My body stiffened while Ah Zong sat before me. Still holding my hand, he leaned down to kiss the back of my hand. “My Queen, my love…”

I felt goosebumps all over but I didn’t take my hand away. Because Ah Zong was always like that and I just had to get used to it.

“Ah Zong, it’s a nauseating remark…” I could say it directly because I knew Ah Zong.

Ah Zong smiled sweetly and leaned on my shoulder. “If it was before, I wouldn’t even dare to have extravagant hopes for such a scene. But today… I can hold your hand and lean on your shoulder to watch the moon with you…” He relaxed his body happily and held my hand as gently as if he was holding a fragile piece of thin ice. “I wonder if I stand a chance… to let you lean on my shoulder to watch the moon with me."

Lowering my face, I blushed.

He sounded like he was talking about the same thing but it wasn’t.

Him leaning on my shoulder meant that he was my best friend.

But me leaning on his shoulder, it would mean that he was… my man…

“Heh… What am I talking about… How could I have extravagant hope of becoming your man…” He chuckled lightly.

I nearly said ‘no’. But I suddenly felt that now wasn’t the time for me to comfort him. It would seem like I was giving him false hope that he could become my man.

I held back because I didn’t want to give Ah Zong the wrong type of comfort.

“In the past… I was the princess in Honeycomb… Those men handed out their most precious resource to see me. I found them silly…” Ah Zong lifted the corners of his lips. His charming lips glistened with tempting moisture under the moonlight. “I didn’t care back then. I took off all my clothes before them and let them watch me, let them spend money… I felt happy because they were silly. But… Ever since I fell in love with you… I suddenly found their gazes… disgusting. I don’t want them to… look at me ever again…”

He turned to look at the side of my face from where he rested on my shoulder. He had never hidden his desire and infatuation. That was why Ah Zong was more real than anyone. He was as clear as the surrounding gemstones.

“Bing… I seem to understand what you said. When I serve you, you will receive bodily happiness but not… real happiness…” He extended his hand towards my face. I looked into his seductive bicolor eyes. His eyes were more beautiful and clearer than any gemstones.

His eyes quivered and his hand paused in the air, merely an inch away from my face. As though he didn’t dare to touch me. Or if he did touch me, I would shatter into pieces before him like a shadow.

“Staying next to you… I felt unprecedented happiness… Bing…” His hand swept past the air, mimicking how he would stroke my face. He blinked his beautiful pair of eyes, and a sudden panic flashed in his clear eyes. He looked down. “I am too filthy… How can I touch you…” He mumbled to himself and retracted his hand. Disgust crossed his face as he looked at his hand. “I…”

“You are not filthy.” I put my hand over his. Stunned, he watched my hand that was on top of his. “You are now my lieutenant. You are my comrade and my best friend. You carry so many identities, and filthy is not one of them."

“Humph…” he chuckled. He laced his fingers through mine. “Bing… I am willing to die for you…”

“I know but I commanded all of you to not die,” I replied solemnly. “You, Ghostie, He Lei, Lucifer, Gru, Pelos, Joey, Sia… Oh yeah, did you see Joey and Sia? How are they doing? Are they okay?”

“Don’t worry. Men will resolve it on their own…” He rubbed himself against my shoulder, his voice sounding drunk. “ You don’t have to worry about Xiao Ying.”

“I am not worried about Xiao Ying, but Joey and Sia. They grew up with Xiao Ying since young. They always thought Xiao Ying only belongs to them. But now, there are more and more men, who are even more handsome than them. Naturally, they would feel depressed.” I had to admit that Silver Snake was much more good-looking than Joey, Sia and Fat-Two.

“If they got depressed over such a small matter, are they…still men?” Ah Zong lifted his hand and tucked my hair behind my ear. “An outstanding woman is like a dazzling sun. Her dazzle attracts women and shines upon the men. Joey and Sia are still like kids. After tonight, they will become men.” Ah Zong held my arm and breathed gently on my ear. “Tonight… I want to be with you…”

“What?! He Lei lost!” I exclaimed in surprise. Ah Zong’s face slid off my shoulder. He looked disappointed. “I see. Did you want He Lei to win?”

“No…”

“No?” Ah Zong’s eyes glistened and he smiled at me. “Then, tonight… I…”

“You can go back and sleep!” Suddenly, He Lei spoke glumly on my other side. His shadow covered Ah Zong’s face.

Ah Zong smiled sweetly. “Aw man. You came very quickly. That’s annoying.” Ah Zong abruptly leaned down and kissed my cheek. “Good night, my King, my love. I lost.”

My body stiffened. My skin that had Ah Zong kissed felt like it was burning.

Ah Zong stood up flirtatiously and smiled sweetly at He Lei. “Are you really a man?”

“Why? Do you want to try?” He Lei’s voice deepened, filled with murderous intent.

“Hahaha!” Ah Zong laughed and stood up flirtatiously. His curvaceous stride was like a queen cat, his pink hair fluttering in the night breeze.

He Lei watched Ah Zong’s back glumly. He only retracted his gaze after Ah Zong left. As though he would only be at ease after he was certain that Ah Zong had truly left.

“What’s up with you? Ah Zong is always like that. Just get used to it.” I glanced up at He Lei, who was still standing there glumly.

He looked down at me for very long but didn’t say anything.

“You have been acting strange lately.” I looked at him suspiciously. “Just be straightforward. No wonder Ah Zong always teases you.”

He furrowed his brows and looked away. “Can you take a walk with me?”

I looked at him for a while before I stood up. “Sure.”

I walked down the stairs from the palace with him. We got further away from the noise in the palace, beyond the reach of the magnificent beams refracted by the gemstones.

The surroundings became quiet, with only lush green sprouts growing in silence under the moonlight.

He Lei didn’t speak, and I followed next to him in silence. I took glances at him but he continued to look forward, seemingly laden with anxiety.