Chapter Forty-Three: Catching the Snake (Part Three)

After a day spent catching snakes and drinking, Sha Le’er felt exhausted. He showered and went to bed early. These days, Luo Yinxiang only helped him cook and do chores, no longer clinging to him; once the meal was ready, she’d leave. That night, he slept deeply. He had no idea what time it was when suddenly he heard the yellow dog barking, then the courtyard gate opened. Le’er jolted awake, thinking a thief had come. He was about to get up, but from the dog's bark he realized the visitor was familiar. The footsteps were familiar too.

The door opened, and a shadow slipped inside. The house was under renovation, so he’d laid a bed in the bathroom. The weather was hot—there was no need for a blanket. He wore only a pair of underwear and sprawled across the bamboo ice bed. In the dim night light, he saw it was a woman; he had already guessed who it was when the dog barked.

"Luo Yinxiang, what are you doing here in the dead of night?"

"I’ve come to keep my wild husband company," Luo Yinxiang whispered, laughing softly. "It’s been days since I’ve spent time with you. Don’t you miss me?"

"You troublesome woman..."

Before Le’er could finish, Luo Yinxiang threw herself onto the bed, pressing him down. The bed groaned under their weight, and she urgently sealed his lips with hers, her tongue slipping inside.

"Careful, woman, you’ll break the ice bed."

"If it breaks, we’ll just do it on the floor."

"Damn, your breasts seem even bigger now. Do you have milk yet?"

"You’ll know if you suck."

Her laughter rang out, and her hand eagerly slid into his underwear, grasping him firmly, releasing a moan of pleasure. Le’er, impatient himself, reached into her clothes, his hand filled with her warm, jade-like flesh, kneading gently before his mouth followed. Hands roamed, bodies entwined, and soon the creaking of the bed grew louder, Luo Yinxiang’s muffled cries rising higher and higher.

Outside, bamboo swayed in the night wind, whispering. The water on the small Sha River, a hundred meters away, shone like a ribbon in the faint light, winding through the darkness. Mist drifted across the fields. Sounds from the lonely house floated in the vapor. Thankfully, the night was deep, the fields empty; only the yellow dog, hearing the noises and heavy breathing from the little house, barked softly. It dared not bark loudly, for fear of its master’s wrath.

No one knew how long it lasted, until cries and panting subsided into silence.

The rooster crowed. Dawn broke in the east. Luo Yinxiang awoke, glanced at the still-sleeping Le’er, and kissed him gently. Both lay naked on the ice bed, nothing covering them, everything visible. Petite, she was fair and tender—except where the sun had tanned her skin. Where she ought to be small, she was just right; where she ought to be large, she was strikingly so. Le’er, robust and sun-darkened except for the dazzling white skin beneath his underwear, had a broad chest, muscular waist, well-proportioned muscles, exuding strength. Her eyes lingered on the towering column between Le’er’s legs, making her shudder. Unable to resist, she climbed atop him.

"Troublesome woman, what are you up to? Are you trying to get us caught? The carpenters will be here soon."

Le’er awoke, glaring at her.

"What’s there to worry about... It’s still early."

Luo Yinxiang smiled seductively, grasped him again, and, with a gasp, slid herself onto him, moving with abandon. Le’er, annoyed, flipped over and pinned her beneath him. He slapped her plump, tender buttocks hard; she cried out in delight, and the dawn-lit room was filled with wild passion.

The sun rose in the east. The carpenters arrived. By then, Luo Yinxiang was already bustling about with a cheerful mood. Le’er, not wanting anyone to realize she’d spent the night, went to the vegetable garden to work. The yellow dog and the little snake darted excitedly among the vegetables.

"Le’er, did you catch any snakes yesterday?"

"I did, over twenty."

"So many! You’re quite skilled at snake catching."

Le’er chatted with the master carpenter, arranging the renovations. The other carpenters were already at work. Luo Yinxiang was quick; breakfast was ready in no time.

By the time he went out to catch snakes, the sun was already high. He greeted villagers along the way; everyone knew he was snake hunting. Though they’d seen his impressive golden snake many times, they still pointed and discussed the snake coiled on his shoulder.

"Tsk tsk, this little snake has made you a tidy sum, you rascal."

"Hasn’t it become a monster yet? Does it help you catch snakes?"

The little snake ignored them, tucking its head under its body as if asleep. Le’er headed east toward a small mountain; he’d hunted on the southern mountain yesterday, so today he changed locations.

The first mountain east of the village was called Xiao Family Mountain, once owned by the Xiao family. It wasn’t large; bamboo forest below, mixed woods above. The yellow dog was most excited, leading the charge into the thick bamboo.

"Stupid dog, what’s the rush? There aren’t any female dogs in heat in the mountain."

Le’er laughed, scolding the dog, and followed into the bamboo. The little snake remained coiled, occasionally raising its head and flicking its tongue habitually across Le’er’s face.

The bamboo was Moso bamboo, stretching like a sea. The morning breeze stirred the forest, birds flitted and sang among the bamboo branches. Suddenly, the golden snake, Jin’er, sprang into action, launching onto a bamboo branch, then springing again like lightning. On the bamboo was a small emerald bird singing, unaware of its impending doom. Jin’er flashed next to it, bit, and in half a cry, the bird was gone.

Le’er was used to watching the little snake hunt and wasn’t surprised, continuing onward. After Jin’er finished its meal, it would follow him.

"The sun’s up, hooray, hooray..."

He sang again, startling a flock of birds. In the fields below, late rice was growing, and a partridge called tirelessly. Locals called partridges ‘rice chickens’—clumsy birds, though not easy to catch. Le’er didn’t have time for that.

The yellow dog barked furiously at the partridge hidden somewhere in the rice seedlings. Le’er ignored the stupid dog and sat down to wait for the little snake to catch up.

After a while, the little snake arrived, its belly swollen from the bird. It sprang onto his shoulder and coiled up, digesting its meal.

He crossed two mountains before catching his first snake, but afterwards luck improved, and he caught three cobras in a row. With Jin’er’s help, finding and catching snakes was easy. The yellow dog darted around, failing to find a single snake; its success yesterday was pure luck.

By noon, Le’er was ready to rest. Yesterday, he had brought nothing to eat and had stolen three sweet potatoes from someone’s field to roast and eat. Today, he had brought provisions—Luo Yinxiang had packed him a lunchbox. Leaving the mountain, he found a spring and a few unattended wild ponds.

The yellow dog ran ahead, quickly reaching the pond and barking loudly.

"You’ll be the death of me, stupid dog."

He paid it no mind, walked to the spring, drank a few mouthfuls, and the little snake slid off his shoulder to drink as well. Its red tongue flicked in the water like a puppy, adorably so.

The yellow dog kept barking, growing more excited, chasing something around. This piqued Le’er’s curiosity, so he walked over quickly.

"Wow, jackpot!"

At the edge of the pond, a small turtle was basking. The yellow dog tried to bite it, but it retreated into its shell. The turtle was only a couple of ounces; Le’er wasn’t impressed, but then he noticed tracks of a big turtle. Judging by the footprints, it was definitely a large one.

He quickly took off his shoes and entered the pond. The water wasn’t deep, but the mud was. Following the tracks, he found a slab of stone, beneath which bubbles were rising.

"Right here."

An expert at catching turtles, he slowly reached down and felt something hard and moving. With both hands, he lifted out a turtle the size of a pot lid.

"A big turtle!"

He cried out in delight. The old turtle drew its head into its shell; it weighed at least four or five pounds—a rare find. Carrying it ashore, the yellow dog came over for affection. This time, Le’er didn’t kick it; instead, he stroked its head, making it bark and jump with joy.

The pond’s small turtles were surely a nest, but Le’er decided to let them be. This was his “loli” cultivation plan—to let them grow up and then catch them all in one go.