goods. They couldn’t sell Konjac right now, but they could start a tofu business instead.

Qiao Suluo nodded. There really were quite a few things left to do.

Later that night, after they had finished dinner, washed up, and gone to bed, Que Hongjin held Qiao Suluo and clung to her with unusual intensity. It was as if he intended to reclaim all the jealousy and sourness he had felt during the day through this method. Eventually, unable to bear it any longer, Qiao Suluo had to beg for mercy. Knowing they had to travel to the county town the next day, Que Hongjin reluctantly let her go.

"I really don’t know what to do with you," she sighed.

Que Hongjin held her close, burying his face in the crook of her neck and taking a deep breath of her scent.

Only he knew exactly how much he loved her. The mere thought of her forming a Contract with Bai Qianluo and the others drove him crazy with jealousy. He knew this was something every male beastman had to endure as a Beast Husband, yet he couldn’t help but feel greedy. Still, he maintained his rationality, knowing what he had to do. Having more Beast Husbands by her side meant she would be better protected, especially since each of them carried their own share of enmity and danger.

However, he could also feel the changes in his own body right now. After being treated by his wife, the toxins in his system seemed to have lessened, and the severed roots of his wings felt noticeably more responsive.

The next morning, right after breakfast, they set out for the county town.

Since Qiao Suluo and the others needed to visit Yue Hanzheng at the clinic, they pushed their cart right up to its entrance and set up their tofu stall there. Que Hongjin and Bai Qianluo stayed outside to watch the stall while Qiao Suluo went inside to check on Yue Hanzheng.

Yue Hanzheng’s condition was still quite severe. He hadn’t woken up yet, though the doctor’s medicine had managed to save his life.

"Doctor, is he still not awake?"

Doctor Chen shook his head. "The situation is not optimistic. He won’t be waking up anytime soon. It’s not good for his body if this continues, but I will figure out a way to stabilize his condition."

Looking at Yue Hanzheng lying unconscious on the bed, Qiao Suluo felt helpless. She could only place her hand on his wrist and use her Healing Ability to treat him. Fortunately, she had absorbed the energy of quite a few medicinal herbs yesterday, so she still had enough of her ability left to use.

Time ticked by. Just as Qiao Suluo’s face grew pale from exertion, Yue Hanzheng slowly opened his eyes.

The moment his eyes opened, the sharp slant of his brow seemed to radiate a fierce, piercing hostility directed straight at her. Disgusted, Yue Hanzheng forcefully threw her hand off. "Qiao Suluo, what do you think you’re doing?"