The next day, the news of my father successfully breeding the Snake Emperor spread widely.

People kept coming with generous gifts, their intentions self-evident.

Such attention made my father very pleased. He proudly placed the egg in the most conspicuous position in the snake farm, but didn't allow people to observe it up close.

He grabbed me by the back of my neck, disgust evident in his voice, "Take good care of my precious, or you'll regret it."

I knew my father had never given up on the idea of marrying me off to the village bachelor, Old Li.

He just wanted to squeeze out the last bit of value from me.

I had to perform well to stay here.

I nodded, lowering my eyes, "I will, Father."

No wonder the blanket felt so familiar. Upon careful recollection, I remembered seeing it before in my mother's closet. It was her dowry.

This egg must be the so-called "Snake Emperor" they mentioned.

I looked at the cracked egg and a smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

That night, the news of the birth of the Snake Emperor spread across major headlines.

My father was ecstatic and named him Zhaozhao.

Zhaozhao was born with a distinctive physique, resembling a two or three-year-old child, and he ate a lot on regular days.

But my father placed him in the snake farm and followed the rules of snake rearing.

I touched his head and said, "Zhaozhao, let's eat."

Zhaozhao looked around with his big eyes, innocently opening his mouth.

I felt a sharp pain and quickly withdrew my hand. My fingers were already covered in fresh red blood.

He had bitten my hand again, countless times since his birth.

Zhaozhao's gaze turned cold, his pupils dilated, but suddenly softened when our eyes met.

Not dwelling on it too much, thinking about the present situation was more urgent—I had to stay and not marry that foolish wanderer, Old Li.