Invincible Snake Emperor

Chapter 32: Chapter 32: The Shop’s Treasure

The next day!

Tu Xiao’an spent a peaceful night in the doghouse with Xiaobai. Dawn slowly drew back the curtain of night, and another brilliant, colorful morning descended upon the world, fresh and crisp.

”WOOF WOOF...”

Xiaobai barked a few times before footsteps sounded in the backyard. A graceful young woman walked in, and Xiaobai immediately quieted down upon seeing her.

A venomous, solid silver-white snake slithered out of the doghouse. Seeing the woman, it spoke, ”Morning, Sis. Up bright and early to see your little brother, huh?”

Tu Xiaoyue stretched languidly. She looked at the Silver White Snake in front of the doghouse, rolled her eyes, and chided, ”You little rascal. You actually spent the whole night in a doghouse? Isn’t it filthy?”

”Sis, I’m a venomous snake now. Do you really think I’m worried about getting dirty?” Tu Xiao’an was speechless. He spent his days slithering on the ground—how could he possibly stay clean?

”Even so, you can’t sleep in the doghouse. I tidied up your room. From now on, sleep in your own bed.”

Xiaoyue’s eyes widened in a glare.

Tu Xiao’an gave a wry smile. ”Sis, don’t you think it’s a little extravagant for a snake to occupy an entire room and sleep on a bed?”

”What’s so extravagant about it? It’s your room and your bed to begin with.”

”It’s fine, Sis. I’m perfectly happy living with Xiaobai.”

’After all, I’m a snake now. I have to get used to living like one.’

With an assertive wave of her hand, Xiaoyue declared, ”Absolutely not. You have to sleep in your own room. Xiaobai’s doghouse is filthy. What if you catch some disease?”

”WOOF WOOF...” Xiaobai barked a few times, its eyes full of indignation, as if trying to prove that its doghouse was, in fact, very clean.

”Alright, alright. You’re my big sister; I’ll listen to you.” Tu Xiao’an dropped the argument. Noticing how she was dressed, he asked, ”Sis, are you heading out?”

Tu Xiaoyue thought for a moment, then said, ”Mhm. Meilin came by yesterday and gave us a sum of money. Mom told me to give it back.”

”Sis, I want to go too! Take me with you.”

”What for? Hasn’t that woman made you suffer enough?” Whenever Tu Xiaoyue thought about her perfectly healthy brother being turned into a snake, a wave of overwhelming resentment washed over her.

Tu Xiao’an said meekly, ”Sis, let me tell you a secret. Actually... Sister Meilin already knows I’ve become a snake.”

”What!”

Xiaoyue leaped to her feet, her reaction explosive. Then, her eyes narrowed as she said sourly, ”You little rascal! So I wasn’t the first person to find out you’d become a snake?”

”You’ve gone too far! I’m your own sister, yet you revealed yourself to an outsider first!” Xiaoyue was furious. Her eyes were wide, and she looked like an enraged lioness.

Feeling a pang of guilt, Tu Xiao’an quickly explained, ”Sis, I was just afraid you wouldn’t be able to handle it! I had to test the waters with someone else first.”

”But you shouldn’t have chosen her! Have you forgotten how you died?” As soon as the word left her lips, Xiaoyue clapped a hand over her mouth.

Xiao’an said, ”Sis, please don’t be mad at Sister Meilin. It really had nothing to do with her. I hope you two can get along in the future.”

”You’re certainly forgiving,” Xiaoyue pouted.

After Tu Xiao’an spent some time placating his sister, her resentment faded. Then, the human and the snake set off toward the Snake Market.

Of course, Tu Xiaoyue was the one carrying him.

Inside the Snake Market, business was booming as usual. Countless venomous snakes were bought and sold every day for all sorts of purposes.

Meilin was helping a customer in her shop when she was surprised to see Tu Xiaoyue at the door. She moved to greet her, but broke into a smile when she saw the Silver White Snake in her arms.

”Congratulations. The two of you have finally been reunited.”

Tu Xiao’an wouldn’t speak in front of other people; a talking snake would be far too shocking. Instead, Tu Xiaoyue replied, ”There’s nothing to congratulate. We’ve always been brother and sister. What’s there to ’reunite’ over?”

Meilin knew Xiaoyue still held a grudge against her. She simply smiled and led her into a quiet room to talk.

Tu Xiaoyue placed a thick envelope on the table. ”This is your money. My mom told me to return it to you.”

Meilin glanced at the envelope, then at the Silver White Snake. ”Xiao’an,” she said, ”you were right. They really did bring the money back.”

”Xiaoyue, it’s just a small token from me. Can’t you just let me do this one thing?” Meilin suddenly gripped Xiaoyue’s hand and spoke earnestly.

Xiaoyue tried to pull her hand away, but her heart softened. Besides, her brother had pretty much brainwashed her on the way over, so she didn’t dislike Meilin quite as much anymore.

In truth, the two of them had once been very close. It was only her brother’s death that had created this unresolved knot in her heart regarding Meilin.

”My mom doesn’t blame you, and I don’t want to blame you anymore, either. But this is too much money. We have no reason to take it for nothing,” Xiaoyue said, still shaking her head.

From the side, Tu Xiao’an added, ”Sister Meilin, I can earn money to support my family now, can’t I? So please, just drop it.”

Meilin sighed and took the money back. But then she pulled out an even thicker envelope and placed it on the table. ”This envelope has two hundred thousand in it.”

”What’s the meaning of this?” Xiaoyue was baffled. ’I just returned one hundred thousand to you, and now you’re pulling out two hundred thousand? Are you just trying to bury us in money?’

”Xiaoyue, you can accept this money with a clear conscience, because it’s money that Xiao’an earned.”

Tu Xiao’an’s eyes suddenly lit up. ”My Tiger Snake sold?”

Meilin picked up the Silver White Snake, her smile dazzling. ”That’s right. Our Xiao’an is the most capable of all. He earned two hundred thousand from a single snake.”

”What on earth is going on?” Xiaoyue was completely bewildered.

Xiao’an explained, ”Sis, I caught a Tiger Snake on She Mountain a while back and asked Sister Meilin to sell it for me. I just didn’t expect her to be so fast and sell it in a single day.”

Meilin explained, ”Xiao’an, Tiger Snakes are an exceptionally rare Snake Species, and they’re in high demand. I just casually put it up for auction in front of the shop, and it immediately drew bids from several wealthy clients.”

”Sister Meilin, did it really sell for two hundred thousand?” Xiao’an was still a bit skeptical. He was worried Sister Meilin had added her own money into the mix.

How could Meilin not guess what Tu Xiao’an was thinking? ”Xiao’an, one hundred percent of this money is from the sale of the Tiger Snake, you can rest assured. Not many high-quality snakes have come through our Snake Market in recent years, so the price for rare Snake Species has shot up.”

”Well, if that’s the case, then that’s great!”

Tu Xiao’an was relieved. He said to his sister, ”Sis, take ten thousand out of the envelope for Sister Meilin. You can keep the rest.”

”Why give me money? I don’t want it,” Meilin said, quickly waving her hand in refusal.

Xiao’an insisted, ”Sister Meilin, we had an agreement. I can’t let you do all that work for nothing. Besides, I’m sure I’ll be troubling you again in the future.”

”Xiao’an, how is this troubling me? Your Tiger Snake has done wonders for my shop’s reputation.”

In the Snake Race business, high-quality snakes are key. If a rare Snake Species appears in a shop, it can make that shop’s reputation soar.

This was why, for so many years, Meilin had desperately wanted a rare Snake Species to serve as her shop’s crowning jewel.