Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

Liu Xingmo turned to look at the giant, mottled snake: "By the way, you're without hands and feet, which makes it inconvenient for you to work. Tell me, what should we do?"

The snake's tail pointed to the warehouse: "I have some chestnuts in my room. I'll cook them and feed them to the wolves."

"Chestnuts?" Liu Xingmo tilted his head. "At least get some oil!"

The snake flicked its tongue: "I ate all the meat. To become what I am now."

"Okay, I understand."

The rain poured down relentlessly.

Liu Xingmo and the giant snake slithered into the dimly lit warehouse.

This place is the root area of ​​an old tree. The soil has been dug up, leaving only the tree roots, about the thickness of a pillar, arranged in a complex and intricate manner in a wide space.

Simple furniture, rows of wine barrels, and piles of chestnuts...

Liu Xingmo found the stove in the corner of the room, lit the dry leaves with a match, and boiled a large pot of water.

Then, he picked up an axe, chopped open the chestnuts, each the size of a head, and scooped out the flesh, throwing it into the pot.

"Glug glug..." A sweet fragrance filled the room.

"Third Sister, is this enough?"

"I estimate we'll need fifteen pots; it'll be more convenient to keep the large pots in the yard."

"The rain is so heavy, this is not a good situation."

Liu Xingmo poured the cooked chestnuts into a large basin and carried them to the wolf's den in the rain. Then he returned to the warehouse and cooked the next pot of chestnuts.

Flames flickered in the stove, their red light illuminating the tangled roots, and the man and the snake.

Liu Xingmo found a wooden stake to sit on and used a fire poker to make the fire burn even brighter.

It's raining, so today will just have to be leisurely. That's life in the mountain village.

"Liu Xingmo, can you help me with my studies?" The snake's tail curled up the small bookcase and carried it to the stove.

"Okay, I'll also review what I wrote before and see if I've improved."

Liu Xingmo took out the bound volume of the novel and began to read it aloud by the firelight.

The large snake with silver scales and red stripes also brought its head closer, its ferocious vertical pupils staring intently at the words on the book.

The firewood burned quietly, staining the young man's face red and giving the snake scales a glossy sheen.

Time passed peacefully.

Finally, the three wolves were all fed, and the first major chapter of the novel was finished.

"Third Sister, that's enough for today. I'm going back now." Liu Xingmo closed the book.

The words, spoken deep into the soul, were still uttered in that gentle, alluring voice, but with an added, indescribable quality: "Thank you so much for today, Liu Xingmo."

Liu Xingmo shuddered: "You're acting so strange! You're like a completely different person, although you really have changed your appearance..."

"Then what should I call you? Young master, what do you say?" Snake Eyes stared intently into the darkness.

"That's a term used in novels; isn't it strange in real life?"

"What's strange about it? That's what people always called you in the past." The snake's tail slithered stealthily in the darkness. "Ah! Right, you're still a young master who's just grown up~ It was my oversight..."

"Ah! This sounds so strange." Liu Xingmo stood up, opened the warehouse door, and said, "I'm going home now. See you tomorrow."

Outside the door, the heavy rain had stopped, and the clouds and fog had dispersed.

The sunlight illuminates the world after the rain: emerald green grass, pale yellow petals, dark brown rocks, and everywhere glistening dewdrops.

A rainbow hangs in the distant sky, enveloping the dark blue-green mountain peaks.

Three gray wolves chased and frolicked in the pasture, occasionally shaking off water droplets.

Liu Xingmo took a deep breath of fresh air, then waved goodbye, "Then I'll be going now, Third Sister."

"Well, take care, young master." The giant snake raised its tail and swayed goodbye. "Once I've gotten used to this body, come with me to sell medicine."

"good!"

The young man's figure, bathed in the bright sunlight, disappeared into the grass.

The eerie, ferocious serpent narrowed its pupils as it gazed at the sun. As if disgusted by the light, it retreated back into the dark warehouse.

Its pointed tail pawed at the small book on the ground, turning the yellowed pages. A beam of light, with dust floating in the window cracks, illuminated the square characters.

"This character is 'I,' this character is 'is,' I know how to write the character 'three,' and the character 'mother' is here..."

"So that's how it is, Liu San Niang, that's my name. It's not difficult at all, you can learn it, right..."

"Let me take another look. Hmm~ This story is really good, I love it no matter how many times I read it."

"When did I start liking novels? It seems like it was eight years ago, when someone was reading the first revamped newspaper in the store..."

"Hehe, so you liked it from the very beginning, didn't you?"

……

Liu Xingmo returned to Mushroom Castle.

Sumali also got up.

The husband prepared lunch, and the wife prepared breakfast; together they made a sumptuous meal.

Speaking of which, there's also a specially made observation deck in this house.

Liu Xingmo and Su Mali carried the food to the north side of the attic using a small table.

The ring of windows on the granite city wall has been replaced by a wooden door in this particular spot.

As you push open the door, the dry smell of pine wood fills your nostrils, along with a hint of smoky aroma.

Go up the spiral staircase, passing through a series of round glass windows, and at the top, push open the horizontal door in the ceiling.

The space is about the size of a pavilion, with a thick pillar in the center and sturdy wooden windows on all four sides.

This place is the taller, thinner of the two mushrooms in Mushroom Castle, which is the top of the chimney.

Liu Xingmo put down the small dining table, arranged the food neatly, and opened two bottles of wine.

Pick up a piece of fried scallion and stuff it directly into your mouth.

The ring-shaped fibers offer a crisp texture when you bite into them. The sweet and spicy flavor, with a hint of spiciness, is so enticing that it makes your mouth water.

Pick up another piece of fried crushed peanut and dip it in glistening salt.

The nuts are crushed between your teeth, leaving a smooth and creamy texture. The aroma of oil mingles with the rich flavor of peanuts, spreading together, along with layers of salty and smoky notes that linger on your tongue.

Liu Xingmo picked up the wine bottle again, bit off the cork, and poured the wine directly into his stomach.

The newly brewed cherry wine has the sweet and sour taste of fresh spring fruit and the slight bitterness of aged winter grains.

On the other side, Sumari carefully inspected the room and confirmed that there were no structural problems. She pulled the bolt and opened the wooden window.

In an instant, the clouds in the sky, the distant mountains, the nearby city, and the river at my feet were all encompassed within the small window frame.

Liu Xingmo craned his neck to look at the scenery and asked, "Mary, how is it?"

"I've been too busy before. I really should have climbed this chimney sooner." Sumali pressed her hands against the windowsill, stretched out her upper body, and felt the refreshing breeze.

Liu Xingmo took a sip of cherry wine, leaned lazily against the pillar, and admired the view through the window: "Old Raccoon from the construction team is right, this observation deck is really worth it."

Sumari removed the brass hairpin from the back of her head, letting her long black hair flutter in the wind. Her carefree, playful demeanor made her seem like a carefree little girl.