Chapter 34: Will You Marry Me Then? (4000 words)
The young girl's first attempt at cooking ended in utter failure.
And she almost burned down the kitchen.
Fortunately, Xiao Mo reacted in time and extinguished the kitchen fire.
Even if there hadn't been a fire, Xiao Mo felt that the food Bai Ruxue cooked this time was not fit for human consumption.
Because in Bai Ruxue's impression, 'cooking until done' truly just meant cooking until done.
Bai Ruxue's original plan was simply to boil water, then throw the rabbit and pheasant directly into the pot to cook.
But even for boiled live fish, people don't just throw live fish directly into the pot to boil, do they?
However, seeing Bai Ruxue's head bowed in self-reproach, Xiao Mo didn't scold her. Instead, he encouraged her, "It's alright. I'll make dinner today."
"Xiao Mo, I'm sorry. I will definitely learn how to cook well in the future." Bai Ruxue raised her beautiful head, her eyes misty, as if one more scolding word from Xiao Mo would make her burst into tears.
Xiao Mo nodded, "No rush, take your time."
Xiao Mo retrieved the rabbit and pheasant from the pot and began preparing the ingredients.
Bai Ruxue watched from the side to see how Xiao Mocooked, looking for any place she could help.
The young girl watched Xiao Mo gut the rabbit and chicken, wash them clean, and then cut them into small pieces to stir-fry with green onions, ginger, and garlic.
Only then did she realize that human cooking was so elaborate.
After that, Bai Ruxue began learning to cook in the human way.
And Bai Ruxue's teacher was the village chief's wife—Chen Yi.
As for how Bai Ruxue got connected with Chen Yi?
It was all thanks to the village chief's second daughter, Wang Ying.
Wang Ying heard that Brother Xiao's house had a fairy-like older sister who was very beautiful, so she came to see her.
Bai Ruxue was inherently simple-minded, so she quickly became good friends with the little child, Wang Ying.
And when Wang Ying heard that the fairy-like older sister wanted to learn how to cook, she immediately led Bai Ruxue to her mother.
Facing such a request from such a beautiful Young Miss, Chen Yi naturally couldn't refuse.
Then Bai Ruxue became Chen Yi's "Disciple."
Chen Yi was also very enthusiastic, coming to Xiao Mo's courtyard every day to teach Bai Ruxue how to cook.
At first, Chen Yi was quite patient.
After all, seeing Bai Ruxue's tender and delicate hands, Chen Yi knew that Bai Ruxue must have been a young lady from a wealthy family who never did any housework.
So Chen Yi was mentally prepared, knowing that this Young Miss would definitely not know anything.
But gradually, Chen Yi started to get agitated.
"No, no! You have to scale the fish first! And remove the internal organs! You can't just put it directly into the pot!"
"Right… sorry."
"Why are you putting so many chili peppers? Do you want to spice Xiao Mo to death?"
"Sorry!"
"Don't add any more salt! Is salt free? Do you want to make Xiao Mo die of saltiness?"
"I didn't mean to…"
"Alright, alright, now put in the cilantro. Xiao Mo likes to eat cilantro."
"Enough! Cilantro is for seasoning, not for you to stir-fry it like cabbage!"
Every noon, as Xiao Mo read in the courtyard, he could hear Chen Yi scolding Bai Ruxue.
Each time, Chen Yi would walk away grumbling, saying, "So stupid, I'm never coming to teach you again."
Each time, Bai Ruxue was scolded to tears by Chen Yi.
But Chen Yi would come again the next day, and Bai Ruxue would also wipe away her tears and continue to diligently learn how to cook.
Nothing else, though Bai Ruxue was a bit clumsy, she was beautiful and learned seriously.
Moreover, Chen Yi was inherently sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. After Chen Yi's anger subsided, she would think of this beautiful young girl again.
As days passed by.
The number of times Chen Yi scolded Bai Ruxue also became fewer and fewer.
One noon, three months later, Chen Yi didn't scold Bai Ruxue even once.
It was this noon that when they watched Xiao Mo pick up his chopsticks, their eyes were filled with tension.
"Delicious." After taking a bite of rabbit meat, Xiao Monodded.
"That's great!" Bai Ruxue jumped up with joy.
Chen Yi couldn't help but wipe away her tears.
She had finally completed her apprenticeship; it wasn't easy.
Besides cooking, Bai Ruxue also washed Xiao Mo's clothes.
Every morning, Bai Ruxue would carry her and Xiao Mo's clothes to the river to wash them.
The aunties and grandmas in the village were also very enthusiastic, teaching Bai Ruxue how to wash clothes clean.
Gradually, the aunties and grandmas became familiar with Bai Ruxue.
They even occasionally said some suggestive jokes to Bai Ruxue.
But Bai Ruxue didn't understand them at all.
The aunties and grandmas looked at Bai Ruxue's bewildered expression, didn't explain, and just smiled.
Bai Ruxue was very confused, so she ran back to ask Xiao Mo.
"Xiao Mo, why does Wang Dama say men have three legs? But you only have two legs? Where's your third leg? Show it to me."
"Xiao Mo, why does Aunt Chen say I'm good at childbearing, and as long as I get pregnant, our whole family won't starve?"
"Xiao Mo, Aunt Sun asked me if you secretly snuck into my room at night to do naughty things to me. What are naughty things? Are you going to come into my room tonight?"
Faced with Bai Ruxue's questions, Xiao Mo didn't know how to answer and could only remain silent.
Sometimes Bai Ruxue would also return to the mountains to visit her younger sister, bringing her some delicious persimmon cakes from the village and telling her some interesting things she encountered.
When the weather was hot, Bai Ruxue would hold a fan and fan Xiao Mo, even if she herself was sweating profusely, she would just wipe herself lightly and continue fanning Xiao Mo.
When the weather was cold, Bai Ruxue would burrow into Xiao Mo's quilt to warm it up for him.
Although Xiao Mo said it wasn't necessary, Bai Ruxuealways insisted.
The expenses for brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and books were high, so Bai Ruxue would hunt and then give the game to Chen Yi, asking her to help sell it.
Or Bai Ruxue would learn from Chen Yi to raise silkworms and weave silk.
When Bai Ruxue fed the silkworms, she would always murmur, "Silkworms, you must spin a lot of silk~"
Because the village chief had nothing more to teach Xiao Mo.
So Xiao Mo often needed to go to other places to study and listen to other teachers' lectures.
Studying required money. Fortunately, the county magistrate of Qingshan County wanted to gain the favor of the local scholars.
So, some of the tuition fees for apprenticeship and travel expenses could be funded by him.
When Xiao Mo went to study in other places, Bai Ruxue would also follow him.
The two walked through the mountains and forests. Bai Ruxue hunted for Xiao Mo, roasted food for him, and fetched water for him.
Xiao Mo only needed to walk forward and study hard.
As winter set in, Bai Ruxue started to feel sleepy.
Every night, Bai Ruxue would go to bed early, sleeping until the sun was high, then she would hastily get up and complain to Xiao Mo, "Why didn't you wake me up? I haven't even washed my clothes yet."
Unconsciously, Bai Ruxue became more and more proficient at washing clothes, cooking, and doing housework, just like a virtuous wife.
By deep winter.
One morning, Bai Ruxue woke up and found her skin covered with a layer of crystal-clear snake skin.
The young girl was startled and quickly looked in the mirror. Her face also had a layer of white snake skin, and her eyes were hazy.
"Oh no! I'm about to shed my skin! What should I do, what should I do?"
Bai Ruxue paced back and forth in the room, her small hands tightly clutching her sleeves.
Finally, Bai Ruxue stopped, her eyes filled with determination: "It seems I can only run!"
Bai Ruxue picked up paper and pen and left a letter for Xiao Mo, roughly saying, "Something came up at home, my sister is sick, and I need to go back to take care of her. I'll be back in spring."
Then Bai Ruxue transformed into a snake, quickly slipped out of the window, and climbed up the mountain.
"Ru Xue… wake up… Ru Xue…"
It was already past noon, and Bai Ruxue still hadn't woken up. Xiao Mo knocked on her door, but the room was empty. He only saw a letter left on the table and some white, crystalline snake skin on the floor.
After returning to the mountain, Bai Ruxue quickly slipped into the cave.
At this time, her sister had already hibernated. Bai Ruxue lay beside her sister, looking at the heavy snow outside the cave, and began to worry.
"Without me cooking for him, will he starve?"
"What if no one washes his clothes?"
"And no one will warm his bed for him, will he be unaccustomed?"
As she thought, Bai Ruxue's head grew heavier and heavier, and finally, she fell into hibernation.
In early spring, Bai Ruxue opened her eyes and shed her skin again.
When she saw her own form, Bai Ruxue was startled.
At this time, Bai Ruxue was already fifteen feet long and one foot thick.
The knowledge etched in Bai Ruxue's Bloodline told her that she was no longer a snake, but a python.
With a shake, she transformed into human form. Bai Ruxue looked down and found she couldn't see her toes.
Walking to the side of the pool, Bai Ruxue looked at herself in the water.
The woman's figure was graceful and captivating. Below her slender shoulders, her full and rounded breasts, accentuated by a cinched silk sash, created a breathtaking curve. Beneath the thin gauze, her voluptuous contours were vaguely visible, subtly rising and falling with her breath, like warm jade exuding fragrance.
Her waist was slender, perfectly graspable, like a delicate willow swaying in the wind.
And beneath her skirt, two slender, long jade legs, even concealed by the pomegranate skirt, still revealed her elegant and graceful bearing.
Her peach blossom eyes gazed with affection, like freshly bloomed peach petals, with a slight upward tilt at the corners, naturally exuding a charming allure, as if stained with rouge, spreading a hint of alluring blush.
"Is this me?"
Bai Ruxue looked at herself in the water with surprise.
She turned around and looked at her side. The curves of the woman in the water undulated like mountain ranges.
"It's beautiful, but I feel like my shoulders are so sore."
Bai Ruxue frowned and propped up the two mountains in front of her.
"Never mind, I should hurry down the mountain. Half a year has passed, and I don't know if Xiao Mo has been eating well."
When she came down the mountain and arrived at the entrance of Xiao Mo's courtyard, Xiao Mo was reading as usual.
"Xiao Mo."
Bai Ruxue called out to the man in the courtyard.
Xiao Mo looked up, stared at the white-robed woman outside the courtyard, and was stunned for a long time before reacting, "Bai Guniang?"
"Who else would it be?"
Bai Ruxue walked into the courtyard.
However, wherever Bai Ruxue walked, Xiao Mo's gaze followed.
"You… why are you staring at me? Am I… am I strange?" Bai Ruxue felt a little embarrassed under Xiao Mo's gaze, her body feeling hot.
"No, it's just that after half a year, Bai Guniang seems to have changed quite a bit, and I haven't quite adjusted yet." Xiao Mo said, withdrawing his gaze. "My apologies, I was impolite."
"So, compared to before, have I become prettier or uglier?" Bai Ruxue asked playfully, as usual.
"Even prettier." Xiao Mo was very honest.
The previous Ru Xue was pure like a young girl.
But the current Ru Xue had fully matured, possessing a hint of charm within her purity.
"If I'm pretty, then look more." Bai Ruxue's eyes curved, "If it's you, Xiao Mo, I don't mind~"
"That's still not quite right." Xiao Mo smiled and shook his head.
"What's wrong with it?" Bai Ruxue tilted her head, "I'm pretty, and I'm here for you to look at."
"…" Xiao Mo was momentarily speechless.
"Young Miss…" Xiao Mo tried to explain, "There's still a distinction between men and women."
"I don't understand."
Bai Ruxue didn't understand.
If it were anyone else, she would naturally observe the distinction between men and women.
But she didn't dislike Xiao Mo, so was there still a need for such a distinction?
Xiao Mo always had some strange insistence.
Unconsciously,
Another two years passed.
In winter, Bai Ruxue would go up the mountain to hibernate.
Each time she woke from hibernation, Bai Ruxuewould become thicker and longer, but her appearance after transforming into human form remained unchanged.
One day, Bai Ruxue went to the river to wash clothes.
She didn't know what the village's aunties and grandmas told Bai Ruxue.
When Bai Ruxue returned, she kept staring at Xiao Mo.
She stared at him during meals and secretly peeked at him while hanging clothes.
When she had nothing to do, she would sit in front of Xiao Mo and watch him.
"Bai Guniang, is there something you need?" Xiao Moput down his book and took a sip of tea from the table.
"Mmm-hmm." Bai Ruxue nodded, "Xiao Mo, when are you going to marry me?"
"Cough, cough, cough!" Xiao Mo choked badly. "Bai Guniang, what did you say?"
"I said, when are you going to marry me?" Bai Ruxueasked.
"Why does Bai Guniang ask that?"
"Because Aunt Li told me to ask~"
Bai Ruxue straightened her graceful waist, her full bosom casting a shadow on the stone table.
"Aunt Li said that I'm unmarried and you're unmarried, and we live together every day, and we're both adults, so why aren't we getting married? Aunt Li said her son, when he was your age, already had a grandson who could buy soy sauce."
"This…" Xiao Mo thought for a moment and explained, "Bai Guniang, only when two people like each other can they get married."
"But I like you?" Bai Ruxue blinked, "Don't you like me?"
Xiao Mo smiled, "Then, for Bai Guniang, what is our relationship?"
"Friends." Bai Ruxue blurted out.
Xiao Mo shook his head, "But Bai Guniang, just the liking of friends is not enough."
"Then what kind of liking is enough?"
Bai Ruxue was confused. Were there different kinds of liking?
"Well…" Xiao Mo pondered, "It's hard to say, but if one day Bai Guniang understands, then she will know whether she wants to marry me or not."
"Then if I understand one day, and I still want you to marry me, will you marry me then?"
Xiao Mo was momentarily stunned, then looked gently into the young girl's peach blossom eyes:
"Yes."