QT: Don't fall in love with the Male Lead

Chapter 123: Don't become a prize

A funeral silence falls over the entire hall at Su Xueyi's words.

Xi Zirui edges closer to Bai Mi, who wraps her fingers around his elbow, her nails digging painfully into his skin, even over all the layers of robes he's wearing. "What is he doing here?" she hisses.

Xi Zirui would also like to know that, especially considering Ni Ni told him he still had a month before anyone from Brocade Carp clan showed up -- let alone Su Xueyi.

Ni Ni's chime sounds, with an evident note of distress. "Host, Ni Ni swears that's the information she had on the original world, but it's not the first time things go off script."

No it isn't, but it never stops being a pain in the ass.

Han Yu raises from his chair, his sharp eyebrows drawn over his clear eyes. "How dare you invade Coiled Dragon clan grounds?" He raises an accusing finger at the vivid blood dripping from Su Xueyi's sword. "Have you harmed any of my people?"

Su Xueyi ignores him, his eyes fixed on Xi Zirui, who is standing frozen next to Bai Mi, her nails still digging painfully into his elbow.

What will he do if Han Yu tells Su Xueyi to take him?

Han Yu jumps down the dais, his robes billowing behind him as he lands gracefully in front of Su Xueyi.

"Above all else, young master Xi is a guest in our clan, and he will leave only if he wants to," Han Yu says, his eyes narrowed in contempt at Su Xueyi. "I believe we should hear from him first."

A wave of relief crashes over Xi Zirui, making his shoulders slump. "I want to stay with his Highness," he says, making his way towards Han Yu.

A shocked yelp leaves his lips when Han Yu's arm wraps around his waist and pulls him to his side. 

Su Xueyi's face immediately crumples at the sight of Han Yu's possessive hold on Xi Zirui.

"Rui-er, come back here," he calls, his voice thin and watery. Xi Zirui sees the sword trembling in his shaking fingers. 

Xi Zirui doesn't move from Han Yu's side, and even takes the opportunity to clutch at his robes, in a way he hopes is sufficiently helpless and endearing to evoke pity -- if nothing else.

He looks up at Han Yu, and the heat he sees reflected in their clear depths surprises him.

Uhm, so his plan might have worked after all?

Should he be tanking Su Xueyi?

The man in question looks ready to cut Han Yu down with his bloody sword, his lips pulled back in a vicious grimace. "What have you done to him, Dragon Prince?"

Han Yu smirks and pulls Xi Zirui against his chest, shielding him from Su Xueyi's view. He closes his eyes and takes a whiff of his sleek hair, savoring the scent with a blissful smile. "I didn't do anything. An extraordinary kunjun like him will only submit to an extraordinary qianjun. He knew I was his mate the moment he saw me."

His grip on Xi Zirui's waist grows tighter. "He only acted according to his nature, and chose the qianjun who would breed him with the strongest, healthiest clutch."

This stupid dick-measuring contest shouldn't be making Xi Zirui as hot and bothered as it is.

There's something wrong with him if the word 'clutch' can make his breath come up short.

Su Xueyi's eyes are flaming with barely restrained hatred. "We have been engaged since birth! Rui-er is my mate."

Han Yu scoffs. "Clearly, he's not."

Bai Mi clears he throat loudly and makes her way to the center of the room, boldly positioning herself between the two of them.

"Young master Su, I understand that this is a disappointing outcome for you, but young master Xi has already made his choice, so if we could perhaps settle things in an amicable fashi-"

Su Xueyi cuts her off by spitting loudly on the floor. "Fuck you dragons and your superiority. You were the ones who invaded our clan grounds and kidnapped Rui-er."

"That's a very common courtship ritual-"

Again, Su Xueyi doesn't give Bai Mi time to finish. "Among members of the same clan! Who gave you the right to invade our territory and take one of our own?"

Xi Zirui has to hand it to Su Xueyi, he does make some valid points. 

He feels Han Yu tense at his side, and knows he's thinking the same thing. "Very well, I accept your counterclaim."

Su Xueyi's eyes flash and he brandishes his sword towards Han Yu again, advancing a step before being stopped by several guards. "What counterclaim? He was engaged to me first!"

Xi Zirui doesn't know what's going on. Is Han Yu giving him up?

"Be that as it may, he's now engaged to me, and there's only one way to settle this," Han Yu's hand tightens on Xi Zirui's hipbone. "I challenge you to a mating dispute. The winner takes young master Xi."

Xi Zirui gives him an affronted look. Where is his say in all of this?

Ni Ni chimes, slightly panicked. "Host, it's a great honor for a kunjun that two or more qianjun will dispute the privilege of mating him. It would be considered odd for Host to show displeasure at the idea."

Xi Zirui swallows down his protests and remains stoically silent at Han Yu's side.

Su Xueyi ponders this for some time. "How many challenges?"

"Three, testing different skills that will show which one of us is more apt at being young master Xi's mate," Han Yu says.

Bai Mi lets out a sigh of relief and claps her hands together. "If both participants agree to the dispute, we can go ahead and start preparing the challenges."

Su Xueyi thinks this over for a moment before finally nodding.

"Excellent, I'd like to invite the gathered guests to stay in the palace a while longer in order to witness the mating dispute."

Her words meet with a chorus of excited assent, as all the gathered guests don't want to miss out on the opportunity of seeing to powerful qianjun go at each other for the right to mate.

It's all very base, but who is Xi Zirui to judge?

Oh right, -- he's the prize.

"Who will judge petition?" he asks, looking up at Han Yu with a frown.

Han Yu smiles at him. "Naturally, Rui-er should be one of the judges."

Su Xueyi's nostrils flare at hearing Han Yu address him with such propriety. "In that case I want the cousin who accompanied me here to be one of the judges, as well."

Han Yu nods beatifically. "Very well, my trusted captain of the guard will be the other judge." He grins. "Three judges for three challenges."

The killing aura is still coming off Su Xueyi in thick oppressive waves, but at least he doesn't seem to be on the verge of starting a massacre any longer.

Bai Mi takes advantage of the minute calmness and flicks her fingers at the servants to start ushering guests out of the main hall. "You'll be escorted to your rooms, and a hot meal will be delivered later in the evening. I apologize for the short notice, and thank you everyone for staying behind."

She edges closer to Su Xueyi, glaring up at him. "Young master and anyone who came with him will be given rooms of their own, but first I want to know the reason for the blood on your sword." The corners of her lips tick up. "Just to make sure whether young master Su's room should have barred windows or not."

---

Xi Zirui doesn't stay around long enough to find out how Bai Mi handles Su Xueyi, although he badly wishes he could have witnessed it.

A servant approaches him as soon as Su Xueyi leaves with Bai Mi and escorts him back to his room, he barely has the time to steal one last look at Han Yu's regal profile before the hall doors close behind his back.

"I'm sorry young master, but you'll have to stay in your room until the mating dispute tomorrow," the servant says after Xi Zirui is back in his room.

Her words don't fully register until she leaves and Xi Zirui hears the sound of a key turning in the lock.

Xi Zirui lets himself fall against the bed with a groan. He was hoping he could sneak away and find Han Yu, maybe ask him about the sudden change of heart that prompted him to challenge Su Xueyi so brazenly. 

And sexily, fuck. Xi Zirui hides his face in the pillows to muffle a growl of frustration.

He wants nothing more than to ride Han Yu into the next week, and hear him say all those insane things -- about 'breeding' and 'submitting' and heavens help him, even 'clutch', -- that make his stomach somersault madly.

Hes trying to pull himself back from his feverish thoughts about what 'breeding' might entail, when the sound of something outside his window draws his attention.