Chapter 63

“Laoda, Laoda! Wait a minute!”

A shout interrupted the silence between Yin Xiaoxiao and Mo Laoda. The two snakes turned to see who was yelling. It was Mo Dayi.

“Laoda, you’ve just returned and you’re already leaving?” Having, with great difficulty, hurried to reach Mo Laoda and Yin Xiaoxiao, Mo Dayi spoke a little breathlessly.

“Yes,” Mo Laoda said in answer.

“Laoda, you didn’t return for several years! This time, why don’t you stay a few days before leaving!” Mo Dayi proposed with a happy smile.

Mo Laoda stared Dayi in the face for a minute. He stared until the smile on Dayi’s face had almost frozen entirely, then Mo Laoda suddened stated, “I will not take your younger sister as my partner.”

“Huh?” Mo Dayi’s face was startled and bewildered. “My younger sister? Mo Daer? What’s going on?”

Mo Laoda: “….You don’t know?”

“Know what?” Puzzled, Mo Dayi said, “That your partner is…that Yin snake beside you? I know that.”

“…When I grow to adulthood, my Dad and Mom want me to become partners with Mo Daer ¹ .” Mo Laoda stopped and then added, “You Dad and Mom must also know.”

“My Dad and Mom didn’t tell me.” Mo Dayi shook his head, then looked disappointed. “Did you think that I wanted you to stay several days for my younger sister?”

Mo Laoda nodded.

Beside him, Yin Xiaoxiao also nodded wildly.

Mo Dayi: “…I didn’t ² ! Laoda, we grew up playing together! You have to believe me!”

Yin Xiaoxiao suddenly interrupted, “Grew up playing together? Then you two are very close?”

Mo Dayi ³ straightened his upper body and appeared very proud. “Of course. The relationship between me and Laoda is quite close! Who in the Mo snake clan doesn’t know!”

Yin Xiaoxiao thought and decided to ask what puzzled him. “Then you and Heitan…Mo Laoda, why didn’t you become partners?”

Mo Dayi: “…”

Mo Laoda didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Little Idiot, don’t joke!”

Yin Xiaoxiao used his tail to scratch his head. He was still very confused. “I am very serious! A very close relationship can form ⁴ from playing together a lot as children. Getting together would be very logical!” Just like green plums and hobby horses ⁵ ! Take, for instance, Lan Yiyi. Wasn’t it because he’d played with him a lot as children that now he ⁶ liked him and wanted to be partners? Then Mo Laoda and Mo Dayi here should also be like this.

Mo Dayi’s expression was that of someone who had heard an enormous joke. Astonishment and denial was written across his face. “Laoda is a friend, okay! If we became partners, that’d be asking for trouble, okay! Only an idiot would look to be his partner, and I am not so foolish! Why would I possibly ask him to be my partner?! What’s more…” Mo Dayi’s voice grew smaller until it finally faded away because Mo Laoda’s icy gaze bore into him.

Unfortunately, Mo Dayi’s words had offended, not only Mo Laoda, but also the listening Yin Xiaoxiao, whose voice became dark and eerie. “Mo Dayi, just a moment ago you said that only an idiot would look to be Mo Laoda’s partner?! Then your opinion is that I am an idiot?!”

“Huh?”

Mo Dayi reflected on how inappropriate his words were but, unfortunately, it was already too late. “Ha, haha, actually I was just making a joke to brighten up the atmosphere. Don’t take it seriously! Really, don’t take it seriously!”

Yin Xiaoxiao didn’t care whether Mo Dayi was joking or not. In short, he absolutely would not easily forgive this Mo Dayi! He had met Mo Dayi twice, and both times this guy had offended him. He absolutely wouldn’t forgive him easily!

And so, Yin Xiaoxiao used his tail to point to Mo Dayi. “Heitan, bite him!”

Mo Laoda listened closely to the words Yin Xiaoxiao spoke just now. Like a dark shadow, he darted out, causing Mo Dayi to jump in fright. Seeing that Mo Laoda was right in front of him, he began to flee. This is just a bit of mischief! If Mo Laoda really bit him, he wouldn’t die but would only feel unwell for several days! Why wait when he could escape now!

Yin Xiaoxiao stood in place, tail proudly waving. His ears were filled with Dayi’s “I was wrong! Don’t chase me!” and “I really was joking!” and other such words. Yin Xiaoxiao’s expression revealed he was very pleased and gratified.

Mo Dayi, chased by Mo Laoda, hid and didn’t reappear. Yin Xiaoxiao felt very sad that he couldn’t see Mo Dayi’s misery. He could only reluctantly ⁷ watch Mo Dayo disappear. ‘Hmph hmph, little guy ⁸ . Wait until you appear in front of me next time. Heitan will bite several times!’

On the journey, Mo Laoda’s clearly spoke less (although he didn’t talk much before…), and Yin Xiaoxiao saw that, several times, Mo Laoda appeared thoughtful. Yin Xiaoxiao was a little anxious. Heitan, because he couldn’t return home, because no snake at home supported him, was troubled!

The answer to the riddle was finally uncovered when they returned home. Mo Laoda’s expression no longer resembled the hesitant and irresolute one he wore on the road. Mo Laoda called out to Yin Xiaoxiao, who had been incessantly excited ever since they returned home and, in a serious voice, said, “Xiaoxiao, I want to tell you something.”

“Huh? What is it?” Yin Xiaoxiao thought for a bit, but couldn’t figure out what Mo Laoda wanted to tell him.

“Let’s go to the bottom of the cliff!”

“The bottom of the cliff?” Yin Xiaoxiao was puzzled. “We just returned not too long ago. Now we’ll be going again?”

“Yes.” Mo Laoda nodded his head. “I-I want to go to the bottom of the cliff. To do something.”

“…Ah, okay. Uh, going to the bottom of the cliff. Going to see the mythical snakes would also be quite nice.” Yin Xiaoxiao didn’t ask for what reason Mo Laoda wanted to go to the bottom of the cliff. To Yin Xiaoxiao it seemed that, no matter what Mo Laoda said to him or didn’t say to him, what Mo Laoda had to take care of was unlikely to harm Yin Xiaoxiao ⁹ . This being the case, it was unnecessary to insist on knowing what he was going to do.

Sometimes what Yin Xiaoxiao needed to do was stand behind Mo Laoda and unconditionally support Mo Laoda, nothing more.

Mo Laoda was unable to make up his mind for a while. “Yes. Then we’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning.”

Yin Xiaoxiao firmly overruled this. “Tomorrow morning won’t work.”

“Why?”

Yin Xiaoxiao began to use his tail to scratch the ground as he spoke. “To ask for treasure for Mingshe.” One line. “To bring along a live hare for Mabanshe.” On the ground, he drew another line. Then he thought. “That’s all, just these two. Really, it won’t take that long.”

The corners of Mo Laoda’s mouth twitched. “…In regards to the treasure, in a bit go and ask Ji Kang. As for the hare, by the time we almost reach the strange snakes’ territory, another will need to be caught.”

Yin Xiaoxiao thought that was sensible and immediately agreed with Mo Laoda. Afterwards, Mo Laoda went to look for something to eat, and Yin Xiaoxiao went to ask Ji Kang for treasure.

As soon as he’d entered Ji Kang’s range of awareness, Yin Xiaoxiao began to loudly shout, “Ji Kang, Ji Kang! I want to come in!”

Ji Kang unhappily said, “Isn’t that small hole never shut? If you want to come in, then go in. Why are you notifying me?!”

When Yin Xiaoxiao entered the old tomb, Ji Kang appeared at Yin Xiaoxiao’s side in a flash. “Xiaoxiao, from your appearance, you must have just barely returned. Barely returned and, instead of resting, you’re visiting me here. What are you up to?”

Yin Xiaoxiao chuckled, foolishly. Ultimately, he was here to ask to take things from the master  here so his attitude should be better. “That’s, Ji Kang ah, you know Mingshe living below the cliff?”

“I know. After all, I was the one to tell you!” Ji Kang nodded his head.

“Then you know that Mingshe has to eat treasure?”

Ji Kang nodded again.

“The thing is that Mingshe has already eaten all the treasure. Would you allow me to bring it some? I think in this mountain, since you have some treasures here, that’s why I came.”

“Oh.” Ji Kang nodded his head in understanding. “You may. You can take what you wish. In any case, these things are of no great use to me. Only, Ji Zhao ought to have been sure to leave a lot of treasure for Mingshe.”

“Yes.” Yin Xiaoxiao used his tail to scratch his head. “Maybe it’s been too long and Mingshe has already used up all the treasure.”

“Ah, so it’s like this.” Ji Kang thought. “I remember that Mingshe wanted to eat jade to grow quickly. Inside the main grave room there’s a lot of precious jade. You can choose several pieces and bring them to it.”

Yin Xiaoxiao’s tail thrashed. Very firmly, he said, “No! Don’t give it jade! Something else will do! I came to take the gold and silver in your right ¹⁰ graveroom!”

Ji Kang: “…” Ji Kang muttered in his heart, ‘Please! These are obviously my things! Why act as though they’re yours?!’

Seeing that Yin Xiaoxiao was now slithering into the grave room, Ji Kang shouted after Yin Xiaoxiao, “Xiaoxiao, why are you in such a rush? Just wait until you’re going to leave and then come back. I will not go back on my word!”

More than half his body had already entered the grave room. All that remained was the point of his tail when Yin Xiaoxiao roared, “I’m leaving tomorrow! First thing in the morning! For the bottom of the cliff!”

Ji Kang: “…”

Finally, Yin Xiaoxiao selected a piece of gold the size of a man’s clenched fist and two rubies. Dragging his chosen treasure, Yin Xiaoxiao returned home just in time for Mo Laoda’s roasted hare, still emitting steam. Yin Xiaoxiao set aside the treasure and, beaming with delight, ate.

With a good night’s sleep and an early start the next morning, Yin Xiaoxiao and Mo Laoda again set off on a journey to the bottom of the cliff, the gold and rubies gripped in Mo Laoda’s tail.

Before entering the bottom of the cliff, Mo Laoda indeed caught a live hare. After biting the hare in both legs, Mo Laoda threatened the hare to go to the bottom of the cliff. Aggrieved, the hare, shaking, was forced to endure the pain and, feeling scared, went to the bottom of the cliff which frightened it – gold and rubies still clutched in his tail, Mo Laoda pursued the rabbit.

The entire journey to the bottom of the cliff went smoothly. Perhaps the strange snakes really had nothing to do at the bottom of the cliff since, not long after Mo Laoda and Yin Xiaoxiao reached the bottom of the cliff, they immediately ran into Goushe. Soon after, one after another, the strange snakes arrived.

But have pity on the hare with two injured legs who was trembling. ‘Ah, Mom! I’m surrounded by so many huge monsters, WTF! I am only a hare, don’t treat me like this ¹¹ !

Seeing the hare, Mabanshe immediately lost interest. Something this big wouldn’t even get stuck in its teeth (sheer exaggeration). But with Yin Xiaoxiao’s “I, after trials and tribulations, brought you a live rabbit but, after all this work, picky you is dissatisfied!” expression, Mabanshe swallowed the hare in one gulp – his throat was that much bigger than the hare!

Yin Xiaoxiao took the gold and rubies to Mingshe. His tone was somewhat apologetic. “Of course I originally wanted to bring more but I was limited by the physical strength in my body. I could only bring this much. But rest assured, the next time I come I will surely bring much more!”

Well, in fact, when they entered the cliff bottom, Yin Xiaoxiao had already taken the gold with his own tail.

“It doesn’t matter. These will take half a year for me to digest!”

Yin Xiaoxiao’s still smiling face twitched. Holy shit! One piece of gold and two rubies only took half a year to digest? Then how much treasure had Mingshe eaten these millennia?! Ji Zhao was a wastrel! A wastrel!

After exchanging pleasantries, Mo Laoda called Xionghui away to talk. The two snakes muttered and Yin Xiaoxiao ¹² didn’t know what they were discussing. Then, when they returned, Xionghui looked at Yin Xiaoxiao with an expression that was clearly somewhat complicated.

“Xiaoxiao, this time stay for a while longer.” Xionghui said.

Yin Xiaoxiao unconsciously looked at Mo Laoda. Expression wooden, Mo Laoda also looked directly at Yin Xiaoxiao. Yin Xiaoxiao thought of Mo Laoda saying that he wanted to come to the bottom of the cliff to take care of something important. Then, Yin Xiaoxiao replied, “Okay.”

T/N:

Footnotes

<ol>sentence reordered for clarity 我冤枉: literally “I was wronged”. Has many flavors of meaning, depending on context. In this case, it’s MDY saying that he wasn’t asking them to stay to get MLD with his sister. the raw had Mo Laoda verb added 青梅竹马: idiom meaning childhood sweethearts Lan Yiyi 一步三回头: literally turn his head every three steps 小样: a mild insult and can also be a term of affection added for clarity right as in direction 我容易嘛我: literally ‘I am easy me’. It’s a declaration that’s meant to express that the speaker is facing some difficulty that isn’t deserved added for clarity</ol>