Chapter 25: You Are No One to Me

"Tong Xiaoman, aren't you supposed to be quite bold? If you're even afraid of the ocean, what kind of boldness is that?" Nalan Che stepped closer to her, his low, wicked voice laced with a hint of sarcasm.

Tong Xiaoman fell silent. She turned, crawled onto the bed, pulled the quilt over herself, and curled into a ball, refusing to communicate with him.

Retreating when faced with a problem—that was not the Tong Xiaoman he knew.

Nalan Che lunged forward, yanked the quilt she was clutching away, and swept her up from the bed in his arms.

Tong Xiaoman struggled in terror, screaming, "Ah... Nalan Che, you jerk... What are you doing... Put me down..."

"I'm taking you to get something to eat. If you don't eat, you'll starve to death." Ignoring her struggles, Nalan Che held her firmly and began walking toward the outside.

Panic descended upon her like a tightening net. Tong Xiaoman slapped at his chest in fear, shrieking, "Let me go! I don't want to go out... Let go of me..."

He acted as if he hadn't heard a word, carrying her straight toward the deck.

"Nalan Che, let go... release me..." It was too much, absolutely unbearable; how could he force her like this?

Tong Xiaoman was so frantic she lost all composure. Grabbing his arm, she opened her mouth and bit down hard.

A sharp sting radiated from his arm. Nalan Che frowned, but he didn't stop her. He let her bite into his flesh, his pace not slowing in the slightest as he continued toward the deck.

The faint, metallic tang of blood spread from her teeth. She had bitten his arm until it bled, yet he didn't even let out a single groan.

When the night breeze, heavy with the scent of the sea, finally hit her, she shuddered violently. Before her eyes lay the dark, endless expanse of the ocean. Her hands gripped his arm tightly, her body trembling uncontrollably. She buried her face into his broad chest, refusing to look up again.

But he wouldn't allow her to play the coward. He set her down on the deck, one arm wrapped around her waist to prevent her from fleeing, while the other hand firmly lifted her chin, forcing her to face the sea.

He whispered bewitchingly into her ear, "Look. The ocean at night is beautiful."

"No, I don't want to look... Nalan Che, you villain, let me go... I don't want to see... You're so cruel..." Tong Xiaoman struggled, her eyes squeezed shut. Just the sensation of being on the open sea made her turn deathly pale, leaving her on the verge of fainting. That he would force her to look was something she couldn't fathom—she had never met a man so ruthless. Oh...

"If you continue like this, you will live in the shadows for the rest of your life. Tong Xiaoman, can't you at least try to stand up for yourself?" Seeing her like this, Nalan Che felt a surge of frustration.

"What business is it of yours... You're nobody to me..." At best, they had only just met; they were practically strangers. How she lived her life was none of his concern.

With her eyes still closed, she hammered at his chest, but the blows only made her own hands ache. As expected of a soldier, his body was as hard as stone.

"Have you forgotten? Yesterday in the church, I kissed you in the presence of God." Nalan Che caught her fists and pulled her tightly into his embrace. It wasn't that he feared her blows, but rather that he didn't want her to hurt her own hands—already, her delicate knuckles were flushed red.

"So what? You forced that kiss on me. I didn't even ask you for compensation, so what more do you want?" Tong Xiaoman retorted, fuming.