Prince Lu was on a roll now, clearly enjoying his own storytelling far too much. "Some said he even hanged him up and skinned him alive. That's why my parents didn't let my sister come. She wanted to see you too, but, well…" His eyes flicked again toward Shu Mingye, who currently looked like a man attempting, with great difficulty, not to turn a guest into ashes on the spot.
"If he explodes," He Yuying whispered, "I am not cleaning prince chunks off the ceiling."
"Can we sell them as souvenirs?" Song Meiyu asked, her eyes glittering with mischief. Then she added cheerfully, "Limited edition!"
Linyue ignored both of them. Her attention was on the man sitting beside her. Shu Mingye had not moved or spoken for the last full minute. His silence pressed heavier than any words. She felt his hand tighten around hers, cold as ice now. His jaw looked as though it had been carved from stone, unyielding and sharp. A vein pulsed at his temple. And still, he said nothing. No denial. No growl. Not even the courtesy of a glare.
The silence that followed grew thick, pressing down on every corner of the room. Then, without warning, his murderous aura returned with full force. It rolled through the chamber like a wave, heavy and suffocating, daring anyone to breathe too loud, let alone sneeze.
Song Meiyu slapped both hands over her mouth. A wise move. She was clearly trying to stop herself from blurting out something wildly inappropriate, which was basically her natural state of being.
He Yuying, on the other hand, reached calmly for a cookie. Because stress-snacking felt safer than speaking. And frankly, safer than breathing. Safer than existing.
Linyue sighed. She was not someone to cower, not even if death wore embroidered robes and sat beside her, quietly plotting murder in silence.
With a sweet smile that absolutely could not be trusted, she turned to Shu Mingye and asked, "I've always wondered. When you skin someone, do you start from the head or the toes? Or is there a traditional method?"
"…."
Shu Mingye blinked. For a man feared across realm, he looked like his brain had just short-circuited.
Song Meiyu choked on absolutely nothing but air. He Yuying dropped his cookie with a tragic thud. Prince Lu's jaw nearly fell off his face and rolled under the table, unsure whether she was joking or quietly applying for membership in the local murder club. A wind might've blown through the room at that moment, but no one would've noticed. Everyone was too busy screaming inside their own heads.
Shu Mingye finally looked at her. His lips twitched, just barely. His eyes, which only moments ago had promised frozen death, began to shift. First came confusion. Then disbelief. And finally, against all odds, a flicker of something unexpected. Amusement.
Linyue tilted her head, her smile still fixed in place. "Or did you start with the face? That's more dramatic."
Song Meiyu whispered behind her hand, "I think she's broken…"
He Yuying, who had abandoned the concept of logic somewhere between the finger-snapping story and the part about skinning, sighed and reached for another cookie. His emotional support snack.
Prince Lu shot to his feet, pointing at her in horror. "Why are you asking that like you're interested?! Are you actually okay here?! Do I need to kidnap you now?!"
Linyue raised one eyebrow. Her voice was flat, almost bored. "Do you think you could?"
Prince Lu opened his mouth. Nothing came out. He shut it again, then slowly lowered himself back into his chair, eyes darting nervously between her and Shu Mingye.
Shu Mingye exhaled at last. It wasn't quite a laugh, but it wasn't not a laugh either. A low sound, quiet and strange. He leaned back in his chair, almost relaxed. "No," he said at last, voice low and oddly calm. "I started with the tongue. He talked too much."
Another round of silence followed.
Then Song Meiyu squeaked, "That's it, I'm never talking again."
He Yuying dropped his cookie for the second time and muttered, "Guess I'll write notes from now on."
Prince Lu looked horrified, eyes wide, one hand clutching his chest as though he had just witnessed a tragedy far greater than war.
Linyue only nodded thoughtfully and replied, "Fair enough." Like that answer made perfect sense.
The murderous tension in the room finally began to lift. No one was screaming, nothing was on fire, and Prince Lu still had all his limbs. By Shu Mingye's standards, that meant the evening was practically a success.
He turned to look at Linyue. Her face hadn't changed at all. Not one bit. Not when Prince Lu recited the bloody stories. Not when he himself admitted to starting with the tongue. Her clear, dark eyes held the same calm light they always did. Not fear, not shock. Just pure, steady Linyue. Just that usual calmness that somehow said, "I've seen worse," even if she probably hadn't.
Shu Mingye found himself staring longer than he intended. Unconsciously, his lips curved. Just slightly. Her hand, still resting in his, was cold—freezing, but oddly comforting. He wasn't sure what exactly he felt for her, but whatever it was, it was beginning to take up suspiciously more room in his chest than he liked to admit.
Still, there was one thing he knew for certain. He didn't want to let go of her hand. Not now. Not for a long while. There were a hundred questions he wanted to ask her, a thousand things he didn't understand. Everything about her was wrapped in layers of mystery. But he had time.
Time to figure it all out.
Time to see if she would ever warm up, literally or figuratively.
With that thought settled in his heart, he finally turned to Prince Lu. His voice came out calm, steady, and firm. "She'll be fine here. You can leave."
Prince Lu folded his arms, trying his best to look serious and noble. "Why would I believe you?"
Before Shu Mingye could even reply with something ominous or threatening, Linyue spoke first. Her face was perfectly straight, her tone perfectly calm. "You even lost to me in a chopstick battle. What could you possibly do if something did happen?"
Prince Lu froze. Blinked. His mouth opened, then just… stayed there. No sound came out. Only wounded pride and the visible shadow of flashbacks.
Song Meiyu burst into giggles and nodded, clearly remembering that legendary duel.
He Yuying snorted so hard crumbs flew, then nearly choked on his cookie. He pounded his chest, still wheezing with laughter.
Shu Mingye's lips twitched. Again. For the second time in one night. Against his will, against all reason, the corner of his mouth almost curled into something dangerous. A smile.
Chopstick battle? Really? What kind of nonsense was she spouting now? Only Linyue could bring up something so ridiculous in the middle of a conversation about skinning people and somehow make it sound perfectly logical.
Fine. Whatever.
Without another word, he rose to his feet, dusted off his sleeves, and said in that low, commanding tone of his. "Let's go."
Linyue blinked, caught off guard. "Where?"
Shu Mingye didn't even look back. "This place isn't suitable for you. Any of you. Who knows when one of you will accidentally burn it down or curse the furniture. I've prepared another one. Safer."
Song Meiyu let out a delighted squeak, practically vibrating with joy. "Finally! Somewhere I can dry my herbs without them catching fire! Wait… where's Brother Zhenyu?"
He Yuying, who had just fished yet another cookie from an unknown pocket, spoke between chews. "Probably in his room. Meditating. Sleeping. Brooding. Something dramatic."
Prince Lu raised one hesitant hand. "Wait. What about me?"
Shu Mingye kept walking. Silent. Distant. Absolutely ignoring him. Which, of course, meant he definitely heard… and very much didn't care.
Prince Lu lowered his hand slowly, staring at the others with an expression that clearly said, Did he just treat me like I'm invisible?
Song Meiyu clapped her hands together, eyes sparkling. She turned to Linyue with a grin so wide it was suspicious. "We'll pack up and call Brother Zhenyu! I'll handle your things, Sister Linyue. Go ahead!" She winked like she was sending her off on a romantic date instead of a tactical relocation.
Linyue narrowed her eyes. That wink had trouble written all over it.
Prince Lu made a move to follow her out. But with terrifying speed and an alarming amount of strength, Song Meiyu spun on her heel, grabbed his collar, and yanked him backward. "Nope. Stay, Your Highness."
"Wait! Hey!" Prince Lu yelped, arms flailing as if he were being kidnapped.
Song Meiyu just smiled sweetly, already dragging him toward the side. "You'll thank me later."
Linyue blinked, staring after them. "…Did they plan something behind my back?"
Shu Mingye didn't slow his stride. He didn't even glance back.
Linyue looked back at the others again—one cheerfully scheming, one calmly snacking, one being hauled away. "…They definitely planned something behind my back."