The man in the water furrowed his brows, as if weighing the truth behind Su Yiyi's words. Jun Moyan had mentioned that this little thief was capable, yet her background hadn't been thoroughly investigated. Could she really be allowed to stay by his side?
"Are you certain you can purge the cold poison from my body?"
Nangong Huang knew exactly what mattered most to him right now—recovering his strength and sweeping away the remaining traitors in one swift move. Even injured, he was more than enough to deal with a tiny thief like her.
Su Yiyi slowly lowered her hands. Was this a sign that this beautiful man had changed his mind?
"I have confidence, but… the key lies in your beauty…" As soon as the words left her mouth, Su Yiyi was met with a sharp, cutting gaze from Nangong Huang. She laughed awkwardly. "I mean, it still requires your cooperation, my Lord."
Nangong Huang's eyes gleamed faintly. "And how exactly do you want me to cooperate?"
Oops! Her thoughts were slipping again. Just how much self-control did she need to resist wandering thoughts in front of such devastating beauty? Su Yiyi suddenly realized she might be hopelessly trapped in a swamp of handsomeness.
"One of Your Highness's acupuncture points has been sealed. We need to find its location. However… physical contact between men and women is forbidden, and I—I'm terribly shy."
Shy? She didn't look shy in the slightest.
Nangong Huang instantly understood her implication. Was she going to examine his entire body? She probably feared physical contact.
The demon lord who used to loathe being touched by women now glanced at Su Yiyi with slight guilt. Maybe it was because her face was so swollen she looked like a pig's head—he didn't even see her as a woman. Otherwise, this thief would have died a thousand deaths by now.
"Help me up."
That voice—it sounded like it came from the heavens. Su Yiyi stood frozen, not reacting.
"What's wrong? Don't you know how to serve someone?"
Nangong Huang's eyes held the cold look of someone unimpressed with a subordinate. That's when Su Yiyi realized she hadn't misheard him. He… he really wanted…
The villainous man looked impatiently at the pig-headed girl at the edge of the pool. "Can you find the sealed point while I'm lying down? Why aren't you getting ready already?"
"Ah? Yes! Yes! Right away, I—I'll get started!"
At that moment, Su Yiyi didn't even know what she was doing anymore. She was practically floating, buzzing with excitement as she prepared everything she needed. It was like walking on clouds. Would she be swept up to the heavens in a burst of bliss?
Faced with an untamed and dangerously beautiful demon lord—could this cost her her life?
A flat couch appeared before her, lined with dozens of jars. It was Nangong Huang's first time seeing such strange medical equipment.
But was he—the great Demon Lord—supposed to fear an incompetent little thief like her? The man in the water slowly raised his left hand, revealing a strong, pale forearm. His sly phoenix eyes narrowed as he looked at Su Yiyi. Only he knew how much strength it took to perform such a simple movement.
For some reason, Su Yiyi suddenly hallucinated a voice in her ears. The handsome man seemed to whisper, "Xiao Yiyi, help me up."
She couldn't help but reply softly, "Yes."
"…?" Nangong Huang looked slightly puzzled—then watched Su Yiyi approach him on all fours.
He suddenly felt a twinge of regret. Was he really going to trust this hopeless woman?
As Su Yiyi reached out and touched his skin, she recoiled, eyes filled with disbelief.
"What is it?"
"Didn't Your Beauty feel that spark?" A tingling sensation had rushed from her fingertips straight to her heart. She'd never felt anything like it before.
Spark? What was that? Nangong Huang frowned, glancing at his own hand. Had the Fire Clan cursed him somehow?
Su Yiyi's mind buzzed. Could it be… this beautiful man had never fallen in love before?
With her unmatched perception, she saw the truth clearly. This dangerously stunning man was like a blank sheet of paper, entirely unaware of feelings like infatuation. It was just waiting… waiting for her to write "He is my fated one" across it.
That pearl hairpin from earlier...
Nangong Huang had no idea what nonsense was swirling in her head. He said flatly, "There's no time to waste. If you can heal me, Yehuang Tower won't treat you unfairly. I'll appoint you to the rear guard."
Rear guard? If the left and right guards were the demon lord's hands, then the rear guard…
Su Yiyi's eyes lit up. That meant logistics! Taking care of his daily needs, helping him bathe and change clothes, going in and out together… It was—perfect!
Feeling energized, Su Yiyi eagerly rubbed her hands together and rushed to Nangong Huang with a goofy smile. "Your Highness, I'm coming, I'm coming…"
The demon lord's lips twitched. Had he said something wrong just now? Why was he starting to feel a bit… regretful?
The young woman gripped his arm with meticulous care, water splashing all around them. His sculpted figure shimmered amidst the mist. Su Yiyi's nose felt warm, and the man beside her caught the wicked gleam in her eye.
A dangerous voice echoed above her, "If you keep staring, I'll dig out your eyes and use them for medicine."
At those words, Su Yiyi slipped and fell backward. Nangong Huang hadn't expected the threat alone would frighten this stubborn thief so much her legs gave out. With no warning, her cursed little hands latched onto him, and with a loud splash, both of them collapsed onto the edge of the pool. The girl in his arms let out a soft yelp, and her hands unconsciously wandered…
…Hey. That felt familiar!
Su Yiyi's small hands fumbled clumsily along his waist. Nangong Huang could barely suppress the urge to slap this insolent thief to death. But when they fell, blood rushed through his body, and he was already using all his strength to stay upright.
She must have sensed his ragged breathing. She cautiously opened her eyes—only to find that the porcelain-like face before her was now glazed with a sheen of sweat.
Su Yiyi cried out in alarm, "Beauty! Y-You—you okay?!"
Do I look okay?! Nangong Huang had never felt so pathetic in his life. He opened his dangerous eyes, only to meet the worried gaze of the girl in his arms.
Though she still looked like a swollen pig's head, her eyes shone like gems. Those dark pupils reflected his current state, shimmering with water and—was that heartache? Nangong Huang scowled at himself. Why was he thinking such nonsense? He had no ties to this thief. Shouldn't he hate her?
Even Su Yiyi didn't know what was wrong with her. Seeing such a beautiful man in pain made her heart ache. Slowly, she raised her hand, and without knowing where the courage came from, gently touched his pale face.
Her voice was soft, like a whisper, "Don't worry. I'll heal you. I won't let you suffer again."
Her words fell like a feather onto the frozen heart of Nangong Huang. He frowned slightly, and the fury he'd felt earlier dissipated completely.
She wasn't afraid of him. She was… worried about him.
"Your Highness! What happened?!" Lord Bai rushed in, having heard the commotion. He opened the door, only to see—
The Demon Lord—who always avoided women—was now naked and pinning down a helpless girl. His devilish face twisted in anger at being interrupted, and his fiery eyes locked on Lord Bai.
Lord Bai: "…"