“Ah!” Bai Qingqing loosened her grip and let the flint slip to the floor. She smacked her head in annoyance.
Why did she have to do this to herself? She clearly could have taken care of An’an comfortably at home.
As An’an continued making a fuss, Bai Qingqing forced herself to calm down. She slowly unbuttoned her clothes.
Regardless of the environment she was placed in, An’an was always so calm and went about doing whatever without care.
Looking at her baby’s calm manner, Bai Qingqing felt less vexed about the situation. As she gently cradled An’an, she coaxed softly, “Be good, An’an.”
The lighting in the cave suddenly dimmed by a few shades. Bai Qingqing had just noticed that, but before she raised her head, she heard her cubs ferociously roaring.
Thinking it was some wild animal, she hurriedly raised her head in alarm.
Turned out, there was a giant snake the thickness of dinner plates at the cave entrance. As a large section of his body was standing upright, some of the light was blocked out.
From his black and red prints that resembled a red-banded snake, Bai Qingqing recognized who he was. She smiled and said, “Little snake, I finally get to see you.”
The little snake blinked his transparent retinas, as though he didn’t believe Bai Qingqing would come to visit him all by herself (he had chosen to regard his other siblings as non-existent).
Bai Qingqing waved at him. “Quick, come in.”
Though her countenance didn’t betray anything, there was doubt in her heart. Could she have mistaken someone else for the little snake? It would be dreadful if it turned out he was some other snake beastman.
Thankfully, the little snake snapped out of his trance at Bai Qingqing’s urging. He transformed into a slim, tall, and fair young man at the entrance.
Bai Qingqing let out a sigh of relief. Carrying An’an in her left arm, she raised the bundle she brought along with her injured right hand, then opened it and took out the animal skin skirt she specially made for the little snake.
“Quick, try it on. I just made this for you. I had asked Parker to bring you two during the cold season. Did you see them?” asked Bai Qingqing.
“Yes.” The little snake reached out to take the animal skin skirt. He then glanced at Bai Qingqing’s half-revealed snow-white bosom, and also An’an who was drinking milk, and astonishment appeared in his eyes.
As the first bunch of kids Bai Qingqing gave birth to, there naturally wasn’t the memory of those leopard cubs and An’an in his legacy. Hence, this was the little snake’s first time seeing Bai Qingqing nurse her kids.
Bai Qingqing pulled up her clothes awkwardly and waved her hand. “Hurry up and take this. Mommy’s hand is sore.”
“Mm,” the little snake responded. He suddenly flicked out his tongue, and his gaze fell upon the dried blood streaks on Bai Qingqing’s right hand.
The little snake, who was about to take the clothes from her, turned towards her hand and held it in a tight grip.
“You’re injured?”
Although he would totally disregard such a small wound if it were on him, he could instinctively feel that females shouldn’t suffer such an injury, that it was extremely dangerous.
Bai Qingqing gasped. Did all snake beastmen have such great strength? This pinch by the little snake made her feel like her wound, which had just stopped bleeding, had ripped apart once more.
Hissing in pain, she said, “Quickly let go. You’re hurting me.”
Seeing the little snake interacting with their mommy this up close, the leopard cubs had long been feeling disgruntled. The sight of the little snake inflicting pain upon their mommy made their furs explode instantly. Letting out a roar, they dashed towards the little snake.
The little snake’s body tensed, and he cast a cold and sinister gaze towards the cubs, raring to make a move.
“Babies!” Bai Qingqing’s bellow successfully halted the leopard cubs.
“Knock it off! Quickly find me the firewood.”
The cubs let out two aggrieved howls. Looking up to see that the little snake had let go of their mommy’s hand, they restrained the rage in their hearts and turned around to collect more firewood.
Bai Qingqing retracted her hand, then saw that the wound had indeed ruptured.
The little snake said, “Mommy, wait for me. I’ll go find you some medicinal herbs.”
Bai Qingqing looked up in astonishment. “You know how to tell herbs apart?”