QT: Don't fall in love with the Male Lead

They don't  stop trying to find a mate for Bai Mi, as much as she tries to evade their attempts to introduce her to eligible kunjun, but thus far they have all been unsuccessful. 

On his seventh month, Xi Zirui has finally reached acceptance regarding his body's temporary new hosts.

The sight of his own feet is but a distant memory, and he has made his peace with it.

Han Yu shadows him everywhere he goes, afraid he'll stumble on something and injure himself.

Xi Zirui jokes that he's just worried Xi Zirui will slip and roll down an open door into the lake, and keep rolling across the surface until he disappears from sight.

He doesn't remember what not having to pee every half hour feels like, and he's sure one of his children has taken a liking to boxing with his kidneys, but other than that, life continues to be blissful and charmed.

Han Yu often asks him to tell him more about their other lives. He wants to know everything they did together in the previous worlds.

"You called me a whore in one of them," Xi Zirui tells him with an amused smile over lunch one day.

Han Yu freezes with his chopsticks halfway to his mouth. "But you like that," he says, puzzled as to why Xi Zirui would think this is something worth mentioning.

Xi Zirui smirks, he does typically like that, but, crucially, "that was one of the first words you said to me, we hadn't even met, and I had just married your father."

It takes Han Yu some time to process all of that, but he takes it in stride. Especially after Xi Zirui clarifies that the father in question was an older Su Xueyi -- and then further clarifying that no, they never consummated their union.

"Naturally, it's because I was overwhelmingly attracted to you, but could only express myself in this clumsy way," Han Yu reasons, waving his wine cup around.

He might be a little tipsy.

Xi Zirui who can only drink the mildest varieties of tea known to man at the moment, watches him in veiled amusement.

"By calling me a whore?"

Han Yu hums sagely. "Cleverly hiding my true desire to steal you away and make you MY whore."

"Are you sure clever is the word you're looking for?" Xi Zirui asks, taking a sip of tea.

"Definitely."

"In that same world you fucked me in public," Xi Zirui says, watching in delight as Han Yu's eyebrows climb up his forehead.

"I'd never do that, I wouldn't want anyone else to see Rui-er like that," Han Yu says, frowning. 

He reaches across the table to take Xi Zirui's hand in his. "That's only for my eyes to see," he's whimpering a little, as if he might burst into tears at any minute.

Xi Zirui pinches his reddened cheeks. "How can you look so cute while talking about fucking?"

Han Yu is really too much fun for Xi Zirui to resist teasing him.

A servant knocks on the door to their room.

"The young master from the Striped Salamander clan is here," the servant says, once Xi Zirui bids her to enter.

He's their latest attempt in the race to find Bai Mi a mate, and it's best not to leave him waiting.

Han Yu is the one who did all the research on him, and decided he could be a good fit for Bai Mi. Xi Zirui deliberates trying to drag him downstairs to meet the young master, but thinks better of it when Han Yu mumbles something incomprehensible.

They want to cause a good first impression -- Heaven's knows Bai Mi won't -- and Han Yu isn't helping matters in his current state.

So, Xi Zirui drops a kiss on his cheek, and follows the servant out of the room.

---

The young master is already seated at the low table, helping himself to the tea and cakes that have been prepared for him when Xi Zirui walks in with Bai Mi, who almost needs to be coerced into showing up.

From the back he can tell this young master is small, with a delicate constitution and slender bones. His personal servant, attends to him and pours his tea.

He turns around when he hears Xi Zirui and Bai Mi come in and Xi Zirui nearly has loses his footing.

Shen Yun. The motherfucker himself. Eating Xi Zirui's cakes and drinking Xi Zirui's tea.

Xi Zirui struggles to hold on to his courteous smile.

Han Yu handpicked him personally, Xi Zirui can't dare to offend him.

He and Bai Mi take their seats and Xi Zirui is shocked to find that Shen Yun's servant is Ji Limei. Unlike Shen Yun she isn't a salamander, she doesn't have any of his colorful throat markings.

He's unable to tell what exactly she is at first until she raises her head and smiles at him, showing a mouth full of sharp jagged teeth. A shark.

She lowers her head immediately after noticing Xi Zirui's shock, who feels like the world's biggest asshole for not being able to hide it.

Her smile is kind of charming, once one gets past the intensity of seeing her serrated teeth.

Shen Yun spares Bai Mi a polite smile. "I'm happy to meet her Grace, it's rare to meet a qianjun of her caliber."

Xi Zirui stays silent, glad that at least he can count on Bai Mi to be her usual frosty self and completely ignore Shen Yun's sad attempts at securing himself a mate.

He looks sideways at her face and almost drops his cup when he sees her smiling widely, her hands crossed beneath her chin.

"I'm very pleased to make young master Shen's acquaintance as well."

A cold dread seeps down Xi Zirui's spine at each of her words.

He needs to go lie down and contemplate the mess he has just made of his life. "Excuse me, I'm not feeling to well," he says, holding on to his belly to try and get himself up. 

Immediately two servants materialize at his side to help him up. 

He ambles as fast as he can towards the door. "Please continue to enjoy yourselves, I just need some fresh air."

Bai Mi barely lifts her gaze towards him, Xi Zirui isn't even sure she heard him.

He's so fucked.

---

Xi Zirui paces the outside of the reception room for what feels like hours.

From time to time he'll hear the sound of Bai Mi's twinkling silver bell laugh and the blood will freeze in his veins.josei

His children absolutely won't be cousins with any of Shen Yun's cursed offspring. He'll force Han Yu to abdicate and seek shelter with some other clan, but he absolutely won't share the same roof as Shen Yun.

What is Bai Mi thinking? How could she find Shen Yun attractive in any way?

Who, in their right mind, takes one look at his sickly face and decides, "here's a healthy individual to carry my children to term'. 

Xi Zirui paraded so many hot babes, and handsome hunks in front of her, and it's Shen Yun she goes with?

He needs to remind himself that this is the same woman who was Su Xueyi's Empress, she might not have had a choice in the matter, but clearly the damage to her psyche was lasting.

The door finally opens, Xi Zirui stops his pacing, one of his hands still resting on top of his belly, as he peers discreetly into the room, only to almost be smacked in the face when Shen Yun walks out in a tizzy.

What could Bai Mi have possible done to make him that upset? Did she feel him up? Told him exactly how many children she expects him to give her and before which date?

Bai Mi is the next to leave the room, looking exceedingly smug.

Xi Zirui shoots her a disproving glare. "I can't believe you'd chose him of all kunjun I presented to you."

She wrinkles her nose in distaste. "Him? Why would I want him? Does he look like he could carry a pregnancy to term without his bones folding into themselves like a house of cards?"

"Exactly!" Xi Zirui says, gesturing exasperatedly. 

Wait, then does that mean...?

Ji Limei walks shyly out of the room, her head lowered demurely and a deep crimson blush staining her cheeks and the top of her ears. 

Bai Mi smiles warmly and wraps her arm around her shoulders. "Meet my bride, young miss Ji Limei."

Ji Limei lets out a giggle, her sharp little teeth showing up before she hides them with the back of her hand.

Just then Han Yu makes his way down the stairs, rubbing his throbbing temples with a frown. "Why are you two standing there? What happened while I was asleep?"

Xi Zirui goes to his side and loops his arms over Han Yu's shoulder, resting his head over his shoulder. "Meet your new sister-in-law."

"Sister-in-law? Just how long was I asleep for?"