Chapter 8: A Clown
754 Words
Hoàng Lãnh Thiên stared fixedly at Mẫn Nguyệt, unable to suppress the bitterness, the sting of jealousy, the rage boiling inside him. He crushed his lips against hers in a forceful, desperate kiss. One arm locked tightly around her waist, dragging her into the hard cage of his chest, while the hand bound in makeshift bandages pinned both her wrists, denying every escape. His hot, possessive mouth claimed hers roughly—he had no experience in kissing, only the raw instinct to bite and suck at her soft lips until they swelled rosy-red.
[Mine. Mine. You can only be mine.]
Tô Mẫn Nguyệt gasped, struggling for breath, her hands tapping weakly against his chest in protest.
[I can’t breathe… let me go!]
He pulled back just slightly, unwilling to release her completely. A thin silver strand of saliva stretched between their lips before breaking. Both of them panted heavily, stealing gulps of air.
“Come with me. I’ll… I’ll lock you away.”
His grip on her arm tightened. He would cage her in Lục Nhan Palace, chain her if he had to. Anything, as long as she could only look at him, never marry his brother.
“What are you doing? I still have my coming-of-age ceremony. And I need to help my foster sister prepare for my brother’s wedding.”
“Your coming-of-age is enough with just me there. As for the marriage… wait—who did you say is marrying my brother?”
He froze, face twisting from fury to bafflement.
“My foster sister, Tô Mộc Lan. Who else?”
Mẫn Nguyệt blinked at him in confusion, then burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.
“Hahaha! You—you thought it was me? You were jealous over that? Hahaha!”
A fierce blush climbed his face, spreading down his neck. He spun around, ears scarlet, desperately hiding his humiliation. He coughed, trying to disguise his faltering voice.
“Cough… cough… they just said ‘the Grand Preceptor’s daughter,’ so I thought—”
[Heavens, I’ve embarrassed myself. She’s going to laugh about this for a year…]
He wished for a hole to crawl into, or to vanish into thin air. But Mẫn Nguyệt was still laughing, tears of mirth in her eyes.
“The Grand Preceptor’s household has two daughters, not just me. Hahaha! Oh, my sides hurt!”
“…Because in my eyes, there’s only you,” he muttered, too low for her to hear. His blazing jealousy had been drenched by a downpour of mortification, leaving him smoldering in silence.
[Hahaha, serves you right, you foolish master!] The White Dragon roared with laughter inside his mind, twisting its serpentine body in glee.
“It’s lucky you didn’t meet my brother. With the way you stormed in just now, he’d be beaten to a pulp.”
Mẫn Nguyệt giggled, teasing idly. Lãnh Thiên shivered, scratching his neck awkwardly, forcing out a laugh.
“Haha… right, lucky indeed. A-and stop laughing at me already.”
But his lie was transparent. He pulled her into his arms from behind, nuzzling into her neck like a needy cat.
[Second Brother, I wronged you… I’ll compensate with a hundred demon pills, I swear…]
His thoughts wept with guilt, remembering the poor elder brother he had pummeled senseless. Yet outwardly, he clung to her, his voice soft, shame-stricken.
“So… d-do I still… have a chance to get an invitation to your ceremony? I swear, I won’t cause trouble. Please? Let me come, please, please…”
There was a pleading, almost childlike tone in his voice. He had to be there. He had to show her a gift so dazzling it would crush all rivals. Everyone knew a coming-of-age wasn’t just a celebration—it was also when her father would secretly measure potential suitors. He couldn’t miss such a chance to stand tall before his future father-in-law.
“Fine, I’ll forgive you—for now. But tomorrow, you’d better show up. And don’t you dare come with your chest bare like this.”
She pinched at the exposed skin of his muscled chest. A pinkish mark bloomed against his bronze flesh, glaringly similar to the hickey he had seen earlier on his second brother’s neck. He slapped a hand over his chest, groaning in mortification. In his rush to storm over and seize her, he had forgotten to properly dress.
“Y-you… you shameless little temptress!”
He yelped, bolting for his chambers, face aflame.
[Ahhh! She saw everything! My purity’s ruined! Ughhh…]
- Writer
