My Demon Husband Is a Snake

I put on Xiao Li's inner and outer layers of wedding clothes, beginning to try on the complex hair ornaments, and was very optimistic in spirit, "No matter how strong the difficulties are, there are always more solutions than problems, we'll face them together."

"We... face them together?" Bai Zanhe murmured with a hint of helplessness, leaning against a coffin.

Xiao Li had put on all my clothes, her lips puckered, and she didn't want to leave anymore, "I might as well stay and face it with you. If I just leave like this... I'd really seem like a traitor."

"Silly girl, you still need to find Beichen, to inform your Brother Chenn to come and save us," I comforted her, patting the back of Xiao Li's head and leading her to the soft rope ladder. I casually tied a cloth strip, which concealed one's presence, around her wrist, "This isn't betrayal; it's preserving the spark of revolution."

"When did you become so eloquent, speaking even better than singing, I think you're just finding excuses to get rid of me, to face the danger alone," Xiao Li vigorously wiped away her tears with her sleeve, her eyes full of resentment towards me.

I earnestly instructed her, "Xiao Li, this is the Corpse-Driving Inn. The innkeeper probably isn't in cahoots with the people of Barbarian Village. As long as you don't make too much noise, you should be able to leave. There's a ghost market outside in the fair, which seems eerie, but you'll be fine as long as you ignore them."

"Oh."

As I wiped away the last tear on Xiao Li's face, she firmed up her gaze and firmly grasped the rope ladder to climb up.

I watched Xiao Li's retreating figure, sighing softly.

It was just a chase after a Ginseng Spirit, who would have thought that things would turn out this way. If I'd known, no matter what, I shouldn't have brought Xiao Li into this mess.

"I really envy your friend, to have met someone as good as you," Bai Zanhe remarked with a cool tone of admiration.

Settling on a coffin lid, I continued to fumble awkwardly with my hairstyle and ornaments, "They say true colors show in adversity, we can be good friends too."

"Good, these headdresses from Barbarian Village are too complicated to wear, let me help you with that," Bai Zanhe readily agreed, coming over and gently taking the silver hairpin from my hand, starting by smoothing my hair with her hands, "What is your name? And what brings you to Long Town?"

Her skills were deft, not like my clumsy attempts.

"My name is Su Wan. You might not believe it, but something of mine was stolen by a little demon, and I tracked it here," I released my hands, allowing my body to relax.

Bai Zanhe's fingers danced swiftly, arranging the complex array of silver ornaments neatly, "I believe it, recently there have been quite a few monsters infiltrating Barbarian Village."

"Hey, what's your status in Barbarian Village, and how come they chose you to marry the River God?" Having revealed my own name and purpose, I also inquired about Bai Zanhe's circumstances.

Bai Zanhe fell silent for a long while before softly saying, "Originally, I was the village's Miao Doctor, but unfortunately, I later became the Maiden of Luohua Cave."

"The Maiden of Luohua Cave, such a backward and cruel custom, wasn't it abolished long ago?" I abruptly looked up, shocked as I stared at Bai Zanhe.

Bai Zanhe had delicate features and skin as white as milk.

In this place where the UV rays are intense, most locals are tanned, making her pale, snow-like skin extremely rare.

Bai Zanhe's eyes were filled with desolation, "It was the tribal chief's son; he took a liking to me, but I refused to marry him. Typically, the Maidens of Luohua Cave are older, but the tribal chief chose me specifically because of that, to be offered to the deities... Normally, the Maidens starve to death in the cave. Being chosen as the Dragon King's Wife... I'd probably drown..."

I listened, completely stunned, empathetically saying, "You appear fragile, yet possess a proud spirit. Rather than being coerced and harmed, you refuse to marry someone you don't love."