Encounter with a snake"

Hot Springs

The distant sky was faintly brightening. Situated at the mountaintop, the hot spring was the first to be touched by the day's initial light rays.

Shen Qingxuan felt a force supporting him, keeping him afloat and preventing him from sinking. The sensation of soaking in the natural hot spring was incomparably more comforting than the cramped, cube-sized wooden tub. Immersed in the water, Shen Qingxuan felt so relaxed that he just wanted to sigh in contentment.

After a while, Yi Mo also shed his robe and stepped into the water. The ripples spread through the water as Shen Qingxuan slightly opened his eyes to see the long-haired man approaching him, his presence adding a cold aura to the air already filled with the smell of sulfur, very close now.

Shen Qingxuan opened his mouth to speak, suddenly remembering he couldn't make a sound. With no pen and ink around, he was even deprived of the ability to converse. His good mood was instantly halved. After such a long time without seeing each other, to be face-to-face yet unable to talk was truly disappointing. Shen Qingxuan’s expression turned gloomy.

Yi Mo, submerged in the water, watched him for a while before finally lifting his hand. His cool fingers glimmered with a faint green light, touching Shen Qingxuan’s throat.

Watching his movements, Shen Qingxuan felt as if his throat was drenched inside and out with mint juice, an indescribably sharp sensation that brought tears to his eyes.

When Yi Mo retracted his hand, all Shen Qingxuan could see was a dazzling brightness, and the overwhelming sensation made him cough violently, pressing on his throat.

The coughing started silently, but gradually his throat produced hoarse, strange sounds, which grew louder, until each cough sounded just like a normal person would make.

He had regained his voice. Shen Qingxuan, caught between shock and joy, let the tears flow with each cough, echoing around the solitary mountaintop, above the misty hot springs.

Coughing as if to expel his lungs, Shen Qingxuan’s eyes were red, and he almost inhaled the spring water several times, eventually collapsing weakly on a protruding rock, gasping for air.

Yi Mo leaned against the opposite rock, casually resting his arms, his gaze indifferent as he watched Shen Qingxuan struggle with his coughs. After a while, Shen Qingxuan finally stopped coughing and looked back to see Yi Mo in repose, appearing detached from everything around him.

As the mists of the hot spring swirled around them, Shen Qingxuan felt an inexplicable discomfort watching Yi Mo’s serene, detached demeanor. Despite regaining his ability to speak, he chose to remain silent, merely watching him intently.

The space between them was filled with steam like a thin veil, with Yi Mo’s face faintly visible through it. Shen Qingxuan found himself unable to look away, captivated by the unparalleled grace before him.

As he watched, Yi Mo’s eyelashes fluttered, and he opened his eyes. His gaze was deep and still, like a serene, fathomless lake, unruffled by any disturbance.

"Why aren’t you pleased?" Yi Mo asked calmly, as if he could see through Shen Qingxuan’s facade.

Shen Qingxuan, internally questioning how Yi Mo knew of his discontent, didn't voice his thoughts but simply responded after a pause, "Of course, I'm pleased."

Speaking for the first time in nearly two decades, his voice was rough and unfamiliar, even to himself. He had to listen closely to assure himself that it was indeed his own voice.

"I thought you'd be away for another two months," Shen Qingxuan ventured after a moment's pause, still getting used to his own voice.

"The matter was resolved, so I returned," Yi Mo replied.

Shen Qingxuan hummed in acknowledgment, then hesitated before speaking again, "I don’t know why, but I don’t want anyone to know I can speak now..."

Yi Mo nodded in understanding, prompting Shen Qingxuan to continue, "If they ask how I recovered, I’m not good at lying." He paused, then added, "So, I’m not planning to tell them yet."

After another pause, Shen Qingxuan inquired, "Did you retrieve the snake slough?"

"Yes," Yi Mo confirmed.

"That’s good," Shen Qingxuan replied, then fell silent, not knowing what else to say.

They remained quiet in the water, the day brightening around them, with the red sun casting clear light on their figures.

Shen Qingxuan’s speech became more fluid and confident. He moved closer to Yi Mo, seeking the familiar comfort of their past interactions. However, the clarity of the water under the bright sun revealed too much, making Shen Qingxuan blush at the transparency of their unclothed state. Flustered, he retreated, accidentally slipping and plunging into the water.

Yi Mo, guessing his thoughts and witnessing his clumsy fall, was amused but didn’t rush to help, knowing the water wasn’t dangerous.

Emerging from the water flustered, Shen Qingxuan encountered Yi Mo’s teasing remark about the taste of the hot spring compared to his Mid-Autumn brew, a playful jest that reignited the memories of his cold bath and the intimate dream. Shen Qingxuan’s heart raced uncontrollably, overwhelmed by the resurgence of desire and the vivid recollection of what he had just seen underwater.

As his heartbeat thundered chaotically, Shen Qingxuan turned away hastily, seeking to calm himself and hide the turmoil within.

Yi Mo observed him quietly, his deep gaze capturing the tremors of Shen Qingxuan’s slender, agitated body. After a long silence, Shen Qingxuan, avoiding Yi Mo’s gaze, murmured a request to be taken back.

Yi Mo’s cool touch on his shoulder spun him around, their faces inches apart, intensifying Shen Qingxuan’s embarrassment. Yi Mo’s calm voice broke the silence, reminding him of the divide between humans and demons, prompting Shen Qingxuan to think carefully.

Before Shen Qingxuan could respond, the world around him blurred, and he found himself back in his room, the rapid transition leaving him pale and breathless.

The author has a message: It took a whole day to write these few words, constantly revising and editing. But once it's posted, you all finish reading it in a moment. My fragile heart, please give some comfort and encouragement~

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