"Sigh…"
"I wonder if Meier has really forgiven me. I feel like there's this invisible wall between us."
In the study, Yan Shaozhe let out a long sigh.
Although Cai Meier's attitude toward him had softened slightly today, it only deepened his inner torment. When she was cold to him before, he could attribute it to lingering anger. But now? Was it truly just anger?
He could clearly feel that her attitude toward him had fundamentally changed.
In the past, even when Cai Meier was mad at him, he could still sense her feelings for him. But now? He couldn't feel any of that warmth.
Had he truly broken her heart this time?
But he hadn't even rekindled things with Xian Lin'er! Why wouldn't Cai Meier give him the chance to make amends?
The hearts of women were truly an enigma.
He had hoped that by humbling himself and trying to please Cai Meier, she would see his sincerity and have a change of heart. But it seemed to have little effect.
"Maybe the only way to figure this out is to ask Qian Ran for advice."
"Qian Ran probably understands women quite well, doesn't he? Otherwise, how could so many of them be utterly devoted to him?"
Yan Shaozhe couldn't help but marvel. Why was it that Qian Ran could juggle multiple women with no issue, while he barely looked at another woman—hadn't even touched his chopsticks, so to speak—and ended up in such emotional turmoil?
Even if Cai Meier reconciled with him now, he didn't dare entertain thoughts of other women anymore.
Too exhausting.
Thinking about how Qian Ran had practically swept up all the beautiful women in the outer court left Yan Shaozhe bitter. Why were Qian Ran's women so obedient to him, yet his own relationship was so fraught with difficulty?
And this was only the outer court. It was only a matter of time before the inner court followed suit.
Yan Shaozhe was well aware that his prized disciple, Ma Xiaotao, harbored deep feelings for Qian Ran. Now that Qian Ran had entered the inner court, it was only a matter of time before his influence extended there as well.
How could one man handle so many women?
Yan Shaozhe had never been particularly lustful. Otherwise, given his talents in his youth, attracting women would have been effortless. With their cultivation and innate gifts, finding a girlfriend—or even a harem—wouldn't have been a challenge.
But now? Seeing the flock of beauties around Qian Ran, even Yan Shaozhe couldn't help but feel a tinge of envy.
Yan Shaozhe had once chosen not to pursue a harem for simple reasons:
Women of Cai Meier or Xian Lin'er's caliber only allowed for one choice. Once he chose, he couldn't dally with others.While his status could attract many willing women, they were merely passable in appearance—none could match Cai Meier's level.
This was why nearly everyone acknowledged the unparalleled quality of Qian Ran's harem. Among the women by his side, it was almost impossible to find anyone average; each one was a standout beauty of her own type.
Most men might have one exceptional wife, a couple of decent ones, and the rest would pale in comparison. But Qian Ran? Each one was an absolute gem.
The next morning, after a long, sleepless night, Qian Ran emerged from the bathroom, towel-drying his damp hair. In the hallway, he bumped into Yan Shaozhe.
Yan Shaozhe froze upon seeing him.
"Qian Ran, you didn't go home last night?" Yan Shaozhe asked, perplexed. He had gone to the study after dinner and later found the bedroom door locked by Cai Meier. Assuming Qian Ran had left, he had retreated to a guest room for the night.
"Oh, I drank too much last night and ended up crashing on the couch," Qian Ran said smoothly, thinking quickly.
"Ridiculous. Meier should've arranged a proper place for you to sleep," Yan Shaozhe said, shaking his head in mild annoyance.
"Dean Cai wasn't feeling well and went to bed early. And since you seemed busy, I didn't want to bother anyone and just slept in the living room," Qian Ran replied, coughing lightly to mask his nervousness.
In truth, Cai Meier's home felt like his own. Qian Ran had come to see himself as the true master of the house, so much so that he nearly forgot about Yan Shaozhe's presence entirely.
Thank goodness Yan Shaozhe hadn't seen him earlier—wandering out of the master bedroom in shorts and slippers. That would have been… problematic.
'Didn't I check the living room last night and not see Qian Ran? Was I mistaken?' Yan Shaozhe frowned. Something felt off.
But what exactly was wrong? He couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"Qian Ran, since you're here, I'd like to ask you something," Yan Shaozhe said, shaking off his doubts. After all, Qian Ran always seemed to have an air of mystery about him.
"Hm?"
"Have you noticed anything strange about Meier recently?" Yan Shaozhe glanced toward the bedroom door, lowering his voice.
"Oh?" Qian Ran's heart skipped a beat. Was Yan Shaozhe probing him?
Had he been too reckless last night, leaving Yan Shaozhe suspicious?
"I mean, don't you think Meier's been unusually cold to me lately? Especially these past few days?" Yan Shaozhe pressed on.
"Oh, that? I think it might have something to do with the Ice Dragon King's dragon soul," Qian Ran said, quickly concocting a plausible explanation.
"Dean Cai Meier has now achieved the Ultimate Ice attribute. As you know, Ice-type Spirit Masters tend to be colder and more aloof in temperament. If you and Dean Cai had unresolved issues, this could amplify them in her heart."
Qian Ran silently praised himself for his quick thinking. By framing Cai Meier's behavior as a natural result of her martial soul transformation, he could prevent Yan Shaozhe from probing further into the real reasons for her coldness—reasons that might lead straight to him.
After all, Qian Ran wasn't about to give up the perks of dining at Yan Shaozhe's home—or enjoying Cai Meier's company.
He chuckled inwardly, recalling the wedding photo of Cai Meier and Yan Shaozhe hanging on the bedroom wall. There was something deeply satisfying about it all.
Pure wickedness, deeply rooted and spreading.
Of course, even this paled in comparison to his conquest of Zhou Yi. Once, her home displayed portraits of Zhou Yi and Fan Yu together. Now, those had been replaced by intimate photographs of Zhou Yi and Qian Ran. Her house had become their love nest.
A classic case of a cuckoo occupying another bird's nest.
As for Fan Yu? He simply pretended not to notice, burying his pride to maintain the illusion of dignity.
Yan Shaozhe seemed destined to follow a similar path. During his cold war with Cai Meier, he didn't even have the privilege of sleeping in their bedroom. If Qian Ran felt like it, he could easily sneak in and leave before dawn—a schedule perfectly suited to his indulgent lifestyle.
"Qian Ran, you're brilliant! So that's it—she's not indifferent to me because she's stopped loving me. It's just the influence of her Ultimate Ice!" Yan Shaozhe exclaimed, overjoyed by the insight.
Martial souls did greatly affect a Spirit Master's temperament. Evil Spirit Masters often became twisted, while normal Ice-type Spirit Masters were cool and composed. Fire-type Spirit Masters, by contrast, were passionate and lively.
So, Cai Meier's shift in attitude must be due to her Ultimate Ice?
But… what if this coldness persisted? What should he do then?
Yan Shaozhe's gaze landed firmly on Qian Ran.
"In my opinion, Dean Cai's sudden martial soul transformation might have caused rapid changes in her body, leading to personality fluctuations. If left unchecked, it could even result in psychological issues," Qian Ran added solemnly.
"What can I do?" Yan Shaozhe asked, feeling that Qian Ran's analysis made perfect sense.
"She needs guidance from someone she trusts and feels comfortable with. Only then can she gradually recover. Dean Yan, it's up to you!"
"Um, cough… Qian Ran, how about you give it a try? Meier has been avoiding talking to me lately, but she seems quite warm toward you. Could you help talk her through this?"
Yan Shaozhe gripped Qian Ran's hand tightly, his face filled with hope. He had completely bought into Qian Ran's "martial soul influence" theory. How else could he explain Cai Meier's icy demeanor?
After all, her change in attitude coincided suspiciously with her return from the Icefire Yin Yang Well.
(End of Chapter)