Samus knelt before Shen Zhiyi.

"I didn't mean to hide the promotion from you." He carefully reached out to touch Chen Zhiyi's fingertips.

But she stepped on his chest with her crystal shoe and pushed him away.

Samus lowered his eyelashes, looking at the toe of the shoe that was pressing down on him, and his eyes suddenly darkened.

"My sudden upgrade isn't very stable yet, and I was planning to tell you after it stabilized a bit more." His breathing quickened. "I was afraid it might just be a false alarm, disappointing the princess..."

He looked up, his gaze fixed intently on her.

I don't want to disappoint you.

Shen Zhiyi's brow twitched slightly.

She withdrew her foot from his and placed her hand on the hem of her skirt, moving closer to him.

“What about the illusion?” she asked.

"Even if you can't be completely sure it's fake, that cage is a real glass cage."

"You know perfectly well that once you go in, you won't be able to escape."

Why go?

Samus's gaze swept over her beautiful and serene face, his expression softening for a moment, and he said in a low, husky voice, "As long as it's you, even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance that it's true, I'll still try."

"I promised you I would protect you."

Even if it were an abyss that would swallow him up, he would jump in for the slightest hope of saving her.

“I’ve thought about it,” Samus said. “If it’s fake, if it’s an illusion created by someone to deceive me, all they want is my life.”

"I'd rather not have this life than lose you."

"Anyway, it has always been despised and nobody cares."

He lowered his eyes, his expression somber.

He was on the verge of madness when he heard the news that the princess was going to spend the night with Leo.

He was as good as dead.

If that's the case, what's wrong with exchanging his life for hers?

Shen Zhiyi's heart was filled with turbulent emotions.

She bent down, her fingertips tracing his face, her gaze gentle as she swept over his features, and whispered, "Didn't you hate me the most?"

"How could you be so stupid?"

She only touched him with her fingertips, but Samus pressed down on her wrist, pressed his face against her palm, and rubbed it against her palm.

“Yes… I hate you,” he said hoarsely. “I hate how you stir my emotions, how just standing there makes me tremble.”

"I hate that you allow me to get close, but never let me truly have you."

He turned his face and gently kissed her fingertips, asking, "Have you held hands with anyone else here?"

"They say you're going to stand with Leo for a long, long time, and spend the whole night with him, is that true?"

A storm raged within him.

His gaze was like a hook, sticky and dark, hooking her in.

"Princess...why won't you kiss me?"

His tone was mournful and dejected.

Shen Zhiyi pressed her hand to his lips, her fingertips sliding down to gently lift his chin. She brought her red lips close and breathed softly, "I only touch what belongs to me."

Are you my possession?

Her warm breath brushed against his lips, and their noses were only inches apart.

Her gaze was fixed on him.

Stirred by a frantic desire, Samus closed his eyes and offered his soul to her completely.

"Yes."

"I am yours."

"Samus belongs only to the princess."

Shen Zhiyi slightly curved her lips, leaned down, gently pressed her lips to his, and then parted.

A warm, soft touch, carrying a sweet fragrance, gently brushed against him.

Samus felt as if he were being electrocuted.

He opened his eyes and met Shen Zhiyi's seductive gaze, and every part of his body felt like it was on fire.

He couldn't wait to catch up and capture her lips.

He reached out again, pressed down on the back of her head, and fiercely and domineeringly pried open her lips and teeth, wrapping them around his beloved tongue, and savoring it wantonly and passionately.

So soft...so fragrant...

He was almost intoxicated by her fragrance, by the tenderness and permission she gave him.

The princess, as sweet as honey, is something you can never get enough of...

Samus's muscles bulged all over.

He wrapped his arms around Shen Zhiyi's waist, leaned in, pulled her into his embrace, and pressed her against the sofa back and his hot, broad chest, kissing her deeply and insatiably.

"Ugh... Samus...you're so heavy..."

Shen Zhiyi lost her strength and was forced to hook her arms around his waist and his neck, with only her shoulder blades against the backrest.

It was as if the person was clinging to him.

He kissed her until she lost all strength.

Her limbs went weak, and she protested, pushing him away, "Bastard... let me catch my breath..."

Samus swallowed her sobs.

He sighed and bit her lips, "Princess...Princess...I love you so much..." He held her waist and slowly licked her slightly swollen lips, "How about one more time?"

"I can't control it, and I can't stand it."

"Even if the princess is going to punish me later, I can't stop now."

"I want to kiss you again."

His fiery lips followed again.

Shen Zhiyi dodged away, panting slightly, her fingertips piercing his hair, a hint of helpless amusement in her eyes, "Samus, why are you acting like a dog?"

Samus raised his head, gazing at her with a deep, unwavering look, and persistently repeated, "Snake, I am a snake."

"Is the princess thinking of other males?"

Besides lions, what else is there?

He buried his head in her neck, his tall body trembling slightly.

"I will cling to you for life. What we snakes are best at is entanglement."

"Don't even think about getting rid of me."

Shen Zhiyi relaxed her fingertips and gently stroked his black hair, smoothing out all his unruly traits like stroking his fur.

Why would I send you away?

She conjured an ice arrow in her palm. "This is for you."

“I went to the auction not for Leo, but for you.”

Samus looked up abruptly, staring at the Ice Feather Arrow, a look of shock flashing in his eyes. "You went to Ice Crystal City because of me?"

"Is this bow and arrow a gift for me?"

Shen Zhiyi's red lips curved slightly as she pinched his earlobe. "Are you deaf? Why are you repeating what I said?"

“I went to see Leo to make it clear to him that there will only be a superior-subordinate relationship between us, nothing more.”

Don't believe the rumors circulating outside.

"Just trust me."

Samus's chest heaved, and a burning fire ignited in his eyes.

"And what about me?"

What is our relationship?

Shen Zhiyi chuckled: "You are this princess's beast husband."

She pinched his cheek. "If you want, you can be my only beast husband."

"Then why won't the princess agree to be my wife?" Samus grabbed her hand, his eyes filled with resentment.

Shen Zhiyi raised an eyebrow, her calf gently hooking and slowly tracing the snake's tail.

Going upwards, suddenly stopping.

"You really want to?"

Samus agreed.