In disdain, Yin Xiaoxiao coldly snorted at Lu Xiaohuang.
Hei Aban silently entered his familyâs cave. He really didnât want to lose this snake, so he should stay away for a while.
After Lu Xiaohuang finished laughing, he and Yin Xiaoxiao entered the cave.
As soon as Yin Xiaoxiao entered, he realized that, compared to his familyâs cave, this cave was much smaller. But then he recalled the bad sleeping habits of all six young snakes and his Pop and Dad sleeping in the back of the cave, and he subsequently ignored this.
He could tell that this cave had been lived in for a long time, not like his familyâs cave, in which Pop and Dad had only resided since laying their eggs. Although they had already been living there for a month, it still had something undeniable like a new house smell. In comparison, Lu Xiaohuang and Hei Abanâs cave was different. As Yin Xiaoxiao would say, it really had that old house smell.
Yin Xiaoxiao discovered a large corner of the cave was covered in grass. It looked as though it had been attacked by a snake. He didnât know if it was Lu Xiaohuang or Hei Aban who liked to sleep on the grass bed, but it was still green and the grass still had a sweet scent. It seemed as though this grass was changed at least every two days, or perhaps even every day.
The mouth of the cave faced southwest. Inside the cave, the climate was cool and refreshing. Perhaps, for another snake, the temperature might be a little low and the direction the cave mouth faced would have been unsatisfactory. But Yin Xiaoxiao really liked it. Heâd have liked it even barring the caveâs climate, just because the cave faced southwest. Every evening of everyday, before the sun set, he could lie in the twilight on the cave mouth. The temperature wouldnât be hot, wouldnât be cold, but just right. What a beautiful thing! So unlike his own familyâs home, which got who-knew-how-much sun every day and no sun in the evening!
While Yin Xiaoxiao was giddy at these thoughts, Lu Xiaoxiao was a little worried. âXiaoxiao, do you like our cave? I-I know our cave is very small and doesnât even face a good direction. Do you disapprove of it?â
Yin Xiaoxiao wanted to blink in confusion. How unfortunate that he didnât have eyelidsâŠ
âNot at all. I think itâs very nice!â Yin Xiaoxiao replied, beaming.
From Yin Xiaoxiaoâs smile, Lu Xiaohuang felt his sincerity which made Lu Xiaohuang feel really happy. Very happy! He hadnât expected that, after he and Hei Aban had become a couple, there would still be snakes that were capable of accepting him and Hei Aban!
Lu Xioahuang had absolutely no idea that Yin Xiaoxiao wholly without any inherited memories. To Yin Xiaoxiao, the situation looked like this: Lu Xiaohuang and Hei Aban were both vipers; he was also a viper; if that werenât enough, they were neighbors; Lu Xiaohuang and Hei Aban didnât appear to be very weird <sup>1</sup> . So, what wasnât there to accept?
âXiaoxiao, I have bird eggs at home. Would you like some?â Lu Xiaohuang happily asked.
âBird eggs?â The expression on Yin Xiaoxiaoâs face was peculiar. He really wasnât sure if he should express thanks to Lu Xiaohuang for his kindness or if he should rejoice that Lu Xiaohuang had invited him to eat bird eggsâŠ
âYes, yes. I like to snack on bird eggs between meals, so everyday Aban brings me back bird eggs.â When Lu Xiaohuang mentioned Hei Aban, his voice became especially sweet. âAh, thatâs right. Yesterday, I still had a few bird eggs left over, and today Aban brought back five more. Letâs eat them together, okay?â
Yin Xiaoxiao silently counted them in his head, then expressionlessly stated, âThereâs not enough.â
âHuh?â Lu Xiaohuang was a little puzzled. âXiaoxiao, you say that there arenât enough bird eggs?â
âReally?â Lu Xiaohuang sized up Yin Xiaoxiaoâs body, doubt clear on his face. âDonât try to show off, Xiaoxiao.â
âI eat at least a dozen bird eggs each meal!â
ââŠâ Lu Xiaohuang was silent. Could it be that his previous perception of this child <sup>2</sup> was wrong? What lovable? What adorable? What kind-hearted and considerate? This child, was basically just a foodie <sup>3</sup> !
Hei Aban opened his mouth to say, âIâll go and get more.â
Stars in his eyes <sup>4</sup> Yin Xiaoxiao began to droolâŠ
By the time that Yin Xiaoxiao returned to his senses, Hei Aban had already disappeared.
And so, Yin Xiaoxiao and Lu Xiaohuang took and split the bird eggs they had, and Lu Xiaohuang specifically gave Yin Xiaoxiao an extra.
And so it was decided. Hei Abanâs actions proved that Lu Xiaohuangâs previous impression of Yin Xiaoxiao was wrong.
The two snakes finished eating bird eggs, then lay on the ground, belly up, and began to chat.
âThe first time I saw Aban, I was only 23 years old (Yin Xiaoxiao: OnlyâŠ23 yearsâŠ) and seven years from adulthood. At that time, Aban was already 55 years old, but he was still alone. The first time I saw Aban, I immediately knew that it would be absolutely impossible to live without Aban for the rest of my life.â
âSo, I began to woo Aban. At first, Aban rejected me every time in that very blunt way of his, but I still didnât give up even a bit. I believe that Aban will stay together with me until the end.
âYou see, what I believed in has finally been achieved. Now, Iâm 36 years old, Aban is 68, and weâve already been together for ten years. Iâm really very happy.â
As Lu Xiaohuang said that he was very happy, Yin Xiaoxiao stared. He didnât look very happy. Although he knew that the other snake must have left something unsaid, Yin Xiaoxiao didnât ask. If Lu Xiaohuang wanted to tell him then, even without pressing him, he would tell him.
âHei Aban and I have been together for ten years, but we still havenât had any children. Although Aban has been comforting me and saying that it doesnât matter, that he also doesnât really want children, I know Aban is very fond of children. If only we could have children.â
ââŠXiaoxiao, do you think Iâm talking too much <sup>5</sup> ?â Lu Xiaohuang asked, suddenly.
âNot at all.â
ââŠIs..Itâs been a very long time since Iâve spoken to a snake other than AbanâŠit was good to run into you todayâŠâ Lu Xiaohuang murmured. What he said confused Yin Xiaoxiao. Even if there were few snakes in this mountain, it wasnât like there was no one to talk to. At the very least, there was his family and Lan Yiyiâs family. However, Yin Xiaoxiao also didnât air these misgivings. No matter how stupid he was, even he realized that there was something a little wrong with this situation! And knowing himself, it was probably because he didnât inherit any of those inherited memories! Cpme on, this was just too much bullying for one person to bear!
And as Hei Aban dragged back a nest, densely packed with eggs, he saw two snakes sleeping belly-up. Hei Aban released his tailâs grip on the birdâs nest he had been dragging, and lightly slithered over to Lu Xiaohuang. He nuzzled a kiss against Lu Xiaohuang.
Xiaohuang, I know that, during these years spent with me, you suffered many hardships. But I love you. No matter what happens, I wonât abandon you. For my life, you have <sup>6</sup> to stay with me.
Lu Xiaohuang and Yin Xiaoxiao awoke almost simultaneously.Upon waking, Yin Xiaoxiaoâs head swam. It seemed that he hadnât slept much! Poking his head out of the mouth of the cave, Yin Xiaoxiao looked and, sure enough, the sun was only now beginning its descent behind the mountains.
âXiaoxiao, Aban returned with a lot of bird eggs, quickly come eat!â And so the obviously-needs-to-return-home Yin Xiaoxiao was tempted by Lu Xiaohuang. The two snakes squeezed next to each other to eat the bird eggs together, both of their tails raised in satisfaction. Uh, hey! You know you two obviously arenât dogs, right?!
Aban watched these two foodies <sup>7</sup> devour all the bird eggs in the nest he had dragged backâŠ
As a species evolved and grew, it came to know beauty and ugliness. So too was it with the vipers. In the wake of their increased life expectancy, increased ease of life, increase in wisdom, etc etc, so too did they begin to care about beauty and ugliness. As such, after finishing eating something, a viperâs shape would change. It was common knowledge that snakes are slender and that, after eating, it was very easy for the stomach to assume the shape of the food. Vipers felt this was very ugly. And so, during the course of the vipersâ blah blah blah blah blahâŠafter a viper ate something, it was also unlikely that its shape would stick out of the body! Congratulations! Truly worthy of commemoration!
Therefore, the figures of the two snakes lying on the ground became obviously bloated as Lu Xiaohuang and Yin Xiaoxiao finished eating the many bird eggs!
Lu Xiaohuang and Yin Xiaoxiao really felt very happy, undeniably so! Two snakes eating bird eggs together felt completely different from a snake eating bird eggs on its own! It was in that moment that the two snakes felt a sense of camaraderie <sup>8</sup> arise.
It was now very, very late, and Yin Xiaoxiao really, really did not want to move. But, Yin Xiaoxiao also did not want to be grounded by Hua Xiaohua for coming back so late! So, Yin Xiaoxiao insisted that he needed to return. Lu Xiaohuang insisted on seeing Yin Xiaoxiao back. Hei Aban had no choice but to helplessly follow along behind two snakes who would slither forward two paces then rest on the third.
âYou can just bring me to the bank of the brook. I can return by following the brook.â Yin Xiaoxiao slowly said. Ah, he really wanted to sleep.
ââŠOh, right,â Lu Xiaohuang replied, also slowly. Ah, he also wanted to go to sleep.
By the time Yin Xiaoxiaoâs party of three slithered to the riverbank, the sun had already completely descended behind the mountains, and the sky was wholly dark.
Yin Xiaoxiao, and Lu Xiaohuang and Hei Aban said their goodbyes.
âUncle Lu, Iâm leaving. Uncle Lu, can I call you Xiao Lu?â Lu Xiaohuangâs disposition was really unsuited to being called an uncle, making it feel undeniably awkward.
âOkay.â Lu Xiaohuang replied. Yin Xiaoxiao, this child, his appetite <sup>9</sup> was like his own. If he became his elder, then it wouldnât be fun to play with him!
âŠHei Aban stayed silent during this. Hey hey! Now really, could an appellation really be changed this easily? Was this really happening? Huh? Was this a joke?!
âUncle HeiâŠUncle is so much older than I, so Iâm going to keep calling you uncle, okayâŠ.next time I visit, you must speak a few sentences to me so I can enjoy listening to your charming voice.â Yin Xiaoxiao chuckled mischievously.
Okay, thatâs enough. Yin Xiaoxiao you only ate! Itâs not like you drank! Hello! Pay attention to your image!
ââŠâ was Hei Abanâs answer.
Then the three snakes went their ways. Yin Xiaoxiao unhurriedly slithered off. Hei Aban and Lu Xiaohuang stood for a moment and watched before heading back.
Yin Xiaoxiao didnât know how long heâd been slithering, but it definitely hadnât been for long before he heard many voices shouting for him.
âIâm here!â Yin Xiaoxiao yelled, straightening his full stomach. Then, he saw several thin shadows quickly crawling towards him.
âYin Xiaoxiao! Didnât I say to return before it gets dark? Have you seen what time it is already? Itâs already dark!â Yin Xiaosiâs head almost collided with Yin Xiaoxiaoâs.
Yin Xiaoxiao shrank back a little. Yin Xiaosi, do you have to be excited? âWell, Si-ge, as you can see, Iâm back! Letâs go home, letâs go home!â
Yin Xiaosiâs face was dark, anger resting heavily in his heart. He turned his head then slithered away. This brat made him so angry that he couldnât even speak.
Very innocently, Yin Xiaoxiao looked around at his older brothersâ faces. Yin Xiaoxiao indeed felt a little guilty. They had been worried about him, hadnât they.
Yin Xiaoxiao was really very remorseful. Hua Xiaowu encircled him in a hug. âLetâs go, Xiaoxiao.â
Realizing that everyone else had already turned to leave. Yin Xiaoxiao obediently followedâŠonly, Yin Xiaoxiao had eaten until bursting. Right now, to Yin Xiaoxiao, the young snakes ahead were moving at lightspeed!
Without any other option, Yin Xiaoxiao looked on helplessly as the young snakes ahead pulled further and further away as he slithered along slowly in the rear. Ah, but thatâs right. Behind Yin Xiaoxiao was still Hua Xiaowu.
T/N: I literally have no idea whatâs going on with technology. I couldnât post on Wednesday because we lost electricity in the storm. I posted on Thursday, but checking today showed that there was no post??? Iâm so sorry. I hope this time itâll stay up.