Wen Qian froze, unsure why the man who had been perfectly fine just a moment ago had suddenly changed his expression. Just as she was about to ask, she was yanked aside by a sudden force...
Wen Qian nearly cried out. She looked up, still shaken, but snapped her mouth shut the moment she saw who it was.
'Oh, great, why is Yin Zhi out here! Gu Mian is so smart. It'll be a disaster if he notices something is off!'
Wen Qian's mind went blank. She instinctively wanted to send him home, but before she could say a word, the man gripped her chin.
He turned her head, his gaze landing on her neck. His voice was practically ground out between clenched teeth, "Who left this?"
This was a Beastman's method of marking. Yin Zhi had previously left a mark on Wen Qian's neck to declare his claim. Once his scent was on her, neither animal nor Beastman was supposed to get close.
But now, not only was another Beastman coveting his female, he had even left his own scent over the original mark. Yin Zhi's expression turned thunderous. Smelling the dangerous, ambiguous scent on Wen Qian, he nearly lost his composure.
'That damned Snake Beast!'
"Qianqian, and who is this?" Gu Mian's voice cut in at just the right moment. He adjusted his glasses, his face fixed with a polite smile.
"He's, uh, my little brother..." Wen Qian pried Yin Zhi's hand off and pushed him behind her. 'Gu Mian has studied Beastmen extensively. I don't know if he's a friend or an enemy, so I can't let him find out Yin Zhi's identity!'
"Little brother?" Yin Zhi sneered. He leaned down, his lips brushing her ear, and bit out, "The kind of little brother who tumbles into bed with you?"
'So that's why she wasn't home by ten,' he fumed. 'She was out on a date with some wild man. Is one not enough for her at home? Does she have to bring another one back?'
Wen Qian had no idea Yin Zhi's previous docility was mostly an act, and his current behavior gave her a shock.
She stiffened, then turned to look at Yin Zhi's face in disbelief. 'Is this still my soft little kitten?' she wondered.
Yin Zhi seemed to realize he'd said something wrong, schooling his features just before she could get a good look. 'I've worked hard to maintain this persona for a month. I can't let it all fall apart over one sentence.'
With that, he immediately avoided her gaze, lowering his head to nuzzle her earlobe with the tip of his nose. In a voice only they could hear, he murmured, "I'm upset."
Wen Qian's defenses crumbled instantly.
Even though she vaguely sensed something was off, she didn't have the mental energy to dwell on it.
"Qianqian, you should go home first." Facing the intimate couple, Gu Mian lowered his gaze. He offered a smile, but his tone was unquestionable.
"In that case, Professor, be careful on your way." Wen Qian immediately reached out to pull on Yin Zhi, but she couldn't move him an inch after two tugs.
'What the hell? Is he playing statues with me?'
"Qianqian, you go inside first," Yin Zhi said calmly, watching her frantically trying to signal him. Although he spoke to Wen Qian, his eyes were locked on Gu Mian.
'What's happening? Both of them are telling me to go inside. Don't tell me... they know each other?' Wen Qian frowned, then quickly dismissed the idea. 'It's only been a day since Yin Zhi transformed; he's had no opportunity to meet Gu Mian.'
'Could it be... about something else?'
Yin Zhi is a Beastman. After transforming, he would definitely try to find his own kind. Most Beastmen have far better eyesight than humans, especially at night. It's much safer for them now than during the day.
"Well, come back early," Wen Qian whispered to him, then waved to Gu Mian.
Yin Zhi didn't turn around until Wen Qian had entered the apartment building. He looked at the man leaning against the car, his eyes so cold they seemed frosted over. "The Gu Family?"
Gu Mian smiled slightly. "Young Master of the Tiger Clan. It's been a while."
Surprised that the other man had instantly identified him, Yin Zhi sized him up with a hostile glare. He had no memory of Gu Mian, but based on his aura, he could tell he was from a high-ranking Snake Clan.
Among the Snake Clans, the Gu Family's bloodline was the most revered. They possessed larger snake heads and more potent venom than others of their kind, making them dangerous and mysterious.
It was said the Gu Family's true forms were pythons, with ranks distinguished by color: Smoky Cyan, Foamy White, Rouge Red, and Ink Black. The highest rank was black. In the Beast World, the Gu Family lived in seclusion deep in the mountains, rarely interacting with the outside world, so it was normal for Yin Zhi not to recognize Gu Mian.
"Is there something you needed to say away from Qianqian?" Gu Mian asked, breaking the silence.
Yin Zhi was momentarily stunned, then thought, 'This snake is as cunning as they come. He's the one who sent Qianqian away, and now he's pinning it on me.'
But Yin Zhi didn't care. With Qianqian gone, he had no reason to hold back. Since Gu Mian enjoyed putting on an act, he decided to say something Gu Mian wouldn't want to hear. "Qianqian exhausted herself last night. She needs to get to bed early."
Taking in Yin Zhi's expression, the curve of Gu Mian's lips took on a chilling edge. His slender fingers toyed with his watch strap as he asked in a toneless voice, "Does being with you tire her out? She always seems to have plenty of energy when she's with me."
The two sentences sounded perfectly ordinary, their tone casual. But a closer look revealed the hidden barbs; each man was taking the opportunity to needle the other.
Sure enough, Yin Zhi's face changed the instant he heard Gu Mian's words. His amber eyes filled with a frigid light. "You dare mention that."
A smile remained on Gu Mian's face. He straightened up from the car, as if waiting for Yin Zhi to continue.
"Playing dumb?" Yin Zhi sneered. He stared hard at Gu Mian, his voice turning ice-cold. "I have already marked her neck. She is covered in my scent. Wen Qian is my mate."
"Your mate?" Gu Mian scoffed.
He repeated the two words, the smile finally gone from his face. He was displeased, even though he knew he was the one who had broken the rules.
In the Beast World, when a couple was in love, the male could leave a mark on the nape of his partner's neck. This mark would leave his scent on the female, declaring his claim. Any other beast who sensed this scent was forbidden from coveting the female. In turn, the male who left the mark was bound to absolute fidelity.
Gu Mian knew Wen Qian was marked the moment he met her—not just because he'd seen the physical mark, but because he could smell the scent on her, a scent perceptible only to animals and other Beastmen.
It was a potent, dangerous scent that warned others away...
In that moment, Gu Mian had been driven mad with jealousy. The little female he had spent years searching for had been marked by another Beastman.
He couldn't accept it. He wouldn't.
So he had lost control. In the darkness, he had trapped her... but he didn't regret it.
"My apologies. I've been living in the mountains, so I'm not familiar with these rules." He quirked his lips, his tone flippant.
"Who do you think you're kidding?" Yin Zhi snarled.
If he didn't know, then why did he cover the mark with his own scent?