CHAPTER THIRTEEN — MONSTROUS BEAUTY
Tang Kexin froze at the sight before her.
Inside her carriage — seated with the ease of a man who owned the world and everything in it — lounged Nangong Yi. His presence filled the small space like a shadowed storm, elegant yet dangerous, beautiful yet utterly terrifying.
He was supposed to have gone down the mountain.
She had watched him leave.
So why was he here?
More importantly — when had he entered her carriage?
She had not sensed a thing.
Even Mu Shaoyi, who had been nearby moments ago, had clearly noticed nothing.
This man was far too dangerous.
Tang Kexin remained standing at the threshold. She neither stepped inside nor retreated. She did not speak. She did not breathe too loudly. Her only advantage lay in stillness — in waiting for him to reveal his intentions before she dared to move.
Nangong Yi's lips curved into a languid smile. His peach‑blossom eyes shimmered with amusement, the sort of eyes that could seduce a kingdom into ruin. When he looked at her, it was as though he could pluck the soul straight from her body with nothing more than a glance.
Even someone as composed as Tang Kexin felt momentarily dazzled.
Monstrous, she thought. Utterly monstrous. Who could possibly resist such a face?
For a fleeting moment, she even considered simply pretending to be smitten — to fall under his beauty, feign intoxication, and save herself the trouble of dealing with him properly.
But he did not give her the chance.
"So Miss Tang is not stupid after all."
His voice drifted lazily through the carriage — smooth, magnetic, and entirely unforgiving.
Tang Kexin banished her foolish thoughts at once. She steadied her expression and replied calmly, "Grandmaster Hui Yuan cured me."
"Is that so?" His smile deepened. "A fool who has only just recovered can remain this calm… and wield poison with such precision?"
He did not believe her. He did not intend to. And he certainly did not plan to let her slip away with a convenient explanation.
Tang Kexin narrowed her eyes. He had seen everything in the meditation hall — perhaps more than she realised. Explaining further would only make her appear guilty. A man like him was not easily deceived.
"Why has the Mayor suddenly appeared in my carriage?" she asked coolly. "Surely it is not merely to question my intelligence?"
Her heart tightened as she spoke. A thought she had tried to suppress crept back into her mind.
Could he be the man from that night?
If he was… then she was in far more danger than she had imagined.
Nangong Yi's expression shifted — not to seriousness, but to a lazy, almost playful indifference.
"I have no carriage," he said lightly. "Walking down the mountain is terribly tiring. Might I trouble Miss Tang to take me back?"
His tone was languid, his posture relaxed, and his half‑smile dazzling enough to make the sun jealous.
Tang Kexin's mouth twitched.
The Mayor of an entire city… without a carriage?
Did he truly expect her to believe that?
"If I refuse," she asked dryly, "will the Mayor get out?"
"No."
The answer came instantly — cheerful, decisive, and utterly shameless.
Tang Kexin felt her patience fray. Could this man's skin be any thicker?
She turned to Dong'er. "The sun is bright, the scenery is lovely, the mountains look like a painting. Dong'er, let us take a stroll."
If he refused to leave, then she would.
Dong'er blinked, dazed. "Ah… yes, Miss…"
But Nangong Yi merely leaned back, his smile widening.
"Actually," he drawled, "I do not mind carrying Miss Tang back into the carriage. She is as lovely as a spring breeze — soft fragrance, soft embrace…"
Tang Kexin halted mid‑step.