What's wrong with a snake that just wants to cultivate and transform?

Ji Yuebai, flowing with the moment, delicately brushed a lock of hair from her ear with her jade-like fingers. She gently tilted her head down, her cherry-pink lips parting slightly to reveal a hint of rosy tongue. She cautiously approached the chicken leg Xu Nian offered, taking a tiny nibble.

Xu Nian, with her dark, gleaming eyes, didn’t blink as she watched her, thinking to herself that at this slow, deliberate pace Ji Yuebai was eating, the food would be cold by the time she finished.

See, she took a bite, and it was merely a scratch on the surface of the chicken leg.

In her boredom, Xu Nian used her tail to carefully bring the food, piece by piece, to Ji Yuebai’s lips, watching her petal-like lips glisten with oil, her delicate tongue softly licking her lower lip…

To be honest, watching Ji Yuebai eat was somehow mesmerizing. It made sense why ancient poets said that beauty could be as delightful as a meal. A warm feeling of contentment grew in Xu Nian’s heart, reminiscent of the time in her previous life when she fed a beautiful stray cat, feeling warm and happy seeing it eat so delightfully.

Ji Yuebai didn’t eat much, even less than what Xu Nian could swallow in one bite, before modestly indicating she was full.

Xu Nian had been waiting for this moment for a long time. She looked at Ji Yuebai and coyly asked, “Are you sure you’re not going to eat the rest?”

Ji Yuebai simply nodded.

Excitement surged in Xu Nian; it was time for her to show off her unique skill. With a swift movement of her tail, she flung the roast suckling pig on the table, along with its large tray, into the air. The tray and the roast pig separated beautifully in mid-air before both free-falling.

Now was the moment. Xu Nian leapt up, opened her mouth wide, and swallowed the roast pig in one gulp, while the plate landed right side up on the table. Her subsequent moves were as smooth as flowing water, continuously using her tail to flick the dishes into the air. The food that flew up didn’t go to waste but landed in Xu Nian’s stomach, while the plates neatly stacked themselves together.

Ji Yuebai, witnessing the entire spectacle, remained expressionless, though her eyes betrayed a gradual shift from calmness to shock.

Having accomplished a clean sweep of the feast, Xu Nian patted her round belly and lounged back in her chair, even letting out a contented burp.

And Ji Yuebai’s look towards her had gone through several changes, now filled with admiration.

…

After a hearty meal, Xu Nian, feeling stuffed, suggested to Ji Yuebai that they take a stroll to help digest the food.

After all, besides being her savior, Ji Yuebai was also her beautiful pet in human form, a disguised human mount… she wore many hats, so to speak.

Since Xu Nian, in her snake form, desired to join the hustle and bustle of the streets, she relied on Ji Yuebai.

Fortunately, the current Ji Yuebai, while still maintaining an unapproachable and indifferent exterior, is actually quite obedient when interacting with Xu Nian.

This time, Xu Nian wrapped herself around Ji Yuebai’s hairpin, intending to disguise herself as an ornament on it, simply because her previous hiding spot in the clothing limited her view, making it rather dull as she could only see the fronts and backs of passersby.

Xu Nian led Ji Yuebai to look in the bronze mirror from various angles, and surprisingly, at first glance, she really did resemble a vividly carved jade snake, lifelike as she coiled around the pin. Paired with the rustic wooden hairpin, it even added a touch of enigmatic charm.

Even Ji Yuebai, involuntarily, looked towards the mirror at the little green snake and subconsciously reached out to touch it.

The touch was warm and cool, delicate yet tender; it felt great to the touch.

Xu Nian, who was busy posing on the wooden pin, was caught off guard as she was stroked from head to tail by those soft fingertips, from her tender neck to her vulnerable vital spot, and then to her plump little belly… She went from initial discomfort to a full-body tingling sensation in no time, losing all her strength, her pose disintegrating into a boneless slump on the pin, even raising her tail willingly for Ji Yuebai to pet.

The sensation of a tickling itch spread through her body like an electric shock, quickly soothed by the strokes. Xu Nian found herself entranced by this feeling, craving more. Just as she was about to adjust her position to enjoy the caresses more, the delightful touch that made her tail curl up in pleasure abruptly stopped.

Feeling a sense of loss, Xu Nian wanted more but was too shy to ask. She was mentally preparing herself to coyly plead with Ji Yuebai for more petting when she noticed Ji Yuebai’s puzzled look in the mirror. Her voice, clear as clashing jade, broke the moment: “Aren’t we going out? You’ll be noticed if you keep hanging down like that.”

Xu Nian’s budding desire deflated like a balloon losing air.

The anticipated petting session was over, and she reluctantly returned to her original pose, dryly saying, “Yay, we’re going out to have fun.”

Ji Yuebai, noticing the change in Xu Nian’s tone, grew even more puzzled. Are all demon beasts this fickle?

However, once on the street, Xu Nian quickly became lively again, excitedly directing Ji Yuebai:

“Look over there! What’s that? So many people! Let’s go closer so I can see.”

“Wow, that acrobatics looks so real!”

“Yikes, there are actually people showcasing martial arts for marriage proposals.”

“Whoa, those candy sculptures are so unique! Can you buy one for me, Yuebai~”

She was like a cavewoman who had just left her mountain, finding everything in this vibrant world fascinating, her eyes darting everywhere, happily commanding from atop Ji Yuebai’s head.

Meanwhile, Ji Yuebai had already picked up a bag of bamboo leaf cakes, several woven grasshoppers, and two intricately made sugar figurines.

One of the candy figures was Ji Yuebai, and the other was Xu Nian.

Upon seeing Ji Yuebai, the old man crafting the sugar figurines was struck with inspiration. He skillfully molded the sugar, using the warmth of his hands, while simultaneously capturing Ji Yuebai’s untouchable, distant aura. Xu Nian was awestruck by his exquisite craftsmanship.

Of course, it’s often said that comparisons can be hurtful.

After that, Ji Yuebai pointed to Xu Nian, who was still as a statue on her head, posing, and requested another candy figure like her. The old man clearly didn’t put much effort into it this time. He didn’t even glance at Xu Nian. He casually kneaded and pulled the dough into a shape, pinched out a pointed snake tail, randomly poked some scales with a wooden stick, and drew a pair of glaring, lantern-like eyes…

Xu Nian’s eyes widened in disbelief. If she could speak, she really wanted to confront the old man. How on earth did this…thing resemble her? This plump, mudskipper-like body, these so-called wise eyes – oh, for heaven’s sake! The old man’s blatant discrimination was just too much, she was livid!

What angered Xu Nian even more was Ji Yuebai’s comment to the old man upon receiving the unattractive sugar snake, saying, “It looks very much like her.”

After a while, Xu Nian couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Do I really look like this ugly candy snake?”

Without hesitation, Ji Yuebai replied, “Yes.”

Xu Nian was so exasperated she wanted to flip over, resentfully she asked, “In what way do we possibly look alike?”

Deep down, she believed she was at least a million times more attractive than that ugly candy snake.

“Hmm…” Ji Yuebai seemed to ponder for a moment before answering, “The round eyes, the full little belly, and the tail that likes to curl up and down, all these features look exactly like you.”

What? Exactly the same!

Hearing this, Xu Nian’s confidence wavered. She had always considered herself a cute and delicate little green snake, even if she wasn’t as adorably precious as a beautiful jade carving.

But this woman was actually saying she looked exactly like that ugly candy snake…

Could it be that her self-perception was just a beautifying filter, and she actually resembled the unattractive candy snake in Ji Yuebai’s hand?

The more Xu Nian thought about it, the more horrified she felt, with the background in her mind resembling that iconic painting of a scream.

No, no, no, this couldn’t be happening.

Just as Xu Nian was struggling internally, Ji Yuebai was suddenly stopped by someone.