Bai Ying returned home and, as expected, saw Tan Ming waiting outside the elevator.
How strange—he wondered why it felt so expected. Perhaps because he always spotted Tan Ming heading out just as he stepped off the elevator. Similar coincidences had happened between them countless times.
Was it really just coincidence?
The thought had barely formed in Bai Ying’s mind when Tan Ming greeted him, dispelling it.
“Still busy with work lately?” Tan Ming asked with a smile.
“It’s alright. Work’s been hectic during the day, but overtime has decreased.” Bai Ying had been clocking in and out on time for a while now. Even without much overtime, the company had managed to clear all the backlog. He heard that the new business deals personally negotiated by Qin Juanshu were also falling into place. The new boss and his assistant were truly impressive.
“Sorry about this. Did you make dinner for two again today?” Bai Ying remembered and apologized. “I suddenly had to go out for dinner with my boss and a friend tonight, so I didn’t come back.”
“No, you messaged me in time, didn’t you?” Tan Ming asked casually. “Your boss seems pretty good to you. He was the one who drove you back from that business trip last time, right?”
“The boss is great!” Bai Ying completely missed the faint hostility in Tan Ming’s words and beamed. “I had too much luggage then, so he helped carry some—like that bag of pastries for you. Tan Ming, Tan Ming, did you eat them?”
He was utterly oblivious to the feelings of the man beside him… Tan Ming nodded helplessly. “I did. Starting tomorrow, I’ll have to live off that bag of pastries.”
“Huh?” Bai Ying tilted his head in confusion.
“One of my scripts starts filming tomorrow. As the screenwriter, I have to go on location. It’s in the mountains—no water, no electricity. Sigh, time to go live like a savage.” Tan Ming exaggerated on purpose and sure enough, saw Bai Ying’s expression turn tense.
“Th-then… I’ll pack up my snacks for you!” Bai Ying hurriedly unlocked his door, darted inside, then poked his head back out. “Tan Ming, wait for me a bit!”
The little snake rummaged out a large cloth bag and generously stuffed it full of snacks, emptying his entire snack cabinet.
The bag was so heavy that Bai Ying had to carry it out with both hands.
Yet Tan Ming took it with one hand. Did all screenwriters who typed a lot have freakish arm strength? He even had a free hand to ruffle Bai Ying’s hair, joking, “I’m not that close with the crew. Once I’m in the mountains, I’ll only be able to chat with you when there’s signal. Don’t forget this lonely old man.”
Bai Ying looked up at him. “I won’t forget you.”
Like a dutiful little wife promising to wait obediently for her husband to come home.
Tan Ming couldn’t even imagine what it would be like if he really got together with Bai Ying. He’d probably lose his mind to lust and spend every day dying in that gentle embrace.
After bidding Tan Ming farewell and returning home, Bai Ying found another “lonely old man” waiting for him on his phone.
Ahem, that was rude. Mr. Liu might be that old, but demons weren’t the same as humans!
Bai Ying flopped onto the sofa with his phone in hand.
Ever since adding Mr. Liu on WeChat, the man messaged him every day, asking what he’d eaten or if he was happy. Bai Ying never found it annoying. Mr. Liu was like an elder who doted on his juniors—a kind of care from a senior that Bai Ying had rarely experienced before.
[I met my best friend from the orphanage today!] Bai Ying typed happily. [We had dinner together with my boss too!]
What an odd trio. Far away in the Capital City, Liu Qingzhang couldn’t help thinking.
Bai Ying kept typing. He wasn’t slow at it in human form: [He was taken away at around six years old. I always thought some kind family had adopted him and worried for ages if he was doing well in his new home. Turns out his parents found him. He’s doing great now.]
Bai Ying shared the bombshell like it was the hottest gossip, exclaiming: [He’s the son of the Yunxin Group chairman!]
“Yunxin Group?” Liu Qingzhang wasn’t too familiar with the name. He turned to Zhong Qian at his side. “What do you know about them?”
Zhong Qian, worthy of being the next Zhong Family Head, answered promptly: “Yunxin Group is the Yun Family’s enterprise in Shen City. Among Shen City’s three great families, the Qin Family holds a slight edge in strength, followed by the Yun and Lu Families. However, the Qin Family is massive and internally complex, while the Yun and Lu Families are simpler, making the three overall evenly matched.”
Liu Qingzhang mused, “Last time, the little snake came with someone from the Qin Family.”
“Yes, Mr. Qin Juanshu is the eldest son of the current Qin Family Head,” Zhong Qian added. “Also, Mr. Bai seems to have a good relationship with the Lu Family heir.”
At Liu Qingzhang’s request, Zhong Qian hadn’t investigated Bai Ying thoroughly—the big snake wanted to respect the little snake’s privacy. But Lu Changjun’s status was special. The dignified Lu Family heir interning at a tiny company with fewer than twenty people was impossible to ignore.
A closer look revealed: Bai Ying had recruited him.
Liu Qingzhang didn’t see any issue with Bai Ying associating with these three families’ heirs. Whose demon connections weren’t scarier than his? Plus, Bai Ying had Willow Mansion behind him. Liu Qingzhang didn’t take those mortal families seriously at all.
On the contrary, he thought if those boys behaved, it was fine for the little snake to keep in touch.
While Liu Qingzhang was asking questions, Bai Ying squeezed in replies to Qin Juanshu and Lu Changjun.
Qin Juanshu: [Home safe? Alone or with company?]
Bai Ying: [Yep, just me, of course.]
Qin Juanshu: [Good. Stay vigilant. Don’t let just anyone into your place.] Careful not to get eaten clean without knowing it.
Bai Ying thought Qin Juanshu was worrying over nothing.
Lu Changjun messaged about not being able to come to work for the next few days: [Senior, prepping for my thesis defense, can’t make it [sob sob]]
Bai Ying replied: [Go for it, Xiao Lu! Graduation comes first!]
On the other end of the screen, Lu Changjun could perfectly picture Bai Ying’s earnest expression. His heart itched unbearably. Leveraging his youth, he whined on purpose: [Senior, I miss you so much. I can’t live without seeing you QAQ]
Bai Ying thought for a moment, then pulled up a recent photo and sent it to Lu Changjun. After the banquet at Willow Mansion, he and Qin Juanshu had stayed in the Capital City a few more days, mostly for business talks. One free afternoon, they’d strolled the palace gardens, where peach branches arched over the vermilion walls. A nearby photographer was soliciting customers when Qin Juanshu suddenly wanted a commemorative photo.
Bai Ying hadn’t expected to be involved until Qin Juanshu pulled him in front of the wall for a selfie. His expression was blank, but when the photographer prompted a smile, he instinctively flashed one.
The afternoon had warmed up; both had shed their jackets, and somehow Bai Ying’s ended up draped over Qin Juanshu’s arm. They wore nearly identical white shirts, with the red palace wall behind them and a few flower branches drooping slantwise. Bai Ying stared straight at the lens, but as the shutter clicked, Qin Juanshu turned to look at him.
The photographer asked if they wanted another; Qin Juanshu said this one was perfect.
Bai Ying forwarded the photo from Qin Juanshu to Xiao Lu. Lu Changjun thought his senior outshone the flowers beside him, but the guy next to him was an eyesore. He immediately called someone to photoshop Qin Juanshu out perfectly.
Bai Ying had just replied to Xiao Lu when Liu Qingzhang messaged.
Mr. Liu: [When you were little, did anyone want to adopt you?]
Bai Ying clutched his phone, lost in brief memories.
There had been some, but prospective parents always ended up saying similar things: “That child is so pretty, but he doesn’t speak and acts a bit strange.”
It had taken Bai Ying many, many years to go from transforming into a human to blending into human society. As a child, he rarely spoke, unused to human vocal cords, only improving after starting school. He stumbled when walking, bruising himself black and blue without Yun Ze’s protection, unaccustomed to human legs. He even vanished suddenly sometimes—actually reverting to snake form to sunbathe on the roof. Bai Ying loved his original form; staying human too long made him depressed.
All these odd behaviors scared off potential adoptive parents. By the time he grew up, he was past adoptable age anyway.
Bai Ying replied to Mr. Liu: [A few, but I wasn’t a good fit.]
Liu Qingzhang: [What a shame. If I’d met you sooner, I could’ve brought you to Willow Mansion. You could’ve grown up by my side.]
Liu Qingzhang meant it sincerely. Who in this world could raise a little snake properly? He doubted the small orphanage could, and those hesitant parents clearly lacked sufficient wealth or power. After mulling it over, he concluded Willow Mansion was ideal.
It had vast gardens for the little snake to play, endless books and artworks for learning. If the little snake wanted friends, Liu Qingzhang could summon all the Capital City’s elite offspring for him to choose from. At Willow Mansion, the little snake needn’t hide his snake demon identity—he could roll in the flowers in original form, play with butterflies or koi, get filthy, and Liu Qingzhang would clean him up, bundle him into a ball, and tuck him in his pocket.
He could even take him out like that—a snake coiled on his shoulder or pocket—no one would dare object.
Bai Ying hesitated before typing: […Then wouldn’t I have to call you Dad?]
Liu Qingzhang frowned slightly. If anyone else heard his thoughts, they’d assume he wanted to adopt the little snake as a son. But for some reason, though he cherished and doted on the little snake, he didn’t see himself as a father figure.
Then what did he want to be?
Liu Qingzhang couldn’t figure it out right away.
He typed: [Let’s skip that title.]
Bai Ying’s cheeks burned. He headbutted his pillow. Where had he gotten the idea that Mr. Liu wanted to be his dad…?
So embarrassing…
Bai Ying hugged the pillow and rolled over, changing the subject: [Mr. Liu, Mr. Liu, do demons really use spells and cultivate like in novels?]
Liu Qingzhang: [Yes. Want to learn?]
Bai Ying’s eyes lit up: [Can I?]
If he learned… he wouldn’t be a weak little snake demon anymore!
Liu Qingzhang’s reply took longer. Teaching spells to the little snake wasn’t a few words’ job. He typed and deleted several times before sending a voice call instead.
Bai Ying picked up instantly.
Mr. Liu’s steady voice came through: “Demons used to absorb Sun Moon Essence and Heaven Earth Spiritual Energy to boost power. Once solidified into the body, it could regenerate after use, becoming true Cultivation Base. Now spiritual energy is depleted, so you can’t cultivate that way. But since you can shapeshift human, you have an innate power inside. You can use basic spells with it.”
Bai Ying asked, “How do I do it?”
Hearing the little snake’s voice, Liu Qingzhang smiled silently. “First, sense that power’s presence…”
Under Liu Qingzhang’s guidance, Bai Ying sat cross-legged on the sofa, quieted his mind, and imagined a pair of eyes “observing” inside his body…
They went at it for over an hour, with Liu Qingzhang directing several times.
Bai Ying looked at his phone, nearly dead from the long WeChat call, and said shamefacedly, “Mr. Liu, I still didn’t feel anything.”
The naturally gifted Liu Qingzhang lied with a straight face: “No worries. The little snake can already shapeshift human—that’s impressive enough.”
Bai Ying thought if Mr. Liu ever had a kid, he’d spoil them rotten.
[
