"Vice Dean, you wanted to see me?"
Bei Bei entered Cai Meier's office, his heart pounding with anxiety.
Since Qian Ran's return, he had been on edge, constantly worried that Qian Ran would come after him for revenge.
"Bei Bei, it seems you're close to a breakthrough," Cai Meier said, her captivating eyes fixed on him. The flirtatious charm she displayed with Qian Ran vanished, replaced by an air of confidence and authority.
"Uh... yes, I'm close to becoming a Soul King," Bei Bei stammered, startled. He had made rapid progress recently, thanks to Elder Mu En providing him with special training. Without it, he would still be stuck in the late stages of the Soul Elder rank.
"Prepare yourself. Tomorrow, you'll join us on a trip to the Star Dou Forest to hunt for spirit rings. I'll be bringing Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen along, so you can tag along too," Cai Meier instructed coolly.
The plan was perfect. Even if Bei Bei died, the blame could easily be placed on the dangerous soul beasts in the forest.
Neither Ma Xiaotao nor Ling Luochen would defend Bei Bei—they'd merely confirm the story about encountering a ten-thousand-year or even hundred-thousand-year soul beast. That would leave no body and no one to question the tale.
At most, Cai Meier would face mild criticism for failing to protect him, but it would amount to nothing significant. Yan Shaozhe certainly wouldn't punish her; in fact, he'd likely make excuses on her behalf.
With Mu En gone, Bei Bei had no protector left at Shrek Academy. There was no way he could outmaneuver Qian Ran now.
Qian Ran could crush him however he pleased.
In fact, anyone at Shrek Academy who dared to cross Qian Ran would face a similar fate. With Cai Meier and Xian Lin'er—two of the academy's most powerful figures—backing him, Qian Ran could get away with anything, including killing indiscriminately. The two women would ensure that all loose ends were tied up.
Handling inner court students was even easier. Assigning them overly dangerous missions would conveniently lead to their demise in the field.
That said, Qian Ran rarely stooped to bullying the innocent—such behavior was beneath him.
But if someone insisted on provoking him, he wouldn't hesitate to retaliate ruthlessly.
Qian Ran had thoroughly adapted to this world's law of survival, even excelling within it.
"I understand, Vice Dean. I'll prepare immediately," Bei Bei said, a flicker of joy crossing his face. He hadn't expected Cai Meier to pay such close attention to his cultivation.
This must mean he still held some value in the eyes of Shrek's higher-ups.
"Cai Meier is much better than that shameless Xian Lin'er," Bei Bei thought bitterly. As the head of the Soul Tool Department, Xian Lin'er was of high status, yet she shamelessly involved herself with Qian Ran, obeying his every whim despite the glaring age difference. The memory of Xian Lin'er collaborating with Qian Ran to humiliate him still made Bei Bei's blood boil.
After leaving Cai Meier's office, Qian Ran headed to Zhang Lexuan's dormitory. If he was going to execute Bei Bei, it would be far more entertaining to involve Bei Bei's former fiancée.
Zhang Lexuan's room was clean and orderly. At the moment, it was just the two of them inside.
Since Qian Ran's arrival, Zhang Lexuan had been busy in the kitchen, humming softly as she prepared a meal for him like a devoted wife. She wore a loose gray house dress that accentuated her shapely legs wrapped in black tights, her feet nestled in a pair of simple slippers.
During the time Qian Ran had spent in Star Luo City for the advanced soul master tournament, Zhang Lexuan had enrolled in cooking classes in Shrek City. It was hard to imagine that the dignified senior sister of the inner court was now personally preparing a homemade meal for him.
Qian Ran snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Don't bother me—I'm busy," she said with mock annoyance.
"I won't distract you. Babe, I want..." Qian Ran whispered something into her ear, eliciting a surprised yelp from her.
"No!" Zhang Lexuan puffed out her cheeks, her face bright red. Qian Ran was getting bolder—and more shameless—by the day.
"We're not outside. It's fine, senior sister," Qian Ran teased, rubbing her stomach gently.
"Fine, have it your way," Zhang Lexuan said with a resigned sigh. Slowly, she slipped off her loose gray dress, revealing her pale, flawless figure.
At thirty years old, Zhang Lexuan was more than five years older than Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen, making her far more mature in demeanor.
Her stunning beauty was further emphasized by the seductive black lace bikini she wore beneath her dress. The sheer black thigh-high stockings, also lace-trimmed, extended tantalizingly from her toes to mid-thigh.
Covering her chest with her hands, Zhang Lexuan's shy posture only made her more alluring, though Qian Ran had already taken in her captivating figure.
"Senior sister, we're practically an old married couple. What's there to be shy about?" Qian Ran said, swallowing hard.
"Hmph. The sun's still up," Zhang Lexuan muttered, her normally cool and elegant face now flushed with embarrassment. No matter how brazen Qian Ran's requests, she found herself unable to refuse him.
Whenever Qian Ran spoke, she could only obey.
"Here, wear these heels. You're stunning," Qian Ran said, pulling a pair of open-toe high heels with over ten-centimeter heels from her shoe cabinet and handing them to her.
Rolling her eyes, Zhang Lexuan reluctantly slipped them on.
Wearing such heels made moving around much more difficult, but how could she say no when Qian Ran liked it so much?
Tying an apron over her revealing outfit, Zhang Lexuan returned to her cooking.
Watching her, clad in a bikini, thigh-highs, and towering heels, working away in the kitchen, Qian Ran couldn't help but gulp.
The contrast was striking: Zhang Lexuan's typically cool and dignified demeanor now mingled with an intoxicating allure.
Leaning back on the couch, Qian Ran rested his hands behind his head, his gaze fixed on her elegant, stocking-clad legs and the hypnotic sway of her hips.
If men were most attractive when focused on work, then women who tended to the home with quiet dedication were just as captivating.
As he watched Zhang Lexuan busily preparing their meal, Qian Ran felt an unusual sense of peace.
It took her a while, but Zhang Lexuan eventually finished cooking. As Qian Ran tasted her carefully prepared dishes, he was pleasantly surprised by how exceptional her culinary skills had become.
Who would have thought that the proud senior sister of the inner court would dedicate time to learning how to cook just for him? It seemed Zhang Lexuan had fully embraced the role of a virtuous wife and loving mother.
Given her age, Zhang Lexuan was far ahead of Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen, or even Wang Dong'er in her readiness to take on such responsibilities. While the others still thought of themselves as Qian Ran's girlfriends, Zhang Lexuan had already prepared herself to become his wife—and even the mother of his children.
Evidence of this could be found in her room, where Qian Ran had noticed numerous books on pregnancy and childcare.
Though he hesitated about fatherhood, the thought of Zhang Lexuan's devotion moved him deeply.
(Chapter End)