Volumе 1 Сhарtеr 20: Darling, You’re Rеаlly Bеing Naughty
Sо wаrm, sо gеntlе а voiсе.
Тhе uneasе and fear within her bоdу seеmеd tо bе slоwly sооthеd. Subconsсiоusly, shе wanted to drаw clоser.
“Tsk.”
Yan Сheng, intеrruptеd in thе midst of his wickеd intentions, let оut а disdаinful snоrt. He hаdn’t еvеn mаnaged tо touсh the fair shоulder of thе little beаuty yet.
Тhis mеddling frеak.
Не slowly rosе to his fееt, turning his back tо Yan Shi. As hе turned аrоund аnd clеarly sаw what Yan Shi hеld in his hаnd, his еyes abruptly narrowed.
In Yаn Shi’s hаnd was Song Momо, whо had deliverеd thе mother gu to him just half an hour ago. Her wrinkled eyes were wide open, filled with terror.
Her disheveled hair was clutched in Yan Shi’s palm, blood still dripping steadily from the severed head below.
Yet not a single drop of blood stained Yan Shi’s person. He was as clean as an immortal descended to earth—were it not for that gory head.
The palace lanterns behind him had not yet been lit, leaving the space dark and oppressive. A flash of lightning illuminated Yan Shi, making him look like a bloodthirsty fallen immortal.
Yan Cheng sneered mockingly, “Truly a freak.”
Yan Shi’s gaze passed over him, landing on Yun Jiao, who lay dazed on the ground. When his eyes fell upon the exposed skin of her shoulder—
In an instant, a violent rage surged in his eyes. His gaze turned icy as he stared at Yan Cheng. “Did you touch her?”
The “touch” he referred to was literal, but to Yan Cheng’s ears, it meant taking Yun Jiao for himself.
“Yun Jiao?” He let out a scornful laugh, licking the corner of his mouth and narrowing his eyes as if savoring the memory. “Her body feels so soft and smooth, like jade and congealed cream. Truly unforgettable.”
Yan Shi’s eyes gradually reddened, his chest heaving uncontrollably. The patience he had always possessed could not contain even a fraction of his emotions now.
Yun Jiao was his. No one was allowed to touch her, not even a single strand of her hair.
How dare he? How dare he covet what was his!
Yan Shi’s voice was hoarse. “Which hand did Fourth Brother use to touch her?”
“Both.” Yan Cheng raised an eyebrow, provocatively lifting both hands. “The left and the right.”
After all, he believed Yan Shi wouldn’t dare do anything to him.
Since childhood, what hadn’t Yan Cheng taken from Yan Shi? Unloved by father and mother, with nowhere to turn for comfort—what could this freak possibly do?
“Both.” Yan Shi murmured the word softly, his eyes overflowing with killing intent. “What a pair of hands.”
With a dull thud, Song Momo’s head was thrown to the ground, rolling several times.
Those terrified, unblinking dead-fish eyes were now fixed on Yan Cheng, who frowned in displeasure.
Yan Shi’s chest heaved heavily twice, a low chuckle escaping his lips.
His fingertips began to tremble—a sign of the pleasure he took in what was to come. Every time he killed, he would tremble uncontrollably like this.
But this time, it seemed mixed with anger. The fury within him had long been suppressed to the point where he no longer wished to endure it.
The tassels on his ear ornament swayed as Yan Shi took a step forward.
He was going to tear Yan Cheng’s mouth off and burn him to ashes, scattering them to the wind.
“Imperial Brother isn’t stealing her from you, Imperial Brother. It’s just that Yun Jiao has always admired me. She doesn’t want you anymore. She chose me.”
She chose me.
Those three words weighed like a thousand pounds, halting Yan Shi in his tracks.
That’s right.
He had called for her, so why hadn’t she come?
The thunder was too loud. She must not have heard.
If he called again, she would come.
“Yun Jiao.” Yan Shi rubbed his thumb against his fingertips, his gaze filled with undisguised possessiveness as he looked at the little girl on the ground. “Come to me.”Yun Jiao’s eyes flickered as she pushed herself up slowly against the pillar, raising her hand toward Yan Shi.
A smile curled at the corner of Yan Shi’s lips as he watched her with a frenzied intensity.
“Yun Jiao, I’m here. Come to me.” Yan Cheng’s voice suddenly rang out.
Yun Jiao’s movements halted. Her body seemed to move beyond her control—the hand she had extended toward Yan Shi slowly lowered, and her feet shifted direction.
This wasn’t right.
She didn’t want to go over there. She wanted to draw closer to that gentle, soothing presence.
The smile on Yan Shi’s lips froze. His thumb rubbed faster, more forcefully, and as Yun Jiao’s toes shifted direction, his nail dug sharply into his own thumb.
The scene before him wavered for a moment.
Yun Jiao’s image overlapped with the memory of that little kitten.
It was a fluffy white cat that had leaped over the blue-brick tiled wall into his arms, demanding his affection with playful meows.
One day, that cat had rubbed itself against Fourth Brother’s feet, fawning and cooing. He had called out to it just like this, urging it to come to him.
But it didn’t listen. Instead, it grew even more obsequious, clinging to Fourth Brother’s feet.
In the end, Fourth Brother had strangled it to death.
He couldn’t bear to see Yun Jiao die, but Yan Cheng could.
All of this sin lay with Yan Cheng. He was the one who had corrupted his little kitten.
He deserved to die.
And he had touched her—that made him even more deserving of death.
If he were dead, everything would be better.
It didn’t matter if she was tainted. He would wash her clean with Yan Cheng’s blood. Once she was clean, all would be well.
The ferocity and overwhelming killing intent in Yan Shi’s eyes could no longer be concealed, nor did he care to hide it. Reason had been cast aside.
Yun Jiao was driving him mad.
Those five steps between them felt unbearable—he couldn’t wait another moment. With a swift movement, he closed the distance to Yan Cheng in an instant, too fast for anyone to react.
In the next moment, a hand bulging with veins gripped Yan Cheng’s throat, lifting him slowly.
Yan Cheng’s feet struggled as they gradually left the ground, and Yan Shi continued to raise him higher.
Yan Shi’s eyes were bloodshot as he tilted his head, staring coldly at Yan Cheng, his voice icy and soft as he asked:
“Does she coax you too?”
“Does she whimper and fawn over you?”
“Does she sweetly flatter you and say she likes you?”
With each question, the pressure of his grip tightened.
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Yan Cheng clutched desperately at Yan Shi’s hand, his throat crushed under the relentless force that constricted his windpipe.
He had no chance to activate the gu within Yun Jiao.
Yun Jiao stood nearby, dazed and vacant. Her consciousness wavered for a moment, and a single tear slipped silently from the corner of her eye.
After the thunderclap, a fierce wind rose, rattling the broken windows with loud bangs. The bell on Yan Shi’s earlobe swayed in the gust.
“Ding-ling—” A clear, crisp sound.
Yun Jiao swayed slightly, as if the weight of a mountain had been lifted from her body, leaving her feeling light. The fog before her eyes slowly dissipated, clearing into sharp focus.
The blurred figure in front of her gradually came into view.
Before her stood Yan Shi, nearly six feet tall, the high ponytail she had tied for him whipping wildly in the wind.
He had finally come. He had found her.
She could finally see him clearly.
Yun Jiao’s lips moved as she tried to call out to him, but her throat felt choked, as if something were strangling her. No matter how hard she tried, no sound emerged.
Gritting her teeth, she mustered her strength and raised her hand, gently grasping the edge of Yan Shi’s sleeve. Her grip was so faint it seemed a breeze could loosen it.
Yet Yan Shi sensed it. His pupils dilated slightly as he whirled around.
The little girl’s face was streaked with tears, her eyes glistening and wet, the tip of her nose tinged red. Tears still streamed from the corners of her eyes like broken strings of pearls, falling in heavy drops.Yan Shi’s throat tightened, aching with a raw pain, but what hurt even more was his heart.
It felt as if his heart had been viciously squeezed and then hurled into a snow cavern lined with icy blades.
He hadn’t even shed blood yet, Yan Cheng wasn’t dead yet—was she already so worried?
Yan Cheng had merely spoken a single sentence, and she had already abandoned him like this?
Yan Shi stared fixedly at Yun Jiao, his voice dark and hoarse, “Darling, you really aren’t behaving.”