Encountering a Snake - Chapter 24

As the year-end approached, the Shen family was at its busiest. With numerous relatives and friends, the Shen family’s connections were vast, stretching from across the street to several cities away. Every year at this time, Shen’s father would send out invitations to family and friends for a reunion. Gradually, the large residence filled with guests of all kinds—those who came with families, those who came alone, the poor, the wealthy, the noble, and those in decline. This was the most bustling time of the year for the Shen family. Everyone, young and old, had their roles: some prepared gifts, others decorated the house, hung lanterns, and posted couplets. People were dispatched to the countryside early to collect goods—dried mushrooms, wild game, premium flour, and so on. The small gate in the back courtyard was constantly busy with deliveries of firewood, fresh fish, and various goods. After delivering and settling accounts, the suppliers left happily with their payments and red strings as rewards.

 

This year, unlike previous years, Shen Laoye (Mr. Shen) had an additional person by his side during the greetings—Shen Qingxuan, the eldest son, who was pushed in a chair by a servant.

 

It was clear from this arrangement that Mr. Shen intended to hand over the family business to his eldest son.

 

Relatives and friends looked at the future head of the Shen family with a probing gaze. Sitting thinly in the chair, Shen Qingxuan’s face was somewhat sickly pale. Despite this, his complexion was still decent. Many had seen Shen Qingxuan before, as a child full of energy, holding a brush and diligently writing at his desk. It had been rare to see him in recent times, and everyone knew he had suffered an accident. Looking at him now, there was more pity in their eyes. Doubts lingered about whether such a frail body could support the weight of the Shen family’s reputation.

 

Some guests, who liked to provoke, intentionally brought up such topics to test him. However, Shen Qingxuan did not get upset. He merely smiled and skillfully deflected their remarks with a few words, making it seem as though he was absorbing the impact effortlessly. Guests quickly stopped their probing, and some, who were more sincere, praised him endlessly, saying Mr. Shen was truly fortunate.

 

After half a month of such busyness, Shen Qingxuan had barely had a chance to talk to Yi Mo. Every night, he fell asleep immediately and got up before dawn the next day. After drinking ginseng tea and washing up, he would first greet his parents and then handle various chores. When his parents woke up, they would have breakfast together, and then he would accompany his father to greet the guests.

 

Yi Mo occasionally came over but no longer kept a low profile. Instead, he entered through the main gate, walked through the courtyard, and directly headed towards Shen Qingxuan’s nanmu (cypress) building. The servants, running around busily, would stop and respectfully bow to Yi Mo before continuing their tasks, showing him much more respect than they did for Xu Mingshi, who rarely stayed at the Shen residence and was often out dealing with supernatural affairs in nearby villages.

 

Yi Mo, on the other hand, was someone both the eldest son and the master of the house held in high regard, and the servants followed suit in their respect.

 

When Yi Mo arrived, Shen Qingxuan was sometimes in the room, sometimes not. Regardless, Yi Mo found the room comfortable, with always a warm charcoal fire. The maidservants had been instructed by Shen Qingxuan to let Yi Mo do as he pleased, so they delivered tea and snacks and quickly left, busy with their own tasks.

 

Yi Mo comfortably reclined on Shen Qingxuan’s soft couch, covering himself with a blanket, enjoying the peace and quiet despite the commotion outside. He didn’t feel bored.

 

In fact, cultivation was inherently the most tedious thing in the world, and Yi Mo was used to it. He was accustomed to being alone, without any ties. However, during the cold winter, his nature as a snake meant that while he didn’t need to hibernate like non-spiritual snakes, he was still lethargic. After lying on Shen Qingxuan’s bed for a while, Yi Mo decided to take a nap.

 

He didn’t bother changing clothes, just lay down, covered himself with a quilt that smelled of sunlight, and fell asleep.

 

The charcoal fire in the room burned quietly, occasionally emitting a crackle and a small spark, then returning to stillness.

 

Shen Qingxuan had long known Yi Mo was there, but he was too occupied with his duties to attend to him, leaving him neglected until the evening when the festivities ended and the guests departed. Under the starlit sky, he wrapped himself in a cloak and returned to his room.

 

Climbing the stairs, he waved to send the maids away and entered his private quarters. There, Yi Mo lay on the bed behind the screen, sprawled casually as if it were his own home.

 

As Shen Qingxuan looked at him, a warm and peaceful feeling rose from his heart, reminiscent of a weary husband returning home under the stars to find his wife sweetly sleeping on the couch. All the fatigue of the day vanished with that one sight.

 

The candlelight was orange and the air was peaceful. Occasionally, the distant sound of firecrackers lit by mischievous children could be heard. Shen Qingxuan approached, sat by the bed, and tucked the blanket around Yi Mo.

 

Yi Mo woke up, glanced at him, and without speaking, closed his eyes and continued sleeping. His demeanor was lazily content, like a snake in hibernation disturbed from a good dream. Shen Qingxuan couldn’t help but smile, leaned down to kiss his forehead, and stayed there for a while until the cold skin warmed. It was a clean and pure kiss, without any lustful intent, just a simple act of affection. Yi Mo opened his eyes again, looked at him, then pulled him down and kissed him deeply until Shen Qingxuan nearly gasped for air before stopping. He asked, “Is that enough?” Shen Qingxuan, with a flushed face, said nothing, his dark eyes filled with deep affection.

 

Yi Mo understood human love but never quite grasped what it felt like. He had seen such gazes many times throughout his long life, watching them appear and disappear in others’ stories, but he had never experienced it himself. Never had he imagined that one day he would be the recipient of such a gaze. His curiosity led him to spend what he deemed unnecessary time by Shen Qingxuan’s side, wondering how long that gaze would last and when it would vanish.

 

Everything that appears will eventually disappear. It is an ancient truth.

 

Shen Qingxuan tucked the blanket again and softly said in Yi Mo’s ear, “I’m going to wash up and will be back soon.” He shook a bell, and the sound immediately prompted the door to open as the maids entered with a prepared wooden tub and several buckets of water. Behind the screen, the two of them watched as the maids busily transferred hot water into the tub, dozens of trips filling it, and steam rose from the top of the tub.

 

As long as Yi Mo was present, Shen Qingxuan didn’t need the maids’ services, so he dismissed them and advised them to rest early. He then sat back down, undressed, and carefully eased himself into the tub. Fortunately, the tub was custom-made, and Shen Qingxuan was accustomed to this sort of thing, so he easily settled into the water, which reached up to his shoulders.

 

While Shen Qingxuan splashed water and cleaned himself, water occasionally splashed onto the floor. Yi Mo, hearing the sounds from the bed, took off his robe and walked over.

 

Suddenly appearing behind him startled Shen Qingxuan. Seeing Yi Mo fully naked, he turned red but obediently made space for Yi Mo.

 

Yi Mo stepped in, causing the water level to rise, and when he sat down, the water overflowed. Shen Qingxuan frowned, saying, “It’s going to overflow.”

 

Although the tub was large, it couldn’t fit two people comfortably. It was very cramped, and Yi Mo didn’t mind Shen Qingxuan’s teasing. He picked Shen Qingxuan up and sat him on his lap. This created a bit more space, but there was still not enough room for thorough washing. Shen Qingxuan, holding Yi Mo, sighed, “I really miss the hot springs on the mountain.”

 

Yi Mo, holding his waist, asked, “Shall we go?”

 

Shen Qingxuan looked at the scene in the water and shook his head. “Another day.” He handed Yi Mo a towel and said, “I can’t move like this. You wash me.”

 

Yi Mo, used to being in command, took the towel without saying a word and started washing Shen Qingxuan’s neck and back. As he moved the towel along Shen Qingxuan’s spine, Shen Qingxuan suddenly grabbed Yi Mo’s hand. “That’s enough.”

 

Yi Mo pulled his hand away, continuing to wash down to Shen Qingxuan’s lower back. Shen Qingxuan turned red, twisting his waist to escape, but there was no way to get away in the confined water.

 

Shen Qingxuan quickly called out, saying he had had enough, but Yi Mo insisted, asking slowly, “Do you not wash this part?”

 

Shen Qingxuan glared at him, embarrassed and angry. “What nonsense are you talking about?! I don’t want you to wash it!”

 

Yi Mo responded calmly, “Oh, then you wash.”

 

Shen Qingxuan: “……”

 

Yi Mo gently kissed his face and said seriously, “Wash it thoroughly, including inside. Later…” Before he could finish, Shen Qingxuan covered his mouth with his hand.

 

Pressing firmly on his mouth, Shen Qingxuan, with a flushed face, angrily said, “I’ll wash it, just keep quiet.” After saying this, he turned his face away, his hand reaching behind to feel and wash. He was used to it; ever since they became intimate, he always paid attention to cleanliness. This was something that had to be done quietly, and talking about it was awkward. But this snake never followed the rules.

 

Yi Mo, who enjoyed the feeling of doing “bad” things, kept his head down, watching the movement in the water with a serious expression. After a while, he couldn’t resist reaching out, playing with the fingers hidden in the other’s groin, occasionally touching the entrance, teasing deliberately.

 

Shen Qingxuan gave him a sideways glance, knowing he couldn’t stop him, so he didn’t. However, this bath was unusually difficult and more tiring than ever before.

 

Yi Mo remained calm and leisurely, enjoying himself with a relaxed demeanor.

 

Finally finished with the bath, Shen Qingxuan instructed the large snake to tend the brazier and make the charcoal burn hotter. He sat on the bed, drying his hair, and said casually, “I’ve been busy recently and have neglected you.”

 

Yi Mo didn’t care about being neglected, but still said, “It’s fine.” After putting down the fire tongs, Yi Mo got up, fastened his clothing, but didn’t cinch his waist. His loose robe draped over him, and with his wet long hair, he walked over, lifted the blanket, and sat next to him.

 

Shen Qingxuan naturally gathered his hair and dried it. Yi Mo sat with his back to him, enjoying the attention as if it were his due.

 

“How about staying for the New Year?” Shen Qingxuan said while wiping the water droplets from Yi Mo’s hair, “The day after tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. You shouldn’t return to the mountain in these two days.”

 

Yi Mo asked, “Any benefits?”

 

“What benefit do you want?” Shen Qingxuan said while massaging his hair, smiling, “Do you want some candy?”

 

Yi Mo didn’t respond.

 

Shen Qingxuan was silent for a moment, then took out a wooden comb and started combing Yi Mo’s hair while saying, “Forget it, I won’t force you. But you must come on the first day of the new year. I’ll give you New Year’s money. You’re already a thousand years old; if I don’t give it, you’ll soon be ten thousand. People say a thousand-year-old turtle or ten thousand-year-old turtle, are you a turtle or a turtle?”

 

Yi Mo turned his face and snatched the comb from his hand, asking, “What did you say? I didn’t catch that.”

 

Shen Qingxuan knew he was pretending not to understand and didn’t expose him. He chuckled, let go of the comb, lay down, covered himself with the blanket, and said, “I’ve become confused and can’t remember what I just said.”

 

Seeing this, Yi Mo also lay down, held him in his arms, and said, “They say when people get old, they forget things easily and become confused. Are you reaching a high age or just rarely confused?”

 

Shen Qingxuan lowered his eyes and said softly, “I’d be happy to be seventy or eighty years old now.”

 

“Hmm?” Yi Mo truly didn’t hear clearly this time; his voice was too low, almost a murmur.

 

Shen Qingxuan waited for a moment and then repeated, “I’d be happy to lie here with you from youthful vigor to old age in the blink of an eye. It would be a joyous end.”

 

This time, Yi Mo was silent.

 

After a moment, Shen Qingxuan’s hand slipped into the blanket, quietly unfastening the tie of Yi Mo’s robe.

 

Yi Mo uncovered the blanket, watching as his robe gradually opened, lying still as if waiting for him to continue. As the clothing was removed piece by piece, Shen Qingxuan undid his own recently worn undergarments and climbed on top of him.

 

Their bodies pressed together, chests fitting without gaps. Shen Qingxuan lowered his head and kissed him, starting from the forehead, with his lips lingering there, not too light, not too heavy, in a devout manner. Then he kissed his lips, gently biting, and followed the curve of his jaw down to his neck, silently and quietly. Yi Mo reached out, holding them together, pressing closely.

 

The candle burned, the charcoal crackled, occasionally swaying, and sometimes emitting sparks with a “pop.” They enjoyed each other’s company in silence.

 

Afterward, Shen Qingxuan curled up in his arms, closing his eyes to sleep. But Yi Mo pushed his spent member back inside, and Shen Qingxuan murmured, frowning, “This won’t do. We have to get up early tomorrow, so let me sleep.”

 

Yi Mo said, “You sleep.”

 

Shen Qingxuan, with his back to Yi Mo, couldn’t turn around at this moment and said with a laugh, “How can I sleep like this?”

 

Yi Mo rubbed his backside in the blanket, whispering, “It’s wet and warm here; I don’t want to take it out. You just hold it and sleep.” He pushed in a bit more, wrapping his arms around Shen Qingxuan.

 

Shen Qingxuan wanted to protest but didn’t say anything in the end. He sleepily murmured, “Then it won’t come out. I like you inside me anyway.”

 

The words came so easily, as if it were the most natural thing. Yi Mo frowned, feeling the weight beneath him again, and pinched his waist, saying, “If you still want to sleep, just keep quiet.”

 

Shen Qingxuan closed his mouth and fell asleep obediently, utterly exhausted. Although he had the desire, he was too weak to act on it.

 

In the middle of the night, it was unclear who moved first, but somehow, their soft, warm, and sticky areas were pressing together, repeatedly sucking and swallowing. Yi Mo, from behind, continued to thrust deeper with each movement, driving Shen Qingxuan to the brink of madness. The secret fluid that had not yet been released began to flow with their movements, creating a loud, wet sound. Shen Qingxuan felt weak, his entire body flushed red, his face burning with heat, yet his mind was becoming clearer. He recalled earlier events and moaned, “You said I should sleep.”

 

Yi Mo bit his neck, moving his waist rhythmically. He let out a “hm” from his nasal cavity, a sound that, while a response, was surprisingly sensual, like a moan. Shen Qingxuan felt dazed, his waist arching back uncontrollably, perfectly hitting the critical spot, leading to his release.

 

His tensed buttocks squeezed the restless member inside him as if trying to crush it, making Yi Mo pause briefly. He reached around to the front and felt the moisture on his hands with some surprise. Trying to turn Shen Qingxuan over, Shen Qingxuan stubbornly resisted and refused to turn his face. Yi Mo understood and, with a hand supporting his body, bit his earlobe with a hint of amusement, saying, “You’re getting worse and worse now.”

 

Shen Qingxuan retorted, “Let me try to see if I’m really useless!”

 

Yi Mo slapped his buttocks, the sound crisp even through the blanket. Afterward, he said, “You can dream all you want.”

 

Shen Qingxuan finally raised his face and replied, “It’s night now.” Thinking about Yi Mo’s situation, he didn’t know how to feel comfortable, so he tensed up, gripping tightly.

 

Yi Mo, enjoying the pleasure, stopped arguing and turned Shen Qingxuan over, continuing what they had started. Shen Qingxuan quickly forgot the impossible thought, focusing on lifting his waist to allow deeper entry.

 

In the end, Yi Mo insisted on finishing inside Shen Qingxuan’s body before stopping.

 

Yi Mo counted the number of times and realized that if he continued, Shen Qingxuan’s life would be in danger. Still, he couldn’t resist the sensation and ended up climaxing again.

 

After the climax, Yi Mo held Shen Qingxuan’s chin, forcing him to meet his gaze. Shen Qingxuan, feeling sleepy and knowing Yi Mo had something to say, tried hard to keep his eyes open.

 

Yi Mo asked, “Do you really want to die?”

 

Shen Qingxuan looked innocent, “I’m alive and well. Why would I want to die?”

 

“Shen Qingxuan,” Yi Mo’s face turned cold, “If you die because of this, it will ruin my efforts. I only ask, do you really want to die?”

 

Shen Qingxuan became serious, looking at him, and said, “I’m living well and don’t want to die.”

 

“Why must I ejaculate inside you?” Yi Mo asked.

 

Shen Qingxuan, still serious, looked at him for a while before slowly answering, “I know that with your abilities, you could find a way to resolve this. I’m just betting on when you’ll soften towards me.”

 

He continued, “Yi Mo, I have nothing. Everything I have is given by you. I’m a greedy person; I want far more than what you’re currently giving. You know my nature; I’m inherently flawed. Now, I’m using this thing that doesn’t belong to me to bet on when you’ll give me what I want. Isn’t that fair? What’s wrong with that?”

 

Such self-justification was said with a firm tone, even though he knew he was wrong.

 

Yi Mo looked at him, momentarily speechless. He had guessed this, but didn’t expect him to articulate it so clearly.

 

After a while, Yi Mo concluded, “You’re just a gambler.”

 

Gambler Shen Qingxuan smiled broadly, “If you’re afraid, you can leave. I won’t keep you. But as long as you’re with me, I’ll be attached to you; if you stay a year, I’ll bet for a year. For what I want, I’ll do anything, no matter the means or cost.” He raised his head and gently kissed the corner of Yi Mo’s lips. “Otherwise… If I can’t get what I want, can’t love the person I want, or can’t protect the person I want, what’s the point of keeping this life I’ve struggled so hard to keep?”

 

“Yi Mo.” Without giving him time to think, Shen Qingxuan kissed him, their lips and tongues intertwining, full of affection and sweetness, and softly said between breaths:

 

“You have a millennium of cultivation, commanding the wind and rain, riding the clouds. So, if you want to leave, go ahead. I won’t force you. After you leave, I’ll continue to live well, manage my family’s affairs, and take care of my people until my death. I’ll just keep betting, betting whether the year of our acquaintance will bring a glance from you.”

 

Shen Qingxuan smiled, with calm determination, “So, even if it shortens my life by a few years, or if I’m corrupted, I’ll still be happy!”

 

Yi Mo listened and looked, opening his mouth as if to say something but ultimately remained silent, saying nothing.

 

What could he say? The seemingly refined eldest son of the Shen family, who would one day lead the family, was not only a gambler but also a madman!

 

Trying to reason with a madman obsessed with gambling is undoubtedly the most foolish thing to do.

 

– **”You’re already a thousand years old; if I don’t give it, you’ll soon be ten thousand.”**: This part of the statement is exaggerating the age of the person to emphasize how long they’ve been around or how long they’ve had to wait for something.

 

– **”People say a thousand-year-old turtle or ten thousand-year-old turtle, are you a turtle or a turtle?”**: This is a figurative way of asking if someone is really as old or as wise as the exaggerated age suggests. The comparison to a turtle refers to the idea that turtles are symbols of longevity and wisdom in various cultures.

 

In summary, the speaker is using humor and exaggeration to address the person’s age or experience, suggesting that they are so old that they might as well be a mythical or legendary figure.