Come Live With Me (Su Yanlan’s Perspective)

Just moments ago, I was kissed—suddenly, desperately—by a scumbag.

Because I threatened to peel her skin, she leaned into the blade and kissed me, hugged me—just to escape pain.

I don’t know what I felt. A mess of emotions.

Few people have ever initiated contact with me.

Even with my ex, though I had no desire for intimacy, I was always the one in control.

Yet now… I let her go.

Even treated her wound out of some strange impulse.

Now, that same trash—Qin Yue—sits before me, fingers clenched, quietly agreeing to my terms.

She sold herself to me.

Price: twenty gold notes.

Truthfully, my blood-stained coat isn’t worth that. Not even with the food I gave her.

But does it matter?

In this transaction, I hold absolute power.

I say it’s worth twenty—then it is.

Others might argue.

But not Qin Yue.

Her body is covered in bruises—not just the fresh cut I gave her, but older marks too.

I know who made them.

The leader.

Qin Yue is the leader’s lover. No—toy.

So I’ve bought a used item?

That’s about right.

Now that she’s agreed to my unreasonable demand, her feelings no longer matter.

Gently, I cup her unharmed cheek, stroking the soft skin.

Too thin. Not pleasant to touch.

Her gray eyes are confused. Her face wears that familiar, practiced smile.

Qin Yue always smiles like this.

Is she truly happy? I doubt it.

But I do enjoy seeing her smile. Maybe I’m not entirely dark—compared to tears, a smile is simply more entertaining.

And hers always works.

Qin Dai told me—Qin Yue is good at pleasing people.

“Miss Yanlan… please stop pinching.”

Her fingers unclench, reaching to stop my hand—but halting halfway.

She knows better.

She lets me continue, doesn’t interrupt my idle play.

Truthfully, she looks pitifully adorable now.

Exhausted. Wounded. Yet still forcing that smile—just to survive.

If she weren’t my enemy, I might actually pity her.

I don’t care much about her past crimes. But she did steal from me.

Qin Dai said she hit Qin Yue for stealing food meant for her dead lover.

I hit her too—just now—for daring to kiss me.

And the leader? Has she harmed her? I don’t know.

Among the three of us, Qin Yue probably fears the leader least.

After all, she serves her every day.

As a shameless scumbag, she likely doesn’t mind the act itself.

“Come live with me.”

I pull my thoughts back, my hand sliding from her cheek to her golden hair.

When she said she could smell like me… I admit, I was tempted.

Not romantic temptation.

I just wanted a pet.

Not just her scent—her entire existence. I want to dye her in my colors.

Then, when it ends, when I finally end her, her screams will be mine.

I’ve never killed something that stayed by my side for long.

“That… Miss Yanlan, you know I have to serve the leader every day.”

She hesitates. Of course. She doesn’t want the leader knowing she’s close to someone else.

“Haa…”

I don’t reply. Just smile softly, placing a gentle hand on her swollen right cheek—the one I slapped.

It’s a threat.

Same as the business card I gave her on our first meeting.

“O-okay… okay, Miss Yanlan… please take your hand away… it hurts…”

She lowers her head again, begging.

Was my slap really that heavy? Just touching it makes her tremble.

Will it heal properly if left untreated? I wonder.

Actually, Qin Yue isn’t ugly.

She’s just… broken.

A strange kind of beauty—this shattered state where she looks like she might die any second.

Honestly, most normal girls would’ve collapsed after such treatment in just a few days.

But Qin Yue? Surprisingly resilient.

“Miss Qin Yue… if I turned you into clothing and draped it over your grave… would you like that?”

A joke. I wouldn’t do it.

Tailoring and skinning are separate hobbies. I don’t mix them.

“Haha… ha… Miss Yanlan, you’re… joking, right?”

Her body stiffens. She stares at me, uncertain.

Am I already the worst of her three tormentors in her mind?

“Mm… just kidding. You’re still hungry, aren’t you? I’ll cook. Pick a warm coat, go home, pack your things. Move in today.”

I remember our earlier “agreement”—for her to make me like her.

I don’t know if she remembers. Probably forgot.

After all, she broke her promise the very next day.

Yes, I’m still upset about that.

I know the weather wasn’t suitable for going out.

But I hate broken promises.

To those who betray contracts, I become unusually cruel.

“Huh? T-today? I can’t… the leader said she’d come to my house tomorrow. How about the day after? If nothing else comes up, I’ll come then. Okay?”

She stands, then slowly kneels, gently holding my hand—pleading.

I don’t like this.

I don’t like being treated like royalty.

I’m not above anyone. Say what you mean—I’ll agree if I want to, refuse if I don’t. Begging changes nothing.

I’m annoyed.

But I understand—someone as strong as Qin Yue is afraid now.

Am I really that terrifying?

“It’s fine. The day after is okay. Get up.”

I see her legs trembling.

She must be in pain.

Ravaged by the leader, dragged through snow, stabbed, slapped.

She’s exhausted.

“I’m a strange person, aren’t I?”

I say it softly, helping her up—and pulling her into a hug.

No real reason.

Just so the bitter almond scent clinging to her won’t return.

She said she could be my scent.

“Miss Yanlan?”

Her voice is laced with disbelief.

Out of her sight, I smile.