Zhou Shengsheng hesitated for a mont. Normally, such a situation that would trigger a plot developnt would happen to the female lead, right?
Could it be Jiang Zhiyu?
Suppressing her excitent, Zhou Shengsheng tiptoed over quietly.
Pushing aside the grass, she caught a glimpse of the scene under the moonlight that had just climbed up the branches.
It turned out to be a fierce and thick cobra hunting for food, its prey fluttering not far away.
The prey, covered in fluffy fur, stood there alertly, its two black bean-like eyes fixed unwaveringly on the large snake coiled in the distance.
Zhou Shengsheng tilted her head slightly—it was a tiny little chick.
Perhaps it belonged to Liu Ai’s family, since she had seen poultry when she arrived.
Glancing at the venomous cobra in front of her, Zhou Shengsheng clenched her fists. Her foot moved slightly, only to step on a cursed twig again.
Imdiately, the two animals locked in a standoff turned their gazes toward her.
eting the cobra’s vertical pupils, Zhou Shengsheng wisely cupped her hands and said, “My apologies, please carry on. I’ll be on my way now. Goodbye.”
Without a second thought, she turned and bolted.
Sorry, little chick, but one of us has to survive.
She had thought she could outrun the snake, but to her surprise, before she could get far, she heard the rustling sound of a reptile slithering through the grass behind her.
Zhou Shengsheng quickly looked back and, sure enough, that wretched cobra was hot on her heels.
“Why are you chasing ? I’m not stealing your food!” she shouted angrily.
As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt sothing moving on her head. She reached up to touch it—soft, fine fur brushed her fingertips, and then a weight shifted to the side, dodging her grasp.
If she didn’t realize what was happening now, she’d be a fool. She gritted her teeth and said, “You’re quite the escape artist, aren’t you?”
As if in response, the little chick on her head lowered its tiny beak to preen its feathers, its black bean-like eyes gleaming with mischief.
Unfortunately, Zhou Shengsheng, in the midst of her desperate escape, couldn’t see it.
Even if she had, she probably wouldn’t have reacted much.
After all, it wasn’t yet the era when animals weren’t allowed to beco spirits.
Perhaps fate had other plans for her. Seeing that she hadn’t returned for a long ti, the couple ca out with torches to look for her.
Spotting the torches from afar, Zhou Shengsheng imdiately cried out for help, “Save ! Help!”
Hearing her cries, the two hurried over. Da Niu, who was accustod to the forest, knew just from the sound that Zhou Shengsheng was likely being chased by a snake.
Luckily, he always carried realgar powder with him. He imdiately scattered it behind her, and upon slling the pungent odor, the cobra, though reluctant, slithered away quickly.
Zhou Shengsheng panted heavily as Liu Ai ca over to support her.
For dinner, Liu Ai prepared a lavish spread, bringing out dishes usually reserved for New Year’s feasts. Ming Siran, coming from a noble background, found these seemingly precious foods rather crude. However, since he was currently living under soone else’s roof, he didn’t say anything.
Zhou Shengsheng, on the other hand, knew that they had brought out the best of what they had, so she ate heartily to show her appreciation.
Seeing the little chick occupying a small corner of the table, seemingly ‘disdainful’ of the food in its tiny plate, Liu Ai hesitantly asked, “Miss Shengsheng, it’s not eating anything.”
It was quite impressive that Liu Ai could detect a look of disdain in such tiny eyes.
Glancing at the chick that had inexplicably latched onto her, Zhou Shengsheng swallowed her food and said, “Don’t worry about it, Auntie. It’s probably not hungry.”
She had initially thought it was a chick from Liu Ai’s family, but Liu Ai clarified that it wasn’t theirs. So, it must be a wild chick.
“The water at Jishui Lake is quite pleasant, isn’t it?” Liu Ai asked as she prepared a bed on the floor for Zhou Shengsheng.
“Jishui Lake? Is that the na of the lake?” Zhou Shengsheng took a bite of an apple. Ming Siran, sitting on the bed, coughed, prompting Zhou Shengsheng to toss him one as well. After receiving a grateful smile from him, she quickly looked away.
She couldn’t stand it. Could he please stop smiling? She finally understood why Ming Siran rarely smiled before losing his mory—he probably knew how provocative his smile was.
“Yes, it was originally called Moonside Lake, but we all call it Jishui Lake.”
Hearing the na “Moonside Lake,” Ming Siran felt a sense of familiarity, but when he tried to recall more, a sharp pain shot through his head, forcing him to give up.
Zhou Shengsheng nodded.
After Liu Ai left, Zhou Shengsheng sat down on the bedding laid out on the floor. The little chick that had been perched on her shoulder suddenly hopped down, using its claws to push aside the red quilt embroidered with peonies before settling into a comfortable spot.
Seeing its finicky behavior, Zhou Shengsheng couldn’t help but think of soone else.
“The floor is so cold. Why don’t you co up and sleep with , Madam?” Ming Siran offered as she was about to lie down.
Without changing her expression, Zhou Shengsheng replied, “No need, Your Majesty. You’re still recovering, and I have a restless sleeping habit. If I accidentally injure you further, it would be my fault.”
[If you insist one more ti, I’ll agree. But don’t bla if you wake up with worse injuries tomorrow.]
Ming Siran imdiately shut his mouth. What kind of grudge did she have against him to retaliate like this?
Hearing their bizarre exchange, the little chick, which had already closed its eyes, suddenly ruffled its feathers. Its black bean-like eyes opened, filled with mockery.
Seeing it awake, Zhou Shengsheng reached out to pet it, but it dodged her hand.
The chick’s feathers were soft and fluffy, a tender yellow that looked delightful to touch, but it was stubborn. No matter how Zhou Shengsheng tried to coax it, it refused to let her pet it.
Thinking of this, Zhou Shengsheng suddenly had an idea. “How about I give you a na?”
The thought of naming it brought back the fear she once felt under Duan Fusheng’s influence.
She had been called “Tail,” so should the chick she picked up follow her stage na?
“I found you at Jishui Lake, and my old na was Tail. So, how about I call you…”
“Jiba?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, the entire room fell silent—the one who suggested the na, the one who didn’t, and the one being nad all froze.
Realizing the na was sowhat inappropriate, Zhou Shengsheng pursed her lips and coughed lightly. “Never mind, let’s just sleep.” Though her tone was calm, the tips of her ears hidden beneath her hair turned bright red.
After the candle was blown out, the person on the bed, who had buried himself under the covers, let out a thunderous laugh.
Zhou Shengsheng buried her face in her quilt, her fists clenching silently by her side.
That damn Ming Siran! He’s even more insufferable after losing his mory than before!
The little chick nestled beside her watched her pretending to be an ostrich for a long ti before finally looking away.
He was sowhat surprised. In just a few days, she had managed to surprise him multiple tis.
First, she had sohow beco the “Madam” of the Yong Kingdom’s emperor in such a short ti, and now, her naming skills had “improved.”
Should he praise her?
Compared to the half-hearted na “Little Tail” she had given to the ox, “Jiba” seed like a well-thought-out decision.
Glancing at the faint moonlight outside the window, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of irritation.
It seed it would still take so ti before he could regain his human form.
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