Jun Lin Yuan slightly lifted his chin, meeting the admiring and amazed gazes of all the special ops members.

He exuded an air of arrogant nobility.

One look and you could tell he was different from those males who immediately swarmed any beautiful female they saw.

After all, he was the only male among them to be personally invited for a meeting by the beautiful female. It was only natural for him to be exceptionally pleased with himself.

But even as he reveled in his pride, Jun Lin Yuan didn’t forget his status. He was the Jade Star Lord, the alpha among males.

He’d said he didn’t want to see Yu Lan, and he meant it.

’How could I be like those simpering males, rushing over the moment a beautiful female so much as crooks her finger? Don’t I have any pride?’

’It had to be Yu Lan who came to *me*, showering me with kisses and affection.’

’Just like on the stands today.’

Jun Lin Yuan would never admit that an intense wave of irritation had washed over him when he saw Yu Lan taking the initiative to kiss those other males.

The Jade Star Lord was young and impetuous, powerful and influential. He was a true son of heaven—proud, complacent, and someone who never deigned to give anyone the time of day.

He never thought that one dismissive remark about the beautiful female would somehow lead to her getting all lovey-dovey with other males.

Even though he believed he didn’t like Yu Lan, the innate possessiveness of a male still made him incredibly irritated and short-tempered upon seeing that scene.

He even felt a belated pang of regret.

It wasn’t until this moment, when he heard from the special ops members about Yu Lan’s private request for a meeting, that all his frustration and irritation finally vanished.

In its place, a sense of satisfaction surged through him, like drinking an ice-cold soda on a hot summer day. Every cell in his body pulsed with contentment.

This feeling of satisfaction sustained him all the way into the evening, as he lay in bed, ready to fall asleep.

The elite male lay on the bed, eyes shut tight, his thoughts drifting. Suddenly, something occurred to him and his eyes snapped open, his gaze fixed on the darkness of the night.

’I rejected Yu Lan’s request to meet. What if she’s heartbroken?’

’The beautiful female seems like the type who’s always been doted on and coddled by males, held in the palm of their hands. She’s probably never been rejected by a male in her entire life.’

’Will she feel so wronged that she starts to cry?’

The thought of that beautiful, bright, and vivacious face stained with glistening teardrops, one after another...

...made Jun Lin Yuan’s typically cold, iron heart feel a rare pang of distress.

Of course, Jun Lin Yuan quickly realized that with the way Huo Zhanting and the others doted on Yu Lan, there was no way they would just stand by and watch the beautiful female cry.

The moment a tear welled on her long, curled lashes, one of them would probably be there to reverently cup her face and tenderly kiss it away.

Then they would hold her and comfort her softly, all while bad-mouthing him.

’And Yu Lan? She’d believe them.’

At that thought,

Jun Lin Yuan shot up in bed.

His fists were clenched tight, veins bulging on the back of his hands. His firm, broad chest heaved with fury.

He couldn’t stand the thought of someone bad-mouthing him in front of Yu Lan.

’What if Yu Lan actually believes them and starts to hate me?’

At this moment, Jun Lin Yuan completely forgot that just a few hours earlier, at the opening ceremony of the military tournament, he had arrogantly refused to see Yu Lan.

But now, the man’s movements were crisp and decisive, tinged with an underlying tension and urgency.

He was itching to fly to her side right this instant and explain everything. He had to make her understand that he wasn’t a bad male, that she couldn’t misunderstand him.

A hot breath escaped Jun Lin Yuan’s nostrils. His Adam’s apple bobbed, his body temperature spiked, and a flicker of red light flashed in his molten gold eyes.

This was the sign of a recently matured male on the verge of his rut. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

But Jun Lin Yuan, frantic with worry that Yu Lan would believe the slanderous words of other males and desperate to find her and explain, completely overlooked it.

Or perhaps,

his actions had already abandoned all reason, allowing his animal instincts to take over.

Animals don’t overcomplicate things the way people do. For them, liking someone means wanting to be close, to nuzzle and cuddle up together.

So, was Jun Lin Yuan—so eager to get to Yu Lan—truly just going to explain himself, as he claimed? Did he really feel no romantic stirrings for the beautiful female?

That was a question worth pondering.

*

「Meanwhile」

On the other side of the camp, Yu Lan stood inside her tent.

She had just sent away several males who, in an attempt to stay, had transformed into their fluffy forms to appeal to her soft side.