Chapter 16: Purpose (Part 2)

Mo Yu inexplicably understood what the longing look in those big, watery eyes meant. In the blink of an eye, the little snake in Mo Yu's hand transformed into a massive serpent, carrying her as it "flew" across.

They landed safely.

Instantly, the large snake shrank back into a small one, wrapping impatiently around Mo Yu's neck once more.

Mo Yu glanced at Nan Lingzi, who was perched in a tree opposite her, mouth agape as if she could swallow an elephant, and found herself at a loss for words.

"Lingzi, come here."

She reached out a hand and pulled Nan Lingzi over.

With a tug and a jump, Lingzi too landed safely.

After landing, Nan Lingzi spared only a glance at the green snake before saying nothing more. She knew Mo Yu had her own secrets, and she was already grateful enough that Mo Yu hadn't abandoned her.

While Nan Lingzi pondered in silence, Mo Yu was also lost in thought—so the first use for her little pet was as a rope, it seemed.

And as for the little snake at that moment? It was up to something it absolutely couldn't let Mo Yu discover.

Its slender tail, smooth as Mo Yu's own skin, quietly slipped in through the collar of her shirt.

An inch, two inches...

The collarbone...

An inch, two, three...

So soft, so comfortable~ so springy~ so...

No! I'm getting distracted!

Hastily and cautiously, the snake drew its tail out and laid it over Mo Yu's collarbone.

Strange, why is it ticklish? Mo Yu, now aware, scratched the area above her chest.

Why does it itch?

"Mo Yu, look," Nan Lingzi pointed to Mo Yu's left.

"What do you mean?"

"This is the only way!"

"I'll go over first. Be careful," Mo Yu nodded, sidestepped to the edge of the eaves, and moved to the other side.

That was Uncle Li Dongqing’s house next door.

Because Uncle Li came from generations of soldiers, the yard was equipped with exercise gear: parallel bars, rings, punching bags...

And at that moment, there was someone else in the yard...

A little boy, five or six years old.

"Little Dou?!"

The boy raised his lowered head at the sound, his eyes wide with terror and surprise.

Someone was still here!

Mo Yu knew Little Dou—he was Li Dongqing's illegitimate child, admitted into the Li family only after his mother died. No one cared for him, no one loved him. He lived in the Li household as carefully as a puppet doll.

But when the boy raised his eyes, elation breaking through, he was startled all over again.

Why did that snake look like it wanted to eat someone?!

"Sister Mo," he whispered, his voice small and timid.

Mo Yu waved to Lingzi, signaling her to come over, then jumped down silently from the second floor.

Landing lightly on one leg, she made no sound.

Little Dou recoiled two steps in fright.

"Little Dou, why aren't you inside?"

"Eating people." His voice was so soft Mo Yu only heard the word "eating."

"You mean people eating people?"

He nodded vigorously.

What if there are zombies inside? Mo Yu pondered, so lost in thought that she didn't notice Lingzi landing with a thud beside her.

"Hey—" Before she could finish, a bony hand clamped over her mouth.

"Lingzi, people who eat others are coming." Little Dou's voice was barely more than a whisper.

"Little Dou? Where’s Uncle Li and the others?" Lingzi immediately regretted asking.

"They left." Though Little Dou seemed calm, he was still a child, and the sorrow in his eyes could not be hidden from the two before him.

"They left, and took Brother Cheng with them."

Leaving only me. All alone.

Lingzi hugged Little Dou tightly, aching with sympathy.

She understood that feeling, but thankfully—

Lingzi glanced at Mo Yu at her side.

She still had family, didn’t she?

From that moment on, in Lingzi’s heart, Mo Yu was not just a friend, but family.

And so was Lingzi to Mo Yu.