Fu Shiyi glanced at the restless hand of the person in his arms but made no move to stop it.
"Last night I didn't know he was also your beast husband, so I didn't hold back."
Yunyang thought of the topic she'd seen on the star network that morning. "So the one who fought with you last night was Xuan Yu?"
Fu Shiyi nodded.
Yunyang fell silent.
That wolf cub Xuan Yu—how did he manage to have a grudge with every one of her beast husbands?
"Don't worry, Matron." Fu Shiyi seemed to brush his forehead against hers almost casually. "He was acting on someone else's behalf, and since he's your beast husband, I won't make things difficult for him."
Since Xuan Yu had already been marked by the matron, he would eventually serve alongside him in her presence. Since he wasn't the mastermind behind it all, and had already been taught a lesson last night, he could pretend nothing had happened.
Since the one directly involved had chosen not to pursue it, Yunyang didn't dwell on the topic either.
She thought for a moment, then asked Fu Shiyi, "But were you hurt?"
Fu Shiyi shook his head.
If he wanted to, he could already be an SS-rank psionic. That wolf cub was no match for him.
As they spoke, they reached Yunyang's room.
She didn't ask anything else, gave Xuan Yu downstairs a sympathetic look, and let Fu Shiyi carry her to the bathroom.
There was no way she could get into bed without bathing first and changing clothes.
Fu Shiyi obeyed, carrying her into the bathroom, running the bathwater, helping her fetch her pajamas, then quietly leaving the room.
He remained perfectly calm the entire time, not doing anything else like the other two beast husbands had.
Yunyang was quite satisfied with that, since her mental value was indeed somewhat low and she had no energy for such things.
She quickly bathed, changed into clean pajamas, and lay down on the bed to rest.
Two hours later, a knock came right on time.
"Matron, dinner is ready."
Yunyang answered with a drowsy mumble, opened her eyes, and slowly got up to open the door.
Outside, Fu Shiyi had also changed into clean loungewear.
Though he still wore those serious silver-rimmed glasses, there was a hint of casualness about him now.
Once she opened the door, he scooped her up again and carried her downstairs.
After Fu Shiyi moved in, the seats to Yunyang's left and right were no longer enough. To fight for the only two spots nearest her, the three beast husbands waged a silent, pointed war.
Qin Mo played his card first: "Matron, I cooked the meal. Can I sit next to you?"
Xuan Yu played the pitiful card: "Matron, you didn't help me apply medicine this afternoon. As compensation, can I sit next to you?"
Fu Shiyi simply lowered his head slightly and asked, "Hungry?"
Yunyang nodded.
So Fu Shiyi carried her over and sat in the spot closest to her.
Qin Mo: "..."
Xuan Yu: "..."
That scheming bastard!!!
But since Yunyang had said she was hungry, the two beast husbands dared not keep fighting over it. They reluctantly took their seats on Fu Shiyi's left and right instead.
After all, all three of them had been marked by the matron, so letting Fu Shiyi have this one was fine.
With that thought, Qin Mo and Xuan Yu let go of their reluctance.
When there had only been two beast husbands, Yunyang had never needed to lift a finger herself. Now with Fu Shiyi added to the mix, tonight's meal meant she only had to open her mouth, chew, and swallow.
The service from her three beast husbands was almost too good.
Five stars!
After dinner came a walk, and when they returned, Yunyang went back to absorbing insect cores. Between purifying two males today and absorbing those cores, her ability had grown noticeably.
She could feel an E-rank ability within reach!
With that thought, Yunyang was full of drive.
Her mental value had recovered to over 50%, so Fu Shiyi didn't try to stop her.
All three beast husbands accompanied her, and the scene was fairly harmonious.
That harmony lasted only until Yunyang was about to head back to her room.
"Matron, tonight..."
Qin Mo's eyes were full of expectation. His heat cycle wasn't over yet, and he'd just had his first taste of her. He couldn't get enough.
Yunyang had become utterly addictive to him.
Xuan Yu, not caring whether Qin Mo was in his heat cycle, said almost outright, "Matron, let me serve you in the bath."
At those words, Yunyang immediately thought back to their first time.
The warm water in the tub rising and falling, occasionally splashing high...
She had to admit, it had been incredible.
But a tiger cub in his heat cycle had a flavor all his own.
Yunyang hesitated.
Then she looked at Fu Shiyi, who hadn't joined in the rivalry.
Of the three beast husbands, only Fu Shiyi hadn't yet formed a bond with her.
Yunyang made her decision quickly. "Fu Shiyi, carry me to my room."
Qin Mo and Xuan Yu's expressions froze, both glaring at Fu Shiyi.
They'd all been competing for her attention, but he hadn't fought or scrambled for it at all—of course, just to catch the matron's eye.
That scheming bastard!!!
Fu Shiyi pretended not to see the anger in his two rivals' eyes. He obediently lifted Yunyang and walked unhurriedly upstairs.
Since it was Yunyang's own pick, and Fu Shiyi was the only one not yet bonded to her, Qin Mo and Xuan Yu didn't push further.
Instead, watching Fu Shiyi's leisurely back, the two sneakily leaned together and muttered.
Qin Mo: "Fu Shiyi spends all day stuck in his design room. He probably can't please the matron at all!"
Xuan Yu: "He doesn't fight for anything—probably knows he's useless in that department!"
Yunyang, who could hear every word clearly: "..."
Some "whispering" that was.
She could hear it plainly, and Fu Shiyi was an S-rank psionic—of course he heard it too.
Qin Mo was one thing, but Xuan Yu had only just gotten a beating from Fu Shiyi last night. Wasn't he afraid of another one?
Still, Fu Shiyi didn't react at all.
Could it be that he really was no good in that department?
In her past life, she'd often seen things online like "a man past 25 might as well be 60," but beastmen lived more than twice as long as Blue Star humans on average. Surely it wouldn't be that way, right?
Catching the flicker of doubt in Yunyang's eyes, Fu Shiyi paused slightly in his movement.
Then out of nowhere, he asked, "Does Matron have plans tomorrow?"
Yunyang assumed he was just being considerate, so she said, "I need to go help out at the Purification Tower tomorrow afternoon. Nothing much in the morning, though."
Fu Shiyi gave a slight nod and said no more.
He didn't take her back to her own room. Instead, he chose an empty room on the second floor with no lingering scents, shut the door, and asked, "Do you want to bathe again?"
Even though she'd showered not long ago, thinking about what was to come, Yunyang nodded.
Fu Shiyi carried her to the bathroom just like this afternoon, while he himself sat waiting in a chair in the room.
Only after she came out did he go in to take his own shower.
When he emerged, the man wore a bathrobe but still had his glasses on.
Yunyang was about to ask about it when Fu Shiyi lifted her and set her gently on the bed.
She found herself trapped between Fu Shiyi and the headboard, and because of the height difference, she had to tilt her head up slightly.
"Fu..."
Her red lips had barely parted before they were captured.
After a brief kiss, Fu Shiyi took her right hand and placed it on the frame of his glasses.
"Matron, take them off for me."
She pressed lightly, and those red-gold eyes were fully revealed to her, with nothing concealing the desire in them.
What followed was a kiss that couldn't compare to that earlier feather-light touch.
Yunyang's hand trembled, and the silver-rimmed glasses clattered to the floor.
"Fu Shiyi, your glasses..."
"It won't break, don't worry."
The kiss drowned out the rest of her words.
