Chapter 36: A Drop of Blood—A Subtle Wound

Anran detected a faint hint of anger in his voice, which surprised her.

"You're going to investigate this? It's too dangerous!" she quickly said.

Though Ricardo was highly skilled, he was still unarmed. The thought of him facing such peril unnerved her.

For a moment, Ricardo felt something warm fill his chest. He chuckled softly, his violet eyes glinting. "Little kitten, are you… worried about me?"

His gaze was so intense that Anran's cheeks flushed. She stammered, "Who… who's worried about you?"

Even as she spoke, Anran realized she sounded defensive. Hurriedly, she changed the subject. "By the way, why are you here?"

Ricardo's lips curved into a smile as he continued to gaze at her. "Little kitten, my name is Ricardo."

Earlier, Anran had called his name twice—a rare occurrence. And yet… he hadn't had enough.

"Alright, Your Highness Ricardo, may I ask why you're here?"

Anran couldn't believe he was being so particular at a time like this. She added, "And my name isn't little kitten. It's Anran."

"Ricardo," he emphasized again, his tone firm.

Not wanting to argue further, Anran relented. "Fine, Ricardo, why are you here?"

A satisfied smile spread across Ricardo's face. "You should thank your friend, Anran Kitten."

Anran Kitten? What kind of ridiculous nickname was that? Hearing it almost made Anran lose her composure. She shouldn't have cared about what he said. Why was it that after she gave in and called him by his name, she ended up with a new title?

Seeing her flustered expression, Ricardo's eyes sparkled with amusement. "You know, you really remind me of the big cat I have at home."

Anran decided to ignore that remark entirely. "You mentioned my friend earlier. Was it Zhang Ning?"

Ricardo shrugged. "I don't know her name. The girl with glasses was locked in a storage room at the school. I heard banging sounds, got curious, and rescued her. Then she told me her friend was in danger and begged me to help."

His smile deepened as he added, "If I hadn't heard the little kitten's name, I wouldn't have bothered."

"Sure. Maybe you're just bored," Anran retorted, her tone dry.

She found it hard to believe that Ricardo had come all this way just for her.

While she was indeed grateful, his smug demeanor quickly extinguished any lingering appreciation.

Ricardo chuckled, his laughter light and mesmerizing. His jet-black hair shimmered in the fading sunlight, casting an almost magical glow.

For a moment, Anran felt a faint, inexplicable flutter in her chest.

"You really understand me, little kitten. I am incredibly bored," Ricardo said with a wink of his deep purple eyes.

Anran was speechless. How had she ever found him charming? It must have been a momentary lapse in judgment.

"Where's Zhang Ning now?" Anran asked.

"Not sure. Maybe at the school gate," Ricardo replied casually.

Looking around the room, Anran began to feel the weight of what had just happened. She shifted her injured leg, and a sharp pain shot through her. Wincing, she rolled up her pant leg and found a few small wooden splinters embedded in her calf. Hurriedly, she removed them, but a trickle of blood seeped from the wounds.

"You idiot!" Ricardo turned away, muttering under his breath. There was a hint of fluster in his voice, a far cry from his usual aristocratic calm.