Chapter 63: Is She Worthy of Touching This?

’Ling Xuan thought to himself.’

He had just seen Chi Heng holding Wen Qian, which put him on high alert.

Hearing this, Chi Heng raised an eyebrow. "No need."

’They were just a few low-level beastmen; they posed no threat to him at all. As for Wen Qian, he was confident he could protect her.’

"Suit yourself." Ling Xuan couldn’t be bothered to argue with him anymore. ’This guy seems pretty stubborn.’

As he thought this, the young man glanced over at Li Jiu, who was sleeping soundly. ’This kid really has no situational awareness,’ he thought.

After a moment, Ling Xuan turned, walked to the balcony, and vaulted over the railing.

’No matter what that guy says, I have to protect Wen Qian. It’s an order from the Young Master, and I have to obey it no matter what.’

Seeing the man sit back down on the edge of the flowerbed, Ling Xuan watched as his eyes grew utterly still.

After some time, Chi Heng finally averted his gaze. He turned, went into the bedroom, and transformed into his wolf form by the edge of the bed.

...

When Wen Qian woke up, the first thing she saw was Chi Heng’s grey-and-white fur.

The man in his wolf form had a slender build and exceptionally glossy fur. His deep, ink-black eyes glimmered with a silver light that seemed capable of reading one’s very soul.

He lay quietly by the edge of the bed, and the moment his eyes met Wen Qian’s, he awkwardly looked away.

Wen Qian froze for a second, only then realizing she had been holding Chi Heng’s tail in her arms the whole time.

It felt incredibly soft and fluffy. The second before she let go, she couldn’t resist giving it a good stroke.

Chi Heng’s body instantly went rigid. Then, snatching his clothes in his mouth, he fled the bedroom as fast as he could.

’Was he... embarrassed?’

The girl’s eyes widened, a look of disbelief flashing across her face.

It was the first time she had ever seen Chi Heng act like this.

The Wolf Clan was a race possessing a great many complex emotions.

They were cold and sharp, yet also deeply affectionate and fiercely loyal.

Their world consisted of more than just power and slaughter; it also included profound devotion to their mates.

That’s why in the Beast World, when people talked about being hopelessly in love, the Wolf Clan was the first thing that came to mind...

This clan was extremely obstinate. When it came to matters of the heart, they were determined to press on even after hitting a wall. Their love was direct and passionate, enduring and faithful...

This was one of the reasons Gu Mian’s expression had soured when he entered Wen Qian’s home and saw Chi Heng.

He placed the fruit on the table. Beneath his glasses, the man’s eyes were filled with an icy chill.

But, refined as he was, his voice sounded perfectly calm when he spoke. "We have a guest."

When Wen Qian came out of the kitchen, she saw the two men standing opposite each other, neither looking particularly pleased.

Wen Qian: "Ah..."

"I could have been here sooner," Chi Heng interrupted Wen Qian, his voice heavy.

After their meeting at the bar that day, Gu Mian hadn’t released him right away. He had indeed promised Wen Qian he would release Chi Heng immediately, but as for what "immediately" actually meant... that had not been made clear.

So Gu Mian waited two days, and once he was in a better mood, he "immediately" let him go.

The man, extremely weak after days without food, had transformed into his beast form the moment he stepped out of the bar. An injured wolf, roaming the city alone... he had to evade not only humans but also stray cats and dogs.

He suffered for many days before he could finally change back into his human form.

And the very first thing he did after transforming was to find Wen Qian.

"Is that so." The corners of Gu Mian’s lips curved into a slight smile. Of course, he knew what Chi Heng was implying.

"A Mian, come help me with something..." Sensing the oppressive atmosphere, Wen Qian quickly went and pulled Gu Mian’s arm. Only when they were in the kitchen did she explain what had happened yesterday.

Wen Qian had barely finished speaking before Gu Mian confirmed the other man’s identity.

He had also heard about the incident in South City. Although he didn’t normally have any dealings with the Tiger Clan, he kept an eye on anything related to Beastmen.

"I don’t think he means any harm," Wen Qian said honestly after a moment’s thought.

This time, Gu Mian didn’t argue. He just reached out and patted her head. After a moment, the man took the ingredients from her hands and said softly, "Let me."

Surprise flickered in her eyes. Wen Qian said in disbelief, "A Mian, you can cook?"

"Of course." Looking at her wide, almond-shaped eyes, the man raised a hand to his lips and coughed lightly. After a moment, he said in a low voice, "When you live alone, you have to learn a few skills. Otherwise..."

Wen Qian: "Otherwise what?"

"Otherwise, when I saw the person I liked again, what would I have to attract her with?" the man said with a smirk.

’The person I liked again...’ A question flashed through Wen Qian’s mind.

In her memory, Gu Mian had never been around any other women. ’Could it be that in the ten years they were apart, he met his own "white moonlight"?’

A sudden lucidity, like a plot twist from a domineering CEO novel, struck her, and Wen Qian immediately shivered.

"A Mian, you have someone you like?" Wen Qian asked tentatively after a long hesitation.

She was genuinely curious what kind of person could make Gu Mian’s heart flutter.

Reaching for a container in the cabinet, the man half-encircled the girl in his arms. He lowered his head slightly, quietly gazing into her eyes.

He seemed to be trying to read her emotions, the feelings revealed in his eyes both warm and profound.

After a moment, a low voice came from his lips. "Qianqian doesn’t know?"

The question made Wen Qian freeze. She took a moment to process it, then subconsciously swallowed.

Something flashed through her mind, but she quickly dismissed it.

’This... how could this be possible?’

Seeing her conflicted expression, the man raised an eyebrow. He deliberately leaned in close to her ear. "Qianqian is so close to me, and you still don’t know who I like?"

His warm breath fell on the soft tip of her ear, and in the next second, Wen Qian’s face flushed beet red.

She instinctively tried to back away, but after only one step, she bumped into the cold cabinet.

"Oof—" Wen Qian let out a small whimper of pain. She looked up and met the man’s scorching gaze again.

The man calmly took down the pot and set it aside, then pulled Wen Qian into his arms and gave her waist a firm squeeze.

Wen Qian was startled by his action and instinctively tried to dodge, but the moment she moved, he forcefully pulled her into his embrace. His voice was very soft, as if to soothe her. "I’ll rub it for Qianqian."

The warmth of his palm seeped through her clothes, feeling almost scalding. Wen Qian instinctively squirmed.

’She had originally planned to help Gu Mian in the kitchen, but now... she didn’t dare stay a second longer.’

’Even an idiot would have understood what Gu Mian meant just now... The person he said he liked was clearly her!’

’But how could that be possible...’

’Ten years ago, he had clearly said he wanted to be friends with her for life.’

’He didn’t mean *boy*friend, did he?’

The memory of him pinning her against the door and biting her neck suddenly surfaced in her mind, and Wen Qian’s face grew even hotter. She pushed against his chest through his shirt, but not only did she fail to push him away, the solid feeling under her palms made her hands tingle...

’Wait, am I even allowed to be touching this?’

’Oh my god! Why does it feel so good?!’

"Y-You, let go first." Face flushed, Wen Qian’s words came out in a stammer.