That feeling of wanting to bite the opposing male to death was finally wiped from Jun Lin Yuan’s face.

The curve of his lips froze on his roguishly handsome face, which, despite the bruise on his cheek, only seemed to accentuate his wild aura. His throat went dry.

’Should I keep playing pitiful and reject Li Yucheng’s suggestion?’

’No.’

’Playing pitiful once in a while to make a female’s heart ache could be considered part of the fun.’

’But if I do it too much, what if Yu Lan really thinks I’m weak and ends up liking Huo Zhanting and the others more?’

’Strength mixed with a hint of vulnerability—that extreme contrast is the best way to attract a female.’

Jun Lin Yuan’s heart was in turmoil, and for a moment, he couldn’t make a choice.

But when Yu Lan heard Li Yucheng’s suggestion, her small, serious face finally broke into a slight smile.

’At least Li Yucheng and the others are willing to apologize and make amends now. They aren’t completely hopeless.’

At that moment, Yu Lan’s eyes, more brilliant than gemstones, were fixed on Jun Lin Yuan, waiting for his decision.

"Jun Lin Yuan, what do you think?"

What else could Jun Lin Yuan do?

No one could ever bear to refuse any request from the beautiful little female.

Even if he knew he was walking into a trial by fire, that the progress he had just maxed out would be reset to negative numbers.

Jun Lin Yuan was still willing.

"Alright."

Jun Lin Yuan nodded in agreement.

But his expression grew uncharacteristically downcast. Looking as devastated as if he’d lost his parents, he now truly seemed like he had been bullied.

This time, it was Huo Zhanting, Su Xingye, and Li Yucheng’s turn to smile.

And so the "happy" decision was made, and the five of them headed to the hospital together.

On the way, Huo Zhanting didn’t forget to inform Shen Zueran of the matter, telling him to be prepared.

After all, they had all decided on this together; Shen Zueran couldn’t get out of it.

Shen Zueran, who was diligently processing follow-up data for Yu Lan at the Science Research Institute: "..."

*

「Half an hour later, at the hospital」

A doctor in a white coat looked at the freshly printed examination report in his hand.

Catching the look Li Yucheng shot him, then glancing at the strange arrangement of the people in the room, the doctor shrewdly understood what was going on.

In fact, Li Yucheng didn’t need the doctor to embellish anything; he just needed him to state the facts.

So, just as a flicker of nervous panic and a hint of unease crossed Jun Lin Yuan’s face, the doctor spoke up.

"You’re his Female Master, correct?"

"A Female Master should keep her males in line. You can’t just let a male mess around and then join in on the nonsense."

"Look here, just look," the doctor said, waving the report and tapping his finger repeatedly on the results section.

"There’s clearly nothing wrong with him. He’s as strong as an ox."

"You ran in here just now looking so frantic, you gave me a scare. I thought something was seriously wrong. If you’d come in any later, his wounds might have healed on their own already."

"Isn’t this a waste of medical resources!"

A trace of embarrassment flashed across Jun Lin Yuan’s face.

Yu Lan, on the other hand, was completely stunned.

’What does he mean, Jun Lin Yuan is as strong as an ox?’

She had watched with her own eyes as Jun Lin Yuan spat blood right in front of her, ganged up on by Li Yucheng, Huo Zhanting, and Su Xingye.

"Doctor, is there something wrong with the report? Jun Lin Yuan just spat up blood."

As she spoke, she raised her hand and pointed to the bruise on his cheek. "Look here. This wound is brand new. Are you sure there’s nothing wrong? He didn’t injure a bone or anything?"

Dragged closer to the doctor by Yu Lan, an embarrassed flicker crossed Jun Lin Yuan’s face.

The doctor looked at the worried Yu Lan, then back at the trio of Li Yucheng, Su Xingye, and Huo Zhanting, who were standing behind them with smirks on their faces, clearly enjoying the show.

He gave a heavy nod right in front of Yu Lan, his expression extremely serious and earnest.

"I guarantee you, there is absolutely nothing wrong with him right now."

"Don’t you know? 3S-level males have frighteningly powerful bodies. At times, they’re tougher than steel, and their healing abilities are just as formidable."

"But some males will take advantage of a female’s lack of knowledge about this and deliberately play pitiful to make them feel sorry for them."

"So..."

The doctor shot a meaningful glance at Jun Lin Yuan before handing the examination report to Yu Lan.

He raised a hand, gesturing for them to leave, as other patients were waiting behind them.

Silence.

Silence.

Utter silence.

From the moment Yu Lan took the report from the doctor’s hand, the air had fallen completely quiet.

Everyone was waiting for the beautiful little female to make her final judgment.

But compared to Jun Lin Yuan’s current discomfort, Huo Zhanting and the others were obviously far more smug.

The other men shot Jun Lin Yuan a sidelong glance. ’You little punk. You dared to plot against us? Now you’ve been exposed so thoroughly you don’t even have your underwear left.’

’There’s no way he can successfully win her favor after this.’

At that moment, Jun Lin Yuan looked at Yu Lan’s silent, unreadable profile, his heart in a complete panic. Provoked again by Huo Zhanting and the others, a vicious fire surged from within him, and his molten-gold eyes glared back fiercely.

The sparks of war between the men behind her flew with a CRACKLE.

Walking ahead of them, Yu Lan’s hand gripping the report clenched tighter and tighter, her chest heaving.

’Jun Lin Yuan lied to me first. He’s no good.’

’But does that mean Huo Zhanting and the others aren’t bastards, too?’

’These damn dogs.’

’Give them an inch, and they’ll take a mile.’

’Every single one of these men had crossed a line with her.’

’Jun Lin Yuan was one thing; he had no real relationship with her right now.’

’But Huo Zhanting and the others... they had to be punished.’

Yu Lan thought coldly.

Yu Lan didn’t notice that as her grip on the report tightened, the confrontational air between the men behind her had completely vanished.

Their gazes were fixed on her small, clenching hand, as if they could see their own fates reflected in it.

They were so nervous they held their breath.

Or perhaps Yu Lan had noticed, but right now, she couldn’t care less.

"Lanlan!"

In the end, it was Jun Lin Yuan who couldn’t hold back any longer. He was the first to call out, trying to say something.

The guilty party is always the one with the least confidence.

That single call was like flipping a switch, and the voices of Huo Zhanting and the others immediately followed.

"Lanlan."

"Lanlan."

"Lanlan."

Each call was more affectionate and sincere than the last.

It was like they were performing a duet of sorts.

Yu Lan raised an eyebrow, turning to look at them as if nothing was wrong.

"What is it?"

"Marshal Huo, Major General Su, Master Li, was there something you wanted to say to me?"

’We’re screwed!!!’

’She’s using our titles.’

’She’s trying to put distance between us.’

It made the men even more panicked than if she had just used their full names.

Their hearts were pounding with extreme panic; they no longer had the energy to bother with their dislike for Jun Lin Yuan.

They hurriedly scrambled forward to speak.

"Lanlan, don’t be like this."

"We’re sorry. We were wrong this time."

"No, no, no."

Yu Lan shook her head.

The beautiful little female had a smile on her face, showing not a single trace of anger. The more she acted this way, the more panicked the men became.

"The high and mighty Marshal Huo, Major General Su, and Master Li... how could you possibly be in the wrong?"

"I’m the one who was wrong."