Chapter 44: Leaving the Little Snake Behind

Wei Shi’s eyes widened.

A snake… eats pastries?

The little girl shook her head, her soft, pinkish face dimpling as she smiled sweetly. “Try it, it’s really yummy!”

The little snake stubbornly lifted its head and looked toward the terrified servant nearby.

Granny Zhao shrank back even more, holding her breath nervously, her wrinkles tensing up as if straining.

Wei Shi tried to remain calm and gently reasoned, “Yaoyao, snakes are cold-blooded. It’s normal if it doesn’t understand.”

“No, it can understand!” Yaoyao insisted stubbornly, looking at the little snake again and holding out the pastry closer to its mouth.

What snake doesn’t love pastries?

Her second brother’s pet snakes used to chase her around every day for pastries!

She didn’t even have enough for herself!

It must be that this one has never tasted how delicious pastries are. Just one bite and it’ll fall in love with them!

Confidently, Yaoyao pouted at the little snake and urged it again, “Just try one bite. I promise you’ll like it~”

The little snake shifted its gaze, first looking at Yaoyao’s hopeful face, then at the white pastry in her chubby hand.

It blinked again.

The thing in the little girl’s hand didn’t quite resemble the food it usually ate!

Could it really be tasty?

The snake flicked its tongue and tentatively licked its lips.

Come to think of it, it hadn’t eaten anything all day. Its parents had gone out hunting, leaving it behind to stay warm in the den.

But after a nap, it woke up in a pitch-black, cramped space.

Then a scary young boy—scarier even than its dad when angry—took it away. The boy promised that if it helped frighten someone, he would let it go home to reunite with its parents.

It hadn’t expected its life to nearly end!

That old woman was way too strong!

She had grabbed it so hard, forcing the undigested chicken claw up into its throat. It almost choked to death!

Thankfully, it was lucky and managed to recover.

The little snake flicked its tongue again, feeling a bit embarrassed under Yaoyao’s pure gaze.

Since hatching, it had never seen another little female snake.

The uncle snake next door had a whole litter of boys, and once they learned to walk, they were all kicked out to make friends.

But its own parents only had one child—him—and they doted on him. If it weren’t for the cold weather making hunting difficult, one of them would definitely have stayed in the den with it.

It wanted friends too!

Yaoyao hadn’t expected this to be such a stubborn little snake. Usually, those other snakes snatched her pastries without hesitation!

She let out a soft humph or two. Wei Shi assumed Yaoyao was about to give up on feeding pastries to the snake.

But then the little snake suddenly leaned forward. Wei Shi held her breath.

She saw the snake lift its head and open its mouth. Thinking it was about to attack Yaoyao, she quickly moved her hand to protect her.

But Yaoyao was faster. She directly shoved half the pastry into the snake’s mouth.

Her tiny fist was almost halfway inside. Wei Shi’s knees went weak.

Thankfully, Granny Zhao caught her in time.

To everyone’s astonishment, the snake actually ate the pastry.

When Yaoyao pulled her little hand back, it was empty.

The half-moon-shaped pastry had been fed into the snake’s mouth, and without even chewing, the snake swallowed it whole.

In that instant, Wei Shi thought she saw delight in the snake’s eyes.

Was she seeing things?

A snake… liked pastries?

The snake had initially thought, “This round-faced girl isn’t scared of me. She seems kind-hearted. I’ll indulge her just this once.”

But once the half-pastry slid into its belly, the sweet scent of osmanthus suddenly awakened its appetite.

So sweet! So delicious!

Excited, the little snake twisted its head and opened its mouth wide again, waiting to be fed more.

Yaoyao hadn’t realized the snake was just being tsundere earlier. Now it had tasted one, it actually wanted more—such a glutton!

Sigh.

Yaoyao sighed and told herself she needed to be generous. After all, this was a new friend. It wasn’t like her old buddies Little Yellow, Little Blue, or Little Green. She had to meet its needs.

So, with a heartache, she pulled out another half-pastry from her pocket and brought it to the snake’s mouth.

This time, the little snake didn’t hold back and swallowed it in one gulp.

Seeing the satisfied snake blink at her joyfully, Yaoyao also brightened with delight.

The little snake never imagined it could taste something so delicious in its life. Compared to the rabbit legs, chicken claws, and rat tails it usually ate—so stinky and gamey—this was heavenly!

The snake flicked its tongue happily at Yaoyao, and her confidence soared.

She knew it! What snake wouldn’t like pastries?

Wei Shi was dumbfounded.

So was Granny Zhao and the other servants.

In all their years of life, they had never seen a snake so happy after eating pastries. Its eyes even looked clearer and brighter.

So… so magical!

While everyone was still in shock, they turned to look at Yaoyao.

Though her pinkish face was flushed red by the cold wind, her smooth, flawless skin still glowed like jade.

Maybe it was because of Yaoyao, but suddenly the little snake didn’t seem so scary anymore… almost… cute?

Was this what they called “loving the house because of the crow on the roof”?

Even Wei Shi’s worry mostly vanished. She no longer stopped Yaoyao from holding the snake in her arms.

Still, it was a bit mind-boggling that a snake could be bribed with just a piece of pastry.

When Wei Shi finally gathered her thoughts and looked toward her husband in the distance, she saw him ready to confront the old woman collapsed on the ground.

A yellow puddle had spread beneath the old woman.

The large patterned snake also looked ready to strike, but suddenly, the little snake in Yaoyao’s arms opened its mouth and hissed twice.

Hearing the sound, the big snake quickly pulled its head back and turned to look.

It saw its precious baby joyfully swaying its head in Yaoyao’s arms. Tears filled the big snake’s eyes as it rushed toward Wei Shi and Yaoyao.

The Marquis of Chengming had just started moving toward his terrified mother when he looked up and saw the giant snake charging toward his wife and daughter. His right hand instinctively reached for his sword.

But to his surprise, the large snake stopped just two steps away from them and stretched out its neck, as if wanting to take its baby back.

To its shock, the baby snake turned around and smacked her face with its tail.

The big snake froze. It hissed anxiously twice, seemingly urging the baby to come home.

But the little snake burrowed even deeper into Yaoyao’s arms and hissed back.

Wei Shi stared in disbelief at the two snakes conversing before her.

Although she didn’t understand snake language, she thought she saw disappointment in the big snake’s eyes.

Just as Wei Shi was puzzled by the argument between the snakes, Yaoyao sighed like an adult and solemnly advised the big snake in front of her:

“I know you’re in a hurry, but don’t be! Mama said it’s wrong to scold or hit children~”

“Since it feels lonely and doesn’t want to go back yet, let it stay and celebrate the New Year with me! After New Year’s, I’ll send it back to be with you and your family.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of it during this time!”

“I promise I’ll fatten it up!”

Wei Shi’s mouth fell open in shock, but no words came out.

Yaoyao… could understand what the snakes were saying?

At first, she thought it was her imagination. But after Yaoyao finished speaking, the big snake actually looked at the little snake.

Seeing that its child was determined to stay, the big snake helplessly shook its head.

Then, it looked up and nodded at Yaoyao before turning around and slithering away along the same path it came from.

It had arrived with head held high but left with head drooping, ignoring all the people around it.

Several vendors and bystanders, still frightened, tried to sneak off to grab hoes and tools to attack the snake.

But the Marquis of Chengming stopped them. With a stern face, he ordered, “No one is to harm it. Let it leave in peace!”

After all, this entire ordeal was because the big snake was looking for its child.

Losing a child… to a parent, it feels like the sky is falling.

He understood that feeling all too well.

At the same time, he ordered his men to follow the big snake.

He wanted to know how it had snuck into the city despite the guards.

After issuing the orders, the Marquis turned back and finally noticed his own mother, barely hanging on after being scared half to death.