159: Chapter 159 Loving Both

Standing beside the three peerless beauties who had just reunited, Qi Yun felt like a bystander who had accidentally wandered onto a film set, specifically one where he had absolutely no idea what the script was about.

That woman called "Yun Lin," whose beauty was earth-shattering after she took off her mask, but whose behavior was bizarrely strange.

She was actually apologizing to Li with a pained expression and teary eyes, saying things like, "I'm sorry, I didn't know about your relationship," and "I think he has already fallen in love with me"???

What the hell?!

Qi Yun's mind was instantly flooded with massive question marks and exclamation points.

How on earth did I fall in love with you???

Have we even known each other for ten minutes? Aside from you telling me to take off my shoes, which I did, and considering you're good-looking, what other interaction have we had?

That's it, I'm in love? You're way too narcissistic!

Although you are indeed... *ahem*, but that's not the point!

He felt that his personality and basic logic were being severely insulted and challenged.

Is he, Qi Yun, the kind of shallow man who falls in love with everyone he sees and can't move his feet whenever he spots a pretty girl?

He admitted that he appreciated beauty, and there were indeed many pretty girls on the ship, but could that possibly be the same thing as love?

Qi Yun complained frantically in his heart, while his face remained blank and confused. He decided to hold his ground for now and see how far this play, directed by three women, would go.

Li seemed completely unaffected by Yun Lin's painful confession and apology.

Her gaze drifted past Yun Lin, who was blocking her way, and landed calmly on Qi Yun's face, which was written all over with "bewilderment."

Then, Li began to move.

She bypassed Yun Lin, who tried to stop her, and walked straight up to Qi Yun.

She slowly raised her hand, her fingertips as white and jade-like as could be, carrying a cool touch as she gently caressed Qi Yun's cheek.

The movement was very light, very slow.

Her fingertips traced his jawline and brushed past the corner of his mouth.

Xia Ran's eyes lit up instantly, her body leaning forward slightly, her face displaying undisguised anticipation and excitement.

It's coming, it's coming! The classic scene is about to unfold! She had seen similar scenarios too many times!

The men affected by Yun Lin's ability would erupt with such terrifying aggression when faced with an old flame!

To prove their singular love to Yun Lin, they could commit any crazy act—beating, cursing, even killing!

For Li to touch an old flame right in front of a new love was nothing short of a blatant provocation!

What would Qi Yun do? Push Li away? Or something even more intense?

Yun Lin's heart jumped into her throat, her face turning as pale as paper.

She knew the effects of her ability all too well. The men who fell in love with her would view her existence as their only one, not allowing anyone else to get close.

To Qi Yun, Li's current actions were a challenge to his love!

Yet Li's hand caressed Qi Yun's face, and Qi Yun just stood there, not moving?

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

The expected rage, shoving, cursing... nothing happened.

Qi Yun just stood there, letting Li's cool fingers linger on his face, his expression gradually changing from initial bewilderment to an inquisitive look.

The excited, expectant smile on Xia Ran's face slowly froze, eventually turning into undisguised disappointment.

What's going on?!

The script is wrong!

Why didn't Qi Yun react?! Shouldn't he be enraged like a lion whose territory had been invaded, shove Li away, and then rush to Yun Lin to pledge his loyalty?!

How could he just let Li touch him so calmly?!

Yun Lin was also stunned; a hint of color returned to her face as she let out a long, silent sigh of relief.

Great. At least this man named Qi Yun wasn't the extreme type who would immediately attack or hurt others to prove his love.

But immediately after, she felt a trace of sadness.

Even if he didn't attack others, this "love" itself was a curse she had forced upon him.

His current calmness might just be because it was the initial stage of the ability.

Regardless, he had already "fallen in love" with her; that was an unchangeable fact.

Xia Ran and Yun Lin still firmly believed that Qi Yun had fallen in love with Yun Lin.

They interpreted Qi Yun's unusual calmness as his own unique way of "loving."

Li slowly withdrew her hand.

Then, she turned around to face Xia Ran, who was looking disappointed and puzzled, her red lips curving slightly into a faint yet resolute smile.

"You lost. Qi Yun hasn't fallen in love with Yun Lin."

Her voice was calm.

"Huh?!" Xia Ran nearly jumped up.

"Just because you say he hasn't doesn't mean he hasn't! Li, a bet is a bet! Don't try to welch! Where's the proof? What do those two touches you just gave him prove?"

She pointed at Qi Yun and then at Yun Lin: "Yun Lin has tested it herself! And he obediently followed her here! Doesn't that count as proof? Do we have to wait until they have kids before it counts?!"

Qi Yun's mouth twitched.

Kids already?! You guys are overthinking this way too much!

Li remained calm, looking at the bristling Xia Ran: "How do you want to prove it?"

"Prove it?" Xia Ran rolled her eyes, and a brilliant idea popped up.

She looked at Qi Yun, then at Yun Lin, a sly smile appearing on her face.

"It's simple! Since you say he hasn't fallen in love with Yun Lin, let's do a test!"

"Love means being willing to give things up, willing to make sacrifices for the one you love, even to endure humiliation."

She walked between Li and Yun Lin, stretched out her hands, and like a host presenting a prize, pointed first to Yun Lin, who stood beside her with a peerlessly cold and aloof air:

"This is Yun Lin, one of the three great goddesses of the Land of Beginning, possessing peerless beauty and special abilities! Countless men are obsessed with her, duel for her, and brave fire and water for her!"

Then, she swept her hand in an arc and pointed to Li, who stood beside her with a calm expression:

"This is Li, also one of the three great goddesses of the Land of Beginning, powerful, and possessing both beauty and strength! She has an intimate relationship with you!"

She clapped her hands together, looked at Qi Yun with burning eyes, and posed the question:

"If you had to crawl through someone's crotch, which one would you choose?"

In her view, this was an absolute killer question.

If Qi Yun had truly "fallen in love" with Yun Lin, under this "pick one of two" test, he would definitely instinctively lean towards Yun Lin.

This was the iron law after being affected by Yun Lin's ability; the goddess is above all else.

Qi Yun looked at the method of proof that had been thought up as if it were a petulant argument between elementary school students.

He suddenly felt very tired.

These women, each one looking like a celestial being, why were their brains always filled with these "who do you choose" dramas all day long?

He rubbed his temples, sighed, and bluntly complained:

"No, I mean, you beautiful ladies..."

He pointed at Xia Ran: "You, did you not graduate from kindergarten when you came up with this method? 'Pick one of two'? How does this prove love at all?"

"Do you take me for a fool? Crawling through someone's crotch for no reason—why don't you crawl through mine?"

"I choose neither."

Facing Qi Yun's complaint, Xia Ran's expression completely froze, turning into embarrassment and annoyance.

Yun Lin was also stunned; Qi Yun's answer exceeded her expectations.

Could it be that this person's dignity was above love?

The smile at the corner of Li's mouth deepened. As expected, he was still him.

Xia Ran was left speechless by his retort, but her competitive nature wouldn't let her admit defeat easily.

She rolled her eyes again, and suddenly, another thought popped up.

"Wait!" She looked sharply at Qi Yun, her eyes becoming strange.

"Qi Yun, you just said you choose neither? In other words, that means you chose both."

"You wouldn't happen to be..." Xia Ran gasped, as if she had discovered some shocking secret, pointing at Qi Yun, her voice trembling.

"You wouldn't happen to be a polyamorous scumbag, would you?!"

"In other words, you love both of them?!"