Shu Mingye chuckled, entirely too pleased. "Yes," he said with zero shame. "Will you let me?"
Linyue's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "For decoration?"
He leaned in close, brushing his nose lightly against her cheek. "For love."
Linyue smacked him again, this time with both hands. "You're not allowed to make creepy things sound romantic," she scolded, though her face was already turning pink.
"I can't help it," he said, pulling her close again, smug and satisfied. "It's part of my villain charm." He paused, letting the silence grow just long enough to be dramatic. Then he added with a hopeful tilt of his head, "So… is that a yes?"
Linyue turned her head away, trying very hard not to show her smile. "If that's really your preference," she mumbled, "then I guess I have no choice."
That was all he needed. Shu Mingye let out a loud, victorious laugh. "You said yes," he beamed. "Remember, you gave me your permission."
And just like that, the chains of logic snapped—because apparently, in this particular love story, even flirting came with actual shackles.
Linyue stared at him. He looked so genuinely happy over that weird chain thing. His eyes sparkled, his grin wide, his arms snug around her. She had a very bad feeling about this. But, if he was that happy, then maybe it was worth it. Maybe.
She leaned her head back against his warm chest again. The carriage rocked gently beneath them. His laughter still echoed softly in the small space. And even though he had just threatened (very romantically) to chain her to a bed, Linyue found herself strangely at peace. Maybe imprisonment wasn't that ba—
No. Absolutely not. She scowled at herself. Her thoughts were turning dangerous. This man had definitely crooked her brain. She needed a reset. Maybe a slap with a cold towel. Or ten.
Naturally, Shu Mingye noticed. He always noticed. Tilting his head, he smirked down at her. "Pie, are you already thinking about the chain?"
Linyue snapped her head toward him, scandal blazing across her cheeks. "Imprisonment not allowed," she declared, poking her finger against his chest for emphasis.
He caught her hand easily, amusement sparking in his eyes. "Isn't that the same thing?"
Linyue lifted her chin. "Of course not. Not if I can take off the chain. Which, obviously, I can."
"Mm," Shu Mingye hummed, eyes glinting like he knew she was bluffing. "We'll see about that."
And just like that, the carriage rolled on. One smug villain. One slightly panicked Pie. And the rising possibility that their future arguments might involve chains. Consensually, of course.
The road grew quieter as the carriage entered the forest of Shulin. Though they were tucked safely inside, Linyue could feel it. The soft hum of thick spiritual energy brushed against her senses. The rustling of trees, the distant chirps of birds, the familiar scent of moss and leaves. She had trained her spiritual sense well. Even now, curled comfortably in Shu Mingye's lap, she could sense the forest greeting her. She giggled softly.
Shu Mingye glanced down, brushing her hair aside and pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. His voice was low and warm against her skin. "Pie, what do your masters like?"
Linyue tilted her head to look up at him, surprised by the sudden question. "Hmm… Master Tian Mo is shameless. Just like you," she said with a teasing smile. "I think you two will get along like long-lost brothers."
He looked entirely too pleased by that.
"And Master Yin Xue…" Linyue went on, "she likes beauty, herbs, poison, and gossip. She is mischievous, unpredictable, dramatic. Basically, Sister Meiyu inherited all her chaos directly from her."
Shu Mingye chuckled. "That explains a lot. I brought along those herbs from that ridiculously long list she gave."
Linyue blinked. "You actually found them?"
"Not all," he admitted. "Some of them were clearly made-up. One of them translated to something like Moonlight Sprouting off the Back of a Crying Toad. I'm pretty sure that's from a children's fairy tale."
Linyue groaned softly. "That sounds exactly like something she would put on the list. Just to mess with us."
"I figured as much," he said, smug again. "So I replaced some of them with even rarer and more expensive herbs."
Linyue stared at him, completely unsure whether to be impressed by his dedication or deeply concerned about his villain hobby levels. "You didn't have to go that far. Master Yin Xue would be happy just getting a few things. She wasn't serious when she gave us that list."
"Too late," Shu Mingye said proudly, "I already packed the whole treasure box."
Linyue buried her face into his chest with a muffled sigh. "You're going to spoil her."
"Good," he said. "I want them all to like me. If your masters approve of me, then no one can take you away."
Ah. There it was again. That soft possessiveness, like velvet chains hidden behind sweet words. Linyue peeked up at him and sighed again. "You're lucky I like villains."
"Correction," Shu Mingye said, kissing her again, "you love this villain."
Linyue grinned, eyes shining with amusement. "You do know your reputation spreads across all eight states, right? People whisper your name like it's a curse."
Shu Mingye frowned. "I didn't care about them before. But now…" He sighed heavily, "It could be a problem."
Linyue tilted her head, her expression perfectly innocent. "What are you going to do? Master Yin Xue warned me about you before. She said not to get close to you. Not even talk to you unless there's a wall between us. Or a river. Or a small mountain."
Shu Mingye pinched the bridge of his nose. Once, his carefully cultivated terrifying villain image had been a powerful weapon. A badge of honor. Now it was biting him back like this. It was getting in the way of impressing the future in-laws. His pie, of course, didn't care about the rumors. She never even blinked when he called her his. Or when he said she loved him. Which she absolutely did not deny. That alone made him internally do a little victory dance. But her masters? Her masters were a different story.
"We'll have to go back to the original plan," Shu Mingye said darkly.
Linyue narrowed her eyes. "What original plan?"
"The one that involves kidnapping and chains," he said casually.
Linyue opened her mouth, clearly ready to argue or possibly throw a pillow at him, but he was faster. He pressed a finger to her lips with a smug smirk.
"No take backs," he said smoothly. "You agreed to the kidnapping before. And you just agreed to the chains. It's all legally binding now. Unless…" He leaned closer, his eyes glinting mischievously. "…you want to pay the penalty with something more." His voice was low, playful, and much too dangerous for a moving carriage.
Linyue stared at him.
This man. Absolutely a villain. Shameless. Good-looking. Annoyingly lovable. The worst part wasn't even the chain obsession or the kidnapping jokes. The worst part was that she didn't mind. At all. Even when he talked about imprisoning her, she just sat there in his lap, completely unbothered. Because deep down, she knew she could trust him with her life. And somehow, without asking her permission, that trust had snuck into her soul too.
She smiled sweetly, her dimples showing, and her eyes curving like crescent moons. "If they really don't give their blessing… then I'll kidnap you first."
Shu Mingye's heart tripped over itself. That smile. it was unfair. Illegal. Life-threatening. He felt dizzy.
"That's cheating," he managed, his voice a little weaker than usual.
Linyue blinked innocently. "You don't like it?"
"I love it," he said instantly, eyes dazed.
"I knew it," she said smugly. Then she leaned up and pecked his lips.
Danger. That was the final straw. Shu Mingye's eyes darkened, his hand tightening on her waist. "Alright," he said, his voice low and almost threatening. "Stop tempting me or I'll take you. Right here. Right now. Unless…" He leaned in closer, his lips brushing her ear. "…you don't mind it."