At the hospital stairwell.

Jiang Zheyu rolled up Su Yan’s sleeve, revealing a lean, fair arm. His veins stood out slightly, but there wasn’t a single wound on it.

Then, she heard Su Yan’s low chuckle and realized she must have misunderstood.

When Jiang Zheyu saw the message from Jin Yu, she had focused only on the part about Su Yan being at the hospital and assumed he had been injured and admitted.

"If you’re not hurt, then why are you at the hospital?" Jiang Zheyu lightly thumped his chest.

"My comrades were injured, so I brought them here." Su Yan took her wrist, his other hand caressing her face. "Yu Yu, I’m back."

"You scared me to death! I thought you’d gotten hurt again." Seeing that Su Yan was uninjured, Jiang Zheyu was finally able to relax, her expression torn between tears and laughter.

"I’m perfectly fine, aren’t I?" Su Yan gently pulled Jiang Zheyu into a hug.

Jiang Zheyu happily hugged him back, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head in his chest. "Su Yan, I missed you so much."

"I missed you too." Su Yan rested his chin lightly on top of her head.

On the landing below them, three heartbroken figures seemed to have appeared.

Su Yan, of course, had noticed the three expressionless Beastmen standing behind Yu Yu.

He didn’t spare them a second glance, however, choosing instead to relish the blissful moment of holding his female in his arms.

The group left the hospital.

"A Yuan, did you just get back today?" Jiang Zheyu asked, holding Su Yan’s hand as they walked out together.

"Mhm, just got back." A cool breeze swept past, brushing aside his somewhat long, choppy red hair to reveal sharp brows and a pair of wine-red eyes filled with tenderness and adoration.

"Then let’s go back to the Imperial Palace so you can rest." Jiang Zheyu secretly tightened her grip on Su Yan’s hand. She could feel a faded scar on his palm, the kind that looked like it came from grabbing a blade with his bare hand.

"Alright." Su Yan’s lips curved into a slight smile.

Three men followed a short distance behind.

Feng Qi crossed his arms over his chest, his handsome face a cold mask. ’Internally, he was fuming. He’d just returned from a mission yesterday, too! And he’d gone to see Jiang Yuyu right away. So why was her reaction to his return so different from her reaction to Su Yan’s?’

’Damn that Su Yan. He’s such an eyesore.’

Zexun, tall and slender in a pink shirt, also walked behind them. His graceful face was serene, but only he knew that inside, he was going mad with jealousy.

Jiang Yi’s pink hair fell over his eyes. He thought, ’Why didn’t that person die out there?’

’If he had died, then Master’s attention wouldn’t always be on him.’

’But he knew that if that person died, Master would be heartbroken.’

’He didn’t want to make Master unhappy.’

’But... why did it hurt so much?’

’So many people loved his Master, and her love was always divided into so many pieces.’

’How wonderful it would be if Master loved only him.’

No one knew of the heartbreak and jealousy brewing among the three men behind them.

And just like that, the group returned to the Imperial Palace.

Jiang Zheyu wanted Su Yan to go back and get some proper rest. After all, he had just returned and must be weary from his travels.

At the entrance to the palace.

"Jiang Zheyu?" The Little Princess of the Empire was just walking out and happened to run into her.

"Princess Jin Wan?" Jiang Zheyu froze for a moment, surprised to see the Little Princess of the Empire. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Ever since the Star Thief that the Little Princess of the Empire fancied had confessed his feelings for Jiang Zheyu instead, Jiang Zheyu had kept her distance and hadn’t seen the princess.

She hadn’t run into her since, and had no idea what the princess had been up to. At least she hadn’t seen the Little Princess of the Empire having any of her usual nightly fits.

Jiang Zheyu was actually a little curious about how the Little Princess of the Empire had been doing lately.

The Little Princess of the Empire looked perfectly normal today; they should be able to have a proper conversation.

Jiang Zheyu turned to Su Yan. "A Yuan, you just got back. Go to your room and get some rest. I’m going to talk with Princess Jin Wan for a bit."

Su Yan glanced at Jiang Zheyu, gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and nodded. "Alright."

Su Yan and the others left.

"Let’s talk in my palace." Jin Wan glanced at Jiang Zheyu before turning and heading toward her own residence.

Jiang Zheyu naturally followed her.

In truth, although Jin Wan was a Princess, she didn’t have any real friends she could confide in.

The other females all had soothing methods different from her own; Jiang Zheyu was actually the first one whose method was the same as hers.

Moreover, from their recent interactions, even though Jiang Zheyu’s opinions often clashed with her own, Jin Wan had to admit that when she wanted to talk to someone, Jiang Zheyu was the only person who came to mind.

In the past few days, Jin Wan had also sorted out her own affairs.

In fact, when she heard that Jiang Zheyu had been captured by Star Thieves a few days ago, she had wanted to go check on her. But then she discovered that Jiang Zheyu had somehow gotten involved with that new butler.

Kissing in the garden in broad daylight.

So, Jin Wan had no choice but to leave.

Over the next few days, Jin Wan kept seeing Jiang Zheyu being all lovey-dovey with her men.

Jin Wan: ...

And yesterday was even more ridiculous. Her three men were in the garden, vying for her affection—one was massaging her legs, another her shoulders, and the third was feeding her.

Jin Wan decided not to disturb her.

She hadn’t expected to run right into Jiang Zheyu today, when she was on her way to bring her now-recovered Beast Husband back.

In an instant, Jin Wan abandoned the idea of retrieving her Beast Husband and decided she wanted to talk with Jiang Zheyu instead.

To her surprise, Jiang Zheyu also seemed quite eager to talk.

Jin Wan was very pleased with this.

’The woman wasn’t completely lost in her men’s affection; she still remembered her.’

Jiang Zheyu followed Jin Wan to her room. This was the first time she had ever been inside.

Just like her own quarters, it had an enormous floor-to-ceiling window.

’The rooms in the Imperial Palace must all be designed this way.’

The difference was that Jin Wan’s room was filled with dolls, rows of princess gowns, and all sorts of cosmetics.

The room was very dreamy.

Jiang Zheyu hadn’t expected the Little Princess of the Empire’s room to be like this, especially since the princess always seemed so unhinged.

’She had even wondered if the Little Princess of the Empire was like the original owner of her body, preferring to decorate her room with torture devices.’

"So why bring me to your room?" Jiang Zheyu asked, sitting down casually. "It’s decorated so cutely. It really doesn’t seem like your style."

"This has always been my style. You just don’t understand me," Jin Wan said after a moment’s pause. "And I brought you to my room because it’s easier to discuss private matters here."

Jiang Zheyu paused at her words and looked at the Little Princess of the Empire. "What kind of private matters did you want to discuss?"

’Men? Or something else?’