Chapter 11

“But is this really alright?” Lan Yiyi turned to look at Yin Xiaoxiao as he was dragged off to the side by Yin Xiaoyi.

“It’s fine. It’ll be alright. Xiaoxiao can take care of himself.”

“But…why did Xiaoxiao go into the water a? It’s very cold, you know.” Bewildered, Lan Yiyi stretched his head towards Yin Xiaoyi’s. “It’d be much nicer if everyone could bask in the sun together! Wouldn’t it be even better if Xiaoxiao could also have fun with all of us?”

Yin Xiaoyi felt a little impatient. “Xiaoxiao doesn’t like to sunbathe. He prefers places that are pleasantly cool!” Was this guy really three months older than him? He was so pesky.

Lan Yiyi felt wronged but didn’t speak. Obviously, he was only concerned about Xiaoxiao, okay!

Unable to endure the coldness of the riverbank, the young snakes stood ten paces away. When they saw Yin Xiaoyi and Lan Yiyi return, they all rushed to surround them.

“Why did Xiaoxiao go into the river? It’s cold!” This was Hua Xiaowu.

“Why? I thought Xiaoxiao was going to drink the water. Why did he go in?” This was Hong Erer.

“I think I understand.”

“Me, too.”

This was Hua Xiaoer and Hua Xiaosan.

“Xiaoxiao is going to freeze to death.” This was Lan Sisi.

As a result, Yin Xiaoyi and Lan Yiyi began to explain to everyone why Xiaoxiao wanted to come to the riverbank if it wasn’t to drink water. Although the reason seemed quite outrageous, the young snakes who had come to play soon put it out of their minds.

Amongst this crowd of young snakes, Yin Xiaosi felt only grief and anger. So it really was true that the viper clans were becoming more stupid and careless, huh?

“…You guys play. I’ll go and watch Xiaoxiao.” Yin Xiaosi interjected, then he immediately slithered over to Yin Xiaoxiao. Of course, Yin Xiaosi didn’t enter the water like Yin Xiaoxiao, and he didn’t get too close to the water. Instead, he lay on the ground and watched Yin Xiaoxiao.

He really was worthy of being our family’s Xiaoxiao! Yin Xiaosi saw Yin Xiaoxiao leisurely resting in the water, tail swinging and splashing the water, water arcing beautifully. Hmph, hmph. Only our Xiaoxiao was capable of that! What’s so extraordinary about snakes sunbathing?! Any snake could do that! Could any other snake other than Xiaoxiao soak in the bathe in the water?! None! Not a single one!

And thus, Yin Xiaosi’s young heart brimmed with great pride. Our family’s Xiaoxiao was unique and unparalleled!

Ah, he was obviously still a child…

While Yin Xiaosi attentively watched Yin Xiaoxiao, Yin Xiaoxiao had already noticed Yin Xiaosi. Yin Xiaoxiao didn’t mind. Being watched didn’t hurt. If you want to look, then look.

Yin Xiaoxiao looked over and saw the young snakes playing. It was only a quick glance, but even that filled Yin Xiaoxiao’s face with black lines ¹ .

Please, you call this playing? He bit him. He swung his tail? Come on, that can’t be it! This is so boring! Undeniably boring!

Yin Xiaoxiao felt some sympathy for these snakes’ childhood. This was really, too boring, okay?

Yin Xiaoxiao could no longer watch them.Taking another peek, Xiaoxiao feared that his intelligence would decrease! (Do you think that your IQ is really that high??)

As time passed, the sunshine grew stronger, and the ambient temperature also steadily increased. The water also warmed. To Yin Xiaoxiao’s body, it continued to feel very cool and refreshing. But for his head…

And so, from time to time Yin Xiaoxiao also stuck his head under the water for a few seconds before emerging again.

And Yin Xiaosi, attentively watching Yin Xiaoxiao, was sacred to death when he saw Yin Xiaoxiao stick his head under the water. Later, when he saw Yin Xiaoxiao dunk his head under again, he began to laugh. Why? The reason was very simple…

Everytime Yin Xiaoxiao dunked his head, unconsciously his tail would poke up out of the water and wave to and fro. It was really very cute! It tickled Yin Xiaosi’s heart, and he wished he could run over to Yin Xiaoxiao and cuddle him!

As the temperature began to climb, the young snakes stopped playing and noisily fighting and collectively lay on their stomachs, sunbathing. Once they were warm on one side, they would immediately flip and continue to bask on the other side. The first time, Yin Xiaoxiao had carelessly lifted his head and glanced over at the young snakes, the corner of his mouth had begun to twitch. It was almost as though they were pan pies ² …

While sunbathing, some took the opportunity to doze. Lan Yiyi avoided looking at Hua Xiaowu. Thankfully, he was far away! This thing ³ drooled in his sleep!

As the temperature gradually fell, the young snakes recovered from their laziness and transformed into lively dragons and animated tigers ⁴ , beginning to fight and play again. Yin Xiaoxiao had also felt cooled. He emerged from the brook and slithered over until he was next to Yin Xiaosi. Together, the two watched that group of guys bite and thrash.

“Si-ge ⁵ , you don’t have to watch me now,” Yin Xiaoxiao said, his words carrying the unspoken meaning: ‘Yin Xiaosi, you can go off to play and fight with those guys now!’

“Do you think that I’m that stupid?” Yin Xiaosi quietly said in an indifferent manner. Then he turned his head so as not to have to look at the bunch of fools not so far away.

Speechlessly, Yin Xiaoxiao also turned away. Hey, he couldn’t just let Si-ge think he was stupid!

Then, Lan Erlan and Hong Sanhong came over to them.

Oh, Lan Erlan and Hong Sanhong was Lan Yiyi’s father and pop.

So, Yin Xiaosi and Lan Yiyi made their farewells, greeted Lan Erlan and Hong Sanhong, then immediately turned to head home.

At this time, Hua Xiaohua and Yin Dabai were home.

Yin Xiaoxiao carefully looked at Hua Xiaohua’s shy and angry expression and looked at Yin Dabai’s smug and dopey expression. Intuitively, he knew that something must have happened today.

While eating bird eggs, Yin Xiaoxiao pondered over what must have happened to Hua Xiaohua and Yin Dabai, to no avail. He gave up. In any case, he was unlikely to get anything from either Hua Xiaohua or Yin Dabai if he asked. ‘And regardless,’ Yin Xiaoxiao thought to himself, encouragingly, ‘in the future, I’m sure one day I’ll know what happened!’

It was while he was eating his eggs that Yin Xiaoxiao suddenly realized a problem! If it was this warm in summer, would he freeze to death in winter?!

“Before winter, I have to eat many bird eggs! Wait, are there even any bird eggs during winter?!” Yin Xiaoxiao was deeply concerned.

“Winter?” Off to the side, Hua Xiaowu, who had been watching Yin Xiaoxiao dine on bird eggs, sucked in some drool. “There’s no winter here! All four seasons are like summer!”

“Huh? There’s no winter?” At this, Yin Xiaoxiao felt relieved. If only the summer temperature could be a little cooler, then it’d be pretty good.

“For half the year, it’s only a little cooler than it is now. Yin Xiaoxiao, you’ll definitely like it,” said Yin Xiaosi as he passed by.

Yin Xiaoxiao shot a contemptuously glance at Hua Xiaowu. Such important information and you didn’t bother to mention it! Hmph. And look! Still staring at my bird eggs! How hateful! As fast as lightning, Yin Xiaoxiao swallowed the last egg, spat out the shell, then left a grieving Hua Xiaowu behind, head held high.

That night, Yin Xiaoxiao slept especially soundly. Even twisted up into a m á huā was tolerably. It was probably only because of exhaustion after all that slithering today, right?!

T/N: I must have had a brain fart because I didn’t post Saturday’s chapter on Saturday. Instead, please accept a double post today.

Footnotes

<ol>referring to the sort of lines that are seen in anime, used to denote emotional states 烙馅饼: I believe refers to something that looks like this Hua Xiaowu 生龙活虎: idiom meaning vigorous and lively 哥: ge means elder brother</ol>