How come I'm the one being conquered?

Bai Jun, in a great mood and wearing new clothes, walked out of the fitting room and asked the Foxkin woman who was busy with her manicured nails by the clothes rack. She seemed to be spacing out until Bai Jun asked a second time, and then she barely managed to react.

However, when she shifted her gaze from her meticulously cared-for nails to Bai Jun, her previously bored eyes immediately widened. Especially when she saw Bai Jun's handsome face, her soft, fluffy fox tail perked up with renewed vigor. "G-g-g-guest... Do you have any instructions?"

"Uh, could you please lower your voice?"

The sudden, sharp voice of the Foxkin woman by his ear had already caused Bai Jun a slight displeasure. Upon noticing her gaze, which was burning with a hint of greed, this displeasure gradually turned into a kind of disdain.

In truth, the Foxkin woman was doing her best to maintain her composure. Otherwise, she would have undoubtedly turned into a lovesick fangirl and immediately knelt down to propose... though she was already feeling like doing so right now.

Even so, her body trembled slightly. She was long past the age for marriage. Although her beautiful appearance and gentle demeanor had allowed her to thrive in the service industry, she had yet to get married.

Foxkin men from her own race were flirtatious and unreliable. Vidyadhara men had a strange, damp feeling about them. As for Xianzhou people, their lifespans differed too greatly from those of the Foxkin. She had weighed her options for a long time but couldn't make a decision.

In fact, she had encountered her fair share of handsome boys. During blind dates, many good-looking young men had pursued her, but she had never paid them any mind because she had never met anyone who made her heart flutter.

But that had changed now!

She never expected to meet a man who so perfectly fit her ideal today!

Moreover, just by simply changing his clothes, his entire demeanor had undergone a seemingly earth-shattering transformation. If he had been like a neighborly childhood friend type of handsome youth with a stoic personality before, he was now definitely a cold, aloof, iceberg CEO type!

One was like a green plum just forming on a branch, its fruit sour yet with an inexpressible sweetness; the other was like stream water flowing from a snowy mountain peak, carrying crushed ice, chilling to the bone yet sweet and thirst-quenching...

Thinking of this, she felt both nervous and excited, almost letting out a soft hum.

"Th-that, um, could I get your...?" The Foxkin woman took out her Jade Omen, nodded shyly, and stared intently, giving the impression that it was deliberate.

"Sorry, don't block my way."

Bai Jun glanced at her impatiently, his disdain and annoyance evident.

"Y-y-yes, yes!" The Foxkin woman's face turned bright red as Bai Jun's scornful gaze swept over her. Her entire body trembled with a pleasant weakness as she quickly stepped aside, and one could faintly see a look of enjoyment on her face.

Bai Jun couldn't be bothered with her and walked straight to the cabinet near the counter, packing his discarded old clothes into a bag.

Thump...

Hearing the sound of clothes falling to the ground, Bai Jun turned his head and saw Han Ya covering her mouth, staring intently at him.

"You're here. What do you think? Give me your evaluation," Bai Jun asked the nagging cold crow with a gentle smile.

"Sup-sup-super, super handsome, no, it's alright..."

Han Ya tried her best to maintain a calm tone. She covered her nose and quietly shifted her gaze, but inwardly, a storm was raging.

Ah, why is he so handsome? Why is he so handsome... I knew he was good-looking for a long time, but I never expected the destructive power of him changing clothes to be so astonishing. And his aura is completely different too. I feel like compared to his usual dazed appearance, he's more aggressive now. Dammit, he's really handsome, really handsome, really handsome...

"Are your eyes really on me? Even if you're just being perfunctory, you should at least take a look before speaking."

Just as Han Ya was engaged in an internal battle, Bai Jun had already walked up to her. Seeing her perfunctory response, he cupped her cheeks with his hands and forcefully turned her gaze back.

Their eyes met. Bai Jun's clear, azure eyes reflected Han Ya's stunned expression. Soon, a blush rapidly spread across her usually pale face, and her beautiful lead-grey eyes rippled with shock.

"So, so handsome..."

"That's good." Bai Jun released Han Ya's cheeks, satisfied with the result he wanted.

Freed from his grasp, Han Ya lowered her head, panting heavily, and quickly picked up the clothes from the ground before rushing to the counter to pay.

"Bag it up!"

"Guest? Are you alright...?" The server, seeing Han Ya's flushed face and her continuous heavy breathing, couldn't help but ask with concern.

"All, of, it, bag, it, up—!"

With the bagged clothes, Han Ya took a moment at the counter. Only when the flush on her face had mostly subsided did she slowly return.

"How much is it? I'll give it to you," Bai Jun said, as if making a difficult decision, trembling as he took out his wallet and tentatively asked.

"Consider it payment for last night."

Han Ya casually handed the bagged clothes to Bai Jun. Although she kept telling herself she couldn't be tempted, she couldn't help but sneak glances at him occasionally.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly accept..."

While saying he wouldn't accept, Bai Jun's body obediently took the clothes. He knew there was no need to be polite, but his ingrained instincts told him he should act this way.

Han Ya pulled out a small notebook from somewhere, ticked off the first item on her planned list, and confirmed their next destination. Then, she turned sideways and grabbed Bai Jun's wrist. "Let's go, to the next place."

"How much longer is there? It feels so troublesome..."

Bai Jun grumbled, following Han Ya out of the shop.

They walked north along the clean and tidy street, crossing several intersections, and entered a more bustling commercial street.

It was the peak hour for foot traffic in the morning. They could see many students, fresh from class, wandering around in groups. Their lively and sunny smiles made one sigh about the beauty of youth.

However, Bai Jun wasn't feeling great at the moment. He could feel many eyes fixed on him from different angles, as if they were looking at some rare exotic beast.

Furthermore, Han Ya hadn't spoken to him since they left the shop. Whenever their eyes met, she would instantly look away, showing a clear intention to avoid him.

Just as Bai Jun was about to ask something, Han Ya, who had been walking ahead of him, suddenly shifted her gaze from the small notebook in her hand and looked up at the platform on the other side of the road. Beside the railing, several stalls displayed plump and fresh oranges.

"You stay right here, don't wander off. I'll go buy you an orange."

After saying that, Han Ya put the notebook back into her pocket and ran towards the platform with a sense of relief, leaving Bai Jun bewildered on the spot.

"Is she taking advantage of me?"

Bai Jun thought for a moment. A Xianzhou shouldn't have a back, so he found a bench and sat down to wait quietly.

Having finally finished the integration between the Tianbo Division and the Starry Sky Company's Tianying Ore over the past two days, Tingyun, who had a few days of leisure, walked through the streets with a box of Meizhan Pavilion's latest cream buns, her steps light and brisk.

The gentle sway of her meticulously styled, fluffy fox tail and the bright smile on her face showed that she was in a very good mood.

"Finally managed to grab the buns that my benefactor wanted to eat. I'll go give him a surprise!"

The thought of the proud-yet-secretly-craving Bai Jun accepting the buns from her with a mix of desire and embarrassment made her feel as sweet as if she had eaten honey.

As she was contemplating how to create a romantic yet elegant surprise, her sensitive sense of smell, unique to the Foxkin, told her that Bai Jun was nearby.

A happy smile immediately bloomed on her face, and her gaze quickly found his figure on the street.

Upon noticing the change in Bai Jun's appearance today, Tingyun's eyes widened in surprise. At the end of her line of sight, Bai Jun, with his short ponytail tied up, looked handsome and aloof. His seemingly ordinary, yet in the eyes of those who know, very high-quality new attire made his already cool and handsome face even more charming.

One hundred points! Absolutely a perfect score! Who could resist humming a little tune?

Tingyun's eyes grew more hazy, her breathing deepened, and her erect fox ears quietly drooped shyly. Her long, fair legs couldn't help but rub together gently.

Just as she was about to embrace her benefactor from behind and bury her face in his clothes to rub against him, a lively, girlish figure preemptively took her place.

"?"

Tingyun's expression froze instantly.

Passersby inexplicably felt a chill and instinctively tightened their clothes.

Chapter 41: It's That Time of Year Again for the White Album

Bai Jun sat idly on the bench for a while, wondering why Cold Crow was taking so long to buy an orange.

Suddenly, he remembered that Cold Crow had given him a diary earlier, saying it was for when he had nothing to talk about with Xue Yi tomorrow. Since he had nothing else to do, he took it out and flipped through a few pages.

'February 1st, is there any difference between today's batch of files and yesterday's? I think so, but is it a big difference? Perhaps not, really? Maybe so...'

'February 5th, the time spent with my sister today passed as quickly as a flash of lightning, like a fleeting moment, a glimpse, good times don't last, they vanish in an instant.'

'February 6th, my workload has increased so much recently. The thought of having to go to the Ten Lords Bureau's Hall of Causality again to sift through mountains of sin archives makes me want to resign.'

Rather than a diary recording fleeting moments of beautiful life, it was more like a trash can for office workers to vent their psychological emotions.

In any case, Bai Jun couldn't bring himself to laugh after reading it; he felt like he was looking in a mirror.

'February 7th, the button on my shirt's chest popped open today. It seems I should wear looser clothes in my free time. Ah, how I envy my sister.'

Was this something he was supposed to see?

Bai Jun gasped, hesitating whether to continue reading, when he felt a firm pat on his shoulder, accompanied by a lively and crisp girlish voice.

"Bai Jun! What are you looking at?"

"Ah, I wasn't looking at anything—!"

Bai Jun flinched in surprise, instantly closing the diary. But when he saw the girl's energetic twin ponytails, he sighed helplessly. "Don't suddenly appear behind me, Su Shang. You'll scare people to death..."

Unlike their first meeting, Su Shang was now wearing a neat and handsome Cloud Cavalry uniform. Combined with her outstanding appearance and demeanor, she had a refreshing new look, but her innocent and foolish nature, untouched by worldly knowledge, remained unchanged.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to... Huh?"

Su Shang, holding a box with one hand, was about to apologize, but when she saw Bai Jun's transformation, her small mouth gaped in surprise, completely unaware that the box had fallen to the ground.

"So, so, so... So handsome! Bai Jun, you look so handsome today!"

Her face flushed red. After honestly expressing her emotions, she excitedly leaned forward, curiously pinching Bai Jun's cheek and tugging at his collar, wondering how one person's aura could change so drastically.

"Thank you for the compliment, but aren't you being a bit too enthusiastic?"

Bai Jun somewhat helplessly pushed away Su Shang's fingers that were playfully touching his cheek and shifted over on the bench, gesturing for her to sit down and talk.

"But you really look handsome today?"

Su Shang didn't consider any other issues and naturally sat down beside him, her eyes never leaving Bai Jun's face throughout the process, with a clear intention to get closer.

Bai Jun knew he had to be extremely patient with Su Shang, so he calmly changed the subject. "Congratulations on joining the Cloud Cavalry, Su Shang. I didn't expect you to succeed so quickly."

As expected, Su Shang's attention was easily diverted, and she revealed a proud little expression. "Of course. I've been capable of handling things on my own for a long time. Joining the Cloud Cavalry was a piece of cake!"

"It's 'handling things on your own'... You have so many typos, Su Shang. You should read more books. And it's 'a piece of cake,' not 'a piece of hand.'"

"Really? Ahaha, don't be so serious about these things." Su Shang chuckled sheepishly, scratching her head, her gaze subtly shifting aside.

"If you keep this up, you'll suffer losses sooner or later." Seeing her like this, Bai Jun couldn't say much more and shrugged helplessly, shifting his attention to the box she was holding. "Speaking of which, what are you doing with that box?"

"Oh, this? I saw a shop owner in Jiren Alley about to take it to the Starcruiser Sea Hub to submit a report. I figured since I was heading back that way anyway, I'd just bring it along."

Su Shang's smile was warm and radiant, as if she were simply proud of helping someone, pure like a protagonist in a hot-blooded shonen manga.

Bai Jun looked at Su Shang seriously. The breeze ruffled her chestnut hair, and her clear eyes, gazing up at the sky, held a touch of innocence, yet were purer than mere innocence, seeming to sparkle with dazzling light under the sun. Unburdened by guilt, she could always hold her head high without remorse.

So foolish, she'll really get taken advantage of like this...

Bai Jun sighed inwardly, but his gaze remained fixed on Su Shang's smile.

No matter who it was, that determined and warm smile was so captivating that Bai Jun's intended advice turned into a faint compliment: "That's great. Your mother would surely be proud of you too."

"Huh? I'm already so accomplished that Mother can be proud of me? Hehehe..."

Su Shang's cool facade lasted less than three seconds before she reverted to her usual goofy, lovable self, happily imagining her strict mother praising her.

This time, Bai Jun didn't dampen her spirits. He simply sat quietly beside her until Su Shang suddenly remembered something. "Ah! Oh no, it's almost time! I have to hurry back and sign in! Otherwise, the captain will scold me again!"

She frantically picked up the box and rushed towards the Starcruiser Sea Hub. Before leaving, she didn't forget to wave goodbye to Bai Jun. "Sorry, Bai Jun, I have to go back! I'll treat you to a meal next time!"

"Take care. And remember to read more books when you have time."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the street, Tingyun had witnessed their entire interaction without them realizing it.

Her expression was so grim it looked like it could drip water, and the handkerchief she held in her mouth was torn from her excessive anger.

Watching their intimate interaction, Tingyun, stirred by jealousy, was almost losing her mind. Her fluffy fox tail fur stood on end with her emotions, and the dark aura emanating from her body was almost solidifying, scaring the surrounding pedestrians into giving them a wide berth.

Tingyun had initially had a good impression of Su Shang, a newcomer. After all, she often helped the pilots at the Tianbo Division and had helped her quite a bit. However, that good impression was now completely gone!

Damn Su Shang! She's just a newcomer, just someone who arrived later, just a little kid, and she dares to do that to her benefactor!

Just as Tingyun was about to chase Su Shang away, Su Shang unexpectedly picked up the box and left in a hurry.

Perhaps sensing her intense killing intent, Su Shang's departure made Tingyun feel a little better. However, the next scene plunged her heart into the abyss.

At the end of her line of sight, a tall beauty with silver hair, even more stunning than herself, appeared!

"Who were you waving at?"

As Bai Jun waved goodbye to Su Shang's retreating figure, he heard Han Ya's voice. His smiling eyes instantly turned helpless as he shifted his gaze from the distance to her face. "You're finally back. Why did it take so long to buy an orange? And when you were paying at the counter just now..."

Han Ya didn't speak. She silently took out an orange from the bag, its white pith meticulously removed, effectively silencing everything Bai Jun wanted to complain about.

"I'm sorry, I was wrong. Please forgive me, esteemed Han Ya!" Bai Jun immediately adopted a contrite attitude, deeply regretting his earlier rudeness.

"I forgive you."

Han Ya sat down on the bench next to Bai Jun, broke off half an orange, and handed it to him. At the same time, she asked, "Who was here just now?"

"A friend."