Encountering a Snake - Chapter 14

v3c14

 

The climax had passed for a long time before Liu Yan’s muddled mind gradually returned. If he hadn’t been fully awake, Liu Yan would have truly believed that this moment of intimacy had nearly taken his life—both physically and mentally. The bed was a mess, dotted with damp spots. When his body unintentionally brushed against it, it felt cold and sticky.

 

They rested in an embrace for a while, but Yi Mo refused to withdraw. Not only did he refuse to pull out, but he also held Liu Yan tightly like a doll, gently swaying him back and forth, fully displaying his satisfied and lazy happiness after indulgence.

 

Liu Yan silently let him sway, until the liquid inside his body started to leak out from the motion, making him feel like he had lost control. Unable to bear it, he lightly scratched Yi Mo with his fingertip and murmured weakly, “Get up and fetch some water.”

 

Yi Mo, aware of the situation, calmly commented, “You’re so wet,” as though it had nothing to do with him, his tone casual and detached.

 

Casual to the point of being infuriating.

 

Unfortunately, Liu Yan didn’t even have the strength to be angry. After years of being pampered, he wasn’t built to withstand such torment. He could only lie in the arms of the culprit, silently enduring the sensation of those things continuously leaking out of his body.

 

Yi Mo simply didn’t want to move. He stayed inside, pressing against Liu Yan, gently rocking his waist, teasing him by grinding slightly. After just a couple of motions, his thing grew hard again.

 

This time, Liu Yan scratched him harder with his fingertip and said, “No.”

 

Yi Mo knew it wasn’t possible. This body was experiencing its first time and had been ravaged intensely earlier. It needed rest. So, he didn’t move further, only pushing himself deeply inside before shifting their position to lie on their sides. From behind, he embraced Liu Yan, keeping himself firmly lodged within.

 

Liu Yan drew a sharp breath as he felt a mixture of pain and arousal. Too exhausted to react, he decided to say nothing. Whatever happened, he resigned himself to it.

 

Yi Mo, however, didn’t move again. He simply stayed inside, blocking his essence from leaking out. Resting his head against Liu Yan’s nape, he whispered, “Let’s sleep like this.”

 

“…”

 

“I like staying inside,” Yi Mo said, muttering softly, “It’s my stuff. I don’t want it to flow out.”

 

“…” Liu Yan kept his eyes shut, his face flushed red. After a long silence, he mumbled, “Only now you think of blocking it…” Unable to finish, he grew too embarrassed to continue.

 

“It’s fine,” Yi Mo reassured him, kissing his ear. “What’s left… let it stay and make you give me little snakes.”

 

When it came to shamelessness, no one could rival this old demon. Liu Yan admitted defeat. Afraid Yi Mo might actually do something crazy like make him give birth to snakes, Liu Yan quickly clammed up, keeping silent.

 

Too tired, Liu Yan soon fell asleep.

 

Only Yi Mo remained awake, silently holding him. As a demon, he could sleep for hundreds of years if he wanted, or stay awake just as long if he didn’t. After meeting Shen Qingxuan, there had been a long period when he lived like a human—turning off the lights at night and getting up at dawn. The reason was simple: there had been someone by his side who would hold his hand while sleeping and kiss him awake in the morning. Thinking of it now, being human wasn’t entirely bad. To have someone to accompany you, guarding the passing days, sharing a lifetime without parting—wasn’t that worthwhile?

 

But being human came with too many constraints. In the first life, Shen Qingxuan couldn’t let go of his family. In the second, Ji Jiu couldn’t abandon his country. Reflecting on it, Yi Mo realized that even he wasn’t truly free.

 

Humans had human rules; demons had demon regulations. All beings under heaven lacked true freedom.

 

Thinking too much eventually left his mind in disarray. Yi Mo admitted he didn’t like thinking—it was too tiring, and some questions had no answer once you began pondering them.

 

Pushing himself slightly in the warm, wet space, Yi Mo tightened his arms around Liu Yan. Letting go of his thoughts, he closed his eyes and joined his beloved in slumber.

 

Many times and in many matters, thinking would only lead to a dead end. Whatever storms raged outside, it was better to guard this small corner of peace and ignore the rest.

 

The next morning, when Liu Yan got out of bed and opened the window, the aroma of chicken soup wafted through the air. Startled, he quickly shut the window and hurried out, only to bump directly into Yi Mo coming in.

 

“You…” Liu Yan grabbed his collar. “Did you really have Xiao Bao stew chicken soup?”

 

Yi Mo rubbed his nose and replied, “He made it himself.”

 

“Really?” Liu Yan narrowed his eyes, closing in with an expression devoid of any smile, exuding an intimidating aura. Lowering his voice, he repeated, “Really?”

 

Yi Mo stared at him for a while before admitting, “It’s good for your health.” His response indirectly acknowledged that he had framed Xiao Bao earlier.

 

Liu Yan sneered, lifting his brows. “If it’s for my health, you should’ve made it yourself. But instead, you let our son do it. If I got mad, you’d shift the blame to him. If I didn’t, you’d bring the soup over to tease me. Your calculations are sharp.” The last line was both playful and sharp.

 

This left Yi Mo speechless for a moment, standing dumbfounded.

 

Before him stood a living, breathing image of the general from the previous life, yet with traces of tenderness in his expression. Yi Mo knew he hadn’t succeeded in teasing him, but oddly, he felt immense joy. No one understood him better than the person in front of him.

 

Xiao Bao brought in the chicken soup. Seeing the two silently staring at each other, he paused and asked, “Have you washed up?”

 

“Did you boil water?” Liu Yan asked. Truthfully, after being caught in many awkward situations by Xiao Bao in the previous life, nothing seemed too embarrassing anymore.

 

Shen Jue, now grown, had experienced much and was no longer an innocent child. Thus, Liu Yan didn’t bother with concealment.

 

Shen Jue said the water was ready, setting the chicken soup aside. Without revealing any emotion, he stepped out and began fetching water, the very picture of a filial son.

 

After washing up, Liu Yan sat down under Yi Mo’s watchful gaze, calmly finishing the bowl of chicken soup made with angelica and red dates.

 

Placing the empty bowl down, Liu Yan asked, “What other tricks do you have in mind? I’ll play along.” His tone was gentle, but there was an undertone of lingering affection as he continued, “There’s plenty of time, so take it slow.”

 

Indeed, in this life, he was still young. Even with the many memories he carried, he still had a youthful body, and thus, plenty of time to spend with this mischievous yet endearing snake—to play, to wait, to pass a lifetime together, making up for all the missed opportunities of the past.

 

Yi Mo stood for a moment, glanced at the empty bowl, and said, “You didn’t leave me any.” In the past, they would always split everything in half.

 

This sudden change in treatment left him feeling slightly off.

 

“You’re not bleeding,” Liu Yan replied matter-of-factly, the teasing glint in his eyes flashing briefly as he added, “So you don’t get any.”

 

Yi Mo let out an “oh” before saying, “But last night I also…” was eaten. As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized he’d been set up and quickly swallowed the rest.

 

Liu Yan stood up, leaned in close, and asked, “Also what?”

 

Yi Mo said, “Nothing.”

 

“Also what?” Liu Yan pressed, their faces so close their breaths mingled. In a soft voice, he said, “Call me ‘husband,’ and I’ll save some for you.”

 

Yi Mo raised his eyebrows, gazing at him for a long moment before lightly pressing his thin lips together and crisply saying, “Husband.”

 

Sure enough, before Yi Mo could feel embarrassed, Liu Yan was already flushed, his ears burning red from that one word. Somehow, this simple call carried an overwhelming weight, leaving Liu Yan’s heart clenched tightly.

 

The tables had turned in an instant, leaving Liu Yan standing frozen. After a while, he finally asked Shen Jue to bring another bowl of chicken soup.

 

The fact that the two of them could make such a small matter so entertaining proved they were a perfect match, meant to be together.

 

Having triumphed once again, Yi Mo gently pulled Liu Yan into his arms, seating him on his lap. Picking up the spoon, Yi Mo stirred the soup, cooled it with his breath, and swallowed it himself. “It tastes pretty good,” he said.

 

The loser obediently sat in his lap, still replaying that one word—“husband”—in his mind, savoring the profound affection it seemed to hold. His ears remained red, the color refusing to fade.

 

Then Yi Mo took a mouthful of soup, turned Liu Yan’s head, and transferred it mouth-to-mouth. Caught off guard, Liu Yan swallowed the soup in embarrassment, only to be kissed thoroughly. As he finally came to, Yi Mo casually remarked, “This way is more nourishing.”

 

“…”

 

“Better nourishment means I can serve my husband properly tonight,” Yi Mo added seriously, setting the bowl down and letting his hand wander to Liu Yan’s thigh, where he gave a playful squeeze.

 

Liu Yan shrank back, wanting to say something, but when he opened his mouth, no words came out. His face was so hot it could fry an egg.

 

The hand under the table did not relent. A flick of the fingers undid the tie of his robes, and the hand slipped inside. Its cold fingertips brushed against Liu Yan’s chest like a kiss before pinching a tender spot. The fingers played, rubbing, pulling, teasing, until the soft flesh hardened under the touch.

 

Perhaps it was the word “husband” that subdued him, but Liu Yan sat obediently in his embrace, lowering his head. If Yi Mo squeezed harder, he would shrink away slightly; if Yi Mo eased his touch, he stayed still, entirely compliant. Neither resisting nor escaping, he let Yi Mo play with him, his nipples reddening from the torment. Eventually, he murmured in a soft voice, “This is broad daylight…”

 

The doors and windows were all open. If Shen Jue cared to look, he could see everything happening inside. It was truly reckless.

 

Since he finally spoke, Yi Mo withdrew his hand, picked up the bowl again, and resumed feeding him. The chicken soup, once steaming hot, was now coated with a layer of oil but no longer scalding. Yi Mo took a large sip, leaned down, and pressed his lips to Liu Yan’s. Blushing, Liu Yan tilted his head up and slightly parted his lips to receive the soup, swallowing half and returning the other half. Their tongues occasionally brushed against each other, and when they did, they intertwined, lingering and intimate.

 

This way of drinking soup was hardly nourishing, but Yi Mo derived immense pleasure from it. Liu Yan, too, was honest—though it was a bit embarrassing, he clearly enjoyed it.

 

Since they both found it enjoyable, no matter how cloying, it was bearable.

 

Only Shen Jue, sitting in the kitchen, silently counted the passing time. It had already been an hour since he delivered the chicken soup, and he wasn’t sure when it would be appropriate to collect the bowls. Shaking his head, he resigned himself to wait.

 

After a day of indulging themselves, Yi Mo finally restrained himself by dinnertime.

 

When Shen Jue brought the meal into the room, he was fully aware that the two were newly married, practically inseparable. He set the table without a word and was about to leave when Yi Mo called out, “Join us.”

 

Since his father had spoken, Shen Jue naturally obeyed. He fetched another set of tableware and sat down.

 

The three ate without ceremony. Liu Yan was the first to move his chopsticks, serving Shen Jue and Yi Mo before quietly eating his own food.

 

After a while, Shen Jue couldn’t help but say, “Father, how about I go down the mountain for a few days?”

 

Liu Yan paused, his ears reddening again, but he replied, “Though the courtyard is small, it’s enough to accommodate you.”

 

Yi Mo added, “Where would you go?”

 

Shen Jue truly had nowhere else to go, nor any desire to leave. The house was his only refuge, where he felt completely at ease. It had been that way since childhood. Even when he was punished or scolded, he understood it was for his own good, which made the pain more bearable. Moreover, though he had been wild as a child, he had been taught well, rarely making mistakes that warranted punishment.

 

Thus, he was deeply attached to home. Since they insisted, he decided to stay. After all, no display of affection between them was anything he hadn’t seen before.

 

After a while, Yi Mo said, “But staying on the mountain for so long is dull. Let’s go out for a while.”

 

“Hm?” Liu Yan was startled, not understanding why Yi Mo would suddenly suggest this. Even Shen Jue found it unexpected.

 

They had only been married for a day, and now they were leaving the mountain? To go where?

 

Yi Mo said, “There’s nothing to do here. Why not take a trip?” After a pause, he added, “We’ve never really traveled together before.”

 

If not for the earnest look in his eyes, this statement would have seemed entirely out of character for Yi Mo. Liu Yan froze for a moment, then frowned.

 

Shen Jue, on the other hand, had already guessed his intentions and asked, “Where to?”

 

“Anywhere. Just to look around,” Yi Mo replied. “Why not see the world?”

 

“Sounds good,” Shen Jue said with a smile. “Take me along.”

 

“Of course, we’ll take you.”

 

Liu Yan set down his bowl with a soft clink against the wooden table. Waiting until the other two quieted, he looked at Yi Mo with a serious expression and asked, “What are you hiding from me?”

 

Yi Mo didn’t answer.

 

Liu Yan turned to Shen Jue and asked, “What do you know?”

 

Shen Jue lowered his eyes, thinking for a long time before finally saying, “Father, it’s not my place to say.”

 

Hearing this, Liu Yan knew he wouldn’t get anything out of him. He knew his son well; when Shen Jue was stubborn, nothing could move him.

 

Liu Yan directed his attention back to Yi Mo and pressed, “Are you going to tell me?”

 

Yi Mo lowered his gaze, staring at the dishes on the table as if they were a feast he had never seen before, his focus unusually intense.

 

Unsurprised by the lack of response, Liu Yan sat quietly, sorting through his thoughts. Soon, he found a breakthrough.

 

“Yi Mo, is what you’re hiding related to my memories from three lifetimes?”

 

The speed of his deduction and the sharpness of his insight were astonishing. Shen Jue silently shoveled rice into his mouth.

 

Yi Mo raised an eyebrow and asked curiously, “Why do you think that?”

 

“If recovering past memories were so simple…” Liu Yan tilted his head slightly and said slowly, “Then why didn’t you help me remember in my last life?”

 

“If you regained your memories, would you have left with me?” Yi Mo deflected.

 

Liu Yan hesitated briefly. “No.”

 

“Why not?” Yi Mo asked.

 

“Because you came too late,” Liu Yan said calmly. “What was insignificant to you was important to me. I couldn’t betray my obligations. If you had come earlier, I would have gone with you even without recovering my memories.”

 

“Why would you have left with me earlier? You were the only son of the Ji family,” Yi Mo pointed out.

 

“I could have left them a grandson,” Liu Yan said. “If you’d come earlier, the state of the world at that time wouldn’t have been changed because of me… but I did change it.”

 

“I made someone who shouldn’t have been emperor ascend the throne and caused those who should have ruled and guided the nation to perish in flames.

 

“If you’d come earlier, I wouldn’t have done these things… nor would I have had to bear the consequences.

 

“I would have left the Ji family a bloodline and become what the world would call a hedonistic wastrel, the Ji family’s disgrace.”

 

As Liu Yan spoke, he suddenly realized Yi Mo was trying to change the subject. He quickly brought it back, asking, “What exactly are you hiding from me?”

 

“I…” Yi Mo frowned and, after a long pause, lightly said, “I’m not telling you.”

 

Shen Jue silently lowered his head, trying to bury his face into a bowl barely big enough for his palm. Naturally, it was impossible, leaving his cramped cheeks visible above the rim.

 

Glancing at his son, Liu Yan said after a while, “If you’re not telling me, I won’t ask anymore. But…”

 

“But what?” Yi Mo raised an eyebrow.

 

“Tell me before anything happens, so I can be prepared.”

 

“Alright,” Yi Mo agreed.

 

“Then let’s eat,” Liu Yan said with a smile, as if he hadn’t sensed the ominous undertone in Yi Mo’s response. “We’ll set out tomorrow morning for our trip.”

 

And so the decision to travel was made.

 

The next day, the whole family set out. They rented a carriage at the foot of the mountain. Shen Jue, delighted, took the reins and, with a flourish of his whip, drove his two fathers off on their sightseeing adventure.