"I know," Jiang Lijin's tone was lazy. "Even if I made an appointment for a mental power test this afternoon, the results wouldn't come out immediately, right? And even if they did, submitting them would still require going through the proper procedures, right? But I still need a place to stay for the next few days. Lord Chiron doesn't think my ex-beast husbands would be willing to take me in for these few days, does he?"
Chiron looked at her without speaking, his eyes betraying no emotion.
Seeing that he wasn't going to respond, Jiang Lijin simply started spouting nonsense. "Besides, my three ex-husbands gave me an ultimatum yesterday, urging me to move out quickly. They said that if I stayed any longer, it would affect them welcoming their new life. Listen to that, is that something a human would say? The divorce papers were just signed, and they couldn't wait to welcome someone new into the door."
"You have no idea, Lord Chiron. Yesterday, they already brought that S-grade female home, and they even used mental suppression on me just because I didn't greet the lady properly..." Jiang Lijin rambled on and on. She didn't expect the man in front of her to stand up for her; she purely wanted to ruin her three ex-husbands' reputations. These upper-class people should have some connections with each other, more or less.
Chiron's eyebrows twitched slightly. He seemed not to have expected that there would be males so rude to a female, even if they were S-grade. In this world where females were rare, a C-grade was still a female and deserved to be respected.
At least on the surface, it should be that way.
"So," Jiang Lijin threw her hands up, "before the test results come out, I still have to find a place to live. I can't just sleep on the streets, can I? I heard the nights on the capital star are quite cold. If my frail C-grade body freezes, wouldn't that cause trouble for your hospital?"
She paused, suddenly struck by an idea. "Or... would you be willing to lend me your office to sleep in for a while? I see this sofa is quite comfortable, much better than that broken bed at my ex-husbands' house."
The room was quiet for a second.
"You can stay at my house."
Jiang Lijin froze. She looked up at Chiron; his expression remained calm, as if he had just said, The weather is nice.
"What did you say?"
Chiron looked at her and repeated in a calm tone, "I said, you can stay at my house."
For a moment, Jiang Lijin didn't know what to say.
What did he mean? Although in this world, the higher the grade, the more noble and powerful one was, when it came to marriage, males ultimately had fewer choices than females. If a male was ambiguously involved with other females before marriage, he would still be gossiped about, and even if he was matched with a female, he would be despised.
[Wow wow wow wow!] Xiao Yi's voice exploded in her mind again. [Host, he-he-he-he-he invited you to stay at his house? Oh my god! Is this the start of cohabitation!!]
Jiang Lijin ignored it, just staring at Chiron.
"Lord Chiron," she spoke slowly, a trace of disbelief in her tone. "Do you know what you are saying?"
Chiron raised an eyebrow, seeming to understand what she was thinking, and suddenly smiled. But the smile was very faint.
"After you went back yesterday, didn't you look up my information?" he asked.
Jiang Lijin was taken aback. Look up his information? No. But... it was just Xiao Yi chattering crazily in her mind.
Chiron's tone remained calm. "With my grade, I will never find a female to be my partner in this lifetime. So this kind of thing doesn't matter."
Jiang Lijin fell silent.
She remembered the look in Chiron's eyes when he mentioned that C-grade female—lonely and distant.
He had someone in his heart. That deceased C-grade female must have been someone very important to him. That was why he didn't care, and that was why he dared to casually invite a strange female to stay at his house.
This was fine too. It was actually safer if his heart belonged to someone else, although she didn't have anything for him to scheme for anyway. Besides, staying at the home of a 3S-grade big shot would definitely be the safest place on the entire capital star, right? Who would dare to run wild in the territory of a 3S-grade beastman?
[Host,] Xiao Yi's voice rang out again, [Hurry up and agree! A free house and the protection of a 3S-grade big shot, what are you hesitating for? Agree agree agree!]
[Shut up.]
She looked at Chiron. "Are you sure?" Jiang Lijin said. "Do you want me to pay rent? I'll just stay for a few days. Once the mental power test results come out, I'll move out immediately."
Chiron nodded, his tone flat. "My house is very big and has many rooms. They are just sitting empty anyway, so I won't go as far as charging you money."
"Alright." Jiang Lijin slapped her thigh. "Then I'll go back and pack my things today."
An hour later, carrying a dilapidated suitcase, Jiang Lijin stood in the most central area of the capital star. In front of her was a detached villa, three stories high, with a garden, a swimming pool, and even a helipad... Yes, that's right, a helipad, and there was even a small aircraft parked on it.
Jiang Lijin looked up at the house, swearing internally once again.
[Host,] Xiao Yi's voice carried a subtle tone, [Do you know how much this house is worth?]
"How much?"
[I don't know,] Xiao Yi said honestly, [Or rather, it's priceless. The area where this house is located is the residential area assigned to S-grade females by the capital star. It's just that...]
Before Xiao Yi could finish speaking, Jiang Lijin's footsteps halted.
"Just what?" She already had a faint bad premonition in her heart.
[Felwin also lives here.]
The next second, a familiar voice came from behind her, as delicately pretentious as ever, but carrying a hint of unconcealed surprise:
"Sister Jiang Lijin?"
Jiang Lijin turned around.
Felwin stood not far away, wearing a light purple dress. Her hair was still loosely pinned behind her head, making her look as gentle as a painting. Beside her stood another female, slightly taller with bright and beautiful features, who was looking at Jiang Lijin with an assessing gaze.
The tall female frowned. Her gaze fell on the dilapidated suitcase in Jiang Lijin's hand, then looked at the old coat she was wearing. A flash of undisguised disgust crossed her eyes. "Felwin, do you know her?"
Felwin nodded, her smile gentle. "Yes, this is Sister Jiang Lijin, whom I mentioned to you before." She paused, then added, "The one who divorced Rex and the others."
The tall female's eyes instantly became subtle.
"Oh—" she dragged out her voice, her gaze sweeping over Jiang Lijin. That look was one of naked contempt. "So it's you."
The tall female chuckled, a condescending tone in her voice. "I've heard of you. A C-grade matched with three S-grades, only to be swept out the door in the end. How pitiful."
Felwin gently pulled her sleeve, her tone carrying a hint of reproach. "Allie, don't say that. Sister Jiang Lijin has already had a hard time." She looked at Jiang Lijin with hypocritical concern in her eyes. "Sister, please don't mind her. Allie speaks bluntly, but she means no harm. By the way, why are you here, Sister? This doesn't seem like a place a C-grade female should come to, right?"
Jiang Lijin looked at her and suddenly smiled.
What kind of clichéd plot was this? A two-faced hypocrite always had a mean-mouthed friend by her side to lead the charge, while she herself played the innocent, kind peacemaker. Disgusting, it was truly disgusting.
She shook the suitcase in her hand, smiling with utmost sincerity. "Looking for a place to stay."
Allie burst into laughter. "Looking for a place to stay?"
She looked Jiang Lijin up and down. "Do you even know where you are? This is the most expensive residential district on the capital planet. Only S-rank females live here. And you, a mere C-rank, came here looking for a place to stay?"
As she spoke, she turned to Felwin, laughing so hard her shoulders shook. "Felwin, is this sister of yours out of her mind?"
Felwin gently tugged at her sleeve, a hint of helplessness in her tone. "Allie, please don't be like that."
She looked at Jiang Lijin, her eyes brimming with worry. "Sister, please don't take it to heart. Allie is just outspoken. But she does have a point; this place really isn't suitable for a C-rank female. How about... I help you find a few cheaper places? I know some friends, I can ask around for you."
