After Jiang You spoke, she fully expected Xi Cheng to reject her.
The air grew quiet. Xi Cheng’s gaze fell upon her, and for a moment, he said nothing.
"Does Shen Lan know?" Xi Cheng finally said slowly.
Jiang You froze when she heard him. A strange panic flared in her heart.
But then she had another thought. ’This is the Interstellar Beast World, where one female having multiple males is the norm. What am I panicking for?’
"As I recall, he doesn’t seem like the sharing type." Xi Cheng lowered his head, leaning closer to her. He brought with him a crisp, clean scent. His gentle, silver eyes watched her, her reflection captured in his silver pupils. The red mole at the corner of his eye gave him a cold, aloof, and bewitching air. "If he found out you were seducing me like this... what do you think he would do to you?"
The man’s words once again shattered Jiang You’s composure. She suddenly remembered something Shen Lan had told her—if she dared to get with another man, he would make a move against the Jiang Family.
Before she could react, Xi Cheng straightened up, his gentle yet distant expression returning. He walked right past her and left.
She was silent for a moment, then turned to look at Xi Cheng’s receding figure and called out arrogantly, "Hah! Even if he found out, he’d just have to suck it up and deal with it."
Xi Cheng heard her but didn’t stop, disappearing around the corner in a flash.
’In any case, I have to complete the system’s mission,’ Jiang You thought. ’I can’t just quit because I’m scared. I’ve already prepared myself for bankruptcy.’
’They’re all just fictional characters anyway. Fictional characters.’
Jiang You turned and walked away in the opposite direction.
That evening, Jiang You headed to Lin Li’s private party.
The party was being held in Lin Li’s large, detached villa.
’No wonder she dared to keep a Deformed Beast in captivity so brazenly.’
A place like this was remote and secluded. Plus, it was Lin Family territory; no one would dare to investigate here.
The weather was gradually growing colder, so Jiang You had worn a pink trench coat.
When Jiang You arrived, a house servant led her into the villa.
The living room was the height of luxury, with a dazzling crystal chandelier on the ceiling.
The tables were laden with a dazzling array of food and drink—fruits, beverages, cakes, and more. All of it was clearly very expensive.
As soon as she stepped inside, she could hear an unfamiliar song that sounded like rock music.
There were already eight people there. Aside from Yun Yue, who was still in the hospital, everyone else from their "rich kids" group chat had come.
"Well, well, Jiang You’s here. We’re all old friends, so I won’t play the formal host. Make yourself at home." Lin Li, looking strikingly beautiful, was wearing a casual black slip dress. She had a mane of big, red waves and was casually sipping a glass of red wine.
The temperature inside was pleasant.
Jiang You casually slipped off her plush pink trench coat, and a servant immediately took it from her to hang it up.
"Everyone’s here now. Bring it in," Lin Li said with a laugh as she rose from her seat.
Jiang You accepted a glass of red wine from a passing attendant and took a small sip.
’I really didn’t want to come to this stupid private party.’
A moment later, several attendants carried in a massive cage. Inside was the very same Deformed Beast Jiang You had seen in the video.
Lin Li walked toward it, and the others crowded around. After a moment’s silence, Jiang You went over as well.
"Open the cage and drag that thing out," Lin Li commanded.
A moment later, a man with wings and various other bestial features was dragged out.
Deformed Beasts were known to be weak and harmless, so the group wasn’t afraid, and they quickly closed in.
"This horn looks pretty real," Bai Sisi said, reaching out to touch it. She gave it a hard tug. "I wonder what would happen if I ripped it off?"
The Deformed Beast seemed to feel the pain, and its silver eyes turned blood-red as it stared straight at Bai Sisi.
"If you like it so much, I can cut half off for you," Lin Li said with a casual smile.
"Forget it. It’d be butt-ugly with only half a horn." Bai Sisi had noticed the Deformed Beast’s stare. Her eyes lingered on its handsome face for a moment before her hand moved to grab one of its fox ears. "Can this thing get turned on?"
The others, also curious, began touching the Deformed Beast’s wings, tail, and fish scales.
"I’ve tried. It can’t," Lin Li said nonchalantly. "It’s much more fun to watch it suffer. Not only does its face get all red, but its pained gasps sound so lovely. It’s almost the same as when someone’s turned on."
"This Deformed Beast of yours is way better-looking than the others. Was its face modeled after someone?" Xu Mei asked as she ripped a scale from the creature’s chest.
The Deformed Beast instantly whipped its head around to glare at her fiercely.
"Yep. It’s modeled after the Empire’s crown prince," Lin Li said with a smile.
"You’re pretty bold," Xu Mei remarked, raising an eyebrow.
Jiang You didn’t reach out or do anything, merely standing by and watching. When she heard that, her gaze fell upon the Deformed Beast’s face. Sure enough, she could see a faint resemblance to Long Yu in its features.
The corner of her mouth twitched. ’These women are insane.’
"Come on, let’s see it in pain!" someone shouted.
Then, Jiang You watched as the women started plucking feathers from its wings, tearing off its scales...
Blood-mixed blue feathers fell to the floor, and the scattered scales were dappled with bloodstains.
The Deformed Beast struggled desperately, but an electric shock immobilized it.
Jiang You felt a wave of nausea.
’These women are completely insane.’
"Jiang You, why don’t you join in the fun?" Lin Li called out to her.
Jiang You didn’t want to. In fact, she was disgusted.
But she certainly couldn’t say so.
"It’s filthy," Jiang You said haughtily, her tone laced with disgust.
Her words instantly offended everyone else.
"Our dear Sister You is truly high and mighty," Xu Mei sneered. "I suppose this thing is beneath her."
"That’s right. I hear our Sister You has her sights set on the top four heirs," Bai Sisi added with a smirk. "A thing like this would never catch her eye."
’These people are so two-faced.’
"So what if I do? Touching a cheap thing like this would only dirty my hands," Jiang You retorted with a cold snort.
The air fell silent, leaving only the sound of the Deformed Beast’s tortured gasps.
Jiang You didn’t notice the Deformed Beast on the floor looking at her for a moment, its murky gaze fixed on her.
The ringing of Jiang You’s terminal shattered the silence.
She lifted her wrist and saw it was a call from Shen Lan.
This was clearly not the time to answer a call. She silenced it without declining or answering, then lowered her hand.
"All right, it’s just some cheap plaything. What’s there to argue about?" Lin Li said slowly. "Okay, the show’s over. Everyone can go home and get some sleep."
Since Lin Li, the host, had spoken, the guests all began to leave.
Jiang You left as well.
She hailed a cab back to campus, the terminal on her wrist ringing relentlessly.
Jiang You finally answered.
"It’s late. You’re not in your dorm. Where did you go?" Shen Lan’s voice was tinged with exhaustion, as if he had just finished another long day of work.
’Is working at the Imperial Government Institute really that exhausting?’ Jiang You wondered.
"I went out to have some fun," Jiang You replied casually. "What? Are you going to control that, too? Are you always this possessive?"