The moment the first syllable slipped past Ruan Fu's lips, An Rui finally realized what he was doing. He hastily pulled away, putting distance between them as he tried to explain.
To his surprise, Ruan Fu leaned in and pressed her soft, gentle little hand against his mouth.
"I know. You were just trying to comfort me so I wouldn't cry. It didn't mean anything else."
Her voice was sweet and soft. A lingering blush of shyness painted her cheeks, making her look incredibly tempting.
Especially when she looked up at him—her brown eyes seemed veiled in a layer of mist, giving her a delicate, pitiful appearance. He stared at his own reflection in her eyes, gently pulling her wrist down from his face. After a long hesitation, he managed to squeeze out a few words.
"You're wonderful."
These simple words brought Ruan Fu immense joy. Tears instantly welled up in her already reddened eyes. She blinked up at him, and before An Rui could react, her coveted lips pressed a kiss to his cheek.
Even though the soft, moist sensation lasted for only a fleeting second, it was enough to make An Rui's heart itch with desire. He wrapped his arms around her slender waist almost on instinct. "Don't move."
His deep, husky voice vibrated against her ear. Ruan Fu could already feel something hard pressing against her from below—two of them, in fact.
She bit her lip, pressing her hands flat against An Rui's chest. "Let me go. I need to go back."
An Rui didn't budge. He knew exactly what his body was screaming for, and instead of letting go, he tightened his grip.
But when he looked down and saw the timid fear in her eyes, he couldn't help but loosen his hold.
He thought, "Forget it. There will be another chance."
Seizing that momentary lapse, Ruan Fu spun around and darted toward the cave entrance. Bathed in the faint sunlight, she looked back at An Rui and waved. "I have to hurry back, or my father will scold me if he catches me. Let's meet again next time."
Meanwhile, inside the Rabbit Clan's cave.
Ruan Ning stared at the tall, handsome An Bei sitting before the stone seat. Her eyes flashed with jealousy as she took in the animal skins and pearls arranged beside him.
The Rabbit Clan was not a powerful Beast Clan tribe. They could only rely on simple knitting to trade for money. Even though she was a Holy Female, she still had nothing better than coarse cloth to wear.
Yet An Bei had casually brought out luxurious pelts and shimmering pearls. The very thought that these treasures would be used on Ruan Fu filled her with growing resentment.
She didn't dare show a hint of it on her face, however. Offering a soft smile, she said, "I'm so sorry, An Bei. Ruan Fu isn't here right now. You'll have to wait a little while."
She stood up to refill the cup in An Bei's hand. "An Bei, you—"
The next second, Ruan Ning tipped sideways, collapsing straight into An Bei's arms.
A pair of large hands caught her by the waist. His freezing body temperature made the fine hairs on Ruan Ning's body stand on end, and her rabbit ears nearly popped out in shock.
She looked up, gazing at An Bei through misty eyes. "I'm so sorry, An Bei. I'm just so clumsy."
An Bei could tell she had done it on purpose, but considering her status as a Holy Female, he simply shook his head slightly and said nothing.
Ruan Ning was in no hurry to get up. She nestled against him, resting her delicate, seemingly boneless hands against his chest, feeling his breathing grow heavier.
"Ning, what are you two doing?"
Ruan Ning stiffened. She turned her head and saw Ruan Fu standing at the mouth of the cave. Even with her clothes smudged with dirt, her face looked all the more fresh and otherworldly.
Frowning slightly, Ruan Ning pushed herself off An Bei.
"I almost fell just now, and An Bei caught me," Ruan Ning explained, shooting An Bei a coy, bashful glance. "Oh my, how did I spill water all over you, An Bei? Let me help you wipe it off."
She crouched down and was just about to reach out when Ruan Fu grabbed her wrist.
"I'll handle this, Ning," Ruan Fu said. She paused, then tilted her head up. "Did you need anything else?"
Ruan Fu was usually timid and helpless, but right now, she carried a certain commanding presence. Something seemed different about her. Ruan Ning's eyes flickered with a flash of unease.
"I'll head back first, then. I'll come check on you later, Fu," she said.
Ruan Fu waited until Ruan Ning had left before attempting to stand. But having crouched for too long, her legs had gone numb. Her knees gave out, and she nearly pitched forward into An Bei's lap. Luckily, he seized her arm in a vice grip, steadying her.
Ruan Fu looked up at An Bei. Aside from the color of his eyes, his facial features were almost a ninety percent match with An Rui's.
She wondered, "If someone were to have both brothers at the same time, then..."
While Ruan Fu was lost in thought, she suddenly felt An Bei tighten his grip on her arm. He pulled her forward until she was right in front of him, his tall, straight nose brushing lightly against her earlobe.
His body temperature was completely different from his brother's. Ruan Fu couldn't help but turn her head slightly, giving her a clear view of the faint, iridescent gleam of scales on his pale skin.
The next second, An Bei darted his tongue out and traced it along her neck.
Instantly, every hair on Ruan Fu's body stood up.
She wondered if this was the Snake Clan's unique way of greeting someone.
"You just saw An Rui."
An Bei's voice was low and hoarse. It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.
Knowing perfectly well that she couldn't hide it from him, Ruan Fu answered weakly, "I just ran into him."
The moment the words left her mouth, An Bei abruptly released his grip on her arm. Deprived of support, Ruan Fu tumbled to the ground.
It hurt.
She gritted her teeth, wishing she could curse An Bei eight hundred times over, when his voice echoed above her once more. "You're lying. You helped him shed his skin. Do you have any idea what shedding means for us in the Snake Clan?"
In the Tianbei Continent, an adult male of the Snake Clan required the assistance of a female for his first shedding. Furthermore, after shedding, he was obligated to mate with that same female.
Ruan Fu was naturally well aware of this rule, but under An Bei's piercing gaze, she shook her head in denial.
An Bei chuckled coldly. In a flash, his legs transformed into a thick, long snake tail that slithered beneath Ruan Fu and coiled tightly around her. The freezing tip of his tail lifted her chin.
"Once a female helps a male of our Snake Clan shed his skin, he must unite with her in both body and soul. Therefore...
"To prevent you from dragging my brother and me into a scandalous situation, it would be better if I just killed you."
The snake tail wrapped around Ruan Fu's neck, constricting little by little. Her face turned pale and bluish as she slapped frantically at his scales.
Just when she thought she was truly going to die, An Bei released her.
His icy tail remained pressed against her skin, feeling like a mock comforting caress right before death.
Ruan Fu gasped desperately for air, her mind racing to formulate a countermeasure. When dealing with a lunatic, showing weakness or trying to curry favor wouldn't necessarily work.
Forcing herself to appear calm, she tilted her head up. "Why don't you finish killing me, An Bei? Because as long as I'm alive, our engagement won't be annulled, yet I am already destined to become your brother's female."
An Bei's serpentine pupils narrowed sharply. A scoff escaped his lips. "Are you really in such a rush to die? Then it seems I must grant your wish."
His tail coiled around her once more, but this time, there was not a trace of fear on Ruan Fu's face. Instead, she met his gaze with absolute candor. "As long as you aren't afraid of being shunned by the entire Beast Clan for killing a Holy Female, what do I have to be afraid of?"
An Bei's expression shifted. His tail retracted, transforming back into a pair of legs. He stood up, leaned close to Ruan Fu, and pinched her chin, studying her intently.
"Sharp-tongued and stubborn. It only makes me look forward to our wedding day even more."
He pressed the pad of his thumb against Ruan Fu's lips, playing with them maliciously, but in the next instant, she clamped her teeth down on his finger.
"HISSS—"
Her sharp, pearly teeth pierced his skin. An Bei let out a muffled groan, his eyes narrowing.
Ruan Fu tactfully loosened her bite and sucked gently on the wound. The enveloping warmth of her mouth sent a surge of heat rushing straight down to An Bei's lower abdomen.
"An Bei, what are you doing?"