Xiao Chi Zhan paced around the room, his earlier look of disgust significantly diminished. He sat on the newly replaced bedstead and, in a deep voice, said, "Come here."
As soon as Ye Luan approached, he threw her onto the bed.
"Take it off."
"----"
Xiao Chi Zhan frowned. "Hurry up and take it off."
Ye Luan knew he was in a bad mood and dared not say much. Suppressing the rising shame, she extended her pale hands and began to undress.
Her movements were too slow, and his impatience grew. He urged, "Faster."
"---"
It had always been like this, always like this.
She truly loathed these humiliating days.
Her clothes shed, her jade body lay exposed.
Xiao Chi Zhan's breathing became noticeably heavier. He hooked her chin, "Smile."
Damn it.
Was he treating her like a pet to be teased?
She wanted to smile, but the humiliation was so profound she couldn't.
"Seduce this king."
He scrutinized her intensely, his gaze sweeping over her from head to toe, like a fierce invader on the plains, flaying her skin, consuming her flesh and blood.
Ye Luan tightly clenched her palms, deciding to go all out.
With a grit of her teeth, she lunged at him. Xiao Chi Zhan was pushed onto the bed by her force. Watching the girl straddling him, the disgust in his heart finally dissipated.
It's her!
It has to be her!
-------
A few days later, Xiao Chi Zhan was to travel to the Central State's capital with Tantai Ye.
The day before their departure, Ye Luan was so excited that she barely slept. She could finally leave the cage that was You Province.
Before dawn, she was already awake.
Xiao Chi Zhan had a light sleep. Hearing her slight movement, he hooked her into his embrace and held her down, his voice husky and deep, "What are you so excited about? Go back to sleep."
Ye Luan suppressed her excitement and quietly nestled in his arms, her mind contemplating her future escape.
When day broke, after they had eaten, they set off.
Wei Qing Ge had gone to the border alone, so the carriage contained only Ye Luan and Lan Mu Rou.
"A'Luan, you didn't sleep well?"
Ye Luan reached out to take the tea she offered and smiled faintly, "I'm a little happy to be able to get out."
Hearing this, Lan Mu Rou sighed. "People like them wouldn't understand." She continued after a pause, "Why don't you lie down here and get some sleep?"
"No need, I'm not sleepy."
Ye Luan took out the geography book hidden in her travel bag and began to read.
Lan Mu Rou had nothing else to do, so she sat beside her and read with her.
After leaving You Province, the weather suddenly turned gloomy, and faint snowflakes began to drift through the air.
Xiao Chi Zhan, riding his horse, glanced at the darkening sky and frowned. "The carriage is too slow. Have them dismount and ride horses. We'll reach Jia Province before dark, and tomorrow, we can pass the pass."
"Understood." Tantai Ye said, then shouted to the coachman, "Stop, have them get down."
Ye Luan and Lan Mu Rou were dozing in the carriage. The wind outside was cold and biting. As soon as they stepped out of the carriage, both shivered.
"Are you stupid? Didn't you know to put on your cloaks when you came out?"
Ye Luan rolled her eyes inwardly at his scolding.
She returned to the carriage to put on her fox fur cloak and casually took another one down for Lan Mu Rou.
"Take your bags. You'll ride with us."
He couldn't say everything at once.
Ye Luan got back into the carriage and retrieved her bag.
They hadn't brought many people on this trip; their retinue was small.
After he pulled her onto his horse, they immediately began to gallop.
The official road outside the city was sparsely populated, with hardly any people in sight.
Tantai Ye, having grown up wild and unrestrained, loved to gallop his horse.
He looked at Xiao Chi Zhan beside him and let out a loud laugh.
"Want to race?"
Back in the border army camp, racing was their favorite pastime.
"Sure. Let's see who reaches Jia Province first. What are the stakes?"
"I heard you just got the Twelve-Hour Furnace?"
Xiao Chi Zhan raised an eyebrow. "You're quick to covet things. This king wants your treasured Thousand-Mile Decanter."
"Deal."
After their agreement, they began to race.
Ye Luan nestled in Xiao Chi Zhan's embrace, feeling the bone-chilling pain of the cold wind, and couldn't help but shrink her neck.
He was riding too fast. The biting wind felt like knives scraping against her skin.
"What are you hiding from?"
His voice lacked its usual coldness, possessing a rather wild and unrestrained charm.
Ye Luan said, "You're riding too fast. Doesn't your face hurt?"
Lan Mu Rou also couldn't bear it, feeling as if knives were scratching her face. She buried herself in the horse's back, covering her face.
"So delicate, you can't handle it already?"
Xiao Chi Zhan said this and sped up even more.
Ye Luan, forced to nestle in his embrace, used her cloak to shield her face.
Snow fell faintly.
On the silent official road, only the sound of their horses' hooves could be heard.
After an unknown amount of time, Tantai Ye saw that Lan Mu Rou's face had turned pale. He quickly slowed his horse and pulled her into his arms.
"Can't take it anymore?"
Lan Mu Rou felt nauseous and dizzy, her delicate face extremely pale and drawn.
Ye Luan quickly patted Xiao Chi Zhan's arm, "Stop."
She took a porcelain bottle from her bag and threw it to Tantai Ye, "She must be dizzy from riding too fast. She'll be fine after drinking this medicine."
Tantai Ye took the medicine, pried open Lan Mu Rou's mouth, and poured it in.
The two no longer dared to race and could only ride their horses slowly. They reached Jia Province at dark.
They found an inn to stay at. After dinner, they retired to their respective rooms.
After riding horses all day, Ye Luan felt grimy all over.
She asked the servant to bring several basins of water. She sat behind the screen in the bathtub and washed herself clean.
Hearing familiar footsteps, she said indifferently, "I'm almost done washing. Wait outside for a moment."
"No."
Xiao Chi Zhan strode in and lifted her out of the bathtub.
Under the dim candlelight, the beauty's figure was like jade, and her features were picturesque.
Ye Luan concealed her discomfort and smiled, hooking her arms around his neck, "Do I look good?"
Rarely seeing her so bright and passionate, he couldn't help but pinch her nose.
"Seductive vixen."
Ye Luan smiled even more charmingly, "Only seducing you."
With that, she passionately kissed his lips.
The atmosphere in the room instantly became more intimate.
Ye Luan could clearly feel his strength. She tempted, "Brother Chi Zhan, I love you."
Her captivating phoenix eyes looked at him playfully, her usually cold voice carrying a trace of bewitching charm that made his back tremble.
Xiao Chi Zhan had no intention of pondering whether her words were true or false, only indulging in the moment. He pressed her fiercely against him, biting her lips and neck savagely.
Outside the room, the wind was bleak and desolate. On the roof beam not far away, a man wearing a fox mask lay reclined, his gaze intense.
His thin, cool lips curved slightly, and his handsome phoenix eyes reflected two blurry figures.
He flicked his sleeve, sat up, picked up the flute placed on the beam, and began to play a slow, drawn-out melody.