Chapter 3 — The Crown Prince's Xa Te

I immediately stiffened and did not move. His fingers slowly slid across my back, touching the dull scales due to lack of nutrients. The movements were very light, as if checking something. Or just caressing? Goosebumps all over my body. A noble dragon, caressing a lowly fat snake? It's so weird. It scared me even more than him killing me. He touched very carefully, from the head, to the spine, even gently lifting the tip of the tail. I was as stiff as a rock throughout that process. Finally, he retracted his hand and looked thoughtful. "Stay here later." He announced. I was stunned. Stay here? In this splendid glass palace? Why? Won't you kill me again? I looked at him vaguely. He turned around and walked to the jade kettle next to him, the water filled with spiritual energy. "There," he pointed to a soft nest woven from heavenly silk and brocade, "is your place." The nest looked warm and comfortable, truly ten thousand times better than my tattered snake cave. But I just feel scared. “Why… why?” I mustered up the courage to ask. He glanced at me, the golden light in his eyes flashing: "You need to gain a little more weight." Fat… more? I thought I heard wrong. Aren't we already too fat? Furthermore, capture me and lock me up in this glass palace just to make me fat? What kind of strange hobby is this? The electric door quietly closed. I heard the restrictions fall layer upon layer outside. We are imprisoned. Alone in a luxurious, empty palace. I timidly crawled around to investigate. The walls and gates all contain powerful forces that I absolutely cannot break. The water in the warm jade tank is filled with spiritual energy. After a few sips, you will no longer feel hungry. The nest is indeed soft and smooth. But I can't sleep. Fear and uncertainty torment us. The next day, he came again. Brings many spiritual fruits and immortal paths. He ordered us to eat it all. I didn't dare to resist, so I ate it all under his eyes. He seemed a little more satisfied. Then he reached out again and caressed my scales. This time the stop was longer. I was still stiff, but it seemed like I was getting used to that strange contact. His movements were very gentle, even careful. Occasionally he stopped at the small cracks on my scales and gently caressed them. Day after day passed like that. I was locked in the glass palace, every day I only ate the spirit fruit he brought, and then let him caress my scales. Indeed, my body is visibly fatter. The scales also become smoother and brighter, and under the light of the palace, they still reflect light. He comes very regularly, once a day. Sometimes I just sit and watch you eat, touch the scales for a while and then leave. Sometimes I stay longer, sit next to you and handle the work, leaving you curled up in the nest and sleeping soundly. He is no longer cold and angry like before, but he rarely opens his mouth. That peace makes me even more insecure. Like the calm before the storm. In the end, what good do we do? Get fat and then be killed to make snake soup? Or do my scales have special uses? Countless terrifying speculations swirled around in my head. Finally, I don't know how many days he was imprisoned. After stroking my scales, he suddenly opened his mouth. "Almost there." He spoke softly, an incomprehensible light flashed in his golden eyes. My heart skipped a beat. Almost there... am I almost fat enough to be slaughtered? He looked at me, his eyes became strange, even a little... tense? He took a deep breath, then did something that made me stunned. He walked to the middle of the hall, a place always covered by a layer of soft light, which I had never seen clearly. He waved his hand to chase away the light. Revealing what's inside. It's an egg. A giant egg, emitting pale golden light and a powerful aura of life. On eggshells there are complex and mystical patterns that naturally form. He carefully caressed the fruit

eggs, there was a gentleness in his eyes that I had never seen before. Then, he turned to look at me, waving his hand gently. "A Vien," the first time he called my name, his voice was low but carrying an irresistible pressure, "come here." I hesitated, my body was fatter than before, moving clumsily, crawling little by little closer. He gently touched my scales, his eyes falling on that mysterious egg. Then he said something that made me feel like I was struck by lightning. "Stay with me to hatch the eggs, okay?"