Back at the prince's mansion, Ye Luan was tossed around by him again, so exhausted she could barely lift her hands.
Xiao Chi Zhan carried her to the bathroom to clean up, then placed her back on the couch and embraced her as they both fell into a deep sleep.
The servants attending outside dared not enter to disturb them.
With no need to go to the border, Wei Qing Ge couldn't sit still. She brought Lan Mu Rou to visit Ye Luan, but they were stopped at the door.
"Miss, the prince is inside."
Wei Qing Ge called out, "Why are the doors closed in broad daylight?"
The wet nurses and maids guarding the door dared not speak, their heads bowed.
Lan Mu Rou immediately understood and tugged at Wei Qing Ge's sleeve, "Let's go back for now."
"Why go back? I'm bored to death staying in this mansion, I want to go out."
As she spoke, she even kicked the door.
"The prince isn't bullying A Luan, is he, still not letting her go out and play with us?"
Ever since they returned from the beast-taming grounds last time, he hadn't let Ye Luan go out with them. It had been several days, and he still hadn't cooled down?
Lan Mu Rou, her face blushing, pulled her, "It's not what you think, we'll come back later."
"Then what is it?"
Seeing her curious eyes looking at her, Lan Mu Rou, with a blush, whispered a few words into her ear.
A faint blush immediately spread across Wei Qing Ge's face.
'Shameless.'
The two of them left shyly.
Inside the room, Xiao Chi Zhan had already heard their conversation. He lazily opened his eyes and glanced at the woman in his arms, "Shameless?"
Was he very shameless?
Displeased, he turned his body and held her even more fiercely.
Ye Luan was almost woken by his embrace, but having not slept all night, she was truly drowsy. She mumbled something and fell back into a deep sleep.
The sun began to set, and night descended.
Xiao Chi Zhan slowly woke up. The maiden in his arms was still asleep, her face sweetly naive, her long and dense eyelashes blinking softly. His previously rough movements paused, and he slowly withdrew his arm.
He leaned down and kissed her cheek, looking at her sleeping face, his red lips curving into a slight arc.
"You are mine."
He lifted the bed curtain and got off the couch.
Xiao Chi Zhan casually threw on a robe and lazily walked behind the bookshelf. He turned a mechanism, and behind it, a secret room door suddenly appeared.
He strode into the secret room.
On the bed, Ye Luan opened her eyes, looking at the open secret door with a cool expression.
After so long, she actually didn't know his room had a secret room.
She thought for a moment, put on her clothes, got out of bed, and followed him directly inside.
Inside, it was a very large room, its layout identical to the secret room in the Ding Bei Prince's mansion in the capital.
The man stood tall and straight before a wooden rack, a curved saber in his hand, carving something.
"Awake?"
Xiao Chi Zhan put down the knife and walked over to embrace her, kissing her neck.
The moment Ye Luan saw the secret room, she recalled the scene of him forcing himself on her right after she transmigrated. A suffocating pain throbbed in her chest.
He held her from behind, his voice deep and filled with excitement.
"I first saw you in the secret room, and you were so captivating, with a pair of dark eyes curiously observing me, showing no fear like others."
She saw him for the first time? Observing him?
Did the original host dare to act like that?
Ye Luan found it somewhat strange.
"You were curious about me, what were you thinking then?"
What did she think when she first saw him?
She was thinking that the monstrous villain from the book looked just like this.
"Uh, I was thinking that the prince is truly handsome."
Hearing her words, Xiao Chi Zhan's back trembled. His hot lips kissed her skin, and a hidden gleam of excitement flickered in his deep eyes.
Ye Luan intended to entice him, and she cooperated even more.
In the dimly lit secret room, sounds rose and fell.
----
Xiao Chi Zhan picked up the maiden on the chair and, after putting on their clothes, pushed her towards the wooden rack in front.
"Look, this is a jade carving that I made for you with my own hands, is it beautiful?"
When Ye Luan saw the jade carving with her eyes full of spring colors, her face instantly turned pale.
It was the scene of her being chained up right after she transmigrated. She was in a green robe, covered in blood, bound by chains.
The eyes carved were extremely lifelike and beautiful, full of curiosity towards him.
Upon closer inspection, there was a stubborn beauty to them.
Was he crazy?
Carving her likeness in the secret room.
Was he a pervert?
She suppressed her discomfort, turned back, and smiled, "The prince's craftsmanship is truly excellent."
Praise from her made Xiao Chi Zhan even more infatuated. He slung an arm around her waist, his nose touching her forehead, "Good girl, call me Chi Zhan Ge Ge."
His gentleness was chilling. His demonically handsome face was smiling, yet it inexplicably felt cold.
Ye Luan shivered down her spine. Her expression remained unchanged as she smiled and hooked his arm, coaxing, "Chi Zhan Ge Ge, let's go out."
She absolutely did not want to look at that jade carving; it was terrifying.
Xiao Chi Zhan let her go and shushed her, "Wait a moment."
Ye Luan frowned at him. She saw him suddenly pick up the knife on the table, cut his own palm, and begin to pour blood into the jade carving.
She was stunned, her eyes widening as she watched his actions.
"Luan Luan, come here."
Hearing him call her, she remembered the scene of being bled in the underground palace that day, her feet feeling as if they were made of lead, unable to move.
Xiao Chi Zhan turned his head slowly, his deep red pupils narrowing as he looked at her.
Ye Luan was startled and quickly concealed her emotions.
Her delicate little face showed a look of anger. She ran over, pried his hand away, and feigned anger, "You don't care about your life, doesn't it hurt?"
As she spoke, she tried to pull him out.
The knife clattered to the ground.
Xiao Chi Zhan looked at her pulling him, his gaze dazed, and murmured with a smile, "Are you concerned about me?"
Ye Luan pushed him onto the chair, looking at his wound with concern, and took out medicine to bandage it.
"Don't be afraid, this little injury won't be fatal. I used to have my whole body drained of blood."
The little face before her paused slightly, her long, dense eyelashes lowered, her emotions indiscernible.
He continued, "Jade nourished by human blood is the most exquisite and translucent."
'Love yourself before you love others.'
Her murmured words were caught by Xiao Chi Zhan.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, hooked her waist, making her sit on his lap, and nestled his head into her neck, inhaling her scent.
Ye Luan nestled obediently in his embrace, saying with concern, "In the future, don't draw blood so readily, even a body of iron can't withstand it."
"Mm."
He seemed lost in thought.
Ye Luan's delicate hand rested on his shoulder, and she chuckled, "Chi Zhan Ge Ge, when are we going to Zhong Zhou?"
Hearing this, Xiao Chi Zhan suddenly raised his eyes, his deep red pupils appraising her.
Ye Luan instantly no longer dared to mention sending Fu Dai and the others away. She quickly changed the subject with a smile, "Is it cold over there? Is it far? How far is it from You Zhou?"
Hearing this, he chuckled and flicked her nose, "You just need to follow this prince."
She was truly too shrewd.
She glanced at the sky outside, "I'm so hungry."
"I'll have them bring food."
Ye Luan pressed his hand, jumped off him, and kissed him with a smiling face.
"Didn't you like my plain noodle soup before? I'll go make it for you."
She was determined to make Xiao Chi Zhan fall madly in love with her.