CHAPTER 76 — HIDDEN TOGETHER IN THE DARK
"Why don't we sleep together?"
The Third Prince said it so casually—so leisurely—that for a moment Tang Ke Xin wondered if she had misheard.
Her entire body jolted.
She could no longer communicate with this man.
Absolutely impossible.
She vowed, from this moment on, never to believe rumours again.
The legendary Third Prince—aloof, disciplined, untouchable—was nothing like the real one.
The real one was… something else entirely.
She even suspected he had a split personality.
Was he one person by day and another by night?
But no—that wasn't quite right. Even during the day at the Prime Minister's estate, he had behaved strangely.
In short, she would never again trust palace gossip.
Tang Ke Xin ignored him and attempted to rise, desperate to put distance between them.
"Actually," he drawled, "if you step out now, anyone outside will see your silhouette. The room is dim, but the courtyard is darker."
She froze.
He was right.
She had chosen this hiding place precisely because of that.
She had simply forgotten in her frustration.
"In that case," she murmured, recalling the earlier noise, "did that person discover something?"
"No," he replied calmly. "It was only a wild cat."
Of course he knew. His hearing was far sharper than hers.
"Since you knew it was a cat," she hissed, "why did you hide me behind the cabinet?"
"Seeing how nervous you were," he said with infuriating seriousness, "this king wished to cooperate with you."
Tang Ke Xin inhaled sharply.
Cooperate?
Why didn't he simply admit he was taking advantage of her?
This man was shameless beyond measure.
"Didn't you just say the culprit wouldn't appear soon?" she asked, clinging to the last thread of hope.
"I said it casually," he replied, lips curving. "And you believed it."
She decided then and there that she would not speak to him again. Not even under torture.
But she couldn't leave.
If she moved too much, someone might hear.
If she stepped outside, she would be seen.
So she endured.
The cabinet was large enough for one person to hide comfortably. But with the Third Prince inside, the space had shrunk to nothing. She retreated to the innermost corner, while he sat in the middle.
She turned her back on him and lay down, determined to rest.
"Tang Ke Xin…" he called softly.
She did not respond.
"Aren't you tired lying like that? You could lie down properly. There's enough space for two."
She ignored him.
He shifted. She heard the faint rustle of silk.
He was lying down.
Her mouth twitched.
Was he truly planning to sleep here?
The answer came a heartbeat later.
He slid an arm around her waist and pulled her firmly into his embrace.
"You—!"
"Don't move," he murmured, voice low and edged with danger. "Or this king cannot guarantee what he will do."
She froze instantly.
She might never have had a boyfriend in her previous life, but she understood enough to know that struggling now would only make things worse.
She lay stiffly on her back, staring at the underside of the cabinet. He lay on his side, facing her. She didn't need to turn her head to feel his gaze, his breath, his presence pressing against her.
They were so close they might as well have been one.
It was torture.
"It's late," he said quietly. "If the culprit intends to act, he may wait until dawn."
"Can't you leave?" she whispered, unable to hide the faint plea in her voice.
"No."
His refusal was immediate.
Did she not understand the danger?
If the culprit came and she was alone, she would stand no chance—even with her skills.
"Your Highness," she muttered, "I feel you are targeting me in everything."
"As long as it concerns you," he replied, lips curving, "this king will target you."
She was speechless.
He had admitted it openly.
What else could she say?
Why was he targeting her?
What had she done to offend him?
Her thoughts drifted—
to that night.
To the man who had bitten her shoulder.
The more she thought about it, the more certain she became.
He was that man.
She almost asked.
Almost.
But in the end, she swallowed the question.
"We can sleep for a while," he murmured, his breath warm against her ear.
Sleep?
Like this?
She could barely breathe.
Fortunately, the night was cool. Otherwise, she might have suffocated.
The Third Prince, however, was not faring much better.
He had always believed himself a man of iron discipline.
Yet simply holding her like this made his body burn hotter and hotter.
He had not expected that mere proximity could unravel him so completely.
Silence settled over them.
Only their breathing filled the small space.
Slowly, Tang Ke Xin's tension eased. Exhaustion crept in. Her eyelids grew heavy. She had been here since afternoon—waiting, watching, thinking. She was tired.
And perhaps… because he was here, she felt safe enough to rest.
Her eyes drifted shut.
Ye Lan Jue watched her, a faint smile touching his lips. Soft. Almost tender.
Just before dawn, a sudden noise sounded in the courtyard.
Tang Ke Xin's eyes snapped open instantly.
Her reaction was too fast—far too fast for an ordinary woman.
Ye Lan Jue's gaze sharpened.
This woman…
What exactly was she?
Footsteps approached—slow, deliberate—heading straight for the storeroom.
At this hour, even the palace maids had not yet risen. No one in the imperial household woke so early; this was the deepest, most unguarded moment of sleep. Whoever approached clearly understood this.
She only needed the intruder to step inside—
then she could act.
But then she remembered—
the Third Prince was still lying beside her.
Her brows tightened.
"Remember—you stay here. Do not come out," she whispered urgently, leaning back just enough for him to hear. Nothing had happened between them, but if anyone saw them together like this… she dared not imagine the consequences. If the Empress discovered it, the heavens alone knew what storm would follow. The Third Prince absolutely could not appear now.
And besides, it was hardly appropriate for a prince to be found hiding in a storeroom in the middle of the night.
"Very well," he murmured.
He braced one hand against the floor and leaned slightly toward her. Under the soft glow of the Night Pearl, his expression took on a languid, wicked beauty—dangerous, seductive, almost sinful.
For a fleeting moment, Tang Ke Xin felt a chill run down her spine.
Not because she was tempted—she would never be that foolish—
but because she suddenly imagined the sort of woman who would throw herself at him.
The image was horrifying.
"What is it?" he asked quietly. His arm was still around her, and he felt the subtle shiver that ran through her body. His brows lifted in mild curiosity. What on earth had frightened her?
Before she could answer, the door creaked open.