CHAPTER 18: CHAPTER 18: DIED FROM TALKING TOO MUCH NONSENSE !!

Su Qinglan’s eyes sparkled with mischief. She tilted her head, her sweet smile never slipping, and her tone was so soft it could be mistaken for genuine gratitude.

"But you know..." she said slowly, almost lovingly, "I truly must thank Sister Mei and Sister Lianhua."

Xu Meiyan blinked. "What?"

The surrounding females stirred uneasily. Why was Su Qinglan thanking them all of a sudden?

"Yes," Su Qinglan continued with a sigh, clasping her hands like some bashful bride. "If not for the two of you pushing me, I never would’ve had the courage to... ah... take that step with Hu Yan."

The females gasped. Xu Meiyan’s face turned as stiff as stone. Bai Lianhua paled.

Su Qinglan leaned forward just slightly, her voice lowering into something like a whisper made for gossip. "That night, Hu Yan confessed everything to me. He said he had always liked me, but he was just too shy to approach. Too shy! Can you imagine?"

"A mighty five-striped tiger, strong enough to tear a boulder in half, but when it comes to me..." She placed a hand to her cheek, feigning a blush. "He could only pretend to dislike me so I wouldn’t notice how deeply he cared."

Her words dripped like honey, and every syllable was another needle stabbed into Xu Meiyan’s chest.

Xu Meiyan sputtered, "Nonsense! He—he never..."

"Oh, but he did." Su Qinglan’s smile widened. "He told me so himself. After we became real mates that night."

The crowd broke into whispers. Was this real? Why have they never seen Hu Yan like that? Did they miss something?

Even the females who disliked Su Qinglan couldn’t help but glance at her in shock. Xu Meiyan’s mouth hung open, but no words came out.

Bai Lianhua trembled. "Y-You’re lying..."

Su Qinglan cut her off sweetly, "Ah, but Sister Lianhua, didn’t you say I should claim Hu Yan? That if I didn’t, I would look weak? Truly, I was wrong to think badly of you two. If not for your guidance, Hu Yan and I would never be so close today."

She pressed her palms together as though in prayer, her eyes shining with false sincerity. "So thank you. Thank you for making me bold enough to win the heart of the male."

Xu Meiyan’s face flushed crimson, her veins almost popping. Bai Lianhua’s eyes filled with unshed tears, her lips quivering.

But Su Qinglan wasn’t done. She tilted her head innocently, then dropped the blade.

"Oh, and about the love fruit..." She dragged out the words, letting them sink in. "Even if I did use it, do you really think a five-striped beast like Hu Yan could be knocked out by such a little thing?"

Her smile sharpened. "No. He was wide awake. We mated willingly."

The air froze. Gasps spread like wildfire.

But it was just another lie from her. The original owner had made sure of it, using several of those fruits that had knocked the poor tiger unconscious.

But she was innocent—just a passerby who had come from another world. She refused to take the blame for something she had never done. She knew how horrible that act was, and she never wanted people to look at her with such disgust, even if she knew it was wrong for the tiger beastman.

"I’m sorry... I really didn’t mean for this to happen to you," Su Qinglan whispered in her heart, apologizing silently to the tiger. She would compensate him in the future.

Xu Meiyan nearly choked on her own spit. Bai Lianhua’s knees wobbled.

Inside, Su Qinglan laughed. Look at them. Look at those twisted little faces. As if they just swallowed dung.

She hadn’t just cleared her name—oh no. She had painted herself as the beloved, cherished mate of Hu Yan. She had flipped the whole story upside down and shoved it down their throats.

And it felt even better knowing that both of those bitches actually liked Hu Yan and even wanted to take him as their beast husband.

She crossed her arms, the smile on her lips growing softer, sweeter, and crueler.

"Really, Sister Mei, Sister Lianhua," she said warmly, "you should be proud. Without your... excellent advice, Hu Yan would still be hiding his feelings. Thanks to you, I get to see the real him now. So in a way...you are with the most credit."

Xu Meiyan’s nails dug into her palms. Bai Lianhua’s face twisted like she was about to faint.

And Su Qinglan, in her heart, laughed. Serves you right, bitches. Manipulating the original owner, pushing her into a corner. Did you really think I’d let you off easily? From today on, you’ll choke every time you see Hu Yan look at me.

Yes. That would be her sweetest revenge.

Su Qinglan’s smile turned angelic, her voice pure sugar.

"Now then... shall we go eat? I suddenly feel very hungry. Talking about Hu Yan makes me crave meat."

The laughter inside Su Qinglan’s mind was still going strong when...

"Warrior Beast Hu Yan is here!" a female suddenly cried.

The words hit like a thunderclap.

Su Qinglan’s smile froze. Every muscle in her face stiffened as if she’d been turned into stone.

Inside? She was screaming.

What the hell?! Why is he here?!

Her stomach flipped, and her knees turned to jelly. She had just finished performing an entire opera of lies starring herself and Hu Yan... And now the actual tiger had walked straight into the theater.

No way. No way. Did he hear all that made-up crap? Shit—if he heard everything, I’m done for! This tiger will stew me alive and eat me for breakfast!

Her heart galloped like a wild beast trying to flee the trap it fell into. For the first time since transmigrating, Su Qinglan really, truly wanted to run.

Her gaze darted around the crowd, calculating escape routes, when...

A cold chill crawled down her back.

Her whole body shuddered. She didn’t need to turn around to know: the tiger’s eyes were already on her.

Damn it... damn it, damn it, DAMN IT! Don’t look at me, you scary big cat!

And just when her nerves couldn’t stretch any tighter...

[Host...]

Su Qinglan almost screamed aloud.

[Your shy lover, the mighty tiger Hu Yan, who secretly worships the ground you walk on, has arrived to witness your demonic performance.]

"...Fuck off," Su Qinglan hissed inwardly, her sweet smile twitching at the corners.

[Hehe~ Don’t be nervous, Host. He’s probably already lovesick just from seeing you...]

"Shut up! Don’t give me live commentary!" She snapped in her head, gritting her teeth.

But the system’s voice only grew more smug.

[Host, are your palms sweaty? Knees weak? Arms heavy? Your heart rate just spiked by 70%! I must record this for research purposes...]

Su Qinglan was dying inside. She wanted to claw Xuyu out of her brain, wrap it up, and kick it into the nearest river.

Meanwhile, the entire area went silent. All eyes turned toward the tall, broad-shouldered figure approaching from the edge of the clearing.

Hu Yan.

The tiger’s steps were steady, his aura colder than an ice river. His golden eyes swept lazily across the crowd before, like a predator locking onto prey, they landed directly on Su Qinglan.

Her soul almost left her body.

Oh no. Oh no no no no. He definitely heard. I’m finished. Rest in peace, Qinglan. Put "died from talking too much nonsense" on my grave.

Her lips trembled, but she forced her smile to stay sweet, sweet as poisoned honey.

"...Hu Yan," she croaked.