106: Crazy Prince Forced Love 1

The night was as dark as ink, and the rain poured down.

Lightning ripped across the sky, illuminating the tall, slender figure outside the Regent's Wang Residence.

Xiao Jin kicked open the vermillion-lacquered gate, his dark cloak soaked through with rain, clinging to his body, making him seem to seethe with malevolence, like an Asura descended upon the world.

“Regent…” The butler cautiously stepped forward, but before he could speak, he was knocked to the ground by a single palm.

“Get out!”

His eyes were bloodshot, his knuckles cracked, and there were still undried bloodstains on his fingertips.

The Shen family dared to refuse the marriage.

He, Xiao Jin, had never suffered such an insult.

Not only that, but his subordinates reported that the woman who was supposed to marry him had instead thrown herself into the arms of a poor scholar.

Although he had no feelings for that woman, he still felt his pride had been wounded.

How could he, Xiao Jin, be inferior to a poor scholar?

Ridiculous.

He, the dignified Regent, with power over the court and ruthless methods, was actually being toyed with by a weak woman!

“Bang!”

He walked into the study and punched the desk, the rosewood splitting with a crack, shards flying and cutting his palm, blood dripping from between his fingers, blooming into enchanting crimson flowers on the floor.

The servants in the courtyard knelt on the ground, trembling, no one daring to look up.

Just then.

A slender figure, holding hot tea, slowly walked into the inner chamber.

“Regent, your hand is bleeding.”

Her voice was soft, like a handful of snow falling on a hot blade.

Xiao Jin suddenly looked up.

In the candlelight, the young girl wore a simple white maid's outfit, her neck as slender as jade, her eyes and brows as gentle as a painting, so beautiful she looked as if she had stepped out of a masterpiece.

She quietly knelt at his feet, gently wrapping his bleeding hand with a handkerchief.

“Wen Ci?” He narrowed his eyes, remembering she was the lowest-ranking laundry maid in the manor; for some reason, he clearly remembered her name.

“Yes.” She responded, her fingertips carefully avoiding his wound, “This servant will go fetch medicine.”

“No need.” He suddenly grabbed her wrist, with such force that it almost crushed her bones, “Who allowed you to come in?”

Wen Ci’s eyelashes trembled, but she didn’t struggle: “This servant saw that Regent was drenched in rain, and feared you might catch a cold…”

Xiao Jin sneered.

Was this woman also trying to curry favor with him? Just like those who used him and then discarded him?

He violently pulled her to his chest, his malevolence scorching: “Since you’re so eager to serve, why not do something else.”

Before he finished speaking, he had already clasped her waist, bent down, and lifted her, striding directly into the inner room.

*

Bed curtains hung down, candlelight flickered.

Wen Ci was pressed into the brocade quilt, her clothes undone, her fair skin glowing softly in the dim candlelight.

Xiao Jin cupped her chin, his voice hoarse, the previous brutality in his eyes now considerably clearer.

Looking at the gentle and exquisite appearance of the woman before him, his heart softened.

He couldn't help but say, “It’s still not too late to beg for mercy.”

She looked into his violent eyes, and suddenly reached out to caress his face.

“Regent,” she asked softly, “Are you in much pain?”

Xiao Jin froze.

She was asking if he was in pain.

Not fear, not disgust, but… concern?

The surging killing intent in his chest suddenly froze.

“Shut up!” He bit her lip fiercely, like a beast marking its prey, “From tonight onwards, you are my woman, Wen Ci, if you dare to escape…”

Wen Ci wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed into his ear: “Regent, this servant will not escape.”

*

The next morning.

When Xiao Jin woke up, his arms were empty.

He instantly flew into a rage, getting out of bed barefoot, but paused the moment he pushed open the door.

In the courtyard, Wen Ci was on tiptoe, picking a dew-kissed pear blossom.

The morning light fell on her hair, making her seem like an immortal.

Hearing the sound, she turned and smiled: “Regent, are you awake?”

Xiao Jin’s heart trembled violently.

He strode forward, pulled her tightly into his embrace, and said fiercely: “Who allowed you to run around?”

Wen Ci blinked: “This servant wanted to cook you pear blossom porridge…”

“No!” He bit her ear, “From now on, you are not allowed to leave a single step without my permission!”

She suddenly laughed, her fingertips gently tracing his taut brow bone: “Alright.”

Xiao Jin was stunned.

She wasn't afraid of him.

This realization made his heart pound, and he felt an inexplicable panic.

What if one day, she, like the woman who dared to refuse marriage, also threw herself into someone else’s arms…

“Wen Ci.” He cupped her chin, his eyes dark, “If you dare to betray me, I will lock you to the bed, for life.”

She tilted her head and kissed his Adam’s apple: “Then Regent must lock me tightly.”

*

News of the Regent favoring a laundry maid spread through the manor like wildfire.

“I heard Regent asked for water three times last night…”

“A lowly maid, worthy of climbing into Regent’s bed?”

“Hush! I heard Regent woke up this morning looking for her and has been holding her ever since…”

Rumors abounded, yet no one dared to gossip in front of Xiao Jin.

Meanwhile, Wen Ci stood in the kitchen, her fingertips reddened by the hot clay pot.

“Hiss…” She softly gasped, just as she was about to pull her hand back, a cold voice suddenly came from behind her.

“What are you doing?”

Xiao Jin stood behind her, his eyes icy, having appeared unnoticed.

Wen Ci turned, holding up the spoon in her hand: “Regent, pear…”

Before she could finish, he had already grabbed her wrist, his voice cold: “Who allowed you to touch fire?”

She was startled: “This servant said I wanted to make you pear soup…”

“Shut up!” He violently knocked over the clay pot, the scalding soup splashing everywhere, “I don’t need you to please me by hurting yourself like this!”

He looked at her reddened fingertips, his heart tightening with distress.

He didn't need her to get hurt to prove her specialness to him!

Wen Ci looked at him quietly, then suddenly stood on tiptoe and kissed his tense jaw.

“It’s not to please you,” she said softly, “It’s out of concern.”

Xiao Jin’s breathing hitched, his pupils constricting.

*

At the same time, in the Su residence.

“I heard Regent favored a maid last night?” Su Yao held her teacup, a mocking smile playing on her lips, “She’s just a plaything.”

She had just been reborn last night and immediately refused the engagement with the Regent by threatening to die; in her previous life, that man’s insane possessiveness had suffocated her.

Although he could give her supreme favor, he was a moody madman, which Su Yao found utterly detestable.

Reborn, she was determined to live her own free life and, even more so, to embrace her beloved scholar.

Although that scholar was not as powerful as the Regent, she still preferred him.

The maid whispered: “Miss, Regent seems exceptionally… towards that maid…”

“Exceptionally what?” Su Yao sneered, “How would a madman like Xiao Jin know how to cherish women? It’s just a novelty.”

She hadn't expected Xiao Jin to turn around and favor a maid right after she refused his marriage; she thought he was just trying to spite her, especially since before this, Xiao Jin had always been indifferent to women, never touching her even when he loved her deeply in her previous life.

So, this maid was just a laughable plaything.

However, even as she thought this, a strange sense of displeasure arose in her heart at the thought of Xiao Jin being intimate with another woman.

She put down her teacup, her eyes deep.

“I want to see how long a lowly maid can be so smug.”

*

The night was deep.

Xiao Jin pressed Wen Ci onto the bed, his fingertips tracing the red marks on her wrist that he had left.

He hadn't expected that with just a little force, her delicate skin would react so strongly.

His heart was immediately filled with self-reproach and guilt.

“Does it hurt?” he asked.

Wen Ci shook her head: “It doesn’t hurt.”

His eyes darkened, and he suddenly lowered his head, placing a kiss on her injury.

“Liar.”

She smiled softly, her fingertips running through his hair: “If Regent is concerned, then be gentler next time.”

Xiao Jin’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he suddenly pulled her even closer.

“Wen Ci.” He said hoarsely, “You are mine.”

“Mm.” She leaned into his embrace, closing her eyes, “I am Regent’s.”