Chapter 66: [Extra Update]

Bai Ying slipped on a loose shirt and sat by the floor-to-ceiling window to eat. The room’s air conditioning was on full blast, but the summer sunlight filtered through the glass, neither cold nor scorching—just pleasantly warm.

Because his snake tail hadn’t reverted a few days earlier, Qin Juanshu had only prepared a top for Bai Ying to wear. Fitted pants hadn’t been bought yet, but fortunately, the shirt’s hem was long enough to cover his thighs—after all, it was Qin Juanshu’s shirt. As Bai Ying sat down, Qin Juanshu tried hard not to look at his soft, snow-white thighs and focused on combing Bai Ying’s hair with a brush.

After transforming back into human form, Bai Ying’s hair length became much more apparent, reaching all the way to his knees. His hair was of excellent quality—smooth from root to tip without a single tangle, silky like the finest satin as it cascaded through his fingers. Qin Juanshu had a snow-white hair ribbon loosely wrapped around his wrist. Once the combing was nearly done, he tied a low ponytail at the back of Bai Ying’s head and secured it with a pretty butterfly bow.

The little snake, whose stomach was empty, focused intently on his meal. Qin Juanshu had specially ordered some home-style dishes from the hotel that even patients could eat—no rare ingredients needed—and Bai Ying devoured them with relish.

Qin Juanshu held the end of his hair, hesitated for a long time, and then told Bai Ying everything about contacting Liu Qingzhang from start to finish.

“Sorry,” Qin Juanshu said, lowering his head in apology. “I didn’t ask for your opinion.”

The spoon in Bai Ying’s hand paused for a moment, but he shook his head. “No need to apologize. I was too stubborn and caused you so much trouble these past few days.”

He clearly felt bad—Liu Qingzhang could have fixed everything in an instant, yet he’d wasted so much of Qin Juanshu’s time, not knowing how many work matters had been delayed.

“Don’t say that,” Qin Juanshu replied. “We’re friends, aren’t we? Taking care of a friend when they’re unwell is only right.”

The little snake, who disliked troubling others, said softly, “Friends should still have boundaries.”

“Fine then. Putting aside the friend label, I’m still your boss.” Qin Juanshu feigned seriousness. “This happened while you were on a business trip with me—it could even count as a work injury. If I ignored you, what if the labor law enforcers threw me in jail?”

Bai Ying couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “The labor law doesn’t care that much!”

With the joke lightening the mood, Qin Juanshu finally got Bai Ying to stop dwelling on the trouble he’d caused. He then asked, “How did you know that Mr. Liu had been here?”

From the way Liu Qingzhang had left, he shouldn’t have let Bai Ying notice him at all.

Bai Ying finished eating, set the bowl aside, and looked down at his intertwined fingers.

After a long while, he said softly, “I don’t have any proof… I just felt like he had been here…”

It was hard for Bai Ying to explain his feelings to Qin Juanshu. Liu Qingzhang had used spells to put him into a deep sleep without waking, cleared away all traces and scents he’d left in the room, and instructed Qin Juanshu not to tell. He could alter many things, but he couldn’t change Bai Ying’s intuition.

The unchangeable snake tail hadn’t just brought physical pain—it had also caused psychological unease, leaving him without a single peaceful night. He kept dreaming of terrifying scenarios: being captured, being exiled. But last night, that unease had suddenly vanished without a trace. He felt at peace, as if he’d returned to the days when Liu Qingzhang, in his big snake form, coiled around him while they basked in the sun. It was a sense of security that made the little snake fearless, knowing the big snake had his back even if the sky fell.

Bai Ying had even thought he’d wake up in Liu Qingzhang’s embrace.

But when the little snake lifted his head and opened his black-bean eyes, Liu Qingzhang was nowhere to be seen. Bewildered, he shifted back to human form. The air held no trace of the big snake’s woody scent, yet Bai Ying was certain Liu Qingzhang had come. He could still feel the big snake’s warmth—the kind left when he was held protectively.

Bai Ying couldn’t put it into words, but Qin Juanshu caught the unspoken meaning. He fell silent for a long time, a pang of jealousy stirring in his heart.

What he envied most in the world was knowing that while someone liked Bai Ying, Bai Ying wasn’t entirely indifferent to them either.

“He said you wouldn’t want to see him and told me not to tell you he’d been here,” Qin Juanshu said. “Did he do something wrong?”

“Mm…” This was another thing Bai Ying couldn’t easily share. He hugged his knees and rested his head on them.

Truth be told, Bai Ying didn’t even know if he’d forgiven Liu Qingzhang yet—or if he still disliked him. Maybe he had never disliked him at all; Bai Ying just felt wronged. Lu Changjun’s confession had been mere words, Xie Jin’s only a surface-level kiss. Though enough to leave him flustered, neither had delved deeper into their feelings, leaving Bai Ying somewhat naive. Imagining being together with either felt like child’s play.

But Liu Qingzhang had made him feel desire intertwined with intense emotion all too clearly, showing him that the man before him wasn’t a mere elder but someone consumed with lust for him. It was like a fire burning on his body, threatening to engulf Bai Ying too.

Too much, too intense… His past perceptions shattered in an instant, and before Bai Ying was ready to accept it, Liu Qingzhang had forced it upon him. Endless grievance welled up in his heart.

Yet Liu Qingzhang had held himself back in the end.

The grievance never turned to hatred; it lingered, leaving Bai Ying unsure how to face him going forward. He didn’t want to cut ties forever, but he couldn’t accept shifting their relationship with the big snake just yet. So he stayed aggrieved, resenting Liu Qingzhang for making it impossible to go back to how things were.

But pretending Liu Qingzhang was just an elder forever seemed unfair too…

Lost in these thoughts, Bai Ying started empathizing without realizing it, and his mind grew more chaotic.

As his head spun in a mess, Qin Juanshu ruffled the hair on top of it. The little snake turned back in confusion, and Qin Juanshu said, “If you can’t figure it out, just stop dwelling on him. Overthinking harms the body—want to play a game?”

There was no unsolvable problem if you were willing to let it go.

Bai Ying thought temporary avoidance was a decent solution. He nodded. “What are we playing?”

“Want to turn back into a little snake and play?” Qin Juanshu smiled. “I found a one-meter-tall three-story toy house in the closet. You can crawl right inside.”

Bai Ying’s eyes lit up.

He knew about those toy houses—they were furnished like real homes. Others had to use dolls, but as a little snake, he could go in himself!

But…

Bai Ying hesitated and glanced at Qin Juanshu. “…Won’t you be scared?”

“Your true form is so cute—how could I be scared?” Qin Juanshu patted his head again.

Bai Ying’s smile was especially sweet now. Knowing he could shift back into a snake made his eyes sparkle more than usual. Qin Juanshu thought that Mr. Liu really understood him well.

Before shifting, Bai Ying grabbed Qin Juanshu’s sleeve. “I want to play with the rubber duckies and the bunny lamp.”

“Alright. You grab the rubber duckies, I’ll get the bunny lamp, and we’ll meet in the living room.” Qin Juanshu nodded.

Bai Ying happily dashed to the bathroom and soon returned hugging a tray of plastic rubber duckies. Qin Juanshu brought the bunny lamp. Once everything was settled into the toy house, Bai Ying shifted into his snake form with a slither and slipped inside.

He spent most of his time in his true form like that, resting in the hotel for another three days. On the fourth day, feeling much better, Bai Ying asked to return to work—only for the workaholic employee to be turned down by his boss! Qin Juanshu took him back to Shen City and granted him another week off.

As for himself, the piled-up work finally demanded attention. After settling Bai Ying, Qin Juanshu returned to nonstop workdays and nights. When Bai Ying’s vacation ended, Qin Juanshu still wouldn’t let him join on business trips. As late July arrived and temperatures soared, Qin Juanshu worried Bai Ying was still weak—afraid he’d suffer heatstroke or have trouble adapting to new places—so he had him stay in Shen City for remote assistance.

Each time Qin Juanshu returned from a trip, he brought Bai Ying small gifts, took him out for delicious meals, and praised his diligent and excellent work. For the first time in his career, Bai Ying felt his efforts truly mattered. When Qin Juanshu was away, Bai Ying would dine with Yun Ze—sometimes at affordable spots Bai Ying picked, or at Yun Ze’s home, where Yun Ze and his dad cooked in the kitchen while Bai Ying helped Yun Ze’s mom tend to her beloved flowers in the little garden.

Though the big snake remained an unresolved entry in his phone’s blacklist, these fulfilling days made Bai Ying think life like this was pretty good. Work was tough but rewarding enough. Even without a keeper, he wouldn’t be alone—he had many true friends.

But Bai Ying didn’t know a major trouble was about to find him.

***

Late July in Shen City saw temperatures pushing toward forty degrees Celsius. A single step outdoors felt like being baked alive. The heat frayed tempers, especially for someone already in a foul mood. Lu Changjun rushed into a private room on the third floor of APHRODITE, grabbed a glass with half its wine left from the table, and mercilessly splashed it onto the person slumped drunk on the sofa like a puddle of mud.

Qin Yanchao snapped awake, yelping in pain.

“What kind of state is this?” Lu Changjun sat on the adjacent sofa, his brows furrowed tightly. “Like a total loser—trying to drink yourself to death here?”

Qin Yanchao wiped his face lazily. “Young Master Lu, let’s not point fingers. Weren’t you in the same boat not long ago? I spent half a month patiently counseling you, but now that roles are reversed, you’re this rough?”

Lu Changjun fell silent.

Qin Yanchao was right. Not long ago, he’d been despondent over Bai Ying, drowning his sorrows just like this. Seeing him drink like he aimed for the hospital, Qin Yanchao had panicked and come up with a terrible idea: find him men to snap him out of it. Successfully disgusted, Lu Changjun decided no one should fall that low, so he went home to take over the family business. He wasn’t ready to give up on Bai Ying yet—at least now he’d be an accomplished, upright man if they met, not totally out of the running.

Qin Yanchao’s methods were awful, but the outcome good, so Lu Changjun had come to bail out his scoundrel friend when called.

“I’ve settled your tab,” Lu Changjun urged. “Go home. For a Qin Family young master to have his card frozen, unable to pay, and get stuck at a club—imagine the laughs if word got out.”

“Let them laugh.” Qin Yanchao shrugged. “You don’t get it—this is me dodging disaster.”

Lu Changjun frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Brother, trust me—I’m no good at much, but my gut’s spot on.” Qin Yanchao sighed deeply. “The Qin Family’s about to change. My old man thinks he can grab a piece; I just want to hold onto the basics, not lose everything.”

“That bad?” Lu Changjun asked skeptically. “I’ve heard about the Qin Family lately. Your cousin back from abroad is riding high—no young one matches him. Qin Chi’s position is secure; one good mood and he disowns that illegitimate son outside. Sounds like the family’s waters are clearing up.”

Qin Yanchao’s generation was evenly matched, but Qin Chi’s illegitimate son was hopeless, sparking ambitions among his siblings and muddying the waters. Then Qin Juanshu appeared—a true success abroad, far beyond these playboys. Qin Chi rode his coattails, and with the family likely falling to Qin Juanshu, even Qin Yanchao’s dad and others quieted down, secretly cozying up to Qin Chi for benefits.

“It looks clear on the surface, but underneath it’s filthy.” Qin Yanchao said. “No hard proof though—mostly gut feeling. If you don’t buy it, chalk it up to my nonsense.”

Lu Changjun didn’t care either way; Qin Family drama wasn’t his business. He was just repaying a favor. He tossed over a card. “Password’s on the back. One million inside—spend it wisely.”

“Good brother!” Qin Yanchao clutched the card gleefully.

After paying the bill and handing over the card, Lu Changjun stood to leave. Qin Yanchao called after him. “Hey, not staying longer?”

“Work,” Lu Changjun said curtly.

“Hiss, you’re pushing yourself way too hard. You really going to play the perfect gentleman for my little brother’s unrequited crush?” Qin Yanchao said.

The moment he heard the words “unrequited crush,” Lu Changjun’s expression immediately fell.

“Interesting. They all say rich folks live it up with wine, women, and changing bedmates more often than clothes. But you heirs of these great families, one after another, turn into hopeless romantics.” Qin Yanchao laughed. “My cousin’s been head over heels for some guy lately too. Not long ago, he holed up in a hotel alone with him for almost a week—who knows what they got up to in there. He even pushed back all his work. My uncle nearly blew a gasket when he heard. And get this, today he’s planning to stir up trouble for my cousin’s wife while my cousin’s away on business…”

“What did you say?!” Lu Changjun’s expression changed abruptly. He suddenly strode up to Qin Yanchao. “Stir up trouble for who?!”

“F-for my cousin’s wife…” Qin Yanchao stammered, baffled by Lu Changjun’s intense reaction. “He’s always wanted my cousin to marry some heiress. My dad’s been sucking up to him, even introduced some prospects, but my cousin turned them all down. So my uncle thinks it’s all that male vixen’s fault…”

Male vixen? What male vixen!

Lu Changjun was furious. His senior was clearly the purest little snake in the world!

Qin Yanchao had no idea who Qin Juanshu liked, but Lu Changjun knew full well. The two of them had met before, after all, and shared the same intentions—they’d seen right through each other at a glance! Lu Changjun didn’t doubt for a second that Qin Yanchao could be talking about anyone else. After falling for Bai Ying, who else could compare? He grabbed Qin Yanchao by the collar and demanded, “How’s Qin Chi planning to stir up trouble?”

“That guy from lunch was probably eating in the cafeteria. He’ll head straight there and chew him out in public for seducing men and being shameless—make him die of social embarrassment…” Qin Yanchao’s alcohol-fogged brain finally caught on that something was off. “Wait, he’s going after my cousin’s wife. Why are you freaking out?”

“Damn Qin Chi!” Lu Changjun, who was usually quite refined, uttered the filthiest curse of his life. “He dares mess with my man!”

“Wha-wha-what?” Qin Yanchao’s mind short-circuited. “Your man…? No, wait—little brother’s crush and cousin’s wife… they’re the same person?”

Before he could process this earth-shattering revelation, Lu Changjun glanced at his phone, then at Bai Ying—who he couldn’t reach because he’d been blocked—and bolted out the door in a panic.

Damn it, the cafeteria was about to serve lunch!