Lanling Yan's temper flared like wildfire, but he hated how his body seemed to act against his will. Ning Yunhuan saw him narrow his eyes with a flicker of lethal intent as she writhed in pain, his usually composed facade marred by an animalistic edge. Before she could react, his lips were already pressing into hers.

The kiss caught Ningyunhuan completely off guard - this was supposed to be just a life-saving transaction. His breath came uncharacteristically ragged now, movements rougher than usual. She felt her mouth go numb with pain as blood turned the air metallic between them. With each brutal thrust of his lips, his desperation escalated until she gasped into his grip, weak limbs clinging like drowning fingers to whatever stability he offered.

When storm and thunder finally broke, Lanling Yan withdrew from her body in languid slow motion. The once fearful girl now lay too drained on the bed, muscles aching with an exhaustion that grounded her more than fear ever could. If this had been his first time touching a woman it might have meant nothing, but now that he'd tasted sensation there was no taming the primal urge clawing at him.

Still, his willpower proved formidable as he cradled the limp form in his arms, brushing a tender kiss over her lips before lifting her like an offering. Crimson blooms stained the once-pristine sheets where their passion had left its mark. Though fastidious by nature, Lanling Yan found himself smirking at the sight of that bloodied evidence now - a personal trophy.

After bathing the barely conscious Ningyunhuan, he carried her out just as someone had already made up the bed. Despite never sharing a bed with anyone before, the soft warmth in his arms unsettled him enough to finally pull her close despite misgivings.

Ningyunhuan's overnight absence went unnoticed at home - Mrs. Ning was deep into her mahjong game and Mr. Ning too consumed with work to notice when she returned via an unassuming SUV, aching all over yet undetected by anyone.

The rain still drummed against the Ning residence as Lanling Yan kept his grip icy-cold on her trembling form. His indifference bordered on cruel now, treating her like some inanimate object rather than the bruised girl who'd spent hours fighting through pain to escape him. Yet Ningyunhuan felt something shift inside - was it their undeniable connection or his promise that made her fear wane?

"Get down," he said flatly, retrieving whatever she had clutched during the ride and tossing it into her hands before tilting her face up for another ruthless kiss. When he finally released her swollen lips with a final pat on her head, murmuring "Good girl", Ningyunhuan could only grit her teeth through the lingering ache.

The SUV door proved more stubborn than expected as she tried to flee, but Lanling Yan's quiet amusement at her struggle only deepened when she failed. He finally freed the jammed mechanism with a press of his thumb, catching her before she collapsed from weakness after landing awkwardly on the ground.

If not for this monster dragging her through hell last night - especially since he kicked her off the bed in his sleep while muttering about being too alert around strangers! At that moment Ningyunhuan had nearly clawed at him, but now just wanted to crawl back into oblivion where these aches originated.

After another shower and forced rest, she barely managed to answer the phone before falling asleep again. "Ningyunhuan! Who was that guy last night?" screamed Fu Yuan's shrill voice through the receiver. The questions came like hailstones - boyfriend status? Why no introduction?

Exhausted from last night's exertions and in no mood for interrogation, Ningyunhuan snapped at her supposed best friend: "I don't know who he is. Ask him yourself if you're so curious. Let me sleep!" She slammed the phone shut only to have it ring again immediately, finally powering it off in irritation.

The next day brought university enrollment - a prospect that darkened her mood further when she recalled how in past lives she'd groveled for survival under the protagonist's shadow. Despite mimicking their saintly mannerisms and fawning over them to avoid becoming background scenery, she still ended up as just another disposable side character no matter how hard she tried.