In the backyard of the Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce, inside Ji Ya’s room in the living area, Yan Zhen and Long Ying—who had reverted to her loli form—sat side by side. They devoured the food on the table like a whirlwind, scooping rice, snatching vegetables, and chewing away in eerily perfect sync, as if they’d rehearsed the motions a thousand times. Suddenly sensing something, they shoveled another bite while turning to face each other, blinked several times, and set their bowls down in unison.
“Don’t copy me.”
“It’s Yan Zhen Zhen copying me!”
“…You’ve got rice stuck to your lip.”
“Huh? Yan Zhen Zhen’s got some too!”
Yan Zhen shot Long Ying a sidelong glare, and she fired one right back.
The two locked eyes, big staring into little.
Cai Lian watched them from nearby like they were a pair of fools, disgust plain in her eyes—as if she were ashamed to be lumped in with them.
Yi Xian’er, meanwhile, felt a twinge of envy at their easy camaraderie. Even after that intimate moment earlier, there was no awkwardness between them at all; they’d slipped straight back into their usual carefree rhythm.
Ji Ya broke the silence.
“Little Brother Yan Zhen, what’s your next move?”
Yan Zhen scooped the loli dragon girl onto his lap and rubbed her little belly while replying.
“I’ll head to the Pill Refiner Association to pick up my prize first, then go see Grandpa.”
“Sister already sent someone to let Grandpa know you’ve woken up. He won’t be worrying anymore… No need to rush, Little Brother Yan Zhen.”
“Mm, thanks, Sister Ji Ya.” Yan Zhen blinked and tested the waters. “You all want to tag along?”
Cai Lian propped her chin on one hand and turned away.
Yi Xian’er gave a slight shake of her head.
Ji Ya said, “Better not for now. Grandpa still can’t wrap his head around us. Once you’ve sorted the engagement mess, Little Brother Yan Zhen, that’s when we’ll pay him a visit.”
“Ahem.” Truth be told, Yan Zhen felt the same but had asked just in case they took it the wrong way. “Sorry to inconvenience you all for the time being.”
That “you all” made Cai Lian bristle even more. Fine, Ji Ya was one thing—but Thousand Fiends? Hmph!
Yi Xian’er might be Master Chen Xi’s handpicked disciple’s daughter-in-law, but Cai Lian wasn’t about to voice her objections outright. Still, she had her pride and silently swore she’d never share a bed with that killing woman again, come hell or high water. If Yan Zhen tried to force it, she’d show him no mercy!
Yan Zhen picked up on his snake snake wife’s sour mood and sighed inwardly. The bad blood between these two queens wouldn’t clear up overnight; it’d take time.
Yi Xian’er asked, “When are you planning to go to Cloud Heaven Palace?”
Yan Zhen scratched his cheek. “Right after visiting Grandpa. I got a message from Wenqing saying that while I was out cold, she went back there with Yun Xiu. Sounds like Jiuyou showed up too. You all met them?”
The three women mumbled vague affirmatives, their faces anything but relaxed.
Yan Zhen frowned in confusion.
Long Ying piped up from his lap. “We did! Back when everyone was arguing, Demon Woman Sister barged in to stir the pot, and then Master Chen Xi hauled us all inside for a lecture.”
She’d been the only one spared—and even got praise. Hehe~
—Wait, Master? What the hell?
Yan Zhen jolted upright, a chill running down his spine at the implications. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” Cai Lian said, eyes closing to mask her guilt. “Just girl talk. None of your business.”
When she stonewalled him, Yan Zhen turned to Yi Xian’er. She batted her lovely eyes and “backstabbed” her rival with the truth.
“Yun Xiu and Huangfu Wenqing dropped by earlier. Myriad Snake got jealous and picked a fight with them.”
“Who said jealous!” Cai Lian snapped, eyes flashing. “If you can’t talk straight, shut it… And don’t act like you were uninvolved—we were on the same team back then!”
Yi Xian’er stayed perfectly serene. “Sister Ji Ya and I hardly said a word the whole time. You were the one going toe-to-toe with Yun Xiu. It was obvious, Myriad Snake—your jealousy was through the roof. Not a good look, especially since we’ll all be sisters soon.”
She turned a sweet smile on Yan Zhen, as if coquettishly boasting, See how well-behaved I am? Nothing like Myriad Snake~
She knew her Tea Art.
“You!”
Cai Lian gaped at her in utter disbelief, gaining fresh insight into Yi Xian’er’s shameless depths.
Just days ago, they’d set aside their feud to gang up on Yun Xiu, with Cai Lian carrying the whole fight while the others slacked off. Now Yi Xian’er acted like her hands were clean, flipping to Yan Zhen’s side like a weathervane to throw her under the bus.
Where was a person’s basic decency?
“A clash?” Yan Zhen’s heart lurched. “You didn’t actually fight, did you? No one got hurt?”
“Oh, Little Brother Yan Zhen, don’t worry— it was just some verbal sparring,” Ji Ya soothed. “Everyone knows the score. She Ji Sister only lost her cool because she cares about you.”
Another squeaky-clean dodge, framing it as Cai Lian’s solo beef with Yun Xiu while they played neutral spectators.
Good Big Sister knew her Tea Art too.
Cai Lian huffed in sullen silence, cheeks puffed out.
Yan Zhen eased Long Ying back to her seat and stepped up to his snake snake wife.
Cai Lian’s heart skipped as her husband’s shadow fell over her, a wave of sudden anxiety washing through.
Without his past-life memories, he’d probably see her sniping at Yun Xiu as nothing but petty nonsense.
The more he cherished Yun Xiu—his first love—the more he’d resent what she’d done.
But even if he hated her for it, she wouldn’t apologize.
“This Sovereign did nothing wrong.”
“Mm. It’s my fault for not giving you enough peace of mind.”
Cai Lian’s head snapped up to meet Yan Zhen’s gaze, brimming with tender affection. Her unease dissolved into a warm glow.
He cradled the Female Monarch’s cool, striking features with grave sincerity. “Once I’ve wrapped everything up, I’ll give you and Yan’er the stable home you deserve. Just bear with me a little longer, alright, Cai Lian?”
Under that gaze, his snake snake wife flushed crimson and murmured a soft assent.
Seeing that rare glimpse of her yielding side set Yan Zhen’s pulse racing. He leaned in and claimed her lips.
Cai Lian shivered but didn’t pull away. She melted into his loving kiss, then turned the tables—looping her arms around his neck to devour him in return, lost in the bliss of their shared breath.
Long Ying watched from the side, tiny hands clamped over her eyes in shy protest. Her fingers, though, splayed wide open as she studied the scene with rapt attention.
Ji Ya and Yi Xian’er stared in stunned silence. She Ji screws up and not only dodges punishment but gets rewarded?
At long last, the pair parted lips. Cai Lian came back to herself, cheeks burning under the other three’s odd stares. She dabbed her mouth with the back of her hand, gave Yan Zhen a light shove, and schooled her features into icy nonchalance—as if nothing at all had transpired.
Yan Zhen ducked his head, scratching bashfully. It stirred memories of first-love butterflies.
“Ahem.” Yi Xian’er cleared her throat with a wistful edge. “It wasn’t entirely Myriad Snake’s fault. I got involved too, so… punish me as well, Yan Zhen.”
Ji Ya chimed in right after. “Little Brother Yan Zhen, Sister had a hand in it too. I lied to you just now—sorry~ Punish me however you see fit. No complaints here.”
Yan Zhen stood there, utterly speechless.
Cai Lian shot them both withering glares.
Shirk responsibility at the first sign of trouble, then scramble for a share of the rewards? Have they no shame?!
