6. The Young Husband Who Looks Just Like My Ex-Husband

"Let's, let's go. Didn't we say we were going to eat?"

Shi Jue shot Xu Mo a warning look, then followed Ruan Li and sat down beside her.

Ruan Li rubbed her stomach. She had already snacked a little earlier, but faced with the delicious, aromatic food before her, she was willing to eat just a bit more. It was, after all, the most popular restaurant on Planet A; the flavor and texture of the dishes went without saying. Ruan Li’s favorite was the stir-fried meat with chili peppers. The spice was appetizing, the green peppers had a subtle sweetness, and the meat was fresh and tender. She had such a hearty appetite that she finished two bowls of rice in a row.

Bai He was in the bedroom upstairs, so only the three of them were in the living room now. Shi Jue and Xu Mo sat to Ruan Li’s left and directly across from her, respectively.

Shi Jue ate a fair amount as well. Although he had already eaten quite a bit earlier, this was, after all, food from "Xiang Lanlan," the most popular restaurant on Planet A; it would be a loss not to eat, especially since Xu Mo was footing the bill. He was determined to have a good meal.

Xu Mo was not a glutton, with the sole exception of the honey-glazed chicken tail from this establishment. He propped his chin on his hand, watching Ruan Li. She couldn't really handle spice, yet she loved the stir-fried meat with chili. Her soft, pink lips had been flushed into a deep, plump red. As she ate, she sniffed repeatedly, her eyes and nose turning red—it was clear the spice was getting to her. Even so, she remained devoted to the dish.

For a split second, Xu Mo found the way this woman ate to be cute. His expression stiffened for a moment, and he sneered at himself internally: with her nose running and eyes watering, she looked just like a starving refugee—how could that be considered attractive? He poked his chopsticks to the bottom of his bowl, realizing he had finished his second bowl of rice without even noticing.

After Ruan Li was satisfied, she drank two glasses of cold water, but her mouth still burned enough to make her want to cry. Shi Jue had only ever seen the fierce, sharp-tongued Ruan Li; he had never seen her with teary eyes, lips as red as ripe cherries, and her mouth slightly agape as she gasped for air... His gaze locked onto her, his Adam's apple bobbing. His breathing seemed to stall, and his brain forgot how to react.

*Snap.*

Xu Mo set his chopsticks down, the sound hitting the table and suddenly jolting Shi Jue back to reality. Shi Jue’s face instantly flushed red, and he stammered anxiously, "Why... why are you crying?" Could she have been angered to tears? Shi Jue had completely forgotten how much he once loathed Ruan Li. He sat beside her, at a loss for how to comfort the "sad" little female.

Seeing the rough lion-man standing there like a wooden statue, looking absurdly eager to please, Xu Mo let out a cold, mocking laugh. "If you can't handle it, don't force yourself." The man wore a smile, but the chill in his eyes was bone-piercing. Neither the spice-intoxicated Ruan Li nor Shi Jue, who had eyes only for his female, noticed the change in his demeanor.

"Ruan Ruan, your lips are so red. Does it hurt?" Shi Jue frowned, full of concern.

"No, it doesn't hurt," Ruan Li said, covering her mouth, her eyes wet and red. Why was Shi Jue leaning in so close? She was just spicy, not injured!

She was grown up now, yet this was the first time someone had looked at her reddened lips with such a pained expression. It was so embarrassing... The heat lingered on her palms, and her mouth felt like it was burning to death. It was a kind of reckless, exhilarating pleasure. Ruan Li tearfully asked Shi Jue not to lean so close. Shi Jue didn't understand why the little female wouldn't let him look even though she was crying from the pain. Was she shy? He watched her look of flustered annoyance in silence, thinking, *How cute.*

Under such an intense and strange gaze, Ruan Li fled, running to the kitchen to rinse her mouth with cold water.

Unnoticed by anyone, Xu Mo leaned back in his chair, his chest rising and falling slightly. *Ignoring me?* He was the one who paid for the meal. He had even deliberately sat across from her. Yet for the whole meal, she had only stared at that one plate of meat! If the vain, charming fox were in his beast form, his tail would surely be bristling with rage right now.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

There was a knock at the door. Clearly, none of the three in the living room wanted to answer it. The sound faded, but after a moment, it rang out again.

*Swish.*

Xu Mo got up to open the door. He naturally knew that Ruan Li’s fourth beast-husband was standing outside. As a male beast, he should be calm and magnanimous toward the newcomer. Xu Mo walked to the door with a gloomy face and yanked it open. He glanced at the male beast dressed entirely in black, his keen sense of smell making him frown. The scent of blood was overpowering.

Xu Mo stepped aside. "Come in."

Zhe Ye did not hesitate, walking into the house with long strides. His gaze swept over the entire living room and the open kitchen without leaving a trace. "Zhe Ye, five-star metal-type ability, beast form is a wolf." The words were concise and professional. His black windbreaker was half-open, his black shirt buttoned meticulously to the very top, and his rugged, perfect jawline added a sense of cold sharpness. His smoke-gray pupils narrowed as he stared at the petite figure in the kitchen.

That was his female mate.

Ruan Li heard the noise and hurriedly cleaned up before running to the living room. "Hello, my name is Ruan Li." The air remained still for a moment; Ruan Li realized belatedly that he was waiting for a response, and only then did she remember to introduce herself.

Just as he had imagined, her voice was soft, delicate, and pleasant to the ear. Zhe Ye secretly scrutinized the fragile woman before him; the visual impression was even harder to forget than the photos. Her porcelain-white skin was translucent and tender, and her soft, rosy lips were like flowers waiting to be picked. Zhe Ye had once eaten flowers to treat wounds—bitter and fragrant, they were nowhere near as intoxicating as the warm, alluring scent of the person before him.

Zhe Ye noticed her nervousness and tension, his fingertips curling slightly. "I am very happy to live with you from now on."

Ruan Li looked up to get a better look at him, but she suddenly froze. Her ex-husband? Aside from the eyes and hairstyle, the resemblance was nearly seventy percent! "Shen Che?"

The man before her showed no reaction. Ruan Li felt a moment of disappointment; she had thought her ex-husband had also transmigrated...

Zhe Ye pursed his lips. Although he didn't know who Ruan Li was talking about, combined with her reaction—as if seeing an acquaintance—and the name she used, it wasn't hard to deduce that she was calling him by another man's name. The air around the man turned visibly cold, and his thick brows knitted together. "Do you know me?"

"No... I've just seen your photo." Ruan Li responded immediately, of course. She wasn't stupid; how could she talk about an ex-husband in front of her little husband?

Although Ruan Li hadn't yet accepted the worldview of this world—filled with beast-men and superpowers—she had very readily accepted the wonderful life of having three husbands and four consorts. She knew she had a "Big Husband" who seemed very cold toward her, and she subconsciously feared getting close to him; her "Second Husband" was a stunning, bewitching beauty, though his behavior was a bit odd and seemed quite frivolous; her "Third Husband" seemed a bit dim-witted but was very cheerful and sunny, like a little puppy, and she was very happy to be around him; her "Fourth Husband" was cold, handsome, and rugged, and looked just like her ex-boyfriend. As for her "Little Husband," she hadn't checked his information yet.

"Hmm." The man responded, appearing to accept her flimsy explanation.

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Ruan Li quickly said, "Have you had dinner? We still have some..." *Uh, some leftovers?*

Zhe Ye saw the vivid expressions on Ruan Li’s face, and the corners of his mouth rose slowly. He eased the tension, "I had something simple on the way."

Perhaps having heard the commotion in the living room, Bai He came downstairs to greet Zhe Ye. "There are vacant rooms on the second floor; you can choose any one you like."

Zhe Ye nodded and picked the room right next to Ruan Li’s.