She had firsthand experience with just how strong this Living Hell King's grip was.
In the original novel, he could crush an assassin's throat bones with one hand. If he really grabbed her neck, it would snap cleanly like a tender lotus root on the spot.
At the critical moment, a flash of inspiration hit Chu Mingzhao. She immediately scratched out "grabbed" and replaced it with two other words.
Kissed.
At least kissing wouldn't kill anyone, right?
[Ding — Modification successful. Current plot has been updated.]
[... He was so furious he laughed, completely losing his reason. He stepped forward and fiercely kissed Chu Mingzhao's neck, as if he wanted to tear that slender body apart on the spot.]
Just as the golden light flashed, Pei Yan had already closed in on her, bringing with him the biting cold of frost and snow.
His eyes churned with thick murderous intent and jealousy as he reached directly for that fragile, snow-white neck of Chu Mingzhao's.
He wanted to strangle her.
He wanted to strangle this deceitful, wanton poison of a woman.
However, just as his fingertips were about to touch her warm, soft skin, a strange force suddenly seized control of his body.
Pei Yan's body uncontrollably leaned forward, his tall shadow instantly engulfing Chu Mingzhao entirely.
He lowered his head, carrying the wind and snow and the sharp edge of his murderous intent, and pressed his chapped lips hard against her neck.
"Mmh—!"
Chu Mingzhao's eyes flew wide open as she let out a pained grunt.
She instinctively tried to struggle, but Pei Yan's other hand clamped firmly around her waist.
Having trained in martial arts for years, he was incredibly strong. Even in his current degraded state, he was no match for Chu Mingzhao's pampered, spoiled body. She was pinned tightly between the cold rock of the fake mountain and his burning chest, unable to move.
Pei Yan remained in that kissing position, his pitch-black pupils swirling with extreme shock.
What was he doing?
He had wanted to kill this scheming poisoness. Why had it turned out like this?
But...
Her skin was so fragrant, so soft.
It carried the sweetness of the osmanthus wine leftover from the palace banquet, along with a cloying, powdered perfume that belonged to her.
Had she just used this delicate, yielding body to press coquettishly against another man?
A terrifying darkness welled up in Pei Yan's eyes, and the cool red mole at the corner of his eye took on an almost bewitching, seductive sheen.
The coercive force of the plot faded quietly after the initial collision, but Pei Yan didn't let her go.
He fiercely sucked the tender skin of her neck, his canine teeth pressing against her pulsing artery. Chu Mingzhao could already feel a stinging, burning pain.
She tried to push him away, but her hands pressed against his chest, only to feel the solid muscles beneath his thin clothes.
Truth be told, the pecs felt fantastic. A main-character physique, no doubt...
Spit it out, spit it out! Chu Mingzhao, get a grip! Is this the time for hanky-panky? This psycho male lead was just trying to kill you!
"Pei Yan... have you lost your mind?! Let go!"
Tears sprang to Chu Mingzhao's eyes from the pain. At this life-or-death moment, she somehow found a surge of strength. Taking advantage of Pei Yan's momentary lapse in defense, she shoved him off her.
Then, without a second's hesitation, she raised her hand.
Slap—!
A crisp, resounding slap landed squarely on Pei Yan's face.
Chu Mingzhao had put everything she had into that hit, and her own palm was numb from the force.
Pei Yan's head snapped to the side, a few strands of disheveled black hair falling across his face, hiding most of his expression. A thread of bright red blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, slowly trickling down his pale, paper-white jawline and dripping onto the snow, a shocking sight.
He finally snapped back to reality.
Pei Yan stood rigidly in place, his chest heaving violently.
His gaze involuntarily fell on Chu Mingzhao's neck. There, on her fair skin, was an extremely conspicuous, ambiguous red mark, indecent and jarring.
He had... kissed Chu Mingzhao? Kissed this poisonous woman he wished he could cut into a thousand pieces?!
Absurd. Disgusting. The greatest joke under heaven!
"What the hell are you doing? Have you turned into a biting mad dog?!"
Chu Mingzhao covered her bitten neck, shaking with fury.
She glared down at him, her eyes swirling with barely concealed shock and anger. With her stunning, dangerously beautiful face, it created a startling, breathtaking vitality instead.
"You're nothing but a base slave, worse than a pig or a dog, and you dare touch me? Who gave you the nerve?!"
In her mind, Chu Mingzhao frantically screamed at the system:
[System, you son of a bitch! You said 'kissed'! This is a damn dog bite! I need a rabies shot! Does this count as a work injury?!]
The system went dead silent. Only a single line of cold blue text drifted across her retina.
[Po Value Level Determination: S (Blazing Passion). Experience gained: +50. Current experience: 150/500. Host, please continue to work hard.]
By the banks of Taiye Pool, the wind howled like knives.
The slap had been extraordinarily heavy, making Pei Yan's left ear ring and filling his mouth with a strong taste of rust.
He slowly raised his hand and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his rough thumb. The bright red stained against his cold, pale fingertips, but it was far less jarring than the red mark on Chu Mingzhao's neck.
The feeling of that moment just now clung to him like a stubborn maggot in his bones, impossible to shake from his mind.
The absurd thing was... he didn't find it unpleasant at all.
Just then, the unhurried sound of footsteps crunched the snow on the ground.
"Zhaozhao? What are you doing here?"
A voice as warm as jade came from the shadow on the other side of the rockery, carrying just the right amount of surprise and concern.
Every hair on Chu Mingzhao's body stood on end.
Pei Lin emerged slowly from the darkness, draped in a white fox-fur cloak and holding an octagonal colored-glass palace lantern.
A faint, habitual smile was on his lips, his eyes clear as if he had just happened by, stumbling upon a trivial disturbance.
"I saw you leave the banquet earlier, saying the wine was too strong for you. The wind and snow have picked up, and I was genuinely worried, so I came looking for you."
Pei Lin's gaze swept over the two of them before finally settling on that stunning but slightly flustered face. His tone was as soft as if it could melt the falling snow around them.
"Why are you in such a state? Did this commoner displease you?"
Chu Mingzhao inhaled sharply. In a fluster, she yanked the slip of her fur collar all the way up to her chin, frantically trying to hide her neck, as if she wanted to shrink her entire head inside.
If he saw that hickey on her neck, how could she continue playing the role of the foolishly devoted villainess?
"Third Prince..."
Chu Mingzhao forced a shy, sweet smile, though her voice still trembled slightly.
"Your servant was simply... displeased with this dog of a servant and was disciplining him a bit."
"Is that so?"
Pei Lin took another step forward, raising his lantern.
He carried a faint scent of sandalwood, usually calming and soothing, but now it held a suffocating pressure.
"If it's merely disciplining a servant, why are you the one shaking with anger?"
Pei Lin reached out. His slender, white fingers were about to touch the collar of Chu Mingzhao's fur cloak.
"Zhaozhao, your collar is askew. Let me fix it for you."
