Chapter 9

Beitang Xian had already branded An Qixi with the charge of vanity in his heart. If she weren't vain, why would she have agreed to her elder sister's request to marry him, a man considered a waste?

"Get up!" The icy voice pierced An Qixi’s skin like an ice blade. She looked up abruptly, staring stiffly at the man who was looking down at her from his commanding height in the dark of night. Her heart sank—this was bad. Was this man going to vent his rage on her?

"Don't make this Prince say it a second time." The voice, colder than before, rang out again. An Qixi could even feel the extreme impatience and irritability in Beitang Xian’s bright yet frigid eyes.

She lowered her head abruptly, her eyeballs rolling as she thought. Her eyes held both surprise and terror—she could actually move! She could even make a sound! A glimmer of wisdom shone in her cat-like eyes. Within seconds, she moved. She curled up in the corner, trembling, hugging herself into a ball. With her head bowed, she looked at Beitang Xian with her large, timid eyes, her voice weak and terrified as she repeated, "Don't want to get married, Xiao Qi doesn't want to get married, Xiao Qi doesn't want to get married..."

If not for Beitang Xian’s profound martial arts and exceptional hearing, he would never have caught An Qixi’s cat-like muttering. His eyes flickered between light and shadow, his gloomy, handsome face darkening further. However, his reason had returned. As he slowly approached her, An Qixi suddenly acted as if she had been startled, clutching her small head and screaming in a panic: "Don't come over, don't come over! Father, I promise you, don't hit me! Big Sister, I'll marry in your place, just don't hit Xiao Qi anymore! Xiao Qi hurts, Xiao Qi hurts so much!"

Beitang Xian’s footsteps froze instantly. He wore an expression of utter disbelief, because the intelligence he had received clearly stated that this woman had "volunteered" to marry him in place of An Chuyi. Why, then, did she now appear so panicked and forced?

His phoenix eyes narrowed coldly, staring intently at the girl who was still wailing and pleading. His gaze held both scrutiny and doubt. If this girl wasn't an expert at acting, then... his intelligence network had a problem!

Which was it? He dared not imagine the second possibility, for that would mean An Fang’s reach had already extended into his intelligence organization.

He lunged forward and ripped off her magnificent phoenix crown. A head of black, silky hair cascaded down without warning, shimmering with starlight. It slid dreamily across his long, cold fingers before falling silently. His gaze darkened. As if he were gently stroking her beautiful hair, he suddenly yanked her tresses, mercilessly pulling her face toward his.

"Speak. What is your conspiracy?" His cold gaze pierced her panicked, trembling face. Under the starlight, her small face was already streaked with tears. His angry heart trembled at the sight.

An Qixi’s scalp burned with pain, and rage surged within her, yet her face remained foolish and terrified, repeating the same words: "Xiao Qi doesn't want to get married, Xiao Qi is getting married, Big Sister don't hit me..."

An Chuyi, it’s all because of you that I’m being threatened and abused by this cold, terrifying man! If I don't drag you down with me, I’ll have wasted this second chance at life!

Beitang Xian was incensed by An Qixi’s nonsensical rambling, and the urge to kill surged within him because this damn girl dared to ignore his words. He pulled her hair harder, satisfied to see the expression of pain on her beautiful, flower-like face. For some reason, the anger in his heart eased slightly.

"If you dare to lie to this Prince again, believe me, I will not be gentle." Each word, spat from his pale, sexy, thin lips, remained soft, yet it made one’s hair stand on end.

She continued to cry and mutter to herself with a blank expression: "Big Sister cries when she gets married, Xiao Qi wants to play, don't want to wear red, want to play with the chicks..."

Beitang Xian, if you have even a shred of a brain, you should be able to tell that I’m not acting normally, right?

Sure enough, Beitang Xian’s gaze toward An Qixi was filled with doubt and skepticism. Just as he sneered and reached for her fragile neck, Huang Ziyuan’s slightly hurried voice arrived quickly: "Xian, don't hurt her!"

Beitang Xian’s gaze turned icy in an instant!

Huang Ziyuan, dressed in white, galloped over. A joy he couldn't control lit up his handsome face. He lit the candles in the room, but the moment he saw An Qixi—who was being abused by Beitang Xian, her face tear-streaked and looking like a pitiful little kitten—his heart, which had never been touched by anyone, suddenly trembled. A sour, aching sensation stimulated his vision and brain. A coldness unconsciously filled his peach-blossom eyes as he said with thin anger: "Beitang Xian! What are you doing?"

Beitang Xian raised an eyebrow, his gaze now cold and playful. Huang Ziyuan’s reaction displeased him greatly. He released her hair, instead twirling it around his long fingers, his gaze leisurely but his tone sinister: "What is this Prince doing? Naturally, I am interrogating a spy."

Fearing that Beitang Xian might kill the delicate girl in a fit of pique, Huang Ziyuan blurted out what he had been thinking the whole way here: "Don't hurt her! If you don't want her, give her to me!"

Beitang Xian’s hand, which had been playing with her smooth hair, paused imperceptibly. The sharpness in his eyes flashed and turned into unfathomable playfulness. He hauled the stunned An Qixi up by her collar and smiled at him, though the smile was cold: "You want her?"

Huang Ziyuan was dumbfounded by his own words. What... what had he just said? Looking at Beitang Xian’s cold and sharp eyes, Huang Ziyuan suppressed his shock and put on his usual roguish, playful mask: "She’s a beauty, after all. Since you don't want her, give her to me. I’ll handle her for you."

He never hid his thoughts; if he wanted something, he would fight for it. But at this moment, he felt a bit guilty—guilty that he had been worried Beitang Xian would crush An Qixi to death with one palm.

An Qixi was so angry her teeth itched! Bastard, what does he take her for? Cargo? He wants her, so he just takes her? Huang Ziyuan didn't know it yet, but with that one sentence, he had offended An Qixi to the core.

Beitang Xian’s eyes flickered. He turned to look at An Qixi, whose small face was puffed up with anger, and asked softly, "Little girl, you’re quite popular."

An Qixi puffed out her cheeks and suddenly burst into loud sobs: "Don't want to get married, Big Sister is a bad person, she wants Qi Qi to marry a waste and play..."