Let's forget about the kiss.

It's not really considered a kiss. The male lead did that to saved me. And about the other night, he did that to.. expressed his resentment, right?

'Don't panic, Liu Shishi. Don't panic. Deep breath.'

"My lady, please walk slowly. You're still not well."

When we reached the Zhongcui Palace, the seventh princess was supervising the punishment of the female lead. Chu Wanwan was lying on her front in a wooden long chair. There were eunuchs on both of side, with heavy wooden bars on their hands.

I saluted. "Greetings to the Princess of Laoyang and His Highness Nan King." I softened my voice. "Your Highnesses, please don't punish Miss Chu."

"Lady Bai, you.. Why are you here?" Li Cha frowned. Then she glanced to her side– to his silent fourth brother, Li Han. She angrily pointed her finger to the female lead. "This vixen tried to hurt you. It's the second time. She must be punish severely!"

I said lightly, "It's just a misunderstanding, Your Highness. It's not her fault. What happened might be just an accident. Please, I beg you to spare Miss Chu."

The male lead didn't speak but I know Li Han was watching me. His expression was.. unreadable.

"Can't you see, this commoner must be jealous to you for being close to my brother and secretly want to harm you?" Li Cha said.

Giving an impression of me, crying silently; I raised my hand and wiped my invisible tears. 'Mother! My tears won't come out. Why aren't they coming out when I need them?'

When Li Cha noticed my action, she became angrier. "You can't be softhearted every time, Lady Bai."

With my head hanging down, "But.." My acting halted.

"Remember, fifty strokes! Begin!"

His voice was cold, with no emotions. With an indifferent gaze, Li Han gave the kill order like a ruthless general in a battlefield.

Next, the sound of beatings and screams could be heard in the entire courtyard.

"One! Two! Three!"

Using heavy wooden bars, beatings upon the back and that thick number of blows, anyone who experience that will surely die.

"Ten! Eleven!"

Horrified, I stared at the sobbing and screaming Chu Wanwan. 'What are you doing? She's the female lead! Stop! Stop!'

I stretched my hand, grabbing his thick sleeve, pleaded to the male lead. Shaking my head to him, my body subconsciously trembled. "Y-your Highness.. stop. Please tell them to stop. She'll die."

"You want her dead."

The long and narrow phoenix eyes stared at me quietly, "Anyone who harms you, shall die."

I think I just met.. the God of Death. Li Han!

Think. In the novel, Li Han directly sent Chu Wanwan to Jinling Mine. The flogging incident was prevented because the green-tea villainess pretended to show pity towards the female lead. And the male lead was.. supposed to agree.

'What went wrong? He didn't agree? Why?!' My heart constricted.

"S-stop. Your Highness Nan King is kind and gracious. Please spare Miss Chu."

I'm Liu Shishi. I'm not Bai Suxin. How can I let someone die because of me? If the female lead dies then..

.. then what? No! She can't die! I can't let her die!

Suddenly, Li Han curled his lips. He tossed his head back and laughed, "Bai Suxin, you.. really.. never disappoint me."

'What?'

"But I advise you not to do these kind of stupid things again."

"Y-your Highness, w-what do you m-mean?"

Li Han slowly touched my face, rubbing my cheeks with his thumb. His eyes flashed. "You look pale."

I lowered my eyes. I felt my heart on my throat.

"Stop!" The beatings immediately ceased.

"Toss the criminal to Jinling Mine. Never let Lady Bai see such dirty things again."

"Yes!"

I nervously pulled myself away from the prince. I ran towards the female lead, making sure she's still breathing.

"Lady Bai!" I ignored Li Cha.

"Miss Chu. Miss Chu, are you alright?"

My voice was fragile and unsteady. I bit my lips when I noticed that her back were stained with blood and her face was ghostly white. Chu Wanwan looked so weak.

When I tried to touch the female lead, someone grabbed my wrist. Li Han lifted me up.

"Your Highness!"

Then he walked out from Zhongcui Palace with me in his arms. Eunuchs, royal guards and palace maids were following us from behind.

'This.. this.. another dejavu? He can't just carry me like this every time!'

The male lead strode towards the awaiting palanquin and went inside. The beautiful planquin was originally huge for me, now it seems to get smaller and crowded with us two inside. I tried to move from his lap but Li Han not only tightened his hold, he also pulled me closer to him. Too close.

The palanquin was raised and started moving.

Li Han didn't speak for a long time, "Do you know that I'm afraid of hurting you? Then why did you.." He narrowed his dark eyes. "Lady Bai, don't do something that I don't like, because I'm going to get angry and– that's going to be a big problem for you."

He reached for my hand. He stared at it, lightly pressed his lips at the ugly scar— at his own creation. My face immediately flushed.

"Did you hear what I said? Harm yourself again, not just other people but also you— will face a serious consequence."

He leaned forward, his lips near my ear. "Guess. Guess what I'll do to you my lady."

Li Han rested his forehead on my shoulder, I heard him say, "I'm gonna lock you up. Chain you in my bed so I can eat you whole. Then every night, I'm going to claim you.. fast, deep, hard."

I shivered.

"You know me, I am not.. I am never a gentle person. At that time, don't expect that this prince will stop. I won't care if you cry– or how much you beg."

Li Han chuckled softly as he pulled me more closer, his hand gently caressing my waist.

"Bai Suxin, my endurance is slowly drying up. So I'm warning you, not to provoke me again." He murmured huskily.

"So wait. I'm telling you to stay put. I want you to behave and wait for me.. quietly. Don't do anything reckless. Do you understand, my lady?"

Quivering like a wet duck, I answered, "Y-yes."