"What's with that expression?"
Her nose hurt from his pinching.
Physiological tears welled up in Ye Luan's eyes, stinging Xiao Chi Zhan's hand and making him loosen his grip.
Yet, her delicate appearance only made him want to bully and ravage her more.
He leaned down to kiss away the tears at the corner of her eyes, his voice hoarse as he said, "My darling, don't cry."
Your tears made me want it even more.
Ye Luan sensed his wrongness and cursed inwardly.
*Pervert.*
She cleared her throat and drew circles on his firm, muscular chest, her voice exceedingly gentle.
"Your Highness, you shouldn't bully people with your authority all the time. You should take things slowly, learn to respect women, and be gentler in your actions."
"Such as?"
Seeing that he was listening, Ye Luan suppressed the excitement in her heart and looked at him sincerely.
"Ahem, you're not gentle with me at all. You always threaten me with my grandmother. I'm scared to death by you. Facing you, all I feel is fear—"
Before she could finish, he interrupted with dissatisfaction, "This King is the most gentle with you."
Gentle, my foot.
Imprisoning her here, acting like a domineering tyrant, was that called gentle?
"Besides, why doesn't this King think you're afraid of me? You're so bold, you slapped me twice."
Petty, vengeful.
He didn't even consider what outrageous things he had done.
Ye Luan's eyes flickered, a hint of cunning flashing within them. She snorted lightly and waved her hand, "Fine, I can't teach Your Highness anything. You should find someone else."
With that, she pretended to be drowsy and wanted to sleep.
Xiao Chi Zhan watched her pretense, his eyes narrowing slightly. *Little liar, putting on a show for me again!*
Her body was forcefully turned over by him.
Ye Luan lazily half-closed her eyes to look at him, "See, is this what Your Highness calls gentle?"
His deep red eyes scanned her from head to toe, like a wild beast in the grasslands fixing its gaze, assessing how to devour her.
His rough hand lifted her chin, his voice echoing softly in the dim tent.
"Don't tell me you like Lu Fei Bai?"
His tone was chilling and terrifying. Ye Luan had no doubt that if she said the wrong thing, this lunatic would rip her apart alive, dismember her, and devour her flesh and blood.
"Xiao Chi Zhan, can you stop talking nonsense? I've only met him a few times. How could I possibly like him?"
In her eyes, Lu Fei Bai was just a friend.
She wondered how his illness was progressing.
His cold, pale hand stroked her cheek, his deep red eyes seeming to ponder her words, staring intently at her.
After a moment, he said, "What do you call me?"
Ye Luan was speechless. She reached out and hugged him.
"Chi Zhan gege."
She was too lazy to argue with him. She was extremely sleepy.
She reached out, stretched her neck, pulled the man down with force, and nestled in his arms, muttering, 'Let's sleep quickly, or we won't be able to get up tomorrow.'
He held her even tighter.
A dull ache emanated from her waist.
Ye Luan cursed inwardly, thinking she would eventually be strangled to death by his violence.
The next day, when she woke up, he was no longer there.
When she was eating, Xiao Chi Zhan entered with a chill clinging to him, lifting the beaded curtain.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
He waved his hand, and the maids serving in the room retreated.
Ye Luan ignored the man, lazily eating with Xue Qiu in her arms.
The large ball of white fur nestled in her embrace, looking glaringly out of place.
"Why are you holding it while you eat?"
Xiao Chi Zhan walked over and, without asking, grabbed Xue Qiu by the scruff of its neck and tossed it onto the ground. His actions were rough and outrageous.
Ye Luan was annoyed, "What are you doing? Do you want to break its neck?"
She quickly crouched down to check. The little Xue Qiu whimpered, making a pitiable sound.
"It's so fat, it won't break its neck."
His rough hand pulled her up and sat her on his lap.
Ye Luan sat in his lap speechlessly and glared at him, "Can you not be so rough, please?"
Xiao Chi Zhan's expression turned sour. How was he being rough?
But he said nothing, and during the meal, he handed her a drawing.
"What is this?"
His gaze fell upon her, his thin lips parting slightly, "A design for a Northern Palace. This King wants to build a Northern Palace tailored specifically for you. After we return to the capital, we will get married there."
The hand holding the drawing trembled violently.
Xiao Chi Zhan casually grasped her hand and continued, "Tell the supervisor directly how you want it built. This King will satisfy all your wishes."
He's gone mad.
Does he want to build a palace in the capital to imprison her?
Ye Luan's hands and feet grew somewhat cold.
He suddenly leaned closer, his cool lips brushing against her ear, his deep voice slowly sounding, "Why are you trembling? Don't you want to marry this King?"
"No—" she gave a dry laugh, "No."
Ye Luan gave him a thumbs-up, "I'm just surprised. Your Highness is so, so generous."
He instinctively felt she was mocking him, and his brows darkened slightly.
Feeling a tremor of fear in her heart, she immediately smiled brightly, picked up the drawing, and examined it closely. This glance made her face turn even paler.
The construction area was vast, with thousands of palaces alone, countless gardens of various sizes, magnificent and opulent in scale.
If she were truly confined here, she would never escape.
"This King has ordered a plum blossom forest to be specially built here. Do you like it?"
His clean, handsome fingers pointed to a vacant spot on the drawing. Ye Luan forced a smile, "I quite like it."
After saying that, she placed the drawing on the tea table beside her, wrapped her arms around his neck, and asked, "When are we returning to the capital?"
"You don't need to ask so many questions. Just follow this King obediently."
Damn it, he's wary of her about everything, afraid she'll run away, right?
Ye Luan's mouth twitched, but she kept her expression unchanged and obediently said, "Okay."
While they were eating, she looked down at the shackles on her feet. A sly glint flashed in her clever eyes. She coughed lightly and, shaking his arm, said.
"My feet are starting to hurt more now."
'Hurt?' Xiao Chi Zhan looked at her languidly, as if pondering the truth of her words, "This was specially made for you, with materials purchased from Beidi. It's very light and thin, with no weight. How can you be in pain?"
Ye Luan scrunched up her small face and hissed a few times.
"Maybe because I've been locked up for so long, it really hurts."
The woman in his arms looked at him with watery eyes, seemingly in genuine pain, her brows furrowed, biting her lips pitifully.
Xiao Chi Zhan's eyebrows rose slightly, "If you don't want to wear it, just say so. No need to pretend."
Ye Luan's hand froze.
She tilted her head up, kissed him, and said coquettishly, "I'm locked up here every day, and there are dark guards everywhere. What are you afraid of? I won't run away. Please don't make me wear it anymore, it's uncomfortable."
"Uncomfortable with what?"
"Humiliation. Have you seen anyone wear this?"
He pondered for a moment and lowered his gaze to look at her, "Don't Tantai Ye's women also wear them?"
Damn it, learning bad things instead of good ones.
Before Ye Luan could speak, he said with a solemn expression, "This King spent a lot of money to buy special materials to make this. Tantai Ye doesn't have the same meticulous care as this King."
You're proud of it?
Shamelessly and righteously so.