Su Ningyan wanted to explode.
He was staring straight at Yan Wuhen. The Nine-Tailed Fox Prince of the Vermillion Fox Clan, one of the Four Great Divine Beast Clans.
And one of his future husbands.
The novel description had not done him justice.
His beauty was the kind that felt deliberate, crafted to ensnare.
"I asked you a question."
Yan Wuhen reclined lazily across the carriage seat, red silk robes loose at the collar, long fiery hair spilling over his shoulders like a living flame.
His golden-red fox eyes gleamed with curiosity, framed by dangling red jade earrings that swayed every time he moved.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
They were meant to meet at the Celestial Beast Academy.
Yan Wuhen wasn't even supposed to be the first male lead he encountered. That honour belonged to Jun Wuchen, the Azure Dragon Prince.
So why was he here?
Why was Su Ningyan hiding inside Yan Wuhen's carriage?
He was supposed to be avoiding the plot. Avoiding the male leads. Avoiding becoming a villain.
And yet, here he was.
Su Ningyan blinked rapidly and forced a shaky laugh.
"Hah… I'm not anyone important," he said quickly. "Just an… unlucky passerby."
He reached for the carriage door.
Knock. Knock.
His body stiffened.
"Your Highness?" a voice called from outside.
Before Su Ningyan could react, another voice snapped back sharply. Yan Wuhen's guard.
"What are you doing? The Beast Prince does not wish to be disturbed."
"We're searching for a runaway," another guard replied. "He's unstable. Dangerous. He might hurt His Highness if we don't search thoroughly."
Su Ningyan's stomach dropped. They'll find me.
He slowly turned back.
Yan Wuhen hadn't moved. He was simply watching him now, his gaze sharp with fascination, his lips curved in a knowing smile.
For a terrifying moment, Su Ningyan wondered if Yan Wuhen could hear his thoughts.
"…Please," he swallowed quietly, offering a small, desperate smile. "Don't let them take me."
Yan Wuhen's tail swayed slowly behind him, the white tip brushing the air like a question.
"And why," he asked lazily, "would I help you?"
Su Ningyan swallowed.
Of all the male leads he could have run into, it had to be Yan Wuhen.
The Nine-Tailed Fox Beast Prince was infamous for his love of bargains and chaos. Everything was a game to him, and everyone paid a price. He never helped without gaining something in return.
Still... he had fallen for book Su Ningyan. And book Su Ningyan had used him.
"I'm just a nobody," Su Ningyan said quietly. "A cripple. I'm only trying to avoid being beaten to death."
For the first time, Yan Wuhen's gaze shifted, sliding downward to Su Ningyan's chest, where bruises and half-healed scars peeked from beneath the robe.
When he looked back up, there was no pity in his eyes.
"That still isn't a reason for me to help you," Yan Wuhen said calmly. "How about we make a deal?"
Su Ningyan's shoulders slumped.
"A deal with Beast Prince Yan Wuhen," he muttered under his breath, "is never a good idea."
That was enough to make Yan Wuhen's smile widen. He was glad Su Ningyan knew who he was.
"You should have considered that," he said lazily, tilting his head, "before you crawled into my carriage."
Su Ningyan frowned. "I didn't..."
"I'm here to personally deliver a welcome scroll to Su Mingze," Yan Wuhen interrupted. "Do you have any relations with him?"
"He's my stepbrother," Su Ningyan replied stiffly. "And that has nothing to do with me."
"On the contrary. You're clearly unwanted." Yan Wuhen hummed. "And I can help, if you…"
"No, thank you." Su Ningyan scoffed. "I'd rather go out there and take the beating."
Before Yan Wuhen could respond, Su Ningyan kicked the carriage doors open, and jumped out.
The palace guards had already begun to walk away until one of them spotted him.
"There! There he is!"
"Fuck no!" Su Ningyan spun and ran.
Yan Wuhen leaned out of the carriage, his fox ears flicking as he watched the white-haired figure sprint down the road, robes flapping wildly while guards shouted and chased after him.
One of his attendants stepped closer. "I didn't know he was hiding in your carriage, Your Highness."
Yan Wuhen chuckled softly.
"Mm. I don't mind." His fox eyes gleamed. "Find out everything about him."
"Yes, your highness."
~♡~
Su Ningyan was caught before he reached the outer streets. Dragged back to the palace and thrown into the dungeon.
Iron chains locked around his wrists, forcing him to kneel against the cold stone wall. He wore nothing but his trousers. The air was damp, heavy with rot and old blood.
He exhaled slowly.
"…I really should have taken the deal," he muttered. "Though knowing him, he'd probably want my liver."
The dungeon stank. Like something had died and never been removed.
Yet disturbingly, Su Ningyan felt… familiar here.
His arms ached. His stomach growled painfully. He rolled his shoulders as much as the chains allowed, absently wondering if cutting his hair would make it harder for them to grab him next time.
Then realization struck.
Today.
Today was the day.
In the original story, Su Ningyan hid in Su Mingze's carriage and was taken to the Celestial Beast Academy to find ways to heal his beast core.
But current Su Ningyan wasn't doing that.
He would leave this palace. Run far away. No one would care. He would find another way to heal his beast core or survive without it.
Because staying meant dying even worse than in the book.
Hours passed.
By the time the crescent moon climbed high above the Phoenix Clan, Su Ningyan was dizzy with hunger and thirst.
The dungeon door creaked open.
A maid entered, serpent-red eyes gleaming. She shoved a tray toward him, a bowl of murky soup sloshing dangerously. With a flash of red heat, the chain on his left wrist unlocked.
"Eat," she snarled.
Su Ningyan eyed the soup. Disgust curled his lip but he took the bowl anyway.
Before drinking, he glanced up.
"Has Su Mingze left for the Celestial Beast Academy?"
"Yes," she snapped. "Now eat."
Su Ningyan smiled.
Good.
He drained the bowl in one go. It tasted like vomit but he finished every drop.
"Thank you for the wonderful meal," he said pleasantly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
The maid stared at him.
"You really have gone mad," she muttered. "Running on the rooftops… smiling like this…"
Su Ningyan leaned back against the wall, ignoring her.
All he had to do now was escape.
But then his vision blurred, and the world seemed to tilt sideways.
"What…?" he murmured.
The last thing he saw was the maid's satisfied smile. Before darkness swallowed him whole.