Help! I'm Surrounded by Tentacles! - Chapter 2

“Is this the jellyfish you told me about?”

The moment Qi Nian came inside, she leaned over to inspect my palm.

The little jellyfish lay there with its tentacles lazily spread and its bell gently pulsing. It was a pale cherry-blossom pink, softly luminous under the light, like a tiny piece of breathing jelly.

“It’s so small.”

Qi Nian poked it. It immediately curled up, drawing in all its tentacles until it became a round pink ball.

“Pretty cute, but how do I put this…”

She withdrew her hand, folded her arms, and settled back on the sofa.

“You should still take a look at the one I found you.”

Then she snapped her fingers. “Qin Lang. Come here.”

The wolf beastman called Qin Lang went down on one knee in front of me.

“Hello. I hear you like squeezing things.”

“You can squeeze me.”

His wolf ears twitched. Blushing, he added, “Anywhere you like.”

My eyes widened. Was this really happening?

Beside us, Qi Nian laughed so hard she slapped her thigh.

“See? Now that’s the spirit! That’s the attitude!”

She leaned over and lowered her voice by my ear.

“Listen, Qin Lang has the highest assessment score out of this whole batch of wolf beastmen. Physical fitness, loyalty, obedience—all S-rank. And do you know the best part?”

“What?”

“You can still change mates.”

Qi Nian sounded excited. “Bureau regulations allow a thirty-day compatibility trial after matching. Either party can request a change during that time.”

“You can return or exchange yours with no penalties. Not a single credit in fees.”

I hesitated and glanced down at the jellyfish in my palm.

Then I looked at Qin Lang, kneeling in front of me.

When he caught me looking, his wolf tail wagged excitedly behind him.

Blushing, he took both my hands and pressed them against his rock-hard abs.

So… hard.

I gave them an instinctive squeeze.

I didn’t notice the jellyfish slip from my hand to the floor.

“Well?” Qi Nian waggled her eyebrows beside us. “A lot more exciting than that limp little jellyfish, right?”

“It’s…” I withdrew my hands with a conflicted expression. “It’s way too hard. I can’t even squeeze it.”

“Keep squeezing! It’ll soften up!” Qi Nian sounded exasperated.

Qin Lang nodded, blushing so hard his ears practically steamed, while his tail wagged like a propeller.

“Um… if you like it softer, I… I can relax. Would you try again?”

I reached out hesitantly.

Suddenly, Qin Lang’s expression changed.

He swayed, tilted sideways, and collapsed onto the floor with his eyes closed.

“What happened? Qin Lang?!”

Stunned, Qi Nian crouched down and patted his face.

No response.

I was so frightened I immediately called the clinic.

The paramedics arrived quickly and carried him away on a stretcher.

Qi Nian went with him in the ambulance.

The front door closed, leaving the living room abruptly quiet.

“What was that about?” I muttered. “All that muscle, and he just drops?”

Qi Nian got back to me shortly afterward. “The doctor says he’s been poisoned.”

“Poisoned?”

I was baffled. Was the air in my home poisonous?

Or were my hands poisonous?

I couldn’t understand it.

Then I spotted my poor little jellyfish on the floor.

My heart ached as I scooped it into my palm. “How did you get down there?”

It curled up slightly in my hand. A very faint ring of red tinged the edge of its little pink bell.