Chapter 117: Your Leopard Bit Me

In Xiao Youlan's view, as long as he locked Nan Xueyin away, she would not be able to escape.

By the same logic, as long as he covered her mouth, she would not be able to say those heartbreaking words.

However, because her mouth had been covered by him too many times, Nan Xueyin had long anticipated what he would do; she held the still-sleeping little black leopard in both hands and lifted it up entirely.

Xiao Youlan's hand did not touch Nan Xueyin, but instead pressed down on the little black leopard's head.

The little black leopard was instantly startled awake from its dream and began to whimper and whine.

Xiao Youlan was stunned.

Nan Xueyin tilted her head, looked at him, and said, "I am going to see Xiao Mingyu, not because I like him, nor because I want to continue risking my life for him."

"Then what is it for?"

"I don't want to kill for him anymore, and I don't want to run any errands for him either. He doesn't know this yet; I am going to tell him."

Xiao Youlan was even more stunned.

In an instant, the dark clouds that had been looming seemed to be blown away by a gentle breeze.

He understood her intention, "You are going to completely break away from the Duan Prince Mansion."

Nan Xueyin: "That's right."

Xiao Youlan: "Is it because of me?"

Nan Xueyin:...

Nan Xueyin: "No."

Xiao Youlan curled his lips; he felt it definitely was.

In a pleasant mood, he took the little black leopard from Nan Xueyin's hands, set it casually on the ground, leaned in, and kissed Nan Xueyin's lips, "I just knew it, you like me."

Nan Xueyin did not dodge, but her expression was a bit disgusted; knew what, for heaven's sake? She didn't even know who was angry just a moment ago, even saying he wanted to lock her up.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

Xiao Youlan was still smiling, his face extremely handsome; when he wasn't making expressions, he looked noble and cold, and one could tell at a glance that his status was prestigious, but he was smiling so brightly now that he looked quite worthless.

Just as Nan Xueyin was about to tell him to stop smiling, Xiao Youlan leaned in again and whispered, "Little Xue, I want another kiss."

"... Didn't we just kiss?"

"Not that simple kind, but like this morning..."

Nan Xueyin understood; he wanted to be pinned down and kissed by her again.

She couldn't help but remind him: "Your lips are so swollen they're an eyesore."

Xiao Youlan, however, did not mind at all and proactively leaned toward her, "It doesn't matter, even if they're kissed until they break..."

What kind of kissed until they break...

Nan Xueyin's heart was pounding, but she still couldn't bring herself to push Xiao Youlan away.

Their lips grew closer and closer, and she smelled the faint scent of ink on Xiao Youlan's sleeves.

There was already a soft sensation on her lips, and Nan Xueyin half-closed her eyes, just about to part her lips to accept him, when a voice suddenly came from outside the door: "Brother Crown Prince!"

Nan Xueyin instantly turned her head to dodge him, but Xiao Youlan remained very calm; sensing her intention, he raised his hand to stroke her cheek, turned her head back straight, and ultimately still captured her lips.

Outside the door, Shu Yu intervened in time: "Lady Yongying! His Highness the Crown Prince is busy inside; it is not a good time for you to enter."

Lady Yongying—Nan Xueyin knew this person.

She was a member of the royal clan; counting it up, she should be the daughter of one of Xiao Youlan's uncles.

That prince's fief was in Qingzhou, right to the west of Lianzhou.

Nan Xueyin's hometown was in Qingzhou.

Back then, after she became an orphan, she drifted to the border area between Qingzhou and Lianzhou and happened to be met and saved by Xiao Mingyu.

At Empress Dowager Zong's birthday banquet, Nan Xueyin had seen this Lady Yongying; her face was round and healthily flushed, and she was very lively. Seeing Xiao Youlan from afar, she waved excitedly across the crowd to signal him. The dangling hairpin in her hair swayed with the movement and got caught in her strands. When a little maid beside her went to untangle the tassels, her fingertip accidentally poked the lady's cheek. Perhaps it poked her painfully, for she pulled a long face and slapped the maid the moment she turned around.

At this moment, Lady Yongying nodded obediently outside the door: "Alright, then I won't go in. I'll just let Brother Crown Prince finish his business."

Shu Yu was fairly familiar with her and asked: "Has the Lady not returned to Qingzhou yet?"

"I was originally going to go back, but isn't Brother Mingyu getting engaged to the Yan Family in a few days? So I just decided to stay a few more days. Sister Zhirong and I are very close; I used to always say that if I were a man, I would definitely marry Sister Zhirong!"

Shu Yu understood, "So that's how it is."

Lady Yongying then asked him with great interest: "Sister Zhirong is getting married, but what about you, Brother Shu? When will your marriage to Sister Jianing be settled?"

Jianing?

Was that the name of Shu Yu's fiancée?

Nan Xueyin was pondering this as she listened, when she suddenly felt a faint pain at the tip of her tongue.

She frowned and pushed at Xiao Youlan's chest.

He loosened his hold slightly and whispered: "Don't be distracted while kissing."

The pad of his thumb pressed against her lips, gently rubbing them, "If you want to know something, ask me later; I will tell you everything."

Nan Xueyin did not speak.

Xiao Youlan kissed her again.

This time, he kissed her in a deliberately alluring way, and Nan Xueyin no longer had the leisure to listen to what was being said outside the door.

Until a scream suddenly came from outside.

Nan Xueyin's consciousness returned, and she heard Lady Yongying's surprised voice: "Where did this come from? Such a small leopard! How cute!"

Shu Yu warned her: "Don't just look at how cute it is; it has a bad temper, you should be careful."

Lady Yongying did not take it to heart, "It won't bite me; I've been liked by kittens and puppies since I was little."

As she spoke, she bent over and made "tsk-tsk-tsk" calling sounds.

Xiaoyang showed no reaction to this, instead emitting a threatening low growl from the bottom of its throat.

"Don't be fierce! Hurry up, come here and let me pet you!" Lady Yongying huffed and pressed her palm toward it.

Xiaoyang took half a step back, intending to retreat into the study.

"So disobedient!" County Princess Yongying frowned, extremely displeased, as she quickened her pace and kicked toward Xiaoyang.

Xiaoyang turned around sharply, opened its mouth, and with a howl, bit down on the tip of her foot.

County Princess Yongying reacted for a moment before screaming again, this time her scream laced with fear.

Nan Xueyin pushed Xiao Youlan away and stood up to go outside.

Xiaoyang was still biting down hard on County Princess Yongying's toe; the more she struggled, the tighter it bit.

It was not until Nan Xueyin called out, "Xiaoyang."

The little black leopard then let go, walked back to Nan Xueyin's feet, and circled around her once.

County Princess Yongying's right foot had been bitten, and not daring to put it on the ground, she held onto the door frame with one hand, kept her right leg raised, and questioned Nan Xueyin, "Is this the leopard you keep? So wild and untamable..."

Before she could finish speaking, Nan Xueyin leaned down and picked up Xiaoyang.

The little black leopard, which had been baring its fangs at her just a moment ago, was as docile as a little lamb in Nan Xueyin's arms.

Nan Xueyin's expression was indifferent, "It is my little leopard, and then what?"

County Princess Yongying's expression turned a bit uglier, "Your leopard bit me!"

Nan Xueyin was expressionless: "You were the one who provoked it first just now."

Shu Yu also chimed in from the side: "That's right! If you hadn't kicked it, it would have already walked back into the study! Why did you have to kick it?"

County Princess Yongying's eyes reddened with grievance: "It ignored me, so I wanted to kick it. Besides, I didn't even really kick it! I was just trying to scare it... but it actually bit me! My foot hurts so much, it must be bleeding..."

She glared at Nan Xueyin again, "Also, who are you? Why are you in my Crown Prince brother's study? And who gave you permission to keep this beast?"