"Calm down," the masked man said, voice low but steady. "I'm not here to hurt you."
Jia Wei Xin struggled harder. "Why should I trust you?" she snapped. "You're wearing a mask in broad daylight! Only thieves or bad guys do that!"
He chuckled, clearly amused. Amid her struggling and flailing, his grip loosened for just a second—and she slipped.
"Oh, shit," she muttered as her balance tipped. At this height, falling off the roof would be fatal.
But before gravity could claim her, the masked man moved—fast. He caught her again, this time pulling her close. Her chest bumped into his, the hold far more intimate now. Jia Wei Xin froze. Definitely not the time to keep fighting.
"That should teach you not to fight me," he said, voice dropping into something darker… smoother. Almost teasing. "You're going to lose. Every. Single. Time."
His breath brushed against her ear, and Jia Wei Xin couldn't help but shiver.
Trying to hold on to her pride, she shot back, "Fine, but you're still wearing a mask. Are you going to rob me or save me?"
He laughed softly. "Let's just say... I'm your guardian angel today. Now, stay still—unless you're really craving another close call with the ground."
"Okay, okay. I'm very still now," she muttered. She figured it was better to cooperate—at least until she got somewhere safe. "Since you're playing the role of angel, can you, I don't know, let me down somewhere not thirty feet in the air?"
He smirked, eyes gleaming behind the mask. "Sure. But first—tell me. Do you really have a husband waiting for you?"
Jia Wei Xin opened her mouth to lie, but he beat her to it.
"Don't lie. Or you're kissing the tiles."
She swallowed. "I don't. But I have a sifu. He'll come looking for me. Very skilled in martial arts, actually."
That wasn't exactly a lie. She had started thinking of Liu Mo Fei as a sifu.
The masked man raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "A sifu, huh? Interesting."
___
With a swift, almost effortless motion, he descended from the rooftop, carrying her like she weighed nothing. They landed in a quiet alley, far from the inn.
Jia Wei Xin stepped back quickly, trying to size him up. "Thank you," she said, sincerely this time. "My name is Jia Wei Xin. But who are you really? I mean, if you're going to keep saving me, I should be able to recognize you."
He hesitated—then reached up, pulled off his mask.
And wow.
Striking was too mild a word. His features were so sharp, so impossibly flawless, they almost looked unreal.
Jia Wei Xin blinked.
That made it two—two of the most ridiculously handsome men she had ever seen. Up close. In one day.
Was she in a drama? A dream?
It was one thing to watch actors look like this from the safety of her couch. But being held by them? Wrapped up in their arms like a damsel in a wuxia fantasy?
This had to be a dream.
She seriously considered slapping herself.
But then decided against it.
Because this dream? This dream was way too good.
"My name is Zhang Tian," he said. "And I'm not exactly human. I'm a demon."
Jia Wei Xin blinked. Hard. "Are you serious? What kind of demon introduces himself like that?"
If he hadn't literally flown her across rooftops, she might've thought he was joking. But no wires. No tricks. No illusion.
Zhang Tian only chuckled.
"Then why save me?" she asked. Then quieter, mostly to herself, "Since when did demons start being kind-hearted?"
His eyes softened. "You must be wondering why a demon would help someone like you."
She internally cursed herself for being so transparent.
"But Jia Wei Xin," he continued, his voice low and steady, "there's something about you that draws me in. Something pure… and captivating. I couldn't let harm come to you."
___
It was true.
Zhang Tian wasn't kind. Not by nature. He was feared, hunted, and dangerous—for good reason.
This was the first time in his life he'd ever saved a girl.
He had been at the inn for business. Tracking someone. Focused. Cold.
And then she walked in.
A girl far too beautiful to belong in a place like that. And brave. She didn't scream or cry. She looked those men in the eye, spun a clever lie, and when it didn't work—she fought back. Quick. Smart.
And when she ran?
He actually laughed.
A real laugh. One he hadn't felt in years.
He hadn't meant to follow. But his feet moved anyway.
Something about her—her fire, her recklessness, her purity beneath the chaos—drew him in. He told himself it was curiosity. Or maybe amusement.
But deep down, Zhang Tian knew it was more than that.
Her heart pounded. Equal parts fear… and fascination.
Even with half his face hidden, Zhang Tian was dangerously attractive—second only to Liu Mo Fei. The mask only enhanced the mystery, drawing attention to sharp, intelligent eyes that seemed to see right through her. His energy was dark, powerful, and impossibly alluring.
She wanted to believe him. But in her world, no one—let alone a demon—offered kindness for free.
She crossed her arms. "Okay, fine. You've made your point. What now?"
"I said I'd keep you safe, didn't I?" he said. "I'll bring you to your sifu. Where is he?"
___
Let me see who this sifu is, Zhang Tian thought, amused. Maybe I'll fight him. Let her see just how much stronger I am.Then, when she's in awe—he'd offer to be her new sifu. Personally.The idea amused him so much, he almost laughed out loud.
If there was no sifu at all—if she had lied to him—then that made things even easier.
He could've just taken her back to his sect right away. No fuss. No waiting.
He was a demon, after all, and not bound by the polite rules of humans. He was only playing along now because part of him believed she might truly be sad if separated from this so-called sifu.
But if there was no sifu?
Then snatching her away would be so much simpler.
And if he did find out she had lied?
He'd definitely find a way to punish her back at the sect.
A very creative way.
At the exact same moment Zhang Tian was amusing himself with wild thoughts—including how he might punish Jia Wei Xin if he discovered she was lying—she, completely unaware, thought of someone else entirely.
For a moment, Jia Wei Xin thought of Liu Mo Fei.
What would he say when he realized she'd wandered off? Would he be annoyed? Would he scold her?
Probably. Definitely.
But he'd come looking for her. She was sure of that.
She took a breath, trying to calm herself. "Probably still in the marketplace. Looking for me."
Zhang Tian nodded. "Stay close. I'll get you back to him."
___
As they started walking through the quiet streets, a sudden shout broke the stillness.
The group of thugs from the inn had found them.
"There she is!"
Zhang Tian's eyes narrowed. He stepped in front of Jia Wei Xin instantly, his aura shifting.
He was fast—unrealistically fast. Within seconds, two men were on the ground, groaning. A third came charging, only to be met with a clean, bone-crunching punch that sent him flying.
Jia Wei Xin's eyes widened. "You're really strong."
He smirked. "That was me going easy."
And strangely—he was.
He could've ended the fight in a blink. But instead, he let the remaining men linger longer than necessary, giving them just enough hope to keep coming.
Because Zhang Tian was… experimenting.
One arm snaked around Jia Wei Xin's waist as he pulled her close, spinning just enough to shield her from a flying punch.
"Oops," he murmured near her ear. "Guess I need to hold you tighter."
Another came at him with a dagger. Zhang Tian ducked, pivoted, and twisted so Jia Wei Xin ended up pressed chest-to-chest against him.
"You okay?" he asked with mock concern, clearly enjoying himself.
He was high-level. Far beyond what these men could handle. But now? Now he was just playing.
Because holding her like this felt… good.
Addictive.
He was a demon, after all. Shameless, curious, and dangerously drawn to her.
On Jia Wei Xin's end, she was in awe. The way Zhang Tian protected her—the ease with which he handled those thugs—it made her heart race. He made her feel protected in a way that was thrilling.
She didn't even realize he was playing with her. That those "accidental" hugs were anything but.
Jia Wei Xin would never have guessed someone could be that shameless.
And yet—she would soon learn she wasn't just facing one shameless man.
But two.
Zhang Tian. And Liu Mo Fei.
Both hell-bent on messing with her life.
Both impossible to ignore.
His presence was unnerving… yet comforting. Dangerous… but safe.
She didn't know what fate had in store. But she was starting to suspect it wasn't going to be simple.
Not with a demon like Zhang Tian watching her back.