Chapter 130: The Monument

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The final chapter of this volume ushers in a new phase—everyone can guess whether it involves the little snake Jin’er, hehe... Please continue to support with your votes!

Le’er indeed felt a twinge of guilt toward Luo Yinxian. In the past, Luo Yinxian had brought him much happiness. In the days without Li Ying, they spent a lot of time together. Though there was no foundation of affection at first, time gradually kindled feelings. Le’er was not a heartless man; how could he bear to see her sorrow and remain indifferent?

After returning home from Guangzhou, he rebuilt the house, and Luo Yinxian took charge of cooking and all the household chores daily. Later, as they rehearsed programs together and spent every day side by side, she even became pregnant with his child but, under his insistence, had to have an abortion.

Before, Le’er had never considered these things; all his thoughts were focused on Li Ying, even harboring resentment toward Luo Yinxian and moving to live at the village committee. When Li Ying returned, bringing Huan along, and he heard the cheerful laughter upstairs and saw Luo Yinxian’s loneliness and tears, sympathy and guilt stirred within him.

He loved Li Ying, to the point of obsession; breaking up with her was impossible. Yet Luo Yinxian’s condition also wounded him deeply.

“I must find a way for Luo Yinxian to find a match and marry, so she can gradually forget me.”

Le’er thought, “Only by having a family can she find happiness.”

Perhaps it was selfishness, but it was sincere goodwill; he had no other means. He would provide for her and her family financially, ensuring she lived better than others. For a rural woman without a home, life was truly bitter.

When he came upstairs, Yu Menglan was staring intently at him. He smiled awkwardly and sat on the sand by the fire.

“Sister Lan, there’s nothing much to entertain you with in our village.”

“Just having you entertain me is enough,” Yu Menglan giggled. Seeing Li Ying’s disapproving glance, she quickly hugged her shoulder. “Li Ying, don’t glare like that. I’m not going to hog your little man forever.”

“Can’t you be serious for once?” Li Ying snapped, pinching her. Then she softened and looked at Le’er. “She’s a lunatic. Don’t mind her. But she’s skilled with finances. I plan to have her manage our company’s finances.”

“Uh... Li Ying, did I agree to this?” Yu Menglan hugged Li Ying’s waist. “I’ll be your workhorse if you want. But you have to give me some perks, right?”

Li Ying knew what she meant and pinched her leg again. Yu Menglan struggled, and her robe shifted, revealing her long, sexy white legs. Le’er blushed slightly and quickly looked away. Yu Menglan giggled again and sat properly.

“Alright, stop pinching me,” Yu Menglan stopped laughing. “Seriously, your village can’t yet afford a professional financial officer. It’s a waste. When the time comes, call me.”

“But our financial management here isn’t formal. As a legitimate company, an unregulated system would cause trouble,” Li Ying frowned. “Besides, I'm a shareholder with Le’er, but there’s also Boss Hong.”

“That’s easy. I’ll set up a financial management system for you and train Luo Yinxian to manage the accounts temporarily as an accountant. You can act as the cashier for now.”

“What if I’m not here?”

“Then Le’er can temporarily take your place,” Yu Menglan frowned. “Though that might cause confusion. Le’er can handle small cash management, but you should manage the bigger aspects. Fortunately, your company doesn’t have much capital flow yet, so delaying some matters a few days isn’t a problem. You can be away for ten days or half a month.”

“Hmm...” Li Ying nodded and smiled, “Alright then. Get it done these days, and we won’t let you work for nothing.”

“Okay, I won’t be a third wheel anymore,” Yu Menglan suddenly stood up. “I’m going to sleep on the carved bed, hehe...”

Yu Menglan ran into Li Ying’s room, then poked her head out.

“Keep it down, or if you wake me, I’ll jump into your bed.”

She giggled. Li Ying stood and quickly shut the door, locking it from inside.

“Yu Menglan, that’s my bed!” Li Ying blushed, watching her lock the door. “Damn woman...”

Turning around, she saw Le’er’s smiling face and blushed again. She had thought clearly while coming here—since she liked Le’er and loved him, why oppose herself? Why not happily enjoy the joy? Le’er loved her so much; what reason did she have to refuse him?

With her psychological barriers gone, her face grew even more enchanting.

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“Le’er...” she smiled seductively, sitting beside him and leaning in softly, “Have you missed me these days?”

“Yes...” Le’er, still a bit hesitant, felt Li Ying nestle into his embrace, her arms circling his waist.

“Sis missed you too... missed you so much...” Saying this, she felt an immense lightness and joy, her body instantly stirred by waves of warmth flowing downward, her body softening, her cheeks flushed like fire. “Le’er, kiss me.”

Their lips met. Le’er’s hands held Li Ying close; her fragrant, tender body felt like a burning flame in his arms.

“Le’er, carry me to bed, I... I want...”

Le’er, as if hearing celestial music, gently lifted Li Ying into his room and laid her on the bed.

“Close the door and lock it first,” Le’er said, going to the door. Li Ying suddenly sniffed the air suspiciously. “Le’er, there’s a woman’s scent on your bed again. Bringing women to bed? Not Luo Yinxian, right...?”

“No...” Le’er’s body stiffened. “I’ve been sleeping at the village committee. A female classmate of Tao Youneng just stayed here one night.”

“That’s better... come up quickly... it’s so cold,” Li Ying’s face was alluring. “You... be gentle... I’m scared.”

That night, Le’er was very gentle, but no matter how gentle, Li Ying couldn’t take it, being repeatedly pushed to exhaustion, her soft cries heard—though whether anyone heard was unknown.

The next morning, when Yu Menglan woke up, she saw Le’er helping Luo Yinxian prepare breakfast. Noticing Li Ying was not around, she quietly pushed open Le’er’s door and found Li Ying sleeping soundly, her loose hair spread on the pillow, half her face buried in it.

Yu Menglan mischievously slipped a cold hand into the bed, touching Li Ying’s shoulder.

“Le’er, stop it!”

Li Ying didn’t open her eyes, pushing Yu Menglan’s hand away. Yu Menglan giggled, then suddenly pulled off the covers. Li Ying appeared completely naked before her eyes.

“Yu Menglan, you’re dead meat!”

Realizing Yu Menglan’s mischief, Li Ying quickly pulled the covers back over herself.

“Li Ying, you’re doomed!” Yu Menglan crawled into bed. “You screamed so loudly last night, I couldn’t sleep!”

“My screaming has nothing to do with you. Get out, I want to sleep!”

“I’m telling you to sleep...”

Yu Menglan tickled Li Ying, and they both burst into laughter. When they got up, Le’er and Luo Yinxian had already prepared breakfast.

Li Ying and Le’er stood atop Snake Coiling Mountain, Yu Menglan accompanying them. Watching the bustling construction scene, Li Ying was very satisfied.

“Progress is really fast.”

The cold wind blew Li Ying’s long hair. She wore a down jacket with a white scarf around her neck. Le’er stood close, pointing out details.

“The New Year is almost here; after a few more days, we’ll have a holiday,” Le’er said. “About two-thirds of the outer wall is done. The white rat breeding house is built, only the interior needs painting, which should be finished before the New Year. The yellow mealworm and maggot breeding grounds have also been cleared, ready for spring farming.”

“The dormitory needs to be built faster. We must finish it soon,” Li Ying said. “The feed breeding must start first; workers need housing—no dorms, no workers.”

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Not long after, Feng Shuya heard Li Ying had arrived and came as well. She was often at the construction site. The three women quickly hit it off, chatting and laughing amid the biting wind.

Feng Shuya told Le’er and Li Ying that the TV station planned to report on the breeding farm before the New Year, and Zhao Xinghua would personally come to film the program.

“I brought some dried seafood from Guangzhou—sea cucumber and cuttlefish. Take some when you leave,” Li Ying said.

“That’s too much, how can I accept?”

The four walked and talked when suddenly a shout arose from a small valley below, where land was being leveled for the future snake house.

“Hey... they found a stele!”

“There are inscriptions... all in traditional characters, can’t read them.”

“Damn it, can’t even recognize the three characters for ‘Snake Coiling Mountain’?”

“I only know these few characters. Do you recognize the ones below?”

Everyone gathered around the stele.

It bore hundreds of traditional characters that no one recognized. Le’er saw it from above and immediately ran over, followed by the three women.

“Le’er, come quick! They dug up a stele.”

“Hehe... I don’t recognize these traditional characters either,” Le’er said, examining the well-preserved stele, likely protected underground from weathering.

“Call your Guangdong girl to identify it; she’s a university student and must know.”

No need to call—Li Ying arrived. Having studied classical literature, though she recognized only some traditional characters, by comparing front and back, she grasped the general meaning.

It said that on this mountain was a cave from which snakes often emerged, roaming the mountain. Among them was a snake as thick as a water bucket and about ten zhang long (approximately 33 meters), revered as the snake god. People often worshipped it at the mountain’s base. Hence, the mountain was named Snake Coiling Mountain.

Hearing Li Ying’s explanation, the crowd murmured with awe. A snake as thick as a water bucket—wouldn’t it eat people?

“Hey, do you see the cave entrance?”

Le’er, unafraid, eagerly asked.

“There’s a small opening... could it be there?”

Nearby, a half-hidden small cave mouth appeared, partially covered by grass.

“Dig it open and see.”

“Will the snakes come out if we dig?”

“They haven’t come out for years; surely no snakes will now,” Le’er said, starting to dig. Everyone stepped back, fearing snakes might emerge—a scary prospect. Le’er found it amusing; it was winter, so where would snakes be?

After a while, he uncovered a pit, bottomless in appearance, with a chill wind blowing out, cold as if from an underworld river.