CW: [relatively] graphic descriptions of humans eating live baby rats. It will be hidden in endnote 7 in the paragraph that starts In the normal course of events
Ever since going to the riverbank and lighting a fire to bake eggs, Yin Xiaoxiaoâs whole family became very enthusiastic about, what Yin Xiaoxiao would refer to as, picnics, going there several nights in a row. Naturally they cleaned up, but there was nothing that could be done to restore the grass and whatnot. Still, Lan Yiyiâs family hardly ever went to that downstream part of the brook so they never found anything unusual. Yin Xiaoxiaoâs family didnât go much later on. Overtime, the grass that had been pulled out and burnt grew again, buffeted by the spring breeze.
For three months Yin Xiaoxiaoâs entire family of snakes continued enthusiastically baking eggs, then interest soon waned. For Yin Xiaoxiaoâs family, the majority of the reason for eating cooked eggs was for the sensation of temperature experienced in the process of eating and the early stages of digestion. The remaining reason was out of curiosity, amusement, trying it out, etc etc. Thus, even managing to remain enthusiastic for three months was quite extraordinary. Ultimately, when all was said and done, eating food raw was the best for wild animals. Naturally, Yin Xiaoxiao wasnât going to force any snake against their natural instincts. But of course, Yin Xiaoxiao wasnât going to give up eating cooked food.
But something like fire, as far as Yin Xiaoxiaoâs entire family of snakes was concerned, wasnât only some curiosity, amusement and so on. An attitude was seen from Yin Xiaoxiaoâs family making a fire every night. Everyoneâs daily schedule changed so that they developed, like humanity, the bad habit of going to bed late and waking up late. Yin Xiaoxiao secretly, guiltily, reflected on his past mistakes. But a snakeâs life was only eating, sleeping and playing where no one was burdened with pressure. Gradually, Yin Xiaoxiao felt that this kind of lifestyle wasnât not good.
Hua Xiaohua had a kind of âadmire me, envy meâ mindset and wanted to tell Hong Sanhongâs family about making fire. Yin Dabai stopped Hua Xiaohua and, exceptionally solemnly and earnestly, called for Yin Xiaoxiao. âXiaoxiao, do you agree to tell the other snakes about making fire (âŠstrange question)?â
Very conscientiously, Yin Xiaoxiao thought on Yin Dabaiâs words then, very earnestly and seriously, confessed his opinion. âI think itâs best not to.â
Yin Xiaoxiao thought, âNot all organismsâ abilities grow and develop in accordance with humanityâs. For humanity, fire was very important, but that doesnât mean that itâll likewise be important for vipers. Even if vipersâ evolution does follow that of humanity, that doesnât mean that I should brazenly meddle. Even if snakes later use fire to cook food and evolve four limbs to wear clothes, that doesnât mean that I, someone who doesnât even know why Iâve turned into a snake, should be the one to direct it.â
After that, this matter was shelved. Hua Xiaohua didnât tell other snakes, and, contrary to what Yin Xiaoxiao had thought, Hua Xiaohua also didnât seem gloomy or disappointed. This really allowed Yin Xiaoxiao to let go of his worries.
While it was kept from Hong Sanhongâs family, it wasnât from Hei Aban and Lu Xiaohuang. Afterall, that day, Hei Aban personally saw all the snakes in Yin Xiaoxiaoâs family surrounding a bonfire. Not only was the fire unhidden, but heâd even eaten bird eggs that had come out of the fire. Afterward, Yin Xiaoxiao stealthily escaped to go and find Hei Aban and Lu Xiaohuang to explain this strange occurrence. Hei Aban listened, didnât tell anyone and didnât ask that Yin Xiaoxiao teach them how to make a fire. Actually, Lu Xiaohuang constantly had baked bird eggs on his mind. At first, Yin XIaoxiao often smuggled some to Lu Xiaohuang. Later, Yin Xiaoxiao became really frustrated and just taught them how to make fire. After that, Lu Xiaohuang wouldnât stop baking bird eggs. Unlike Yin Xiaoxiaoâs family of snakes, who simply liked the change in temperature, Lu Xiaohuang, much to Yin Xiaoxiaoâs joy, sincerely liked eating cooked food. Hei Aban didnât know if it was his imagination, but he always felt that, after Lu Xiaohuang ate cooked eggs, each time they made love Lu Xiaohuang (added for clarity) lasted longer and longer. In other words, Lu Xiaohuang used to be a weak recipient <sup>1</sup> but was now developing into a strong recipient <sup>2</sup> .
Speaking of Hei Aban and Lu Xiaohuang, it must be mentioned that Yin Xiaoxiaoâs familyâs attitude toward Hei Aban and Lu Xiaohuang changed. Naturally, this happened before when Yin Xiaoxiao still had yet to teach Lu Xiaohuang to make fire. For a period of time, Hei Aban and Lu Xiaohuang would come near Yin Xiaoxiaoâs familyâs home so that Yin Xiaoxiao could smuggle them cooked eggs. Yin Dabai saw them when Yin Dabai, not Hua Xiaohua, ran into Yin Xiaoxiao and Hei Aban surreptitiously coming and going (âŠspidey senses were tingling <sup>3</sup> ). But he didnât shout or scream. He only, with a dark face, called for Yin Xiaoxiao to come home. Lu Xiaohuang had been very worried, knowing that he and his were the reason why Yin Xiaoxiaoâs father was angry. Of course, Hei Aban wouldnât let Lu Xiaohuang lose the only friend heâd had in the past however many years and so, under the careful and watchful eyes of Yin Xiaoxiaoâs family, he went to speak with Yin Dabai. What was said was unknown but Yin Dabai acquiesced, allowing Yin Xiaoxiao contact with Hei Aban and Lu Xiaohuang. Yin Dabai even suppressed Hua Xiaohuaâs protests.
What followed could only be expected. Even if, in the beginning, only Yin Xiaoxiao, Hei Aban and Lu Xiaohuang were friends, as time slowly passed, the young snakes also became friends with Hei Aban and Lu Xiaohuang. Later, Yin Dabai and Hua Xiaohua softened towards them <sup>4</sup> . While it wasnât wrong to guard against Mo and Hei snakes. However, ultimately, the sentiments of the viper clans werenât complicated. After being in contact with Hei Aban and Lu Xiaohuang for a while, their kindness could be felt. Yin Dabai and Hua Xiaohua werenât unreasonable snakes. Of course they knew that there were both good and bad Mo and Hei snakes, but theyâd never had contact with them before and they were guarded. Now, with more time and after finally seeing that Hei Aban and Lu Xiaohuang were sincere, Yin Dabai and Hua Xiaohua had no reason to continue rejecting Hei Aban. Although their relationship hadnât progressed to the point of resembling the one with Hong Sanhongâs family, Lu Xiaohuang and Hei Aban were already very satisfied. Whatâs more, they still had one close friend and five friends! Oh, thatâs right! The words âclose friendâ was taught to Lu Xiaohuang by Yin Xiaoxiao.
As time passed, the young snakes grew larger and larger. Yin Xiaoxiao was no exception, although he still couldnât compare to his brothers. Nevertheless, he still grew bit by bit. Initially, every several days Yin Xiaoxiao would go to the rock measuring growth where he tested <sup>5</sup> himself and each time he would be very disappointed. Later, Yin Xiaosi couldnât stand it any longer and he resolutely stopped Yin Xiaoxiao from going there for a month. Going back a month later, Yin Xiaoxiao very happily found that he had grown two centimeters!
Oh, thereâs still one thing worth mentioning, and itâs that Yin Xiaoxiaoâs meals improved. Yin Xiaoxiao still couldnât eat eggs 108 different ways. There were still only two options â eating them raw and eating them cooked. That, along with his brothersâ mooching and wanting to speed up his own growth, had Yin Xiaoxiao decide to eat meat! What? You say that eggs are meat? Hmph, who pays attention to you!
Decided, Yin Xiaoxiao began to carry out his project. Hua Xiaohua and Yin Dabai were very happy to hear of their Xiaoxiaoâs decision. After all, as a snake, spending a lifetime not eating meat would be impossible! Hua Xiaohua and Yin Dabaiâs happiness directly led to them bringing back as many dead rats as they could the next time they went hunting, which, in turn, led to Yin Xiaoxiaoâs face turning green.
âAaah! I donât eat rats, I donât eat rats!â Yin Xiaoxiao desperately rolled about on the floor. He had the sense that no snake in the world could understand his sense of frustration. Hey, hey! Youâre a man! Of course no snake could understand you!
Hua Xiaohua, very patiently, asked Yin Xiaoxiao, âXiaoxiao, what do you want to eat?â
Yin Xiaoxiao grunted as he stood up from the floor, his face wooden. âWhat do we snakes eat? Aside from rats!â
âBirds, although catching birds is very troublesome. Frogs, but not often; afterall we donât like to go near the river. Lizards, only these guys are hard to find. Moles, but the last time your father caught you one, you didnât like it either. Snakes, the non venomous ones are our food. Uh, oh thatâs right, also all kinds of insects.â
Yin Xiaoxiao: ââŠâ
Yin Xiaoxiao felt a sense of despair. Even through layer and layer of difficulties, he wanted to eat meat! Insects, lizards, moles, and whatnot, it wasnât fair! Birds were acceptable, but eating both birds and bird eggsâŠYin Xiaoxiao was laden with grief. In the future wouldnât he really turn into a bird? FrogsâŠwere acceptable if roasted! But frogs were beneficial animals! (Hey, hey!!) SnakesâŠalthough it was quite normal for vipers to eat non-venomous snakes, to him it seemed similar to cannibalism, okay?!
In the normal course of events, Yin Xiaoxiao having been reborn as a snake should have meant that heâd be able to live a snakeâs way of life. But Yin Xiaoxiao could still recall his previous incarnation. How could he get through eating raw rat and the like? Fortunately, he was reborn like this here. If he had become an ordinary snake, perhaps he might have already starved to death. Yin Xiaoxiao couldnât be blamed. If you had been born as a human, eating wild boar, deer and whatnot, that would still be acceptable. At worst, it would be a return to humanityâs primitive era. But eating raw ratâŠYin Xiaoxiao wanted to vomit. At this point, Yin Xiaoxiao remembered that, when he was still a human, he heard that in the South there was a meal called âThree Screams <sup>6</sup> . What is this dish? <sup>7</sup>
Cough cough Got side-tracked. Returning to the main point. In short, after much hesitation, Yin Xiaoxiao decided that birds and frogs were the two species that he could view as victuals. Thus, every time Yin Dabai and Hua Xiaohua went hunting, they returned with birds and frogs. Of course, the recipe was still to wrap it in mud and throw it in the fire. The first time the snake family had tasted it, they refused to eat it again. Yin Xiaoxiao guessed that, ultimately, snakes were still wild animals. It wasnât surprising that they couldnât get used to cooked food.
Yin Xiaoxiaoâs whole family lived contented with their lot <sup>8</sup> in this mountain. Ten years passed in a flash.
T/N:
Footnotes
<ol>ćŒ±ć: literally weak receiver/recipient; refers to a âbottomâ with weak stamin a ćŒșć: a âbottomâ who is more active è§ćŸćȘéæȘæȘç: this sentence couldnât be translated very easily. Individually, the words mean sensation+non-specific place+strange, which I took to mean that YDB sensed that something strange was happening over where he found YXX and HAB. But there were no verbs or subjects in the sentence, so have a comic book-based idiom that conveys the same sense as the Chinese added for clarity æŻć: literally means to gesticulate, but can also mean to compete äžć«: literally, three screams/shouts/yells; on snopes, itâs called âthree squeaks â In the restaurant, very many pregnant female rats were raised (like the type of rat used in experiments). When a customer asked for this dish, a female rat would receive an injection that would induce labor. After their birth, they would be placed on a plate on a table. As for why the dish is called âThree Screamsâ, this was even more simple. When the customer picked up the newborn, the newborn rat would scream. When dipped into the sauce, the newborn would scream. When placed in the mouth and bitten, the newborn would scream a third time. Exactly three screams. Yin Xiaoxiao just couldnât understand. If it were a time of famine, eating rats, grasshoppers, locusts would be understandable. But in a time of peace and prosperity, spending large sums to eat live rats, this just was not understandable. Holy fucking shit! Not cooked! Not dead! Alive! ćźćźćć: idiom which means to behave well and to not transgress</ol>