CHAPTER 9: CHAPTER 9: DATE

"You... actually, if you have things to do, you can go ahead. I’ll just wander around nearby; I won’t get lost," Ruan Li looked up at the tall man, barely reaching his chest.

From her angle, the first thing that caught her eye was his undeniably muscular chest. For a moment, she didn’t know whether to feel ashamed of herself or pretend not to have noticed anything.

His long neck led up to a sharply defined jawline, offering even more visual impact.

Zhe Ye rarely smiled, not even feigning a smile with the corners of his mouth.

He looked down at Ruan Li, who was straining to look up at him. His ash-gray eyes slightly curved as his rich voice escaped from his lips: "I’m not busy; I can accompany you."

He thought for a moment and added another sentence: "I’m on leave today."

"I can go wherever you want to go."

Zhe Ye figured that most females liked shopping at malls. Although he found it rather boring, accompanying his Female Head was a duty he should fulfill.

"Alright, but I haven’t decided where to go yet. Do you have any recommendations?"

"There’s a mall nearby. Do you want to check it out?"

Seeing Ruan Li nod, Zhe Ye lightly tapped a few times on the Smart Brain on his wrist, and a blue light swept over the open space, sketching the outline of a silver-gray flying vehicle.

To their surprise, a flying vehicle, about the size of two compact cars, actually stopped right in front of them and automatically opened its door.

Ruan Li couldn’t hide the surprise on her face, though she quickly reined in her emotions.

"This is a modified Smart Brain that combines the Space Hub and the Smart Brain, allowing the flying vehicle to be opened with just operations on the Smart Brain," Zhe Ye explained proactively.

They were in a residential area, with flying vehicles occasionally passing overhead.

However, Ruan Li could still tell that Zhe Ye’s flying vehicle was different. Its metallic feel and unique design clearly didn’t belong to an ordinary flying vehicle.

"This way, please," Zhe Ye slightly bent down to speak to her.

Ruan Li followed him into the flying vehicle, which consisted of a lounge area and a cockpit.

Zhe Ye walked to the cockpit and tapped a few buttons on the screen. Once the vehicle’s doors closed, it began moving slowly.

Ruan Li felt the movement and instinctively held onto the wall. The speed at which the vehicle took off and traveled wasn’t fast, and she could still adapt to it.

"Would you like something to drink? Juice or soda?" Zhe Ye took two bottles from a small fridge in the lounge.

"Juice is fine."

Ruan Li took the juice Zhe Ye had opened and took a few small sips.

"You seem a little nervous. Are you unhappy with me?" Zhe Ye sat on a small sofa in front of her, with his long legs stretched out.

Ruan Li looked up at him, hesitating, "Not unhappy. Maybe just a little nervous."

Why did she feel a bit uneasy with such a familiar face?

Suddenly, Zhe Ye leaned forward, stepping closer, his handsome face almost touching Ruan Li’s. The proximity was such that she could accidentally have intimate contact with his face.

Their breathing mingled, and the temperature in the narrow space suddenly rose.

The ash-gray pupils gradually turned into beast eyes, capturing her with wild boldness and ferocity.

Ruan Li even thought this wolf might open its bloody mouth to devour her the next second.

Thick eyelashes cast a shadow under his eyes, alternating between haziness and ambiguity.

Buzzing.

The disturbing vibration kept going, and Zhe Ye frowned, looking at who was incessantly bothering him through the Smart Brain.

Ruan Li felt a wave of relief when the aggressive man in front of her moved away.

The call connected, and the Smart Brain projected the image of a handsome, cheeky-smiling teenager.

Zhe Ye slightly frowned, speaking impatiently, "Get to the point."

"Brother Ye, how was last night’s nightlife? Your Female Head looks so beautiful; I’m really envious of you." The teenager couldn’t hide the envy in his voice. He was at a stage of being curious and longing for females, a phase every male Beastman went through.

Zhe Ye’s gaze fell on Ruan Li’s shy face, his eyes deepening with amusement, though his face remained cold, his voice muddled, "Yes, very obedient."

The teenager let out an envious yet jealous cry. Instantly, several new faces appeared behind him, all clamoring, "Brother Ye, tell us more."

Noticing Ruan Li’s blush deepening, Zhe Ye coughed lightly, his voice serious, "Don’t talk nonsense; she’s right next to me."

Ruan Li quickly looked at Zhe Ye, catching his smiling eyes. She instinctively looked away, feeling her face burning as waves of heat crashed over her.

The teenagers on the other end couldn’t see Ruan Li, but they knew not to speak recklessly anymore. After some brief chatter, they quickly ended the call.

"They’re just kids who don’t understand; don’t take it to heart," Zhe Ye explained.

Ruan Li mumbled, not daring to look directly at Zhe Ye. Her face must be as red as a monkey’s butt now, and she hoped Zhe Ye hadn’t noticed.

"Who are they?"

Zhe Ye took in the sight of the shy young female before him, her long, slender legs nervously crossing over each other. Her hands pressed against the sides of the sofa, her round pink fingertips sinking into it, showing her anxiety. Her porcelain-white face was tinged with a blushing haze, her moist eyes resembling budding peach blossoms, her pink eye corners adding an extra hint of allure.

His Adam’s apple moved unconsciously.

He raised a hand to loosen his collar, feeling the clothing somewhat constricting, and unbuttoned the top two buttons.

"They’re from my team, the Flowing Light Team, affiliated with the Imperial Army. If there’s a Fierce Beast rampage or an Insect Tide, it can get busy. But I have a lot of accumulated leave so that I can spend time with you." Like reporting, the man detailed his job and various aspects to Ruan Li.

Empire?

She thought there was only one country in this world, but thinking about it, that was impossible. She realized she needed to quickly familiarize herself with the general state of this world.

The memories of "Ruan Li’s" body were extremely vague, offering her almost no help.

The flying vehicle was on autopilot and stopped in front of the largest mall on Planet A.

The cabin door slowly opened, and Zhe Ye stepped out first, offering his hand to support her.

Ruan Li’s body was a bit stiff; she wasn’t yet used to intimate physical contact.

Moreover, the man had a higher body temperature, and whenever they touched, she felt her temperature rise as if infected.

After getting out of the vehicle, Ruan Li discreetly pulled her hand back.

"Where should we go?" She turned her head, looking around, trying to appear busy.

Zhe Ye felt a slight disappointment when the warm, soft touch left his hand. He slipped one hand into his trouser pocket, "I rarely come to malls; I’ll just follow you around."