Encountering a Snake - Chapter 21

“I want to marry you,” he said.

 

For a moment, Yi Mo thought he was hearing things. But he quickly realized that it wasn’t him who had the problem; it was the person beneath him. Whether he was insane or delirious, he had uttered something so bizarre.

 

He used the word “want” instead of “would like.” I want to marry you. It was straightforward and decisive, leaving no room for negotiation.

 

Yi Mo pulled back, trying to withdraw. It was just a slight movement, but it startled Shen Qingxuan, who was still in a daze. He abruptly lifted his face and turned his head like a startled bird, asking, “You’re leaving again?”

 

Yi Mo paused for a moment but continued to withdraw his swollen member from the wet, hot interior.

 

Shen Qingxuan grabbed the hand supporting him and asked, “Why?”

 

“What do you mean, why?”

 

“You know what I mean, don’t pretend.”

 

“I don’t know,” Yi Mo replied, intentionally refusing to let him off the hook.

 

Shen Qingxuan turned his face away, and after a while, finally forced himself to say, “Won’t you stay inside me?” His face was burning.

 

Yi Mo turned onto his side, lying beside him, and said seriously, “Are you going to give me little snakes?”

 

Shen Qingxuan: “…”

 

Yi Mo continued, “If you’re not giving me any, why does it matter whether I finish inside?”

 

Shen Qingxuan remained silent, burying his face to one side.

 

Seeing this, Yi Mo went on, “If you want me to finish inside, it means you’re willing to give me little snakes.”

 

Shen Qingxuan knew he was being teased but could do nothing about it. He muttered, “I don’t believe you can make a man pregnant.”

 

Yi Mo nodded in agreement, “I don’t believe it either.” As he spoke, he reached out and squeezed the soft, pliable area of Shen Qingxuan’s buttocks. Still unsatisfied, he slid his fingers into the already loosened and pliant area, stirring inside. This caused Shen Qingxuan, who had just relaxed, to tense up again. Only after a while did Yi Mo withdraw his fingers and use his fingertips to scratch the outer part, saying, “This place is so warm and tight, it almost made me finish earlier.”

 

Shen Qingxuan buried his face and didn’t look at him, only asking, “Then why didn’t you?”

 

“Earlier, I think I heard you say you want to marry me,” Yi Mo changed the subject quickly, slipping his fingers back inside to toy with him, and softly asked, “Are you going to marry me with this?”

 

Shen Qingxuan trembled, pushed to his limits. The madness in his bones spread again. Without thinking, he grabbed Yi Mo’s member, wrapping his hand around it and mimicking his actions, stroking it as he hissed, “You’re so swollen, but still so picky. Are you afraid I’ll drain you dry?”

 

Before the words were even fully spoken, Yi Mo flipped him into a side-lying position, his chest pressed against Shen Qingxuan’s back. One hand roughly kneaded the spot on his chest while the other pressed against the groove of his buttocks. Yi Mo thrust forward in one go, resuming his movements.

 

Shen Qingxuan bit his lip, hooking his arm around Yi Mo’s waist. Using this position that only required strength from the waist, he pushed back, allowing the other’s hard member to reach deeper and deeper with each thrust. Hearing Yi Mo’s breath growing heavier by his ear, Shen Qingxuan knew that he was about to finish too. So, he tightened his lower abdomen, further tightening the already narrow space, as if unwilling to let him go.

 

“Shen Qingxuan,” Yi Mo whispered in his ear. The numbness from being tightly clenched around the base spread like a small insect crawling up his spine, making it hard to stay clear-headed. He wanted nothing more than to keep thrusting into this moist and soft body forever, extending the pleasure indefinitely. This was a primal instinct, but Yi Mo also knew that such desires, like a tide, rise quickly and fade even faster. Everything beautiful in this world is fleeting, destined to wither in an instant. And this act, no matter how prolonged, would eventually reach its climax.

 

He said, “The difference between humans and demons is not a lie. Each time I finish inside you, I shorten your life. Do you still want me to finish inside you?”

 

Shen Qingxuan didn’t know if he hesitated or not. He opened his eyes, looked at the faintly swaying bed curtain, and heard himself say, “If we’re going to do this, we should go all the way. What’s the point of stopping halfway?”

 

Yi Mo paused, then commented, “You really are a reckless hedonist.”

 

Shen Qingxuan snickered, taking Yi Mo’s words as a compliment, and fully accepting them without complaint, almost thanking him.

 

The two stopped talking, silently seeking their own satisfaction. Shen Qingxuan quickly softened again, his whole body flushed. It’s worth noting that a body becomes ten times more sensitive after one climax. He hadn’t yet recovered when his di-ck started leaking fluid again, though he couldn’t get fully hard. But the sensation in the back was incredibly satisfying, truly soul-devouring and bone-eroding. He couldn’t help but grab Yi Mo’s hand, and, in a moment of foolishness, he said, “It feels great, do you want to try it?”

 

As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he had made a huge mistake. A sharp pain shot through his waist where Yi Mo had pinched him hard. He instinctively twisted to avoid the pain, unaware that the person behind him had also lost his composure due to those sudden words. His focus slipped, and at that exact moment, the tight squeeze of Shen Qingxuan’s body caused him to finally release.

 

The sensation inside was unmistakable. The large di-ck trembled within him, releasing its essence. Shen Qingxuan realized what had happened and was stunned, not expecting to have “dealt with” him so easily.

 

Both of them were equally surprised and remained connected in that position for a long time.

 

After snapping out of his daze, Shen Qingxuan began to laugh, unable to stop. It was only then that he fully understood the essence of pillow talk, how shameless words could make one lose control. In his heart, he couldn’t muster any resentment towards Yi Mo’s previous crude and vulgar words. If it weren’t for his own pride, he would have wanted to say even more debauched things. After all, such things are not allowed by morality, society, or etiquette, and even between the closest of couples, such words are rarely spoken. Who would dare to let loose like this?

 

Thinking about it, Shen Qingxuan was amused again. He said with a smile in his voice, “I was just talking. You didn’t have to take it seriously. Why did you get so scared?” Saying this, he reached back and grabbed the still-not-entirely-soft member behind him. It was still heavy and wet to the touch, having released quite a bit.

 

Shen Qingxuan wanted to laugh again and let out a hearty laugh without any restraint.

 

Yi Mo turned him over, so they were face to face. One hand slipped under his neck to embrace him. “Is this kind of thing really enough to make you so pleased? How rare.”

 

Shen Qingxuan hugged his waist, still laughing. “It was nothing. I just always thought you were ‘infallible,’ but it turns out you have moments where you’re ‘foaming at the mouth.’ A few laughs aren’t too much, right?” With that, he laughed again, thinking that Yi Mo, who had made him feel like dying, had never imagined such a moment would come. He couldn’t help but laugh even more wildly.

 

Yi Mo glared at him for a while, then without saying a word, raised his hand and slapped Shen Qingxuan on the buttocks with a crisp “smack.” Shen Qingxuan immediately stopped laughing, silencing himself. He covered his buttocks with one hand, his face turning red, glaring at Yi Mo with a hint of blame in his eyes. Yi Mo knew he wasn’t used to being spanked, especially on the buttocks. So he slapped him again. After the slap, Yi Mo calmly said, “Let what’s inside flow out.”

 

Shen Qingxuan’s cheeks instantly flushed red, and he was left speechless.

 

Only then did Yi Mo feel satisfied and was ready to let him off the hook.

 

Unexpectedly, Shen Qingxuan, who had only been embarrassed for a moment, suddenly covered his buttocks and, with a nonchalant tone, retorted, “Why should it flow out? Wouldn’t it be better to let your snake egg inside me?”

 

This time, another cat appeared out of nowhere and snatched away Yi Mo’s tongue.

 

From that moment on, even the most vulgar and crude words about their bedroom activities could be said by Shen Qingxuan without hesitation. He had truly become both wanton and debauched.

 

After a moment of silence, Shen Qingxuan remembered what Yi Mo had mentioned earlier and quickly asked, “Will it really shorten my lifespan?”

 

Yi Mo, feeling a headache as if dealing with an unteachable blockhead, replied, “At least a year, at most three to five years.”

 

Shen Qingxuan was puzzled, “Why? Just because I’m human and you’re a demon?”

 

“Of course.” Yi Mo rarely lied; on one hand, his cultivation level made him disdain such actions, and on the other hand, lying took effort. It was easier to be straightforward. Seeing Shen Qingxuan’s solemn expression, Yi Mo raised an eyebrow and asked, “Are you regretting it?”

 

Shen Qingxuan frowned and thought carefully for a long time before shaking his head, “How about we do it a few more times?”

 

Yi Mo: “…”

 

Shen Qingxuan calmly continued, “Before I met you, I often thought about how I would die in the future. I imagined many ways, all of them tragic. But now I’ve found the best method.”

 

Yi Mo rubbed his head, letting out a half-sigh, half-laugh, “Death by ecstasy?”

 

Shen Qingxuan quickly responded, “Isn’t that quite a beautiful way to go?”

 

Yi Mo let out a soft “Oh,” and then sat up, leaning against the bed railing. He lowered his eyes and looked Shen Qingxuan up and down before slowly asking in a negotiating tone, “Are you sure you want to die stark naked, covered in filth, legs spread open, with an ass clearly showing how it was used?”

 

Shen Qingxuan’s face flushed so red it looked like it might drip blood. He cursed, “Even when I’m dead, you wouldn’t think to put some clothes on me? You really are a wicked snake!”

 

Yi Mo sneered, openly mocking, “You did it, but you’re afraid of being seen.”

 

Shen Qingxuan said, “It’s fine if a snake sees, but not a person.”

 

Yi Mo fell silent at this.

 

Shen Qingxuan also fell silent.

 

After a moment, he pulled the brocade quilt over himself and said, “I can’t live in the mountains anymore.”

 

He had already decided that after his brother left, he would move back to the family estate. First, to be filial to his parents, and second, to help share the burden of the family business. Although his father was still in good health, his spirit had weakened compared to earlier years. Maintaining the family’s reputation and worrying about his sons had aged him quickly. Sometimes Shen Qingxuan thought that his father’s decline happened in an instant. Before his accident, his father would manage the business during the day and then often go hunting with friends, bringing back a cart full of game, which the cooks would prepare. They’d feast and drink all night, and the next day, his father would still be full of energy. But after Shen Qingxuan fell into the icy lake, that vibrant father seemed to disappear, along with the mischievous and lively Shen Qingxuan.

 

In earlier years, when his brother was still young, he would bring joy to their parents, so Shen Qingxuan didn’t mind being a bit selfish, staying away from them. After all, he was already a cripple, with not long to live. Rather than having his family grieve over his death in the future, it was better to let the bonds of blood slowly fade with time, so when he died, his parents would feel less pain. But he hadn’t died after all these years, and now that his brother was grown and leaving home to make his way in the world, as the eldest son, the responsibility was one he could no longer shirk.

 

Shen Qingxuan added, “Father has already discussed with me that after the new year, the family business will gradually be handed over to me… He’s had this intention for a while, but because of my poor health and limited mobility, he hasn’t brought it up until now. When he mentioned it to me recently, I agreed. I was thinking that during the New Year celebrations, I might announce that I can speak again, to make them happy. It would be a good omen for taking over the Shen family’s not-too-big, not-too-small estate.”

 

As he spoke, Yi Mo listened, not interrupting or offering any opinions, silently playing the role of listener.

 

When Shen Qingxuan mentioned the matter of Xiao Tao, he said that she had already decided to leave the Shen family and move to the place he had arranged for her. Although it was said to be for a change of scenery, in reality, it meant she was leaving for good. While it wasn’t a grand departure, she was well provided for. After living there for a couple of years, once the Shen family had forgotten her, he would move her to another place, allowing her to shed her identity as a Shen family servant or concubine and start anew. To the family, they would simply say she had died of a sudden illness.

 

After pausing briefly, Shen Qingxuan mentioned the engagement he had arranged, speaking indifferently, without any emotion. He said, “Although my engagement was hastily arranged, it cannot be easily canceled. I don’t know how Mother negotiated with the Wang family at the time. Although the Wang family is not wealthy, they were once quite reputable. How could they agree to marry off a good daughter to a cripple like me? There must have been some trickery involved… Although my family would never engage in fraudulent marriage practices, they must have resorted to some deception. I’ll need to find out the truth before I can devise a plan to break off this marriage.”

 

Yi Mo remained silent.

 

Shen Qingxuan also fell silent for a moment before resuming the conversation, “These matters need to be resolved before the year’s end. After the New Year, we can discuss marriage between us, what do you think?”

 

Yi Mo asked, “Who marries whom?”

 

Shen Qingxuan said, “I’ll marry, you’ll wed.” He continued, “There may be no formal matchmaking or betrothal gifts, and you probably won’t want to wear a phoenix coronet and robes of rank. We can just bow to heaven and earth and my parents, that’s all.” Though his tone was light, his words were resolute, as if everything had already been decided and all worldly obstacles had been swept away, with only Yi Mo’s agreement needed to proceed with the wedding.

 

Yi Mo almost thought he had gone mad.

 

But Shen Qingxuan didn’t think he was mad at all. On the contrary, he was extremely calm, clearer than ever before, knowing exactly what he wanted and what he was planning.

 

He said, “In terms of our relationship, we’re not at that point yet. It might be too early to talk about marriage, but it’s not impossible that we might discuss it in the future. So I’m just mentioning it now for you to consider. It’s not like I’m marrying you tomorrow, so you don’t need to get so nervous.”

 

He added, “Originally, since we’re both men, in bed, I’m the one taking the female role. So if we were to marry, it would make more sense for me to wed you.”

 

“But you’re a free-spirited demon, and I’m a mortal with many obligations. As the saying goes, a wife follows her husband. If I wed you, I’d have to leave with you. But I can’t. Even if I wanted to follow you, I still have the responsibility of being the Shen family’s eldest son. I can’t abandon my parents or ignore the family business. If you were to marry me, you’d at most become part of the Shen family, taking on its responsibilities and helping with its affairs. But there’s no need to tie you down with such worldly matters.”

 

“If one day I die, you, as my husband, would still have to serve my family. I don’t have such good fortune to have a soon-to-be-immortal demon protecting my family and ensuring its prosperity.”

 

“So it’s better if you wed me. You wouldn’t have to do anything for my family. There’s no need to bear children or continue the bloodline; I still have a younger brother for that. You’d still be as free as ever, and I wouldn’t need you to look after me. Just keep me company when you feel like it.”

 

“Besides, if you wed me, I might only live for another twenty or thirty years, at most. I could only cling to you for that long. After I die, you could go back to being a demon or an immortal.”

 

Shen Qingxuan lowered his eyes and said quietly, “To you, I’m just a speck of dust in your life, floating by your side for only a blink of an eye. It’s easy for you to forget me. These few decades, maybe only ten or so years, won’t hinder your cultivation. Since you’ve already given me so much, why not give me a bit more of your time? You’re not a stingy demon, after all.”

 

His words were measured and calm, almost calculated to perfection.

 

And then, there was silence once more.

　

“When did you start planning this?” Yi Mo suddenly asked. “If that’s the case, you’ve been scheming for a long time, right? From which day did it begin?”

 

Shen Qingxuan answered seriously, “It’s been some time. I just haven’t had the chance to tell you.”

 

“Specifically, from which day?” Yi Mo persisted.

 

“Perhaps,” Shen Qingxuan tilted his head, “perhaps it was the day you carried me out of the mud pit and jokingly said something that I kept in mind.”

 

That day was the day he took a concubine. Yi Mo thought about it; this person had a concubine in his household but still wanted to take a wife, which was quite hypocritical. After observing him for a moment, Yi Mo frowned and said, “Shen Qingxuan, I’ll take care of your leg ailment now. You shouldn’t stay at home anymore. How about joining the officialdom like your brother?” He continued, “Your scheming nature is wasted on such trivial matters. It would be better to pursue power and gain; there should be a place for you in this world.”

 

Shen Qingxuan thought for a moment and said, “You don’t need to be so tactful. Just say directly that I am too greedy and calculating, and that titles like ‘treacherous minister’ are most suitable for me. Isn’t that so?”

 

Yi Mo, however, gave him a mocking glance and said, “You don’t know that real pillars of the state are even more scheming than traitors?”

 

“I know, but since the world is relatively peaceful and stable, no matter how scheming I am, I cannot attain the position of Prime Minister. Unless I become a rebel, stirring up a storm of blood and gore, then in the future, I might be above ten thousand men. But such a venture is too risky, and I don’t have such grand ambitions. So, it’s better to discuss marriage matters with you.” Shen Qingxuan said with a smile.

 

Yi Mo said, “I neither want to marry nor plan to. Instead of having you nag with your sharp tongue, you might as well do something else that would shorten your life and spare me the trouble.”

 

After saying this, Yi Mo pulled the blanket off Shen Qingxuan and covered him with it, pinning him down, and they resumed their intimate activities.

 

Halfway through, Shen Qingxuan suddenly stopped moa-ning, held Yi Mo’s face, and said seriously in a hoarse voice, “Others may squander their wealth in a night of passion, but I’m risking my life. You should take good care of me, so I can die contentedly.”

 

Yi Mo turned his face away, thrusting hard beneath him, thinking, “Headache.”

 

Shen Qingxuan was left feeling weak and relaxed, no longer seeking trouble, and obediently held him, enjoying their intimate moments. However, his mind was still occupied with thoughts of how to keep Yi Mo firmly by his side.

 

He truly did not know. Yi Mo was a demon, capable of anything—coming and going as he pleased. If he were an ordinary person, he would have cut off Yi Mo’s escape routes and bound him closely by his side.

 

But Yi Mo was a demon. He could not remove his fierce claws or sever his wings.

 

He could only be at a disadvantage, waiting for him in captivity.

 

Yi Mo did not know that Shen Qingxuan had not told the whole truth; the actual fact was that the idea of marriage had only come to Shen Qingxuan when he was unable to summon Yi Mo with the blood bead last time.

 

To have him, even if just a nominal title, Shen Qingxuan was willing to go to any lengths.

 

Because Shen Qingxuan knew that even with the blood bead in hand, he could not summon Yi Mo when he did not want to come, no matter how many times he called. So, Shen Qingxuan returned the bead to him, not wanting such a useless trinket.

 

He was an ordinary person who wanted something tangible and real—something he could hold in his hand and see.

 

What he wanted was simply, in his lifetime, to see the golden sunshine when he opened his eyes and the demon by his side.

 

Not seeking a lifetime together. Just a moment.