Jun Lin Yuan rubbed his nose, feeling a bit guilty.

But then he quickly and proudly puffed out his chest.

’Wait, that’s not right.’

’What does he have to feel guilty about?’

’A man can’t forget the path he took to rise to the top.’

’The point is, he succeeded, didn’t he?’

Because of what Shen Zueran had said, Huo Zhanting, Su Xingye, and Li Yucheng all let their gazes sweep over Jun Lin Yuan’s face.

Seeing the pride and smugness on his face, they all snorted coldly in unison.

Huo Zhanting raised a hand and tapped on the tabletop.

"Alright, what’s done is done. Let’s not bring up the past anymore."

"The most important thing right now is Pei Shiyi."

"This Pei Shiyi..."

Huo Zhanting’s brows furrowed. He simply didn’t know how to describe the man.

After the incident with Jun Lin Yuan, they no longer had any real objections to Yu Lan adding a new Beast Husband.

Lanlan was so outstanding and capable; it was only natural that she would attract the longing gazes of many excellent males.

Their job, of course, was to carefully select the most outstanding, young, and robust male who could also win Yu Lan’s favor to join their ranks.

Imperceptibly, they had all gradually become more magnanimous.

However, this definitely did not include people like Pei Shiyi.

The man was simply outrageous.

He was clearly the last to arrive, and it would be one thing if he just didn’t respect them, his seniors.

But he also fought and scrambled for everything.

He was wildly jealous.

And he would burst into tears anytime, anywhere, with no regard for his own dignity.

This made it impossible for Huo Zhanting and the others, who might have otherwise been willing to grit their teeth and shamelessly fight him for favor, to bring themselves to stoop to his level.

Panting and shedding tears after being teased by their little female in a moment of passion could be considered a private, intimate thrill.

But crying just to compete for favor? That was just absurd.

They couldn’t bring themselves to stoop that low.

Pei Shiyi, on the other hand, was utterly shameless.

And so, between the two sides, hadn’t they reached a stalemate?

Su Xingye, sitting beside Huo Zhanting, spoke with a frosty air:

"We can’t let him go on like this."

"We have to lay down some rules for him. We’re all Lanlan’s Beast Husbands; he shouldn’t be so unreasonable."

A cold glint flashed through Su Xingye’s eyes, which resembled the finest emeralds.

He was, for once, truly angered.

Just then, Li Yucheng suddenly spoke up:

"Look over there. Isn’t that Lanlan?"

At the mention of Yu Lan, all the men instantly whipped their heads around to look where Li Yucheng was pointing.

Although Yu Lan was wearing a sun hat, doing her best to hide her beautiful face, she couldn’t stop the gazes that were constantly thrown her way.

With her dazzlingly beautiful face hidden, her exquisite and graceful figure was highlighted instead.

Delicate collarbones, a full and firm bust.

Below that, a supple, slender waist that looked like it could be encircled in one’s hands, and long, straight legs.

With every step she took, she continuously attracted gazes from all directions.

Without even showing her face, she attracted a large group of males who wanted to approach and declare their intentions, based on her perfect figure alone.

However, they were pinned in place by Pei Shiyi’s murderous, ice-cold glare, forced to watch helplessly as the pair walked away, their hearts filled with a sense of loss.

「On the terrace」

The eyes of the men watching this scene darkened in unison.

Shen Zueran’s expression was the foulest of all.

Even though he knew Yu Lan might be with Pei Shiyi, the impact of witnessing it with his own eyes was much stronger.

Jealousy, wrapped in fury, surged through him.

Jun Lin Yuan was still fanning the flames from the side:

"Shen Zueran, it looks like Lanlan ditched her date with you and chose Pei Shiyi instead, huh."

"What are you going to do? She doesn’t want you anymore."

’Are they going to fight?’

Jun Lin Yuan’s eyes gleamed, ready to watch a good show.

Shen Zueran shot him a cold look with his dark eyes.

He wasn’t so stupid as to go out and fight Pei Shiyi to the point of mutual destruction, only for Jun Lin Yuan to swoop in and pick up the spoils.

His gaze darkened, and he spoke in a cold voice:

"Weren’t we just talking about calling Pei Shiyi up here to lay down some rules? What are you waiting for?"

At that moment, Yu Lan had entered a clothing store and was being urged by a sales associate to try on some clothes.

Pei Shiyi, for once left by himself, stood not far off, watching Yu Lan with a smile in his eyes.

For the past few days, Pei Shiyi had been stuck to Yu Lan like glue. Aside from when he was at work at the Science Research Institute, it was nearly impossible for anyone else to get a chance to be with her.

That was why the others were so anxious, while Shen Zueran—until now—had not been.

But now, Jun Lin Yuan shrugged and exchanged a look with Li Yucheng. Clearly, Shen Zueran had gotten anxious too.

Huo Zhanting took out his phone and sent Pei Shiyi a message.

Huo Zhanting: [Got a minute to talk?]

Huo Zhanting: [Location.]

Pei Shiyi, who was waiting for Yu Lan to try on clothes, saw the message, and a glint flashed in his eyes.

He glanced up toward the terrace where Huo Zhanting and the others were, then walked over to the fitting rooms.

From a short distance away, his deep, magnetic voice called out to her, reporting his status.

"Lanlan, something’s come up unexpectedly. I might need to leave for a bit."

"Could you wait for me here? I’ll be back very soon."

Yu Lan, who was in the middle of trying on clothes, paused in surprise.

’Didn’t Pei Shiyi say he didn’t really know anyone on Central Star?’

’How could he have business to take care of?’

Although she thought this, Yu Lan didn’t probe further. Her clear voice quickly rang out.

"Okay, you go ahead."

"Don’t rush. If you’re busy, I can just go back by myself later."

"I won’t be." Pei Shiyi chuckled, the corners of his lips hooking up. His bewitching face, one that seemed to have been nurtured in the deep sea, instantly took on a wicked, untamable look.

"It’s just a small matter."

’It’s just a few males. As if I’d be afraid of them.’

’We’ll just have to see who comes out on top.’

Having received Yu Lan’s permission, Pei Shiyi strode toward the third-floor terrace.

CLICK—

The glass door leading to the terrace was pushed open from the other side.

On the terrace, Huo Zhanting and the others, some sitting and some standing, all raised their eyes to look at Pei Shiyi at the same time.

The six men’s gazes met in midair.

Pei Shiyi raised an eyebrow, casually hooked a chair with his right foot, and with a sweep of his robes, sat right down.

Seizing the initiative, he spoke first:

"Weren’t you looking for me?"

"Go on, what did you want to talk about?"

Pei Shiyi never believed for a second that they were the type to sit down and have a calm discussion.

With such an arrogant and haughty demeanor, there wasn’t a trace of the docile act he put on for Yu Lan.

Jun Lin Yuan snorted.

’He’s met his match!’

’To think there’s another poser in the ranks.’

Huo Zhanting, Su Xingye, Shen Zueran, and Li Yucheng all remained silent.

Their frigid gazes swept over Pei Shiyi’s face like blades.

For a moment, the air became utterly silent.

Pei Shiyi waited a moment. When he saw Yu Lan emerge from the fitting room downstairs, he decided he didn’t want to keep her waiting—that wasn’t something a good male would do.

He shot up from his seat.

"Since you’re just going to be mysterious and not say anything, then forget it."

"I don’t have time to sit around here idly with you all."

"I’m going to accompany my Female Master."

’He had nothing in common with this pack of males who didn’t even have their Female Master with them.’

Hearing this, Shen Zueran’s expression twisted for a moment.

’If it weren’t for Pei Shiyi, I would be the one standing by Yu Lan’s side right now.’

A cold glint also flashed in the eyes of Huo Zhanting and the others as they unleashed their imposing auras without reservation.

As they watched Pei Shiyi turn his back to leave, a cold, threatening voice rang out.

"Pei Shiyi, we have no objection to you liking Lanlan and wanting to become her Beast Husband."

"But you’d best control your behavior and not go too far."