For a brief, terrifying moment, Zhuo Riyan felt as if his mouth had betrayed his brain.
"I want you to become my woman—"
The words left his lips cleanly, without hesitation, as if something had tugged them straight out of his soul.
The next instant, his eyes widened in horror.
"What the fuck did I just say—" Zhuo Riyan spun around and glared at the creature on his shoulder. "You bastard, do you even know what you made me say?"
Little Cat flicked his tail, utterly unapologetic.
Zhuo Riyan turned back, his ears burning, face red enough to rival fire qi. "I'm sorry," he said quickly to the white-haired woman. "That was a mistake. Seriously. A fucking mistake."
Above them, the pink-haired woman was already half-risen from the dragon's back, killing intent leaking out like smoke. "How dare you speak like that about my senior—"
The white-haired woman raised a hand.
Then she laughed.
It was soft, unrestrained, her hand covering her mouth as amusement danced in her eyes. "It's fine," she said lightly. Then she turned, leaping gracefully toward the dragon. While midair, she looked down at Zhuo Riyan, her white hair flowing like moonlight.
"But," she added calmly, "if you truly want me to be your woman, then first remove that rumor about you drugging a girl."
With that, she landed beside the pink-haired woman on the dragon's back.
Space rippled. Wind howled.
The blue dragon shot into the sky at terrifying speed, vanishing beyond the clouds.
Zhuo Riyan stood frozen, staring upward.
His cheeks burned. His heart thumped. His mind… exploded.
She didn't reject me.
She fucking didn't reject me.
Little Cat shoved a claw up his own nose, deadpan. "Hey, you really are a kid. Did you forget who helped you with that girl?"
Zhuo Riyan didn't even hear him.
A stupid, lustful grin crept across his face as his imagination ran wild. A beautiful woman. White hair. Calm eyes. Mine.
Little Cat's expression darkened.
"Enough of this shit."
Purple thunder erupted from his body in a violent flash. Lightning wrapped around both of them, crackling and snapping as it surged through Zhuo Riyan's limbs.
"FUCK—" Zhuo Riyan convulsed, his body going numb as he snapped back to reality. "Hey! Enough! You'll exhaust yourself like that!"
Little Cat snorted. "Then move, you idiot. Or did you forget your mother?"
The words struck harder than thunder.
Zhuo Riyan stiffened, then sucked in a breath. Without another word, he grabbed Little Cat, turned on his heel, and started running—awkwardly, desperately—toward the exit of the Hundred Beasts Mountain.
Behind him, the sky was already bright with morning light.
Inside Su Manor, the Rain Appreciating Pavilion was quiet, the sound of dripping water mixing with shallow breaths.
Su Jing lay on the bed, her complexion pale but stable. Though her body was weak, her eyes were calm as she rested.
A woman in servant robes moved around the pavilion with rough, impatient motions, wiping tables and sweeping the floor as if every stroke offended her. Her face twisted with annoyance.
"Why the fuck do I have to clean this shitty place," she muttered loudly. "So many pavilions in the manor and I get stuck here."
Su Jing heard her clearly. She slowly pushed herself up on the bed, wincing slightly, but still forced a gentle smile. "Sister, you don't need to clean here. You can go. I can manage it myself."
The servant turned sharply, eyes full of irritation. "What a bitch you are. If you can do shit yourself, then why have you been lying there like a corpse from the beginning?"
Su Jing's smile didn't fade. "I was just dizzy earlier. I'm sorry for troubling you. You can leave now."
The servant laughed coldly, crossing her arms. "Sorry? Don't make me laugh. A bitch like you, with one leg already in the grave, should be grateful anyone even steps into this place—"
Before she could finish the sentence, a shadow moved.
A hand slammed her head straight into the floor.
Bang.
"What the hell—ahhhh!" the servant screamed as pain exploded through her skull.
Su Jing's eyes widened. "Riyan'er!" She tried to stand in panic. "Are you mad? Leave her alone!"
Her legs gave out before she could take a step.
In a flash, Little Cat leapt from Zhuo Riyan's shoulder. Crimson-black beast qi rippled gently as he floated Su Jing back onto the bed, easing her down with surprising care. He jumped onto her lap and sat proudly.
"Master's Mother, don't worry," Little Cat said casually. "He's just going to kill her."
The servant's blood ran cold. She thrashed weakly, trying to crawl away. "H-hey! Don't kill me, you bastard! I'm Miss Qingqing's servant!"
Those words made Zhuo Riyan pause.
He released her head.
The servant gasped in relief and scrambled upright, her fear quickly turning into arrogance. She smoothed her hair and sneered. "Scared now? I'll report you to Miss Qingqing. You're dead once she hears about this."
Zhuo Riyan smiled.
It wasn't warm. It wasn't human.
In the next instant, he grabbed her hair and yanked her up into the air. The servant screamed as her scalp burned with pain, her feet kicking helplessly above the floor.
"You talk too much," Zhuo Riyan said calmly.
He dragged her across the pavilion floor, ignoring her screams and curses, hauled her outside the Rain Appreciating Pavilion, and continued dragging her across the stone path toward Miss Qingqing's pavilion.
Inside, Little Cat hopped off Su Jing's lap. "Master's Mother, I'll go help him. Don't worry and stay here."
Su Jing smiled faintly. "Why would I worry? I know he'll be safe."
Little Cat blinked, slightly startled by her calm trust, then turned and padded out after Zhuo Riyan.
Outside, the servant's screams echoed through the manor grounds.
"You bastard brat! You're just like your bitch mother!" she shrieked. "Wait until Miss Qingqing finds out—she'll kill you!"
Zhuo Riyan didn't respond.
He just kept dragging her forward, his grip tight, his eyes cold, and his intent unmistakably murderous.
Inside the Grand Pavilion, the air was heavy and quiet.
Su Hangan stood behind his desk, hands clasped behind his back, staring out through the tall windows. From outside, faint but frantic screaming echoed through the manor, sharp enough to wrinkle his brows.
"Check what the fuck is happening," Su Hangan said coldly, his tone calm but authoritative.
A young man standing across the table straightened immediately and bowed. "Yes, Master. I'll send someone to check at once."
With that, he turned and hurried out, while Su Hangan remained still, eyes narrowed as the distant screams continued to cut through the silence.