"Are you still afraid of my tail?" Su Yan held her gently, leaning down to chuckle softly in her ear. "You seemed very scared of my spiritual body before—my true form. Are you still scared now?"

Jiang Zheyu’s lips were an intense red, like a rose in full, vibrant bloom.

"I stopped being afraid a long time ago..." Jiang Zheyu pursed her lips slightly. They were dazzlingly red, and strands of hair stuck to her sweat-slicked face. Her delicate brows seemed to furrow for a moment.

"Yu Yu, which form do you like best? Human, half-human half-snake, or snake?" Su Yan’s long fingers gently brushed aside a few strands of hair damp with sweat.

"Hm?" Su Yan’s low voice was tinged with a smile.

Jiang Zheyu’s cheeks were flushed bright red. Her brow furrowed slightly again before she slowly, haltingly replied, "Hu... human form."

...

The next day, Su Yan gently kissed her eyes, his own red irises deep with affection. "Yu Yu, wait for me to come back."

"Mhm," Jiang Zheyu nodded.

After Su Yan left, Jiang Zheyu rubbed her aching back and returned to her room to catch up on sleep.

When she woke up, it was already noon.

It belatedly occurred to her, ’Didn’t the Little Princess of the Empire have one of her fits last night?’

Jiang Zheyu leisurely took a bath and noticed that all the windows and French doors had been closed. No wonder she hadn’t heard the Little Princess of the Empire’s tantrum last night.

The palace rooms were especially soundproof when the windows and doors were shut.

She finally remembered what she had meant to do yesterday. She had planned to ask Jin Yu for permission to move out.

But now, Jiang Zheyu thought, if she just kept the windows and doors closed, she wouldn’t hear the Little Princess’s midnight fits. It seemed like it didn’t really matter much whether she moved out or not.

Once she was well-rested, Jiang Zheyu finally left her room. She felt like she had forgotten something.

"Princess Zheyu, Chief Judge Zexun is here to see you." It wasn’t until Xiao Luo came to her side and said this that Jiang Zheyu suddenly remembered.

The meeting Zexun had arranged with her at the flower shop was for tonight. She had spent all of yesterday with Su Yan, tossing her Light Brain aside. Then she had slept all morning, so of course she hadn’t checked her Light Brain. ’Whether I go or not, I should have at least replied to him.’ But she had completely forgotten about the whole thing and still hadn’t responded to his message.

"You’re saying Chief Judge Zexun is already waiting?" Jiang Zheyu asked Xiao Luo, who was beside her.

"Yes, Princess Zheyu. The Chief Judge is waiting in the living room," Xiao Luo replied with a slight nod.

"Okay, I understand," Jiang Zheyu said, hurrying downstairs.

Jiang Zheyu descended the stairs and, sure enough, saw Zexun sitting on the living room sofa.

He was wearing a pink suit again today, but unlike the solid pink one from the other day, this one was adorned with delicate, silver-trimmed rose patterns. It looked as if luxurious, silver-edged roses were blooming all over the pink fabric.

The silver-trimmed roses weren’t gaudy, but they were impossible to ignore, looking like a magnificent portrait of roses sketched in flowing light.

When Zexun saw her coming down, he rose from the sofa. A dazzling smile spread across his calm and gentle face. The man was exquisitely, stunningly beautiful, and his red eyes, holding a fervent emotion, gazed softly at her. "Miss Jiang, please forgive my presumption in coming here unannounced. I simply hadn’t received a reply, and with the meteor shower happening tonight, I felt I had no choice but to come and ask for your answer in person."

Jiang Zheyu stood before Zexun, her expression a little awkward. She hadn’t given the matter a single thought since that day.

After all, her attention had been stolen first by the Little Princess of the Empire’s fits, then by the heroine and Hui, and then by the two men at her side. She had ended up pushing the matter to the back of her mind completely.

Zexun had been relentlessly inviting her out, constantly trying to please and charm her. Naturally, she knew what he was after; it was no different from a persistent courtship.

Zexun noticed Jiang Zheyu’s silence.

He simply smiled faintly and asked, "Is Miss Jiang still in the mood to see the meteor shower tonight?"

His gaze was sincere and clear, his dazzling red eyes so beautiful and filled with such profound acceptance that Jiang Zheyu felt he would be completely understanding even if she were to refuse him.

This made it even harder for Jiang Zheyu to refuse him.

’But what do I really feel for Zexun?’ Jiang Zheyu wondered.

She recalled their previous interactions. Being with Zexun always felt exceptionally comfortable.

’And the man is so strikingly gorgeous.’

Every time she saw him, she was struck by his vibrant beauty. It was as if he made all the colors around him more vivid. His face was exquisitely beautiful, almost aggressively so, yet his demeanor held no aggression at all.

’I wonder if that gorgeous face of his could get any more radiant?’

’Besides, he’s been pursuing me for quite a while now.’ 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Jiang Zheyu also remembered him saying his beast form was a Nine-tailed Red Fox.

The Beast Husbands at her side were a snake and a leopard. Neither was particularly soft to the touch.

’A Nine-tailed Fox has nine tails, and fluffy fur.’

Jiang Zheyu found herself tempted.

’When in doubt, just accept and see what happens.’

"Okay." Jiang Zheyu looked up at Zexun, a faint smile on her face. "Let’s go see the meteor shower together tonight."

Seeing the female’s faint smile, Zexun’s heart began to pound violently. But even as it hammered wildly in his chest, he maintained his gentle and polite smile.

"The timing is perfect right now. Shall we head out?" Zexun said, giving a slight, playful tilt of his head toward the door.

"Alright," Jiang Zheyu replied softly.

Before she left, she called out to Xiao Luo, "Xiao Luo, I’m heading out now."

"Princess Zheyu, Chief Judge Zexun, the guard detail will escort you," Xiao Luo said quietly.

Jiang Zheyu was momentarily taken aback to hear they would have an escort, but she quickly understood. The Empire had guaranteed her protection.

"Okay," Jiang Zheyu replied.

"Sorry to trouble you," Zexun added politely.

"It is our responsibility," Xiao Luo replied humbly.

Soon, Jiang Zheyu left with Zexun, and an Imperial guard detail set off with them.

The vast palace was once again left with only Xiao Luo.

Xiao Luo watched the female’s receding figure, his eyes lowering slightly. ’Perhaps I never should have entertained such thoughts. She and I will never be people of the same world.’

As Jiang Zheyu and Zexun were walking out, they had the misfortune of running right into the heroine and Hui, who were on their way back.

She had been in a good mood listening to Zexun talk about constellations, but the sight of these two instantly soured it.