Chapter 77 You Madman!

Chapter 77: You Lunatic!

Jiang Shuning never in her wildest dreams expected him to suddenly kiss her.

The kiss came aggressively, carrying a domineering, predatory intent, as if he wanted to tear her apart and devour her whole.

His large hands locked tightly around her waist, holding her fast; all her struggles and resistance were futile under his restraint.

The air was being siphoned from Jiang Shuning's lungs, her nostrils filled with the overwhelmingly invasive masculine scent emanating from him. She felt like a fish stranded on a beach, struggling to breathe, teetering on the brink of death.

Driven to desperation, she mustered all her strength and sank her teeth into Xiao Lingchuan!

A metallic, sweet taste instantly spread between their lips and teeth.

In pain, he was forced to release his hold on her. His bloodshot peach blossom eyes were filled with disbelief.

"You actually bit me?"

Perhaps due to his injured tongue, his voice was hoarse, his breathing becoming heavy and rapid, like an enraged beast.

Jiang Shuning hastily retreated several steps, wrenched the hairpin from her head and pointed its sharp end at him, a mix of terror and fury.

"If you dare take liberties with me again, I'll do more than bite you—I'll kill you!"

Xiao Lingchuan's gaze swept over her flushed cheeks, her glistening, watery eyes, and her lips, swollen and rosy from the kiss. A complicated, nameless emotion surged in his heart.

Both sour and sweet.

He suddenly closed the distance, seized her wrist and pressed the sharp tip of the hairpin against his own chest, his gaze boring into her. "Miss Jiang wants to kill me? Then try it!"

Seeing that the hairpin tip had already pierced his luxurious brocade robe, yet he seemed to feel no pain, obstinately gripping her hand and pushing the hairpin deeper.

This mad act of his suddenly instilled a sliver of fear in Jiang Shuning's heart.

She abruptly released the hairpin, broke free from his grip, and stared at him in horror. "You lunatic!"

Xiao Lingchuan sneered, his handsome, almost bewitchingly beautiful face dark and inscrutable.

"This tiny hairpin can't hurt me, and you... you don't have the heart to harm me!" He stared fixedly at her, undercurrents swirling in his deep eyes. "Jiang Shuning, stop deceiving yourself. You simply cannot bring yourself to hurt me!"

His words were spoken lightly, yet they felt like a resounding slap across Jiang Shuning's face.

She was instantly jolted awake.

She clearly had a sleeve crossbow on her, yet she chose a hairpin—something utterly lacking in lethality—as a weapon, and swore she'd kill him.

Not just Xiao Lingchuan, even she herself felt this threat was hollow and unconvincing.

Could it be... she truly couldn't bear to hurt him?

No, absolutely not!

Given how he treated her in her past life, how could she possibly show him any mercy?

"Fourth Prince, stop flattering yourself!" Jiang Shuning's beautiful eyes widened in rage. "The only reason I'm not hurting you is that I fear the consequences. I don't care if I die, but I absolutely cannot let the entire Jiang family be implicated because of it! But if you dare lay a hand on any member of my family again, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, a playful smile curled at the corner of Xiao Lingchuan's mouth.

He advanced step by step, his tone flippant and dangerous. "I'd like to see exactly how Miss Jiang plans to... be ruthless with me!"

Jiang Shuning instinctively retreated, feeling immense disgust and hatred towards Xiao Lingchuan's utterly indifferent, contemptuous demeanor.

Even after being reborn, he had never truly regarded her with respect!

In his heart, she would forever be a plaything he could manipulate and hurt at will!

"Fourth Prince, we are both reborn. You know the course of the future, and so do I!" Jiang Shuning's tone was resolute, carrying a desperate, unyielding edge. "If Your Highness insists on pushing me, driving me into a corner, then don't blame me for seeking another path and defecting to the camp of another prince!"

"You dare!" Xiao Lingchuan instantly flew into a rage, his eyes seeming to spit fire. "Who do you want to align with? Xiao Huaijin?"

"This subject declines to answer!" Jiang Shuning coldly tossed out these words and, before he could fully erupt, fled Jinghe Palace as if escaping.

When Ling Feng returned to the warm chamber, he saw only a scene of utter chaos—broken porcelain scattered across the floor. Xiao Lingchuan sat before the desk, his peach blossom eyes bloodshot, like a cornered beast thoroughly enraged.

"Your Highness... Miss Jiang has already left the palace." Ling Feng reported cautiously.

"Has Ling Wu disposed of those two rabbits Xiao Huaijin gave her?" Xiao Lingchuan's voice was low and suppressed, as if concealing a volcano about to erupt.

"... This subordinate has not yet received word from Ling Wu." Ling Feng bowed his head even lower.

"Tell her to handle it thoroughly and quickly!" Rage surged in Xiao Lingchuan's eyes, his tone forceful. "I absolutely will not allow her to keep anything given by any man other than me!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Ling Feng inwardly groaned: Miss Jiang, ah, Miss Jiang! His Highness had already put this matter out of his mind, but your visit to Jinghe Palace has angered him into remembering it again!

Are you trying to make things impossible for Ling Wu?

Just then, Seventh Prince Xiao Qiyu pushed the door open and entered, chattering cheerfully as he walked. "Fourth Brother, how about lamb soup tonight? I specifically told the cook not to add scallions, ginger, or garlic!"

Xiao Lingchuan's face was cold as he refused stiffly, "No."

"Fourth Brother, what's wrong with you?" Xiao Qiyu finally sensed the unusual tension in the air. He leaned closer to Xiao Lingchuan, his eyes curiously scanning him up and down. "Huh? Why is your mouth swollen? And it looks like you've smeared on lip rouge?"

Xiao Lingchuan subconsciously raised a hand to lightly touch the corner of his mouth. His fingertip indeed came away with a faint smear of rouge red.

The thought that this touch of crimson had transferred from Jiang Shuning's lips inevitably stirred his heart, and his earlier anger subsided considerably.

"It's nothing. Miss Jiang bit me." He said nonchalantly.

Xiao Qiyu wore an expression of utter disbelief. "For no reason at all, why would sister-in-law bite you?"

"Who knows." Xiao Lingchuan's tone was lazy, a slight upward curve at the corner of his mouth. "Maybe because she was born in the Year of the Dog?"

"I'd say sister-in-law is more like a rabbit. As the saying goes, even a rabbit bites when cornered. Fourth Brother, you must have pushed her too far. Otherwise, with her gentle temperament, how could she possibly resort to biting?"

"Pushing her is good. Her temperament needs a few pushes."

Xiao Lingchuan rubbed his lower lip with his fingertip, his deep eyes dark and inscrutable.

If he didn't push her, how would she easily reveal her trump cards?

Today wasn't entirely without gain.

Jiang Shuning returned to the carriage in a furious rage.

Seeing her, Ling Wu was greatly startled. "Young Miss, why is your mouth bleeding?"

Jiang Shuning was taken aback. She hurriedly raised a hand to wipe the corner of her mouth, and indeed, her hand came away stained with a few streaks of crimson blood.

Seeing the look of alarm on Ling Wu's face, she reassured her, "Don't worry, this isn't my blood."

Upon hearing this, Ling Wu's expression grew even more shocked.

If it wasn't the Young Miss's blood, then whose could it be?

Whose blood could it be, in a place like the Young Miss's lips?

Could it be...

Jiang Shuning caught her staring intently and immediately flushed bright red.

"Stop looking, let's hurry back to the manor!" She averted her gaze, deliberately changing the subject. "Did you feed those two rabbits today? I've been thinking about them."

"I already fed them."

Mentioning the rabbits reminded Ling Wu of the message Ling Feng had brought her.

The Fourth Prince wanted her to quickly get rid of the two rabbits given by the Fifth Prince.

But the Young Miss clearly loved them so much...

This was putting her in such a difficult position!

Back at the Prime Minister's manor, Ling Wu brought the bamboo cage out into the courtyard. Resting her chin in her hands, she stared at the two little snowball-like creatures.

The more she looked, the more she adored them.

His Highness actually wanted her to choose between steaming or braising them—how utterly cruel!

Rabbits are so adorable, how could anyone eat rabbit?

Just as Ling Wu was caught in this dilemma, Jiang Tianze happened to walk by.

She quickly stood up and bowed respectfully. "Third Young Master!"

"Miss Lingwu, there's no need to be so formal." Jiang Tianze's gaze fell on the bamboo cage on the table. "Where did these rabbits come from?"

"A prince gave these to the Young Miss during her palace visit," Ling Wu answered truthfully.

Jiang Tianze's face still wore a gentle smile, but the warmth didn't reach his eyes. "It was the Fifth Prince, wasn't it?"

"Huh? How did you know, Third Young Master? Did the Young Miss tell you?"

"Just a guess." Jiang Tianze lowered his eyes, pretending to look at the rabbits to hide the dark, rising gloom in his gaze.

Inviting my elder sister to the palace every other day wasn't enough; now he was giving her pets to occupy even more of her time and attention.

Wasn't the Fifth Prince asking for too much?

Just then, Xia Chan approached. "Sister Lingwu, the Young Miss needs you."

"I'll be right there!" Ling Wu promptly replied, reaching to pick up the bamboo cage on the table.

"Miss Lingwu, these two rabbits are absolutely adorable. Would you mind leaving them here for me to look at for a while?" Jiang Tianze spoke up to stop her.

"Of course. Third Young Master, please take your time. I'll go ahead." With that, Ling Wu turned and left.

Jiang Tianze watched Ling Wu until she disappeared around the corner of the corridor before slowly withdrawing his gaze.

When his eyes fell upon the two rabbits in the cage again, they were already tinged with a thick layer of intense gloom.

The two poor rabbits seemed to sense their impending fate, trembling uncontrollably in the cramped cage...