Chapter – 33
This Position Is Just Too Awkward
Duan Si fell silent for a moment.
“It’s still early. Should we keep looking?”
He had gotten the reward he wanted today. Although he wasn’t a man of his word, he unconsciously hoped she could find what she was looking for.
Jiang Xi shook her head. “No, let’s go back. Lu Liufeng is waiting. We can come again next time!”
Lu Liufeng…
Duan Si’s crimson serpent eyes flashed. He let out an “Mhm,” said nothing more, turned, and began swimming back.
But he couldn’t help wondering: Did Lu Liufeng know she wasn’t her?
Over the past six months, he had been muddled and confused, his consciousness in disarray, and many things were no longer clear in his memory.
But on the two occasions Lu Liufeng had brought his mistress here to Hot River Valley, the care and affection he showed didn’t match the indifference in Duan Si’s memory.
Just as Duan Si was lost in thought, a surprised cry came from above his head.
“Wait!”
“A little to the left, a bit more, a bit more.”
Jiang Xi’s eyes sparkled. She rose from her cross-legged position to her knees, even leaning toward that direction involuntarily.
Duan Si, not understanding, swam over as instructed and stopped.
Jiang Xi jumped down from the snake’s head, took a few steps forward, and stood still beside several plants that resembled corn stalks.
On either side of the stalks stretched long, ribbon-like leaves, between which nestled clusters of rod-shaped objects encased in wrappings.
“It’s corn!”
And not just any corn—it was super-sized corn, two to three times larger than ordinary ears!
Duan Si brought his snake head closer, his vertical crimson pupils looking at her. “Is this thing edible?”
Jiang Xi parted the leaves, peeled off a kernel, tossed it into her mouth, chewed, then nodded, her eyes bright. “It’s edible!”
Duan Si shifted to his half-human, half-serpent form and began breaking off the corn cobs.
There were four or five corn plants before them. The oversized corn from just one plant could fill half a beast-hide bag.
Jiang Xi only let Duan Si break off one plant’s worth.
“As for the rest, after we leave, you and the other serpent tribesmen in Hot River Valley can come gather them together.”
Hot River Valley was too chaotic today.
There were too many people with ulterior motives.
Subconsciously, Jiang Xi wanted to keep it somewhat hidden, to leave something for the serpent tribesmen living in Hot River Valley.
After all, just two days ago, everyone had enthusiastically helped her.
If this corn were revealed now, it would probably be stripped bare in less than a day.
She also told Duan Si how to prepare it.
“Corn is a staple food. You can boil it in water and eat it directly, or roast it.”
Duan Si was puzzled.
“Why?”
“The serpent tribesmen in Hot River Valley can find their own food. There’s no need for you to leave any for them.”
With that, he started breaking off corn from the second plant.
Jiang Xi quickly reached out to stop him.
“No, I can’t finish all this even if I take it back.”
The skin on the back of his hand felt cool to the touch, his knuckles sharp. Jiang Xi was slightly startled, realizing her action might be inappropriate, and withdrew her hand. She continued, “Besides, food should be eaten fresh. If we strip all these now, they’ll spoil in a couple of days.”
Of course, it was winter now, so food wouldn’t spoil that easily.
She said this only to make Duan Si stop and share the food with others in need.
Duan Si stood among the cornstalks, his crimson serpent eyes looking over at her, his handsome, somewhat wicked face showing a hint of contemplation.
Finally, he nodded in agreement.
But what he agreed to was the idea that food should be eaten fresh, not necessarily that it should be shared with others.
Since Duan Si had broken off a bit more later, they ended up filling the beast-hide bag about two-thirds full, bulging and lumpy.
This time, Duan Si didn’t transform back into a giant serpent.
He maintained his half-human, half-serpent form and, while Jiang Xi wasn’t paying attention, tossed the two little green snakes into the beast-hide bag holding the food.
He slung the beast-hide bag over his shoulder, then extended his other hand toward her.
“Let’s go.”
Jiang Xi was baffled but reached out her hand in confusion.
But the moment her fingertips touched Duan Si’s hand, the young man bent down, wrapped one arm around her legs, and effortlessly lifted her up, seating her on his shoulder.
Jiang Xi was startled and cried out in surprise.
She quickly wrapped her arms around his head to steady herself, feeling embarrassed. “Put me down, now!”
What kind of position was this? It was too awkward!
Especially since Duan Si had the beast-hide bag slung over one shoulder, while she sat perched on the other.
Although she knew the beast tribesmen were all very large in stature.
Perhaps because serpent tribesmen had long tails, she subconsciously thought of Duan Si as tall and slender rather than broad and massive.
Now, sitting so close on his shoulder, Jiang Xi realized the young man’s shoulders were broad, and his muscular arms could easily encircle and lift her.
Perched on his shoulder, she seemed delicate and slender, even wrapped in beast hides.
Duan Si didn’t see any problem with it, his voice cool as he explained, “There’s still some distance. Sit still, don’t move around.”
With that, he swayed his serpent tail and glided forward.
Once they started moving, Jiang Xi didn’t dare move a muscle, afraid she might topple off his shoulder.
The speed in this half-human, half-serpent form was much faster than in full beast form.
Jiang Xi wanted to insist several times that he put her down, but Duan Si looked straight ahead, all business-like, so she swallowed her words each time.
It was just a ride on a convenient serpent, after all.
But even so, this position was utterly mortifying.
Her thoughts couldn’t help but wander, and her gaze kept drifting downward uncontrollably, landing on Duan Si’s face.
The young man’s skin was pale and bloodless, his nose high and his eyes deep-set. His already handsome, somewhat wicked face looked even more eerie and captivating under those crimson serpent eyes.
Duan Si noticed her gaze. His serpent pupils shifted slightly, and he glanced up sideways at her.
“What is it?”
Jiang Xi suddenly met those crimson serpent eyes and almost tumbled off his shoulder from embarrassment.
She hurriedly denied everything. “No, nothing, it’s nothing!”
Being caught peeking was utterly mortifying.
But how could she resist not looking?
After all, the beast tribesmen of this world were so novel to her!
Beast tribesmen, half-beastmen, full beast form…
Whoosh! Transforming in an instant!
So incredible!
Duan Si shifted his serpent gaze away and continued gliding forward.
Before reaching the river valley, Jiang Xi wanted him to put her down.
But the moment she opened her mouth, Duan Si flicked his tail, instantly darting out of the forest and arriving in the valley.
There were fewer females and beast tribesmen in the river valley now.
But even so, the sudden appearance of Duan Si startled them.
Then, everyone’s gaze slowly traveled upward, landing on Jiang Xi sitting on his shoulder.
Duan Si… Duan Si didn’t like his mistress, did he?
Remembering Duan Si’s duel challenge to Nakan the day before yesterday, the serpent tribesmen’s expressions took on a playful edge.
It seemed Duan Si wasn’t as indifferent to his mistress as he appeared.
Duan Si was the most mysterious serpent tribesman in Hot River Valley. Since arriving, except for bathing, he rarely showed himself in the valley.
Beast tribesmen were gossipy by nature. They had long ago pieced together all the details about him and his mistress from the serpent tribesmen of the Lion Roar Tribe.
So, seeing this scene, many exchanged meaningful glances.
Under everyone’s gaze, Jiang Xi froze for a moment, then her face instantly flushed bright red.
She raised a hand to cover her face, too embarrassed to show herself.
“Hurry up and put me down!”
