Who understands? The aloof female ruler always flirts without even realizing it.

The moment the sweetness spread across his taste buds, Locke's golden pupils suddenly contracted.

It immediately retreated reflexively, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

The momentary blankness on her face was quickly replaced by icy anger, and a noticeable blush uncontrollably crept up her cheeks and ears, forming a stark contrast with the icy coldness in her eyes.

"you--!"

The female insect's voice seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth, filled with disbelief, as if she hadn't expected this silly thing to suddenly pull this stunt.

He raised his hand, his knuckles rubbing hard against the corner of his lips that had just been kissed, as if trying to wipe away something unclean, but the slightly damp touch and the faint milky scent lingered like a brand.

Miller regretted it the moment he kissed her.

No, he didn't regret it at all.

More accurately, they chickened out.

Impulsiveness is the devil, but now the devil has retreated, leaving him rooted to the spot by Locke's insect-killing gaze, his hands and feet ice-cold.

My heart stopped for a moment when I saw the other person raise their hand.

Damn it, I didn't even get my girlfriend, and now I'm going to get beaten to death. What was I thinking, acting like a scoundrel?!

However, Locke ultimately did not hit him.

That hand, with its distinct knuckles and immense strength, drew a rapid arc in the air, and finally…

"Snapped!"

A crisp, loud slap landed squarely on Xiongzi's left cheek.

The blow was forceful; Miller's head was knocked to the side, and a clear five-finger mark instantly appeared on his left cheek, burning with pain.

"Aww—"

The boy covered his face, wincing in pain, but inexplicably felt a sense of relief.

Fortunately, it was just a slap; they didn't throw him out or kill him on the spot.

If I had known, I would have kissed him a few more times; at worst, I could have been kissed on the right side.

……

Two hours later, the luxurious hovercar, decorated with beautiful dolls, came to a smooth stop in front of the solemn and magnificent main gate of the palace.

The car door opened, and Locke got out first.

He has regained his meticulous, gentle, and dignified demeanor.

His silver-gray suit accentuated his tall and straight figure, and his long hair was neatly combed, making him look extremely handsome. However, if one were to observe closely, one might notice that the corners of his lips were pursed tighter than usual.

Immediately afterwards, Miller also got out of the car, albeit reluctantly.

He wore a formal suit adorned with subtle silver patterns, the tailoring of which perfectly accentuated his tall and imposing figure.

However, what caught the insect's attention most was the clearly visible, slightly swollen red handprint on its left cheek.

The two insects, one in front of the other, walked towards the palace gate entrance in a subtly intimate manner.

The place was already packed with guests, elegantly dressed and bustling with celebrities and dignitaries from all walks of life.

Shen Yan was exchanging pleasantries with several nobles near the entrance. Although they didn't know each other, they still exchanged polite words. After all, he would be the regent in the future, and he would be in frequent contact with nobles and officials.

We still have to put on a show.

As we were talking, I suddenly spotted them, especially the unmistakable mark on Miller's face.

A gleam of intense interest immediately flashed in his eyes. After a brief apology to the person he was talking to, he greeted them with a smile.

"You've arrived."

The man smiled broadly, but his gaze swept across the young man's face like a searchlight, finally settling on the handprint. He deliberately winked, his tone filled with undisguised curiosity:

"Hey, what happened to your face?"

Upon hearing this, Locke let out a very slight "pfft" sound from his nose. Although he quickly suppressed it, the slight upturn of his lips still betrayed a hint of his pleasure.

However, he didn't say anything, but simply crossed his arms leisurely.

Miller's face instantly turned bright red, even the tips of his ears turned bright red, and he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

He scratched his head awkwardly, his eyes darting around, avoiding Locke's gaze, and could only stammer an explanation to Shen Yan:

"Ah... I had an allergic reaction... Maybe... maybe I came into contact with something unclean..."

He himself felt guilty about saying that.

Shen Yan drawled out an "Oh—", his eyes darting back and forth between Miller and Locke.

His expression clearly showed disbelief, but he considerately didn't call it out, instead smiling and patting the other person's shoulder.

"Then you'd better be careful... Come on, the ceremony is about to begin, I'll take you inside."

Led by Shen Yan, they passed through the bustling front hall and entered the more solemn and magnificent inner palace.

The atmosphere here is more solemn, as the banquets and ceremonies are held in the front hall, so there are no guests here.

In the rest area next to the inner hall, Karandel was holding and playing with Shen Lan'an, chatting casually with the nanny.

The little one was dressed up like an exquisite doll, wearing a special white coronation gown embroidered with gold thread, her delicate and adorable face exquisitely beautiful.

He clearly didn't understand what this occasion meant for him, and was waving his fleshy hands energetically, playfully grabbing his female father's long, icy blue hair, having a great time.

The little guy had quite a strong grip, but Karandal didn't seem to mind, his eyes full of indulgence and tenderness.

Shen Yan couldn't stand this. When he saw his wife being bullied, his eyebrows immediately shot up.

She took a few steps forward, skillfully and gently snatched the strand of blue hair from the little one's hand, and carefully pulled the giggling Shen Lan'an into her arms.

She deliberately put on a stern face, grabbed the little one's rosy cheeks and pulled them outwards, scolding him in an exaggerated tone:

"You naughty thing, you're never well-behaved! Why are you always bullying your father? Hmm?"

Xiao An'an thought her father was playing with her, and laughed even more happily, revealing her pink gums. Her little hands then reached out to grab Shen Yan's bow tie.

Seeing his master's protective attitude, Kalandal smiled helplessly and reached out to take the cub back:

"My lord, stop fooling around."

"An'an is currently in a stage where she's curious about everything, so pulling her hair wasn't intentional."

"Give it back to me, he'll need his milk soon."

Shen Yan, holding the cuddly baby, became displeased upon hearing this, shoved the baby into the nanny's arms, grabbed his wife's hands which were dangling in the air, and kissed them a few times, showing a bit of possessiveness towards the food.

"What's there to drink? Didn't we already say we'd wean her at one month old? Now it's about time to do it."

However, Miller, standing to the side, widened his eyes in surprise upon hearing this, clicking his tongue in astonishment and forgetting the pain on his face, he couldn't help but interject:

"Ayan, are you really An'an's biological father?"

"What a cruel heart."

Looking at the soft, chubby little baby in the nanny's arms, I felt a surge of affection and blurted out:

"Don't just let me play with you... no, let me hug you!"

"Dream on! My child is someone only I can bully."

Shen Yan deliberately emphasized the word "bully," conveying a strong sense of possessiveness and intimacy.

"If you want one, go have one yourself!"

"How can I give birth if I don't have that ability!"

Miller's face instantly turned bright red, making the handprint less noticeable.

Almost instinctively, she retorted, but before she could finish speaking, as if she had thought of something, she unconsciously glanced at Locke beside her.

That one glance seemed to ignite some kind of fuse.

Last night, Locke's seductive charm during his soothing moments; his melodious moans; the fleeting, milky kiss in the restaurant this morning; Locke's astonished expression; the unconscious licking of his lips; and the crisp slap...

All the images flooded into my mind instantly, intertwined with indescribable excitement, shame, and secret desire.

He abruptly lowered his head, no longer daring to look at any insects, feeling his heart pounding like a drum and his blood buzzing in his ears.

Locke took in Miller's series of reactions, and naturally didn't miss the last stolen glance and the instant blush on his face.

A complex emotion flashed in his golden eyes, a mixture of anger, mockery, and perhaps even a hint of something strange that he himself was unaware of.

He snorted coldly and turned his gaze elsewhere, seemingly uninterested in the embarrassing state of the stupid male insect beside him.

Shen Yan and Kalandall exchanged a knowing glance. As experienced individuals, they could clearly see the unusual atmosphere between the two insects.

An'an babbled and made her presence known in the nanny's arms, waving her little fists, completely unaware of the undercurrents surging among the adults.

The solemn tolling of bells echoed throughout the vast inner hall, signaling the imminent commencement of the coronation ceremony.

The relaxed and warm atmosphere was instantly replaced by solemnity and grandeur.

Attendants began to guide the guests to their seats, and the royal guard of honor marched in with perfect uniformity.