"Do you need me to think about this trivial matter for you?"
What's wrong with this guy?
Why did she suddenly stop letting her call him Prince?
Anyway, his thought process was different from normal people, so she endured it.
She thought for a moment, and a few words that flashed in her mind made her shudder.
Oh dear, she couldn't say it.
"Have you thought of it?"
Ye Luan said, "Prince, let go of my hand first, it hurts."
Xiao Chi Zhan released her hand, leaned against the opposite stone wall, and looked at her indifferently.
Ye Luan noticed his change, a strange look flashing in her eyes.
Xiao Chi Zhan, could he have actually fallen for her?
She remembered his perverted and terrifying nature when she first transmigrated, and it sent chills down her spine. Although he had restrained himself a lot now, if he went mad one day, she wouldn't be able to handle it.
Xiao Chi Zhan was very displeased when she spaced out while he was around.
A cold blade suddenly touched his waist.
Ye Luan's body stiffened, and she snapped back to attention.
See.
See.
He was like this, a lunatic.
As soon as she displeased him, he would force people to compromise.
Xiao Chi Zhan liked her obedience very much. No matter how stubborn she was in her bones, she still had to stay by his side obediently.
He fiddled with the knife in his hand and asked her lazily, "Have you thought of it?"
Ye Luan swallowed, gently brushed away the knife at her waist, and smiled ingratiatingly, "Prince, don't be like this. I'll call you whatever you like."
He remained silent, continuing to play with the knife in his hand.
Who knew if he had some strange fetish.
What if she called him the wrong thing and angered this lunatic?
Ye Luan sighed inwardly, but on the surface, she tentatively called out, "Chi Zhan?"
The soft and sweet "Chi Zhan" sent a jolt through Xiao Chi Zhan's back. He turned his head uncomfortably and withdrew the knife.
Seeing that he didn't react, Ye Luan thought he was dissatisfied and tried again, "Chi Zhan Gege?"
As soon as she said it, she felt his breathing hitch, and his chest visibly rose and fell.
Ye Luan thought she had angered him, but seeing him looking at her indifferently, without saying a word.
She pursed her lips and remained silent.
Birds flew past the cave entrance, and the coolness from the waterfall made the air inside the cave even more humid.
"Good girl, say it again."
The sudden words silenced the air for a moment.
Ye Luan was stunned. Had this guy gone mad?
But then she thought about it, narrowed her eyes slightly, and smiled.
It seemed she didn't have to die.
This man had taken the bait.
Thinking of this, the smile on Ye Luan's lips deepened.
"Hm?"
A voice, cool and mixed with displeasure, echoed in the cave.
Ye Luan found it a little difficult to say, but seeing the knife in his hand and hearing footsteps outside, she spoke without emotion.
"Chi Zhan Gege---"
Xiao Chi Zhan noticed the footsteps getting closer and raised an eyebrow.
"Mhm, from now on, call me that."
After speaking, Xiao Chi Zhan took her hand and led her out.
"Yo, what bad deeds are you hiding in here?" Li Qiong Yu, dressed in a red robe, exuded an alluring aura.
The faint smile on his lips looked extremely provoking. Xiao Chi Zhan kicked him as a matter of course, drawing a displeased yell from him.
Tan Tai Ye laughed heartily, his mockery undisguised.
Liu Rong Ruo, holding a fan, ignored them and walked to the small mountain path beside the waterfall, starting to descend.
"Let's go, A'Luan."
Suddenly, Lan Mu Rou looked at her, a faint smile on her lips.
Ye Luan glanced at the iron chain on her ankle and calmly withdrew her gaze.
"Can we go down here?"
"Yes, but the path is very difficult, be careful."
Lan Mu Rou kept talking to Ye Luan, which made Tan Tai Ye very displeased. He grabbed Lan Mu Rou's hand and pulled her forward.
"Stop dawdling, what's there to talk about between you two."
Ye Luan followed behind them, walking a bit slowly.
The mountain path here was very rugged. On the left was a tall, shady mountain wall, while on the right, dead pines and vines hung down. Less than a meter away was a rushing waterfall.
She could even feel the waterfall splashing on her face and body, chilling her to the bone.
But the men walked as if no one was around, moving quickly.
Seeing them like this, they had clearly been here many times.
"Keep up."
Xiao Chi Zhan looked back at her.
Seeing him urge her on, Ye Luan's expression was indifferent, but she quickened her pace.
However, because they were walking so fast and she was unfamiliar with the path, she didn't notice the thorns on the right and stepped directly on a sharp stone. It hurt.
She gasped in pain unexpectedly.
It hurt so much.
She frowned, enduring it and grabbing a nearby branch to stand up, following behind them.
Her ankle throbbed with a burning pain, and she couldn't help but bend down to rub it.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Chi Zhan turned back.
Ye Luan said directly, "I sprained my ankle."
"Huh?" Li Qiong Yu, who had been walking in front, laughed.
"Look at us coarse fellows. It's too inconsiderate of us to have a delicate young lady from the capital walk on this mountain path with us."
"Xiao Chi Zhan, hurry up and carry her down to treat her injury—"
Xiao Chi Zhan had never carried anyone in his life.
He looked at Li Qiong Yu sinisterly and said coldly, "Why should this Prince carry her?"
Tan Tai Ye was watching the show and laughing.
Lan Mu Rou came over and helped Ye Luan.
Only Liu Rong Ruo ignored them and walked down the mountain with a calm expression.
"Tch, if you don't carry her, I will. We can't let the young lady crawl down."
Before Li Qiong Yu could get close to Ye Luan, he was scared back by Xiao Chi Zhan's sinister and terrifying gaze.
He said unhappily, "Xiao Chi Zhan, don't be such a scoundrel—"
"Her ankle is sprained, why are you being so solicitous? What's it to you?"
Li Qiong Yu, furious, put his hands on his hips. "You two scoundrels, Xiao Chi Zhan and Tan Tai Ye, stop harming good people. She's just a young girl, is it easy for her?"
"You've vented your anger, ruined the person, and you still haven't had enough fun? Isn't it better to let her go?"
Xiao Chi Zhan's face instantly turned grim, and he kicked Li Qiong Yu several steps back.
The mountain path here was treacherous, with an unseeable abyss on the right.
Li Qiong Yu, frightened, quickly retreated, pulling at his robe in anger, "What madness are you spewing?"
"Li Qiong Yu, who are you calling names?"
Tan Tai Ye sneered, grabbed Li Qiong Yu's arm, and pulled him down the mountain, persuading, "It's a couple's matter, why are you interfering? Are you looking for a beating?"
"You're not the only one who knows his temper, be careful he doesn't put snakes in your neck tonight."
"Ew."
Li Qiong Yu felt a chill down his spine and shivered, fully aware that that scoundrel Xiao Chi Zhan was capable of such despicable acts.
"Don't pull me—"
Li Qiong Yu still wanted to look back at Ye Luan, struggling not to go down.
Ye Luan sensed Xiao Chi Zhan's anger growing, and she said calmly, "Young Master Li, there's no need to trouble yourself, I'm fine."
She actually wanted to use Li Qiong Yu, but then she thought it was too mean.
Although Li Qiong Yu appeared frivolous, he was genuinely helping her, without much ulterior motive.
She shouldn't involve innocent people in her affairs.
"Heh, you two get along quite well."
Xiao Chi Zhan's gaze swept coldly over the two of them.