Ruyan glared at the man who had stolen her precious first kiss.
Enemy. Mortal enemy.
Her eyes burned, tears daring to fall as fury bubbled inside her chest.
Li Xuan, regaining his senses, touched his lips. The sting made him wince. When he pulled his fingers back, there was blood. His gaze darkened. She bit me?
How dare she bite him—him, a prince!
Ruyan's anger reached its limit. Face flushed, she slammed the cupboard door open and bolted out- only to be yanked back against something solid.
"Ouch!" Her head hit his chest, making her dizzy.
"Stop right there!" Li Xuan barked.
"Pervert!" Ruyan screamed back, loud enough to wake even the snoring emperor a mile away.
Li Xuan instantly covered her mouth.
"Mmph—!" She bit down hard on his hand.
"Argh! You! why are you biting me again?!"
He couldn't believe it. This little wildcat had bitten him twice!
"It's you who kissed me first!" Ruyan hissed when he finally let go.
"But you pulled me into the cupboard!" Li Xuan retorted, pointing at the now half-broken door.
"I... I was trying to hide!" she shot back.
"Hide from what?"
---
Outside, Xiao Feng and Xiao Lei crouched by the door, ears glued to the wood.
Xiao Lei giggled like a mischievous child, hand covering his mouth. Xiao Feng rolled his eyes, raising his sheath and lightly knocking it against Xiao Lei's head.
"Ahh! What was that for?!" Xiao Lei whispered, rubbing his skull.
"It's all because of you," Xiao Feng muttered.
"I didn't do anything!"
Xiao Feng's brow twitched. Xiao Lei not doing anything? Then he must be dead.
---
Inside, Ruyan tugged furiously at her wrist, trapped in Li Xuan's iron grip.
"Let me go! You pervert! You shameless! you-"
"You what?" Li Xuan cut her off, tone dry. "You're the shameless one!"
"What?!" Ruyan stared, utterly speechless. He dares to...!?
Her mind flicked back to that humiliating scene in the cabinet. Her hand flew to her lips, face burning scarlet.
"It's all because of you," she muttered weakly, lowering her gaze.
Li Xuan froze. Her flushed face, the lone tear sliding down her cheek- something twisted inside him.
If I find that bastard Xiao Lei, I'll tear him apart.
Sensing the shift in his expression, Ruyan seized the moment. She snatched her hand back and stepped away cautiously.
His glare was menacing, and she didn't trust whatever thought was forming behind those eyes.
Is he going to jump on me again? No. I have to run!
"Young Miss," his voice rang out sharply, "you must take responsibility."
"WHAT?!" Ruyan's jaw dropped. How shameless can this man be?
Here she'd thought she was the most shameless lady in the kingdom.
She composed herself, clasping her hands together and bowing.
"Your Highness," she said sweetly, though her tone carried no warmth, "let us forgive each other and let this issue pass. It's bad for your reputation if people find out."
Li Xuan's gaze stayed fixed on her as she continued.
"As a lady, it's… difficult for me to forget," she gritted out, smiling stiffly. Forget? Never! I'll kill you first!
"But I will not hold you responsible."
Silence stretched between them.
Then, slowly, his lips curved into a smirk.
"Your Highness, you don't have to—"
"Young Miss Tang," he interrupted, "I must admit, you're very special."
"Special?" she echoed warily.
"If it were someone else, they'd walk through fire to marry me," he said, straightening his back proudly.
Ruyan rolled her eyes. Men…
He reached forward, tilting her chin up. "Hmm… I like it."
Ruyan froze. "Like what?" she wanted to demand, but the words stuck in her throat.
"I'm willing to take responsibility," he said solemnly. "And take you as my wife."
Ruyan's mouth fell open. Who asked him to do that?!
"Your Highness, thank you for your kindness," she said firmly. "But I, Tang Ruyan, do not. wish. to."
Li Xuan's brow twitched. How could she still refuse?
He decided to pull out all his cards. "I have money," he said.
"I have money too," Ruyan replied, producing a small pouch and shaking it. The coins jingled mockingly.
"I have houses. And land."
"I have my own business, Your Highness."
"I have power!" Li Xuan puffed his chest, confident of victory.
"I… don't need your power."
"Of course you do!"
"Oh really?" She raised a brow. "Then does your power make tea?"
"Tea?" Li Xuan blinked, dumbfounded.
Ruyan smirked and turned toward the door. The moment she opened it, two figures outside flew away like startled pigeons.
Li Xuan followed her out, but before she could leave, his voice cut through the air- sharp and cold.
"Luo family execution."
Ruyan froze. The words struck her like lightning.
The sounds of crying and wailing filled her mind. Her breath hitched.
"I...don't know what you're talking about," she whispered, back still turned.
The air grew heavy. Even Xiao Feng and Xiao Lei exchanged uneasy glances on the roof.
Li Xuan took a step forward. "I'll help you investigate," he said quietly.
Ruyan's heart clenched. How does he know? Who is he? Is this a trap?
She didn't answer. Instead, she took off down the corridor, her steps echoing through the night.
Li Xuan didn't follow. He simply watched her go, eyes dark and unreadable.
"Follow her," he commanded coldly.
"Yes, Your Highness!" Xiao Feng and Xiao Lei leapt from the roof, landing lightly, until Li Xuan's hand shot out, grabbing Xiao Lei by the collar.
"You have another task."
Xiao Lei blinked. "Uh… what task, Your High-"
A loud thwack cut him off as Li Xuan's palm met the back of his head.
"Your Highness, nooo...!" Xiao Lei yelped, stumbling forward and landing face-first in the grass.
---
Li Xuan lounged lazily in an armchair placed at the front yard of his mansion. He popped a grape into his mouth and fanned himself with languid grace before snapping the fan shut with a sharp clack. His gaze shifted toward the man kneeling on the stone path- head bowed, a heavy bucket of water balanced precariously atop it.
"Your Highness… it's heavy! Forgive me…" Xiao Lei whimpered, his arms shaking as droplets rolled down his face. He had been kneeling there the entire night, his lips pale, his spirit colder.
Under the old maple tree, Xiao Feng leaned with his arms crossed and eyes half-closed, until a faint clang of metal reached his ears. He opened them at once.
Striding in through the gate was a man dressed in tight, form-fitting leather armour-black, with silver accents tracing the edges like fangs. The sleeves cut just enough to reveal sculpted forearms; a saber hung diagonally across his back, glinting under the sunlight. His long hair, tied carelessly with a dark ribbon, whipped as he flipped it back, smirking like a fox who'd just stolen a chicken.
As he passed a maid, he hooked an arm around her waist, pulling her effortlessly against his chest.
"Beauty… I don't remember seeing you around here," he murmured close to her ear.
The maid flushed crimson, her hands fluttering helplessly. "I–I'm new here, my lord…"
"Ahh, I see." His smirk deepened.
"Fourth Prince!" Xiao Feng called, approaching swiftly. His voice carried weight, his steps light as wind. He bowed slightly, though his eyes couldn't help but flicker to the man's broad chest gleaming under the sun.
"F–Fourth Prince?!" the maid gasped, dropping to her knees with a thud. "Your Highness! I was wrong! Please spare me!"
Li Wen gave a dismissive click of his tongue. "Tsk. Boring." He brushed past her without another glance, his saber scraping the stone path as he barked, "Where's your master?"
He didn't need to look far. Li Xuan, lounging like a cat in the sun, raised a brow in mock surprise.
Li Wen slammed his saber down, the blade cracking the stone floor with a sharp thud.
From the side, Xiao Lei yelped, "Fourth Prince! Save me!"
Li Wen sneered. "Get lost."
But Xiao Lei, ever the desperate one, persisted, "Save me, and I'll pledge my life to you-"
Thwack!
A pebble struck the bucket squarely, sending a splash of icy water all over him.
Li Wen froze mid-step, water dripping from his sleeve. His glare snapped toward the lazy figure reclining on the chair.
"Oh, so you are here," he growled, gripping his saber tighter as he marched toward Li Xuan.
"You!"
Li Wen lunged, his sabre whistling through the air toward Li Xuan's throat- only to be checked inches short as Li Xuan's fan met the blade with the flat of it. A sudden gust of air brushed his face.
Li Wen's jaw clenched. "Let's have a match," he barked, eyes flashing with a challenge.
Every servant in the front yard froze mid-task. A maid's tray trembled; a boy stopped sweeping; even the trees seemed to hold their leaves still. Xiao Lei, lay prostrate like a soggy rag, staring up with wide, frightened eyes. Xiao Feng's hand rested on his sword hilt, alert. The maid who'd nearly fainted pressed both palms to her chest.
Li Xuan's lips quirked into a lazy smirk. He closed the fan with a soft click and pushed himself up from the chair as if rising from a nap. "Fine," he said coolly, voice smooth as silk. He let the fan dangle from his fingers casually.
Li Wen scowled, fury bubbling at the edges. I'll kill you for taking my woman away!