Spoiled Eldest Miss x Two-faced Madman

CHAPTER 77: “You’re Mine.”

　　The carriage rumbled along the road, and they hadn’t gone far when Pei Ji, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and said, “Ah Qi, tell someone to bring me the Bodhi beads. I’ll absorb the internal energy right here.”

　　Ah Qi was driving the carriage when he heard that, and he was stunned. He quickly lifted the curtain to look back. “Young Master, didn’t you say you needed a quiet place where no one would disturb you?”

　　He had already prepared the perfect spot—super secret, guaranteed no one would find it.

　　And now? Listen to what his young master was saying!

　　“No need,” Pei Ji replied calmly. “Just find somewhere peaceful. You just stand guard for me.”

　　Ah Qi choked on his words and couldn’t help but ask, “Young Master, what’s bothering you? I already arranged for someone to follow Miss An. It’s one of our top trackers from Qiansha Pavilion, someone excellent at qinggong and an expert at tailing. She won’t go missing, and nothing will happen to her…”

　　Pei Ji looked at him, his dark eyes quiet and unreadable.

　　Ah Qi’s voice gradually trailed off and died out.

　　“…Alright, alright. I’ll send for it now. Right away.” Ah Qi sighed helplessly.

　　What else could he do when his young master made up his mind? Just follow orders.

　　Ah Qi was sure that his young master must’ve spent too much time with Miss An and picked up her bad habits—so willful!

　　He dropped the curtain and started calling for the carrier pigeon to send an urgent message to Qiansha Pavilion.

　　—

　　Meanwhile, An Jiu and Fei Chen were also on the road. Their destination was Wuyi Mountain, about a hundred li away.

　　They rode on horseback and set off in the morning. By dusk, they reached the base of Wuyi Mountain.

　　There was a small village there, filled with ordinary folks. The two of them decided to spend the night in the village.

　　But this village wasn’t too welcoming. When they saw a handsome monk traveling with a young woman, most of the villagers were either wary or quietly avoiding them. No one wanted to take in outsiders.

　　They knocked on several doors and all got turned away.

　　Eventually, they reached a house tucked in a corner of the village. An old grandpa lived there with his teenage grandson, but there was no sign of the parents.

　　The skinny little boy stood at the door and knocked. When he saw An Jiu looking over, his sunken yellowish face turned red as he said in a thick rural accent, “Miss, the water’s been boiled for you. Do you want me to bring it in?”

　　Just as An Jiu was about to reply, Fei Chen, who had been meditating, stood up and said, “No need. I’ll get it.”

　　He went outside, brought in a bucket of hot water, and then gave her the room while he stood quietly outside, letting An Jiu bathe and freshen up inside.

　　It was already May, and Wuyi Mountain was in the southeast, so the weather had started heating up. After traveling all day, An Jiu was covered in sweat and definitely needed the wash.

　　As night fell and the door shut, the old country house suddenly felt extra cramped and gloomy.

　　The worn-out wooden door didn’t even close properly. It looked like it might fall apart at any second.

　　Through the gaps in the door, An Jiu could still see Fei Chen’s silhouette standing outside. The sliver of light slipping through the crack was partly blocked by his figure.

　　She quickly wiped off the sweat on her body and changed into a fresh set of inner clothes.

　　The whole time, Fei Chen stood there with his back to the door, tall and unmoving like a mountain.

　　Every now and then, An Jiu would glance over at him through the crack, and each time, she felt a little more at ease.

　　After cleaning up, she got dressed and opened the door. “I’m done.”

　　Only then did the monk turn around. His eyes were downcast, not looking at her, as he silently walked in, picked up the bucket of used water, and went out to pour it into a ditch nearby.

　　Once he finished, he lifted his eyes just a bit and said calmly, “You can rest now. I’ll keep watch tonight.”

　　An Jiu thought she caught a hint of red on his ears, but it was too dark to be sure.

　　She climbed onto the bed. It was the typical countryside setup, just a layer of dry straw under a thin blanket. As soon as she lay down, the straw made a soft rustling noise.

　　Lying on her side, she spotted a shadow sitting by the window. The moonlight outside fell gently on his smooth head, casting a faint shine.

　　“Master Fei Chen, aren’t you going to sleep?” she asked in a low voice without realizing it.

　　Fei Chen’s clear voice came through the night, “Meditation is rest for someone like me. You should sleep. Nothing will happen tonight.”

　　Everything outside was quiet, the night cool and still.

　　The air was filled with the soft hum of insects and the constant croaking of frogs.

　　An Jiu had been exhausted from the day’s journey. Even though the bed wasn’t exactly comfy, she still drifted off pretty quickly.

　　Time ticked by slowly.

　　All of a sudden, she felt it—a sharp, chilling sensation, like something was watching her. It was the kind of stare that made her feel like prey, sending a shiver straight to her heart.

　　She jolted awake and instinctively looked toward where Fei Chen had been.

　　But the spot by the window was completely empty.

　　Her heart skipped a beat. Before she could even process it, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a dark figure at the edge of her vision, sitting right at the head of her bed, silently staring at her through the darkness.

　　If Fei Chen had just disappeared, maybe she could’ve stayed calm. But seeing this? She nearly jumped out of bed in pure terror.

　　If she had to describe it, it felt just like that creepy anime with the little grim reaper kid. Like waking up in the middle of the night and finding some guy in black silently watching you from your bedside.

　　Startled, An Jiu instinctively opened her mouth, ready to scream.

　　“Ah! Mmph!”

　　Before her scream could even escape, a cool, dry hand slapped over her mouth, smothering the sound right back down her throat.

　　The man in black leaned in close, his pitch-black eyes glinting faintly in the dark like two eerie little ghost flames.

　　She couldn’t see his face clearly, but he had one hand over An Jiu’s mouth and the other gripping her neck. His voice was low and cold. “Don’t scream.”

　　An Jiu weakly grabbed at his arm, her wide dark eyes staring straight at him. Slowly, a look of realization spread across her face.

　　“You recognize me now?” The man let out a low laugh, not the happy kind, but cold as ice. “You really had the guts to betray me.”

　　He leaned in closer, and An Jiu was finally able to make out his face clearly. His narrow eyes were squinted like a leopard’s, every feature sharp with danger and aggression.

　　“I heard he even stood guard at your door just now? Impressive. Even Wuyin Temple’s pure little Buddha boy has become your watchdog. An Jiu, I really underestimated you.” He said it slow and sharp, eyes locked on her face the entire time.

　　He was watching her panic, watching her tremble, watching her lashes flutter like a butterfly and the tears welling in her eyes, and that dark rage in his chest finally loosened a bit.

　　“You see? Even with a guard dog, you still can’t escape me. You dared to disobey. So tell me, what kind of punishment do you think you deserve?”

　　He suddenly remembered how she used to whimper and come crying to him for acupuncture. His eyes flashed with something dangerous.

　　Then he raised his hand and, with those long fingers, tapped a few quick spots on her body, almost like hitting pressure points.

　　An Jiu had no idea what he did. All she knew was that a wave of heat suddenly surged from deep inside her, spreading to every limb and bone in her body. It felt like thousands of bugs were crawling through her veins, making her unbearably itchy and restless.

　　She blinked, and a helpless little whimper slipped from her lips.

　　“Mm…”

　　The man slowly took his hand away from her mouth and stood up, staring down at her coldly.

　　He had just removed the suppression on the Gu poison in her body.

　　An Jiu lay there on the bed, feeling the all-too-familiar discomfort rising up inside her, and only then did it click.

　　And when it did—her brain went completely blank.

　　What the hell kind of bastard is this guy?!

　　Didn’t he leave already?! Why the hell did he turn around halfway and come back?!

　　And the way he mentioned Fei Chen guarding the door… did that mean he planted a spy right next to her?!

　　Realizing that every move she made had been under his watch the whole time, An Jiu felt sick to her stomach.

　　She had honestly thought Pei Ji would be gone for a while. After all, in the original story, once he stole the Bodhi Seed, he was supposed to return to Qiansha Pavilion and lay low before making a comeback later.

　　He really shouldn’t be here! Why the hell isn’t he following the damn script?

　　And okay, fine, you’re jealous, but why take it out on her? You’re seriously just one step away from digging your own grave at this point.

　　The straw under the mattress and the rough hemp sheets had all turned into torture devices for An Jiu right now.

　　She twisted and turned, letting out soft whimpers as she reached a trembling hand toward the man standing beside the bed.

　　Every tiny movement sent unbearable waves through her body, leaving her completely speechless. Her throat could only produce broken, breathy sounds. She couldn’t even form a proper word.

　　“Fei... Fei Yi... you...” she kept calling his name in fragments, barely louder than a mosquito’s hum.

　　But those pitiful moans didn’t stir even a shred of sympathy in him. He kept one hand folded behind his back, his face half-hidden in the shadows, cold and indifferent.

　　“This is the price you pay for betraying me,” he said flatly.

　　No one noticed the hand he held behind his back was trembling ever so slightly. He was struggling to suppress the backlash from absorbing the Bodhi Seed’s power.

　　It was also the cost of turning back halfway.

　　His thick lashes, dark as crow feathers, lowered slightly. He stood there, completely unmoved, watching the girl roll helplessly on the bed. Her slender, pale wrist lifted in the air, reaching for him like a silent plea.

　　He didn’t move. He just let her soft pink fingers clutch onto the edge of his robe, wrinkling the pristine white fabric in her desperate grip.

　　“Please... please...” she lifted her face with difficulty, her pale cheeks almost glowing in the dark.

　　Her forehead was soaked with sweat, her cheeks flushed bright red. Her hair had come loose, clinging messily to her fair skin and soft red lips, forming a dangerously tempting curve.

　　It didn’t even hurt exactly. The Gu poison in her body was just intensifying her senses. The straw poking through the fabric gave tiny pricks of pain, mixed with an overwhelming itchiness and numbing tingles that spread from every direction.

　　An Jiu tried to scratch it, but the moment her fingers touched her skin, the sensation only got worse—an itch so deep it felt like it burrowed into her bones.

　　Scratching didn’t help. Not scratching made it worse. She was going insane from the torment!

　　The man stared down at her from above, watching as tears finally welled up in her big, bright eyes and dropped onto the bed. At last, he leaned down and pinched her chin between two fingers, tilting her face up.

　　Just then, a bird chirped outside the room.

　　He turned his head sharply, jaw tightening.　　

　　This was the signal from the Qiansha Pavilion. That monk must be on high alert, probably realizing the guy was trying to distract him and would be back soon.

　　There aren’t many top fighters in the Jianghu—except for Ah Qi, nobody in Qiansha Pavilion could go toe-to-toe with him right now.

　　He should leave.

　　Thinking that, the man’s fingertips tightened without meaning to, making the girl let out a broken little cry.

　　He turned at the sound, his gaze landing on her slightly parted, delicate lips, his eyes darkening.

　　“Your watchdog is almost here,” he said lowly. Seeing her eyes light up, he sneered coldly, “Don’t get too happy yet. I’ll make sure he knows exactly whose possession you are.”

　　With that, he suddenly bent down and bit her lips.

　　His actions weren’t gentle at all—instead, they were rough and furious, like a wild dog tearing into its prey.

　　The girl weakly pushed him away, but it was like an ant trying to shake a tree.

　　She let out pained cries, but he didn’t even flinch.

　　After ravaging those soft, sweet lips, his lips moved down to her neck and the tender skin behind her ear, biting and marking her hard, leaving bright red bruises.

　　Each mark made her shiver and tears slide down from the corners of her eyes.

　　Outside the window, sharp bird calls sounded again. He could even hear the monk rushing closer.

　　Finally, Pei Ji released her. As his fingers loosened, the girl slumped like water, breathing fast, her chest rising and falling.

　　She squeezed her eyes shut tight, like she never wanted to see him again.

　　Pei Ji sneered silently. He had planned to leave just like that, but then thought that if he kept letting the poison flare up like this, she’d have more reason to get close to that monk.

　　So with that in mind, he raised his hand and quickly pressed a few pressure points on her again, sealing the Gu poison inside her.

　　Since he’d treated this poison himself, he knew exactly how to undo it.

　　After finishing, he turned and quickly headed for the door, then jumped out of sight.

　　Less than half a minute later, Fei Chen was back.

　　An Jiu heard footsteps coming closer and instinctively shivered, opening her eyes to look.

　　The door was wide open. Outside was a cold, quiet moonlit night. A monk in a red robe stood by the door, suddenly stopping in his tracks.

　　From a short distance, he saw the girl on the bed.

　　At this moment, her clothes were all messy, her hair damp, and her face covered with wet tear tracks. But what caught the eye most were her swollen, reddened lips and the bright, vivid marks on her neck.

　　Everything was so ambiguous, full of hints that made your mind wander.

　　She opened her misty, tear-filled eyes and looked at him from afar. There was still a faint blush lingering around her eyes and brows, like the delicate feelings of springtime in April.

　　Fei Chen’s steps paused for a moment, then he quickened his pace and walked over.

　　He couldn’t help but feel guilty. If he hadn’t been careless and fallen for that guy’s trick to lure him away, An Jiu wouldn’t have ended up like this.

　　The monk reached out his hand to help her up, but she gently avoided it.

　　She hugged her knees and sat up by the head of the bed, resting a moment before softly saying, “Xian Wuming came. He said I’m his... Master Fei Chen, please don’t touch me. I’m afraid he might hurt you.”

　　Fei Chen frowned and said, “I’m not afraid of him, and you don’t need to be either. I won’t leave your side again. Let me check your pulse. Please, let me see how you’re doing.”

　　An Jiu lowered her head and shook it. “No need, I’m not hurt... Let’s just keep our distance from now on.”

　　Fei Chen said, “You don’t have to worry about me...”

　　Seeing the monk’s complicated expression, An Jiu felt like crying but had no tears.

　　She wasn’t thinking about him. She was worried about herself! Fei Chen might not be afraid of Xian Wuming, but she definitely was.

　　If this happened again, she might lose more than just a little bit of herself!

　　This villain was going crazier by the minute.

　　An Jiu’s mind poked the system: “System, how much favorability does Pei Ji have with me now?”

　　System:【Target Pei Ji, current favorability toward you: 75.】

　　That 75 favorability points was barely enough to comfort An Jiu’s battered heart.

　　She looked down and suddenly noticed a bright red mark on the back of her hand. She couldn’t help but click her tongue softly.

________________

Author’s note:

Fei Chen: I’m the watchdog?

Pei Ji: Woof, I’m the real dog (ಥ⁠_⁠ಥ) I want to be the watchdog too, sniff sniff, so jealous!

Starting to go crazy—our male lead really is a damn dog!

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