Chapter 56: Leifeng Pagoda at Night

When Bai Ying and Xie Jin arrived at Leifeng Pagoda, the sun was just setting, and night was beginning to dye the sky. They found a nearby restaurant, where Xie Jin booked a private room. Only after the dishes were served did he finally relax and take off his mask to eat.

The weather had been too hot that day, and after walking around outside for hours, neither of them had much of an appetite. They only ordered some simple home-style dishes to go with rice. By the time they finished eating and left the restaurant, it was completely dark. A gentle night breeze blew in from the lake, carrying away the daytime heat and making everything feel refreshingly light. The buildings along the lake were lit up, and Leifeng Pagoda glowed brightly. The two walked back along the same path, discovering that strolling West Lake at night offered a completely different view.

There were still plenty of people around, though—it probably wouldn’t quiet down until the early hours of the morning. Aside from during dinner, Xie Jin hadn’t taken off his mask at all. Bai Ying looked worried. “Isn’t it too stuffy? Shouldn’t you take it off?”

Xie Jin chuckled. Wearing a mask outdoors was routine for celebrities, but this was the first time someone had worried about him getting too hot under it.

“What if someone recognizes me if I take it off?” Xie Jin teased him, referencing something from days earlier. “My scandal partner?”

“No problem.” Bai Ying clenched his fist and echoed Xie Jin’s own words back at him. “We’re upright, so we have nothing to fear from slanted shadows!”

Xie Jin thought to himself that his own uprightness might be questionable.

And right now, his shadow overlapped with Bai Ying’s, impossible to distinguish between them.

“No worries, this mask is pretty breathable.” After saying that, Xie Jin bought Bai Ying a skewer of candied hawthorn from a roadside vendor to distract him.

Bai Ying’s attention was indeed diverted, but not because the treat was delicious—it was the price of the West Lake candied hawthorn that caught his eye.

Strawberry candied hawthorn for twenty-five yuan a skewer? Outrageous…

It hurt Xie Jin’s wallet but pained Bai Ying’s heart. Xie Jin joked, “No big deal. I’m worth 2.08 million.”

Xie Jin clearly surfed the internet too.

Bai Ying no longer felt bad at all. Xie Jin was now his class enemy!

He wandered with his class enemy until ten at night, until West Lake’s lights went out and the crowds visibly thinned. Bai Ying suddenly felt sleepy, his head starting to nod.

He’d gotten up at six that morning with no nap in between, and playing until this hour was indeed too late…

The little snake grew drowsy, and his head accidentally bumped against Xie Jin’s shoulder.

“Want me to carry you back?” Xie Jin suggested.

Xie Jin’s shoulder was so firm that Bai Ying jolted awake. He shook his head vigorously and grabbed Xie Jin’s hand. “No need, no need! I’ll walk back with you!”

He didn’t get to carry him, but at least he was holding his hand—Xie Jin settled for that. Once the decorative lights went out, only the lonely streetlamps remained, their light far from bright. Xie Jin held tightly to Bai Ying’s hand, leading the way ahead to keep him from tripping or bumping into anything.

His thoughtfulness made Bai Ying think he would surely make a great owner.

The hotel suite had two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. Xie Jin walked Bai Ying to his door and stopped there with perfect propriety, only reminding him, “Don’t fall asleep in the bathtub.”

“I won’t.” Bai Ying reached out, and Xie Jin was puzzled at first. Then Bai Ying’s fingers brushed behind his ear, and Xie Jin realized he wanted to remove the mask for him.

He’d worn it so long he’d almost forgotten it was there.

He lowered his head to make it easier for Bai Ying.

Bai Ying removed the black mask, but his fingers didn’t leave right away. They brushed Xie Jin’s face, where the mask’s edge had left a faint red mark.

“Does it hurt?” Bai Ying asked, genuinely concerned.

Lately, he’d been diligently playing the role of Xie Jin’s little assistant.

Rushing to bring him water, handing him towels, fetching a small fan to cool him off—though somehow it always ended with Xie Jin holding the fan and blowing it on both of them. After Xiao Lu injured Xie Jin, Bai Ying applied medicine to the bruises, watching them fade bit by bit. Later, when Xie Jin filmed action scenes with wirework for hours, his legs were covered in bruises by evening. Bai Ying ran to the doctor for ointment.

But not once had he managed to apply it fully.

Xie Jin’s thigh muscles were firm, not soft like Bai Ying’s, but the bruises were just as shocking. Bai Ying had tried his best to be gentle, dabbing the ointment lightly on the wounds, but it still seemed too painful—Xie Jin’s expression tensed, as if enduring something with great difficulty.

“I’ll do it myself.” Xie Jin always said that, grabbing Bai Ying’s wrist, his breathing growing a bit heavy.

“Oh.” Bai Ying sat aside dejectedly.

Xie Jin shifted, almost turning his back to Bai Ying, who couldn’t see how the medicine was going on.

Bai Ying resolved to try harder next time, to apply it even more lightly so it wouldn’t hurt Xie Jin anymore. But every attempt fell apart halfway. The rejected little white snake would sulk, but Xie Jin couldn’t tell him the real reason. His touch was gentle and painless, but it sparked an intense itch that made it hard to control certain unwanted bodily reactions.

His fingertips were so soft, stirring up distracting thoughts—even now, as they brushed the red mark on the man’s face. On impulse, Xie Jin grabbed his fingers. Bai Ying didn’t react much, just tilted his face up and looked at Xie Jin earnestly.

“It doesn’t hurt,” Xie Jin told him.

Bai Ying relaxed, his eyes curving into a smile. “Then good night.”

“Good night.” Xie Jin reluctantly released Bai Ying’s slender, pale fingers.

He wanted to pull those fingers into his palm, to toy with his flushing face to his heart’s content—but they weren’t at that stage yet.

Xie Jin watched the door close in front of him. He lingered outside for a long time, then went to blow off some night breeze before returning to his own room.

Bai Ying headed straight to the bathroom upon returning to his room. The bathtub was huge; he sat on the edge filling it for ages until it was full. Undressing was easy for Bai Ying—just transform back into snake form, and his clothes would drop to the floor. The little white snake slipped into the tub, thinking that his prospective owner was sleeping just one wall away. It felt like he’d already started living together with his owner ahead of time!

The little snake happily swam around the large tub.

He was already exhausted, so after a short swim, he rested his head on the tub’s edge. The buoyancy of the hot water easily supported the little snake! He lounged lazily for a while before climbing out. Since he wasn’t at home, Bai Ying shifted back to human form, wrapped himself in a bath towel, drained the tub, picked up Xie Jin’s clothes from the floor, and put them in the hotel’s laundry basket nearby.

After all that, Bai Ying dried his hair, slipped on just a shirt, and crawled into bed. He didn’t fall asleep right away. He left a dim yellow bedside lamp on, sprawled over a pillow, and struggled to keep his eyes open to message Liu Qingzhang.

Like a kid reporting his day to his parents, Bai Ying had unwittingly developed the habit of messaging Liu Qingzhang. Though Liu Qingzhang hadn’t left the capital since their last meeting and had sent Zhong Qian to check on him instead, their connection stayed alive through Bai Ying’s occasional messages.

Liu Qingzhang wanted to keep his distance from Bai Ying. As the elder, he couldn’t afford to err.

But whenever he heard Bai Ying had a particularly tough day at work, Liu Qingzhang couldn’t resist sending Zhong Qian with food and drinks for the crew—officially to reward everyone’s hard work, but really just to feed the little snake in the crowd. Every time the little snake messaged him, Liu Qingzhang replied without fail. The thought of the little snake feeling disappointed or sad if he didn’t respond made his heart soften completely.

Tonight was no different.

Bai Ying’s body was exhausted, but the text he typed was cheerful: [Mr. Liu, Mr. Liu! I arrived in Hangzhou today and went to West Lake—we walked around the whole day!]

Liu Qingzhang, far away in the capital, could perfectly imagine the little snake drawing out his tone like that.

He replied slowly: [Did you have fun?]

[So much fun!] Bai Ying wanted to share all the places he’d visited with Mr. Liu, but typing was exhausting—even in human form. Wanting to be lazy, the little snake dialed a voice call instead.

For some reason, Liu Qingzhang didn’t pick up instantly like before. A few seconds passed before he answered.

The little snake hugged the pillow beneath him and rolled over, lying on his back on the bed with the phone right by his head. Speaking was much easier than typing. Sinking into the soft bedding, his tone turned lazy too: “We got to Hangzhou at nine, hit West Lake around ten, and played until ten at night. There were sooo many people—even though it’s off-season… Lunch and dinner were by the lake, but I didn’t try the West Lake vinegar fish. Everyone says it’s not great, but tomorrow I want to drag Xie Jin to give it a shot. I’m a Jiangnan snake, after all—maybe it’ll suit my taste…”

Liu Qingzhang’s attention was elsewhere: “Xie Jin?”

“Yeah, the guy I’m traveling with!” Bai Ying’s tone was upbeat.

Liu Qingzhang knew who he was—just hadn’t expected him to be with Bai Ying, tricking the little snake into a trip. He gritted his teeth, but what could he do? He was just an elder with no right to keep the little snake confined. Without someone watching, men would line up to pounce.

“He’s really nice—lent me clothes, helped me dress up, treated me to tons of food. No celebrity attitude at all…”

Liu Qingzhang couldn’t help interrupting: “Is he good to you, or am I?”

Bai Ying thought Mr. Liu’s question was so weird.

How was he supposed to answer that…? His mind felt sluggish. Xie Jin had always taken care of him, from their first meeting as strangers to work later on—Xie Jin often called him cute, even though he still didn’t know that snake was him.

But Mr. Liu took him out to play in snake form, let him ride on his head in original form for a snake express train, and they stacked together to bask in the sun… The scales in Bai Ying’s heart tipped decisively. “Mr. Liu is better!”

Liu Qingzhang was satisfied.

But Bai Ying sensed something off—the phone transmitted the clink of ice cubes.

“Are you at the Cold Pool now, Mr. Liu?” Bai Ying asked.

“Mm.” A second later, Liu Qingzhang added, “…Cultivating.”

Bai Ying was filled with respect. The big snake was so diligent—even with his immense power, he never slacked. Compared to him, a certain little snake was way too lazy.

Ashamed, the little snake said: “I played all day. In the evening, Xie Jin and I went to Leifeng Pagoda. I wonder if there really was a White Lady back then. Xie Jin said it’d be great if the little snake was there, hehe. He has no idea the little white snake he wants to keep is me…”

“What?” Liu Qingzhang’s tone turned serious instantly.

Oh no! Bai Ying froze. He’d meant to segue into asking if Mr. Liu knew about the White Lady, but he’d accidentally spilled about looking for an owner!

“The little white snake he wants to keep—what does that mean?” Liu Qingzhang demanded sternly. “You… you want him to keep you?”

Bai Ying didn’t dare speak. Sorry, he knew it was spineless and embarrassing for a demon, but he really didn’t want to work anymore!

He’d held back from telling Liu Qingzhang precisely because the big snake might get mad. After all, such a powerful demon usually looked down on humans.

But the little white snake was dead set on finding a human owner…

Liu Qingzhang was beyond angry—he was furious.

“How does he plan to keep you like this?” Liu Qingzhang wished he could drag the little snake in front of him right now. “Keep a full-grown person?”

“Snake form! Snake form!” Bai Ying stressed. “Lots of people keep pet snakes anyway…”

A big snake like Mr. Liu couldn’t be kept, but he was a harmless little snake—even the police wouldn’t care.

“Can you stay a snake forever?” Liu Qingzhang pressed.

Bai Ying fell silent. Of course not. But by then, they’d surely have a deep bond, so occasionally turning human shouldn’t be an issue, right?

Liu Qingzhang was livid.

If he turned human, he’d end up kept in someone’s bed that very day!

Liu Qingzhang’s breathing grew heavy. Bai Ying trembled, suddenly terrified. Since Liu Qingzhang said he was cultivating, what if he’d angered him into qi deviation? No! Had he driven Mr. Liu to qi deviation?

“M-Mr. Liu?” Bai Ying ventured cautiously. “Is your cultivation going okay?”

Liu Qingzhang didn’t reply at first.

Bai Ying grew more anxious, nearly calling Zhong Qian: A snake might have gone into qi deviation—save the snake life quick! Then he finally heard Liu Qingzhang speak.

“Sorry, I didn’t tell the truth. I wasn’t cultivating,” Liu Qingzhang said. “My heat cycle has arrived.”

He immersed himself in the ice pool not for cultivation, but to quench the fire.

Bai Ying was stunned.

After a long moment, he stammered, “S-S-S-S-Sorry, I disturbed you!”

Bai Ying abruptly hung up the phone, transformed back into the Little White Snake with a whoosh, and burrowed into the bedding, refusing to poke his head out. The little snake bit its own tail and rolled around until it twisted itself into a pretzel.

To actually disturb a demon in the midst of its heat cycle… Bai Ying, you are truly guilty of a heinous crime!

***

At that very moment, in the Maple Mountain Cold Pool.

The call had ended, but the fire in Liu Qingzhang’s heart burned even more fiercely. Irritated, he shattered the ice forming on the water’s surface into fragments again and again. His heat cycle arrived punctually every year at the end of spring and the start of summer. He hadn’t been troubled by it for hundreds of years; he didn’t even need medication and could suppress all urges solely with his cultivation base, remaining as calm as still water like always. But this time, the heat cycle struck with unprecedented ferocity, making it difficult for him to resist.

This year’s heat cycle wasn’t any fiercer than in previous years.

It was simply that his heart had already been stirred into turmoil by a certain little snake, just like this cold pool. The heat cycle hadn’t changed—he had.

After being tormented by waves of lust for several days, a spark of jealousy ignited in Liu Qingzhang’s heart. His vertical pupils narrowed into thin slits, his gaze turning sinister, as if he wanted to tear an enemy to shreds.

The little snake had really come into its own, hiding the fact that it wanted to take a human as its master from him for so long!

Liu Qingzhang was furious.

But he couldn’t appear before the little snake right now, or he wasn’t sure what he might do. The black python dove angrily into the depths of the cold pool, waiting only to endure the heat cycle before personally dragging back that little snake that was about to feed itself right into someone else’s mouth.