Jiang Lijin walked into the room, closed the door behind her, and then went to the bed, fishing out that ancient optical computer from under her pillow.
Just as the screen lit up, urgent footsteps echoed outside the door, followed immediately by a knocking that sounded more like someone trying to smash the door in.
"Jiang Lijin!" Arden's voice carried a hint of gritted teeth. "Open the door!"
Jiang Lijin raised an eyebrow, leisurely placed the optical computer on the bed, stood up, walked to the door, and pulled it open.
Arden stood at the doorway. Not far beside him stood Rex and Kieran, while Felwin stood a bit further back. Her eyes were red, looking as if she had suffered a massive grievance but was forcing herself not to cry.
Jiang Lijin leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest, chin slightly raised. "Is there a problem?"
"What did you mean just now?" Arden lowered his voice. "Saying those things in front of Felwin, what are you trying to do?"
Jiang Lijin looked at him as if looking at an idiot, saying nothing.
"Apologize!" Arden demanded. "Go and apologize to Miss Felwin right now."
These were words Arden had said to her countless times before. In the past, as long as his tone was a bit fierce, Jiang Lijin would obediently go and apologize.
But the current Jiang Lijin was no longer the same as before.
She almost laughed out loud. "Why should I apologize? What am I apologizing for?"
"You—!"
Arden's eyes turned red with anger, and an invisible pressure was released from his body. It was the aura of an S-grade beastman, carrying an aggressiveness that was enough to make an ordinary C-grade female go weak in the knees.
Jiang Lijin only felt a very slight fluctuation and nothing else.
Instead, Xiao Yi was frantically sounding alarms in her mind: [Host, Host, he is releasing S-grade pressure on you! Quickly, act it out! Pretend to be uncomfortable! Pretend to be scared! Go weak in the knees!]
Jiang Lijin finally realized—oh right, she was now a "C-grade trash ex-wife." She hurriedly pretended to be uncomfortable and took two steps back, staggering toward the bed. Her footsteps were unsteady as if stepping on cotton, and she finally lunged onto the edge of the bed, just managing to touch the optical computer with its screen still lit.
A scream came from behind, clearly Felwin's voice. The cry was sharp and thin, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Arden retracted his aura almost instantly, turning to look at Felwin, the fury on his face replaced by panic.
With her back to Arden, Jiang Lijin immediately tapped a few times on the open optical computer, calling out in her mind: [Xiao Yi, what is the number for the Female Protection Association?]
[Searching... Found it. The number is XXXX-XXXX-XXXX. It's open 24 hours and handles all complaints and reports related to female rights.]
Jiang Lijin pressed the dial button and turned on the speaker.
The moment the call connected, a gentle but professional female voice came from the optical computer: "Hello, this is the Capital Star Female Protection Association. How may I help you?"
The scene instantly quieted down; even breathing could be heard.
Speaking into the optical computer, Jiang Lijin said in a calm tone, "Hello, I would like to make a complaint. My three ex-husbands are subjecting me to mental oppression. Just now, Arden attempted to physically attack me using his S-grade aura."
The female voice on the other end fell silent for a second, followed by the sound of data fluctuations, as if entering information: "Understood, Ms. Jiang Lijin, your complaint has been received. Are you currently in danger? Do you need me to contact the nearest security team for you?"
Jiang Lijin sat up from the bed and raised her eyes to look at Arden. Arden stood at the door to the room, his face having gone from black to green.
She said to the optical computer, "Not for the time being. But please make a record that if any of them try to harm me again in any way, I will call the police immediately."
"Understood, it has been recorded. Additionally, I would like to confirm with you, are there any other females at the scene?"
Jiang Lijin's gaze bypassed Arden and landed on Felwin in the distance. She stood behind Rex and Kieran, her eyes red, like a delicate white flower ravaged by the wind and rain.
Jiang Lijin raised an eyebrow and said to the optical computer, "Yes. A female named Felwin, S-grade, married. She was also just affected by Arden's S-grade aura."
The other end of the phone fell silent for a second: "Ms. Jiang, according to regulations, if there is a higher-grade female at the scene, we need to prioritize confirming her safety. Have you observed her in any discomfort or danger?"
The corners of Jiang Lijin's mouth curled up slightly; she thought of something amusing.
"Yes. She was just affected by Arden's mental aura, and now she's crying her eyes out. I think you need to help me contact her three beastmen husbands to come and take her back. Just in case something happens, a C-grade like me can't bear the responsibility."
Felwin's face turned pale in an instant. This time, it wasn't an act.
Rex and Kieran looked at her simultaneously, their gazes carrying complex emotions.
Arden froze in place, as if his acupoints had been struck, his mouth open but unable to speak.
The operator on the other end seemed to be taking notes, then immediately spoke up: "Understood, Ms. Jiang. Thank you for the heads-up. We will contact Ms. Felwin's matched beastmen husbands to confirm her safety. Is there anything else you need help with?"
"No, thank you."
"You're welcome. Your complaint number is FT-881030. A specialist will contact you within three working days. Have a nice day."
The call ended.
Jiang Lijin put the optical computer away, placed it back on the bed, and looked at the four people in the hallway.
Felwin was still standing in place, her fingers tightly clutching the hem of her skirt. Her eyes were still red, but it was no longer an act; it was genuine fear, dread, and distress.
Jiang Lijin looked at her and suddenly smiled. The smile was very light, even enough to be called amicable.
"Miss Felwin, did you say just now that you came to see me?"
Felwin subconsciously nodded.
"Then have you seen enough?"
Felwin seemed not to expect her to say this. She looked up at her, opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything.
Jiang Lijin walked to the door, preparing to close it, but saw Arden standing there like a statue.
She smiled again. "Oh, by the way, Lord Arden, the people from the Female Protection Association should be contacting Ms. Felwin's husbands very soon. Do you guys want to make yourselves scarce?"
Arden's face turned completely black, the veins on his forehead throbbing.
Jiang Lijin didn't look at him and closed the door straight away.
The moment the door closed, she heard Felwin's lowered voice coming from the hallway, anxious and panicked: "I have to go, right now."
Then came Arden's voice: "I'll walk you—"
"No need, don't come out!"
Footsteps hurried away.
Jiang Lijin leaned her back against the door panel and finally couldn't hold back a laugh.
[Host,] Xiao Yi's voice trembled with excitement, [you were amazing just now!]
[Xiao Yi, what do you think her three beastmen husbands' reactions will be when they get the call?]
[In all likelihood, they will immediately rush over to pick her up, and they might have some questions about why she is at the home of three S-grade males.]
[That makes things very interesting.] Jiang Lijin walked to the bed and sat down. [Let her take her time explaining it.]
"But Host," Xiao Yi's voice suddenly carried a hint of confusion, "why would Felwin be affected by Arden's pressure? Isn't she an S-rank? An S-rank facing another S-rank's pressure shouldn't logically have such a huge reaction, unless..."
"Unless what?" Jiang Lijin raised an eyebrow.
"Unless she isn't an S-rank at all." Xiao Yi's voice turned serious. "If she is only an A-rank, then it all makes sense."
Jiang Lijin's eyes lit up.
"Right!" She sat up abruptly. "Think about it. The original owner was matched by the Mastermind to three S-ranks because she was originally an S-rank herself. By that same logic, could Felwin, who was matched to three A-ranks, actually only be an A-rank?"
"Yeah!" Xiao Yi's voice also grew excited. "You have a point, Host! Next time we see Felwin, you can get a little closer and let me scan her. As long as we are close enough, I can detect her true rank!"
Next time?
"...It would be best if there is no next time!"
