"What did you just say?!"
Crash!
With a single snap, the two-way mirror behind Su Yiyi shattered into sparkling shards, startling the left guardian who had been enjoying the show from the dark surveillance room next door. Pity. He had been looking forward to seeing just how miserable that little thief would die. After all, offending him... well, that's worse than descending through all eighteen levels of hell.
Just like those remnants of the Fire Clan who had dared to rebel earlier… tsk tsk tsk.
A wild beauty truly was a sight to behold. Su Yiyi quickly shook herself out of her wandering thoughts. Focus! This is life or death!
She turned back guiltily and forced a smile. "C-calm down, my beauty. I-I-I had no choice, okay? That guy was so cunning! He forced me to hand over the goods! It was all a misunderstanding that day—I swear I didn't mean to peek while you were bathing, and I definitely didn't plan on stealing your stuff…"
She inwardly cursed. All this for a pair of underwear! That damned Prime Minister had even thrown her into solitary confinement as punishment!
Nangong Huang narrowed his eyes slightly. The little thief in front of him had no internal power, yet was strangely agile. And thinking back to how she'd just cracked Xiaobai's lock without effort… could she be colluding with the Fire Clan? If so, she might still be useful.
"Was it the Fire Clan who took it?"
Fire Clan? Oh, right! Weren't they the ones who had attacked this beauty before?
Su Yiyi's brain worked at lightning speed. She decided to turn the disaster into a blessing. This Prime Minister was her long-term rice bowl—she couldn't afford to offend him over a pair of underwear.
"Yes! Yes, it was them!" she declared with righteous indignation.
Nangong Huang locked eyes with her, those beautiful yet cunning eyes—trying to see if she was lying. The remnants of the Fire Clan had been stirring recently. Perhaps it had been a mistake to show them mercy last time…
"Do you want to live?" he asked coolly.
"I want to live! Of course, I want to live!" Su Yiyi's eyes sparkled. She hadn't expected to escape so easily!
But then…
The man before her suddenly curved his sexy, thin lips into the faintest smirk. That tiny smile nearly made Su Yiyi's soul fly out of her body.
A voice as smooth as honey echoed in her ears.
"Then become mine."
Su Yiyi froze.
Did she hear that right?
"B-b-be yours? You want me to be your woman?!" she stammered.
"..." Nangong Huang's eyes darkened. His smile faded instantly. His expression screamed what kind of dream are you having, idiot?
He immediately regretted speaking. This dumb thief wasn't even worth keeping as a servant! Maybe he should just… crush her.
His pale, slender fingers slowly moved toward her throat—but stopped midway. No, calm down. This woman may have ties to the Fire Clan. Until that's clear...
"Okay, okay… I'm not ready yet," Su Yiyi blurted out as she nervously fiddled with her fingers. "How about we start as friends?"
She looked like she was drowning in her own happy delusion.
Su Yiyi swore she wasn't some easily impressed girl! Sure, she acted simple sometimes—but it was all part of the act!
She once rejected a superstar's confession 800 times! And yet... this man's looks and body? That so-called superstar was nothing in comparison.
Her already swollen, reddened face even managed to look bashfully coy. Anyone watching her now would probably want to punch her.
Thwack!
A sudden punch landed hard on Su Yiyi's back, jolting her out of her daydream.
The voice above her growled, "Pighead, you have three days to find the Fire Clan remnants and recover what they stole. Or else…"
Crack. Crack. Behind her, the wall continued crumbling down ominously. Su Yiyi swallowed hard.
The villainous man in front of her finally let her go, his face returning to its usual arrogance.
"Of course," he added coolly, "if you work for me at Yehuang Tower, I won't treat you unfairly. Once the task is done, you can ask for any reward you want."
Reward? Su Yiyi's thoughts instantly jumped to the image of him bathing that day. The words I want you nearly escaped her lips. Cough cough, sinful thoughts!
Thankfully, she was very good at self-control. Well… sometimes.
A hint of disappointment crept in. So the beauty only wanted her to be his subordinate. Tsk! Why was he so dangerously attractive? He could turn anyone into a sinner!
"You hear me?" Nangong Huang snapped impatiently, seeing her spacing out again.
"Yes, yes, I heard you!" Su Yiyi immediately stood up straight, as if ready to serve her commander.
He let out a cold snort. Somehow, he felt her background still needed thorough investigation.
"If you heard me—get out."
Although she hadn't won his heart, at least she'd saved her life! Su Yiyi zipped away like a gust of wind, vanishing before his eyes in a flash.
In the shadowy room next door, the left guardian was absolutely stunned. That thieving girl actually survived?
No one had ever offended His Excellency and lived to tell the tale! And that strange, ambiguous look from His Excellency just now... after all these years, he'd never seen a woman get close to the Lord. Could it be—
Oh heavens. His Excellency had some very particular tastes!
Meanwhile, Su Yiyi, racing away, was immensely proud of herself.
Fine, she couldn't keep the underwear as a souvenir. But come on—she never did anything that didn't benefit her. And look, she'd swiped something else just now…
Wait, what was this?
A pearl hairpin?
The pink sakura flower glistened with embedded violet gems, sparkling in the sunlight. Clearly, the owner of this hairpin was no ordinary beauty.
Su Yiyi frowned slightly. Why did the beauty always wear this particular accessory?
Then, suddenly—four words popped into her mind: Token of love! Could he already have someone in his heart?
"Hmph." Su Yiyi let out a low, meaningful snort—but the corners of her lips curled into a sly smile.
Back in the private chamber, a round of warm applause rang out. The poetry contest had just ended, and the rankings had been announced.
Jiang Yunting sighed in frustration. "Cousin… I failed you."
Even though he understood what Su Yiyi had said earlier and knew she wasn't aiming to use this opportunity to reclaim her reputation, he couldn't help but feel bitter. The championship had slipped through his hands—into those of his eldest cousin.
This was supposed to be Third Cousin's glory!
He had wanted to lash out at Su Yiyi, but since Prince Xiao had stepped in and given her hints during the contest, Jiang Yunting could only settle for third place. He was deeply, deeply unwilling.
"Did I miss a good show?" Su Yiyi raised an eyebrow, only to hear Su Wanwan's syrupy voice from the next room:
"Thank you, Your Highness, for letting me win. Wanwan is truly undeserving. This prize belongs to you. I don't even know how I can possibly repay you…"
The next line practically screamed I'll offer you my body! Su Yiyi smirked, her lips curling.
"Tsk tsk tsk, I've seen shameless, but this is next level. She really lives up to her name—Su Wanwan. The methods she uses are outrageous!"
"Whatever Wanwan wants, I'll give it to you," Nalan Xiao said gently, his arm supporting the woman leaning into him. He had clearly forgotten all the embarrassment from before. With great care, he held her hand.
"Come. Lord Bai has prepared a magnificent prize."