The family of three sat around the table, enjoying a cheerful meal together.

And then there was one (Salted Fish) who was practically pressing his face into his bowl, ready to let the bowl eat dinner instead.

Qin’s mother looked across at the graceful Ning Muxuan. Even at an ordinary family dinner, she always paid attention to her appearance.

Her slender back was straight, her willow-thin waist gently curved. Her loose white T-shirt showed off her lush figure to the fullest. Ning Muxuan held up her hair with her left hand and her utensil in her right, dining with the elegance of European nobility............

The more Qin’s mother looked, the more pleased she became.

That T-shirt Ning’er’s wearing......... I remember Qin Heng wore it before, didn’t he?

Heh heh~

Qin’s mother turned to Qin Heng with a pleased smile, but it fell away in an instant.

Qin Heng was gripping his chopsticks in his left hand, his face practically glued to his bowl.

Qin’s mother looked utterly baffled. Why not lean over toward the gorgeous girl next to you? Why keep wrestling with a bowl?

Qin’s mother gave a few light coughs, then spoke to Qin Heng with the exasperation of someone who couldn’t believe how hopeless he was.

“Qin Heng, what’s gotten into you? You’ve got a perfectly good meal in front of you, so why are you holding your chopsticks in your left hand? What kind of behavior is that?”

Murong’s father also gave Qin Heng a puzzled look. The kid hadn’t said a word since coming downstairs. He’d just kept his head down, pressing his face against that bowl. What was going on with him......

Then Murong Xuan seemed to realize something. He turned to look at Ning Muxuan and, sure enough, spotted the faint, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

.............

“.....Oh, it’s nothing. The brain and hands are cross-wired, so training your left hand can help unlock your right brain’s potential. Visual memory can improve—”

“Speak English.”

Qin’s mother stared at Qin Heng, speechless.

“Oh.”

“A dog bit my right hand just now.”

..........?

Qin’s mother and Murong’s father were even more confused. Had a dog gotten into the house?

Even though Ning Muxuan was right beside him, Qin Heng always let the words out first and only asked his brain to consider the consequences afterward. Classic: get in the car before buying a ticket, floor the gas without ever checking the steering wheel.

It wasn’t long after Qin Heng finished speaking that a sharp pain shot through his thigh.

“Hiss! Easy! What did I do to you now??”

At that, Ning Muxuan’s gaze turned icy, and she squeezed even harder.

“Ow! Ow!! I’m warning you, if you keep pinching me, I’m really gonna snap!”

Qin Heng glared fiercely at Ning Muxuan.

Though he said that, Qin the Salted Fish didn’t dare move a muscle. He just gritted his teeth and endured it.

Ning Muxuan suddenly let go, a hint of amusement appearing on her pretty face.

Her slender, jade-white legs crossed. She showed off all that snow-white skin without the slightest restraint. Ning Muxuan propped her cheek on one hand and laid the other on Qin Heng’s face, then started squeezing and kneading it as she pleased.

Then she put on a cool little pout and said dismissively,

“Go ahead.”

???

Dude, am I really that lacking in intimidation? TʌT

Watching the young couple flirt and bicker beside her, Qin’s mother smiled with satisfaction.

*(Ning Muxuan does the hitting. Qin Heng just does the yelling and gets hit.)

Watching the two of them get all “heated,” Qin’s mother decided to pour a little oil on the fire.

“Oh my~ You’re still eating, and you two are already flirting right here~”

“She’s the one hitting me!!!”

Qin the Salted Fish flew into a rage and once again slapped away Ning Muxuan’s hand as she grabbed his ear. Only after Qin’s mother’s hint did Ning Muxuan slowly straighten herself up, smooth her hair, and speak.

“Sorry.”

“It’s all right, Ning’er~ Qin Heng’s just a big block of wood. A little rough handling now and then won’t hurt him~”

Qin’s mother teased them, then turned her gaze toward Qin Heng, who was still rubbing his ear.

“Qin Heng, did you stay out all night yesterday? Your uncle and I got back around nine, but we didn’t see you anywhere.”

“Yeah...... I went out with some friends last night. Sis said it was okay.”

Qin Heng pointed at Ning Muxuan, who silently nodded.

Qin’s mother suddenly seemed to think of something. Her eyes lit up as she asked Qin Heng a completely baffling question.

“I see. So, did you use protection? It can be dangerous if you don’t~”

Qin Heng was a little dumbstruck by his own mother’s question. What protection? He was a grown, healthy young man who’d only spent the night away from home. It wasn’t like he was in any danger. Why would he need protection? He wasn’t a kid anymore.

“Mom, I’m old enough to take care of myself. Do I still need outdoor safety lessons? I just spent one night away. What could possibly be dangerous?”

“Huh? Is that so? But if you don’t use protection, would the girl agree to it?”

“Wait....... What are you talking about......”

Qin Heng suddenly felt a chill down his back and broke out in a cold sweat.

“I mean protection in bed, of course. Or are you one of those boys who likes going without—”

“You filthy old pervert, shut up!!! You’re gonna get me killed!!”

Qin the Salted Fish suddenly shot to his feet and slammed the table, trying to shut up his dirty-minded mother, who couldn’t stop running her mouth. At the same time, he kept sneaking glances toward Ning Muxuan out of the corner of his eye.

He’d already sensed the nearly tangible black aura beside him, along with that bone-chilling stare. Qin Heng was so scared he hunched his shoulders, even without turning to look.

“Sis, don’t listen to her. I just went out to— Hiss!”

Before Qin Heng could finish explaining, Ning Muxuan grabbed his wrist. Her hand looked slender and delicate, but her grip hurt even a grown man like him. It was on a completely different level from before. Qin Heng knew that if he didn’t say something fast, he’d be done for today.

“Sis! Don’t listen to her nonsense—”

He’d barely started speaking when he turned to look at Ning Muxuan—and promptly shut his mouth.

A dark shadow had settled over Ning Muxuan’s icy, lovely face. Her deep green-blue eyes had narrowed, revealing their true form: jade-silver snake pupils.

The warmth that had lingered in her gaze was now gone, replaced by bone-deep cold. Faint blue-green scales were gradually appearing beneath the corners of her eyes.

Beautiful, and dangerously so.

Those eyes fixed on Qin Heng, and danger loomed over him.

“Hiss—”

Her grip tightened again. Ning Muxuan parted her cherry-red lips, her voice now laced with piercing cold.

“Qin Heng—what exactly did you do yesterday!!!!”

Anger twisted her breathtaking face ever so slightly. Frost began to gather in those emerald eyes, and in their depths, something dark churned like a flood dragon............

“No, Sis! I really just went out and played games with my friends all night. I swear, believe me........”

Qin Heng was terrified by Ning Muxuan’s state and hurried to explain, not even sparing a thought for Qin’s mother, who was enjoying the show.

But in this state, Ning Muxuan could barely hear a word he said. She still had a tight grip on his wrist, though thankfully she didn’t do anything else. That meant Qin Heng had a chance. If he explained himself properly, he might—probably—possibly survive this.

Unfortunately, trouble always finds the poor and wretched. Seeing that the fire wasn’t burning hot enough, Qin’s mother decided to splash on some liquor.

“Now, now~ Ning’er, don’t blame him. Qin Heng’s at the age where he’s bound to chase after girls~ But I’d be worried if some strange girl lured him away~”

“After all, he’s the family pig we’ve worked so hard to raise and fatten up~ Isn’t that right, Ning’er?”

Qin’s mother shrugged and turned to Ning Muxuan with a deliberately worried look.

—

.........Qin Heng....and.....other women?

The clarity that had just returned to Ning Muxuan’s eyes was immediately swallowed by darkness again. Her head slowly bowed, and her long dark hair spilled down, hiding her eyes and making her expression impossible to read. Only a faint murmur could be heard...........

And the pale hand gripping him tightened even more.

“Liu Qingqing! If you want to reroll your account, just say so!! There’s no need to beat around the bush!!!”

Qin Heng yelled his mother’s full name, raging helplessly. He’d only just turned his anger toward her when a sudden pull came from his tightly gripped left hand.

His body lurched toward Ning Muxuan with the momentum. It happened so suddenly that he lost his balance and toppled headfirst into her arms. Normally, he’d have loved to enjoy the beauty in his arms, but Qin Heng wasn’t in the mood now. Just as he started to get up, a roar rang out beside his ear.

“You can only have me!!!”

What was that even supposed to mean?!

“Huh? Oh! Right, right! You’re the only one I’ll ever stan, Sis. I swear!”

In a situation like this, Qin Heng couldn’t afford to think about anything else. He hurriedly agreed with Ning Muxuan, going along with whatever she said.

When Qin Heng lifted his head to look at her, Ning Muxuan’s pretty face was already cloaked in coldness. Those emerald snake pupils stared right into him. Now it wasn’t just her face—the snow-white skin of her neck and collarbones was also beginning to show blue-green scales. Her bewitching danger clashed sharply with the woman’s icy aura.

She had never tried to hide her possessiveness toward Qin Heng—or what she might call her “love” for him.

Because of her personality and bloodline, she always struggled to express her feelings. She could only give the boy all her love in her own way. But possessiveness and jealousy were the one thing that seemed to have no restraints; they always came out with ease.........

Ning Muxuan no longer cared about the family-dinner atmosphere, or Qin’s mother and Murong’s father sitting nearby. She stood up and pulled Qin Heng toward the room upstairs with unquestionable force, leaving him no chance to escape.

Big Couch-Potato Qin knew he was doomed today, but he still clung to a shred of hope and looked to the two people by the table for help.

But........

Qin’s mother was enjoying every second of this. This was exactly what she’d wanted to see: the faster their feelings heated up, the sooner she could hold a little grandchild.

As for Murong’s father....... He’d always lived under the label of “daughter-doting dad.” Even he was afraid of his daughter, so how could he possibly help? All he could do was pretend to read the paper and give Qin Heng a sympathetic look that said, “You’re on your own.”