Why don't we just make do with each other?

Ou Xinlai ventured deeper into the forest. After only a few steps, exhaustion overtook her, and she stopped to rest at the base of a tree. As she caught her breath, she sorted through what she knew about this world. It was called the World of Four Divine Beasts. Aside from the wild, uninhabitable regions teeming with birds and beasts, it was mainly divided into four territories: Azure Dragon, White (Forbidden) Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise. As for those places where people could not live, Ou Xinlai had no intention of concerning herself with them for now.

She resided in the nation known as Black Tortoise. It was obvious—the Xuan family currently held the throne, and the person to whom her predecessor had been betrothed was a member of the Xuan clan. The Ou family also held significant influence in Black Tortoise, making her predecessor and the Prince Xuan a rather well-matched, if ill-fated, pair.

Well, perhaps “ill-fated” was not the right word. They should be considered a talented gentleman and a beautiful lady, shouldn’t they? Forget it, she didn’t want to think about it.

“Are you really planning to stay here? Aren’t you afraid of being eaten by a demon beast?” A pleasant, low male voice drifted into Ou Xinlai’s ears. She lifted her head slightly. Sunlight poured over the young man before her, shrouding his face in a hazy glow, as if he had been born beneath the sun itself.

Ou Xinlai’s neck ached, so she kicked the boy’s knee. Startled, the youth tried to dodge, but as soon as he moved, pain shot through his knee, and he collapsed to the ground. Ye Zifei stared in surprise at the slightly plain-looking girl before him, puzzled as to how he had failed to avoid her attack.

Ye Zifei chuckled. It seemed his alertness was far too lax if even an amateur like her could land a blow. Still, after witnessing what had just occurred, he felt a spark of interest in the girl whose reputation preceded her.

At that moment, Ye Zifei had no inkling that friendships between men and women rarely remained pure; more often than not, they began with interest and curiosity.

Ou Xinlai gazed at Ye Zifei’s handsome smile. Her lips, like a parrot’s, began to recite her predecessor’s impression of him: “Ye Zifei, seventeen years old, fire spirit root cultivator, at the fourth level of cultivation, known as the Young Marquis of Martial Valor, third son of Black Tortoise, favored by many women, from a family with distinguished service, living on state stipends. Anyone who dares to strike you would probably be dragged off and executed, wouldn’t they?” After recalling this youth’s identity through her predecessor’s memories, Ou Xinlai rubbed her chin and spoke.

Ye Zifei was taken aback. Owing to his looks and family background, countless women pursued him, but no one had ever dared, as Ou Xinlai just had, to so bluntly pass judgment on him to his face. It was as if she didn’t regard the Young Marquis of Martial Valor as anything of consequence!

“Hahaha, Ou Xinlai, you’re truly amusing. Is Xuan Ye blind? How could he not want such an interesting girl? He’ll regret it someday.” Still seated on the ground, Ye Zifei burst into laughter, slapping his thigh in delight.

“Don’t worry, even though you just hit me, I wouldn’t dream of taking your life. Besides, you’re the daughter of the Ou clan’s patriarch; how could I dare?” Ye Zifei gave off a radiant, refined air. His pale, delicate face was strikingly clean, and his dark, star-bright eyes gleamed like the night sky.

His long hair, tied carelessly with a deep blue ribbon, fluttered boldly in the breeze, much like the impression Ye Zifei himself left on Ou Xinlai.

When Ye Zifei noticed her black, jewel-like eyes fixed on him, his heart suddenly skipped a beat, and he felt a touch uneasy, as if he’d had a revelation. “Hey, that wound on your forehead—was it Xuan Ye who did it?”

Ou Xinlai nodded. That’s right—Xuan Ye, that scoundrel, had pushed her predecessor to her death, causing her to transmigrate here!

“Xuan Ye doesn’t seem fond of you. I heard he’s looking for a way to break off the engagement.” Ye Zifei, now sitting cross-legged on the ground beside the infamous “ugly girl” of Dragon City, began to gossip. Even seated thus, Ye Zifei radiated a commanding aura, as if the world itself rested in his palm—a presence as vivid and pervasive as ink spreading through water. He was, indeed, a dragon among men.

Ou Xinlai nodded again.

Ye Zifei felt awkward. He’d spoken at length, yet all Ou Xinlai did was nod. He scratched his nose. “Well, how about this? I’m seventeen now, and my family is eager to find me a wife. I find you quite pleasing, and I’m certainly no worse than Xuan Ye. Why don’t you break off your betrothal with him and marry me instead?” Ye Zifei had intended it as a jest, but after saying it, he realized it wasn’t such a bad idea.

Ye Zifei smiled at Ou Xinlai, though for some reason, a trace of nervousness crept into his heart.

Ou Xinlai raised an eyebrow, eyeing Ye Zifei with a touch of puzzlement. His proposal was indeed attractive. Although only the third son of Black Tortoise, Ye Zifei’s abilities were by no means inferior to that scoundrel Xuan Ye.

If it weren’t for the fact that Xuan Ye belonged to the imperial Xuan clan, the title of First Young Master might never have fallen to that wretch.

“Hey, with my qualifications, you still need to think it over?” Ye Zifei waited a while and felt as if he could barely breathe. Unused to this feeling, he broke the silence, “Come on, I’m the third son of Black Tortoise. You’d hardly be making a loss marrying me.” He nearly added that, given Ou Xinlai’s reputation in Dragon City, marrying someone like him would be quite a coup.

Ou Xinlai slowly turned away. “I’m still young.”

With those words, she made it clear that whether it was Xuan Ye or Ye Zifei, she wouldn’t consider either.

Ye Zifei let out a sigh of relief. At least it wasn’t an outright rejection—otherwise, as the Young Marquis, where would he put his pride? He was always the one turning away the swarm of women flocking to him, yet today, he’d nearly been rejected by a little maiden. He’d clearly miscalculated; he should have checked the almanac before leaving home today!