Every soul reporting to the Angel Legion Headquarters would involuntarily shiver twice upon crossing the threshold, clutching their robes tighter.

The newly returned Old Man Ditar frowned, addressing the female attendant at the entrance, “Who has upset the Vice Commander again today? Why is the resentment in the headquarters so thick?”

Before the receptionist could answer, a girl wearing a ruffled dress, holding a lace parasol, with pigtails on either side of her head, hopped out from behind Old Man Ditar and chirped happily, “What’s wrong with your Vice Commander Lanli? Did your Commander not accept his confession? Poor Lanli.”

The receptionist was startled by the girl, her eyes wide as she looked at Ditar, unsure how to reply. Ditar painfully rubbed the bridge of his nose, thinking: How could I forget about this headache of a person?

Li Xuan saw the receptionist only looking at Ditar and avoiding her gaze, feeling slightly displeased. Pouting, she leaned close to the receptionist’s face: “Hmph, I asked you a question, why do you keep staring at Old Man Ditar? Am I not cuter than him? Are you treating me differently just because he’s male and I’m female?”

Ditar felt his nerves fraying, the pain intensifying; if he didn't say something soon, he had no idea what might happen next.

“Ahem, Miss Li Xuan, I think rather than speculating here, it would be best if I took you directly to see Vice Commander Lanli. I believe asking him in person would be better.”

“Ooh, yes, yes!” Li Xuan clapped her hands in agreement.

“Um, Old Man…” The receptionist, who had temporarily lost the power of speech from shock, finally found her voice, “It’s probably best not to ask. Vice Commander Lanli was just rejected by Red Hair from the Wolf’s Den and is currently heartbroken. Anyone who asks him will get a beating. Even Commander An Junlie has found an excuse to leave.”

“So Vice Commander likes Red Hair from the Wolf’s Den? What a waste of a perfectly good Commander and Vice Commander CP. Such a pity,” Li Xuan stomped her foot in regret, then slapped her hand as if she’d realized something, “Never mind, love cannot be forced. Since there’s no good show to watch, let’s get down to business.”

Li Xuan swiftly closed her umbrella, untied the two braids holding her hair, letting it cascade freely down her back. She then ripped off the lower half of her ruffled dress, revealing perfectly tailored professional shorts. The skirt perfectly concealed her round, pert derrière, exposing a pair of long, slender, beautiful legs.

Li Xuan’s transformation drew the sidelong glances of the male members of the Angel Legion. Li Xuan shamelessly shot a flirtatious glance—a Dian Yan—at every man she captivated. This caused them all to blush, turn their heads away awkwardly, and dare not look a second time.

“Mr. Ditar, I didn't expect the male members of your Angel Legion to be so adorable.” Li Xuan instantly shed her cute and ditsy persona, morphing into a captivating Yujie (mature, powerful woman).

Hearing Li Xuan address him this way, Ditar’s headache finally subsided. He straightened up and offered Li Xuan a gentlemanly bow: “Miss Li, please, this way. I shall take you to see our Vice Commander immediately to discuss the banquet arrangements for tomorrow night.”

Li Xuan said nothing, merely extending her right hand with dignified grace. Seeing this, Ditar silently took her offered hand, allowing her to link her arm through his, and led her toward the Vice Commander’s office. In truth, even without Ditar’s guidance, Li Xuan could have found Lanli’s office; the sheer intensity of the resentment emanating from that office was impossible to miss.

Ditar knocked symbolically a few times before opening the door to Lanli’s office uninvited and stepping inside.

“Vice Commander Lanli, this is Li Xuan from the Huaxia Legion. She usually handles all external affairs for the Huaxia Legion, and this time she has come to invite the Angel Legion to the banquet tomorrow evening.”

Lanli was still shrouded in the gloom of being rejected by Red Hair yet again. He had already warned his subordinates not to bother him without his explicit permission. Yet, Ditar had just walked in. Annoyed, he was about to complain to Ditar, but as he looked up, the sight of Li Xuan beside Ditar made his eyes light up. Instinctively, he suppressed all negative emotions, tidied his clothes, and reverted to the gentle, chivalrous Lanli that outsiders always saw.

“My esteemed lady, allow me to be utterly captivated by you, to be utterly charmed,” Lanli said, pulling a single flower from a nearby vase, dropping to one knee. “Will you consent to date me, with the premise of marriage?”

Li Xuan seemed stunned by the scene before her. She covered her mouth with both hands, backing away tearfully, her breathing growing rapid and unsteady.

Ditar couldn't bear watching Vice Commander Lanli irresponsibly flirt so carelessly with a young woman and was about to intervene to stop Lanli’s antics, when an exceptionally crisp sound echoed: Slap. Li Xuan struck Lanli across the cheek.

Ditar’s eyes widened in disbelief, his throat emitting only a strange, singular sound that was part laugh and part terror: “Oh, ho-ho-ho.” Lanli, meanwhile, merely tilted his head, forgetting to turn it back.

In all his experience, any woman Lanli confessed to would either be delighted or flee in shyness. Few, like Red Hair, would retort with playful teasing. To be struck so directly across his handsome face was unprecedented. After all, Lanli chose his targets for teasing carefully; not just any woman was afforded his highest courtesy.

Li Xuan didn't feel her action was excessive. She stepped forward, grasping Lanli’s jaw, forcing his face to meet hers: “I like you very much, do you understand, Lanli? I have always silently wished for you and An Junlie to become a couple. I knew that was just my own wishful thinking, so when I found out you fell in love with Red Hair, I quietly accepted it. But what I cannot tolerate is how frivolous you are with your affections! I truly misjudged you. Thank goodness you never touched An Junlie, or I would have killed you. Oh, and seeing you like this, I completely understand why Red Hair rejected you. A man who acts so flippantly in matters of the heart—how could a brilliant, dazzling woman like Red Hair ever accept you?”

With that, Li Xuan released Lanli’s jaw, seeming utterly disgusted, clapped her hands, and turned to exit dramatically, slamming the door. Only after leaving Lanli’s room did Li Xuan let out a deep sigh. “Ah, that was so impulsive. Why did I slap Lanli? Thankfully, he seems stunned enough not to follow. I should leave quickly.”

Lanli had never been slapped by a woman in his life and was left completely frozen, unable to distinguish north from south. He looked at Ditar with the pitiful gaze of an unclaimed puppy, hoping Ditar would stand up for him and seek answers from Li Xuan.

Ditar merely shrugged and shook his head upon seeing this, having absolutely no intention of preserving the image of the Angel Legion’s Vice Commander for Lanli’s sake. Ditar secretly felt it was high time someone properly disciplined Lanli, who often engaged in flirtation completely inappropriate to the setting.

Poor Lanli!

—Extra RS provided courtesy of Eager Readers