119: Sister, I still want to keep this snake.

That family dotes on Ai Yue like a treasure; I suppose they would do anything for her.

She needed to think carefully about this matter. Cheng Siyu made up her mind, and her initial anxious mood eased considerably.

At this moment, Ai Yue had no idea that someone was coveting her, and her location had already been exposed.

Gu Xitian and the other returned home to find Gu Xiheng and Mo Li also there.

"Brother, why are you home in the middle of the day? Isn't the Base busy?" Gu Xitian asked curiously, looking at Gu Xiheng who was leisurely sitting in a chair drinking tea.

Gu Xiheng glanced at her without speaking, while Mo Li beside him joked, "What? Only you are allowed to stay home all day? It's not okay for us to come back once in a while?"

"Cousin, is that what I meant? Why are you always picking on me?" Gu Xitian truly disliked this brother who constantly found fault with her. She turned to Madam Gu for help:

"Mom, look at Cousin! He bullies me as soon as he sees me!"

A graceful woman walked out of the kitchen and looked lovingly at Ye Rui, saying, "Silly girl, what bullying? He's just playing around with you."

"Mom!" Ye Rui called out unhappily.

Madam Gu smiled, raised her hand to point at her, then turned to Mo Li, "Little Li, you are all closely related siblings. You need to be more careful with your words in the future, don't say anything hurtful, understood?"

Mo Li always acted well-behaved in front of Madam Gu, nodding, "Understood, Auntie!"

Madam Gu smiled slightly, not taking their bickering seriously. Seeing the cool beauty standing alone to the side, she felt a pang of pity.

She beckoned to Cheng Siyu, "Siyu, what are you doing standing over there? Come sit next to Auntie."

Cheng Siyu smiled faintly and gratefully sat down next to Madam Gu.

Madam Gu took her hand and said with affection, "My Siyu is so well-behaved, so capable, and has this astonishing beauty. I wonder which lucky boy will end up with her in the future."

After speaking, she glanced at Gu Xiheng.

Gu Xiheng pretended to drink water, acting as if he hadn't heard.

Mo Li felt extremely helpless internally. Here it comes again, this routine every time, as if she were afraid she wouldn't marry into their family.

Seeing that Gu Xiheng showed no reaction, Madam Gu directly called him out, "Xiheng, what do you think?"

"Think about what?"

"Naturally, who is lucky enough to marry Siyu."

Gu Xiheng saw his mother pointing at him again and couldn't help but fake a cough, "Cough, Mom, we have things to do, we'll be leaving first."

With that, he pulled Mo Li, who was drinking tea, and quickly left.

"Hey, you brat, running off again? Stop right there!" Madam Gu frowned and called out.

"Auntie, Xiheng really has something to do, just let him go." Cheng Siyu hid the disappointment in her eyes and persuaded her.

"Oh, you child, sigh. Tell me, where can you find such a sensible and perfect woman? Why does he always avoid this?" Madam Gu held Cheng Siyu's hand, looking regretful.

"Auntie, there's plenty of time, and besides, the current environment is really not suitable for discussing marriage. I can wait," Cheng Siyu said softly.

"Sigh, good child, it's hard on you."

"I'm not suffering. As long as I can stay by Xiheng's side, I will accept anything."

"How can you be so lovable, you are truly too sensible! Siyu, don't worry, Auntie is here, I will definitely help you achieve your wish."

Cheng Siyu broke into a smile, "Thank you, Auntie."

--

Plant Research Base.

"Sister, look what I caught?" Ye Rui had been playing wildly with Da Wang in the forest all morning.

They only returned, covered in dirt, close to noon.

Ai Yue, who was reading in the courtyard, looked up.

She saw Da Wang carrying a dead wild chicken in its mouth.

Ye Rui held a lively rabbit in her left hand and carried a black and gray striped stick in her right hand.

As Ye Rui approached, Ai Yue clearly saw that what she was carrying in her right hand was not a stick, but a venomous snake.

The snake slowly started moving. A trace of blue electricity flashed across Ye Rui's fingertips, and the slightly curved body of the snake instantly straightened out like a rod.

Ai Yue found it amusing, "Look at you, you look like a mud monkey, so dirty! Go wash up quickly!"

"Hehe, okay! Oh, right, Sister, I want to keep this rabbit, can I?" Ye Rui looked at Ai Yue expectantly.

Ai Yue lowered her head, flipping through the pages of the book she held, and said casually, "Yes, I'll get you some vegetable leaves and carrots later."

Ye Rui was overjoyed, jumping three feet high, grinning, and happily said, "Thank you, Sister, you are so kind."

Ai Yue smiled slightly. Life in the mountains was too leisurely; having something to do for Ye Rui was good.

"I also want to keep this snake. What does it eat?" Ye Rui's light voice followed.

Ai Yue slapped her book shut, "What else do you want to keep?"

Ye Rui held up the slightly curved snake and said innocently, "This snake."

Ai Yue's forehead darkened with lines, and she said in an undeniable tone, "Skin it, send it to Mom to make snake soup."

"Ah..." Ye Rui looked very unwilling. She zapped the snake again with electricity as it opened its mouth to bite her, saying, "I still want to keep it."

"Keep what? This is a venomous snake! If you get bitten, people will die. You want to keep it for fun? Are you tired of living? Go now!"

Seeing Ai Yue's expression, which showed no hint of a smile and looked serious, Ye Rui had no choice but to compromise, "Fine! Sigh, poor little thing, you better obediently go into my stomach."

Ai Yue watched Ye Rui's retreating figure, feeling helpless. This child! Ever since coming here, she had been like a wild animal unleashed, creating "surprises" for her every day.

Da Wang threw the dead chicken in front of Ai Yue, hopped onto another chair by itself, lay down, and began licking its paws rhythmically.

Ai Yue watched this scene, veins throbbing on her forehead, and couldn't help but say to Da Wang, "You are truly a living ancestor!"

Da Wang slowly raised its eyes. As its gaze shifted, a flash of golden light passed through, casting a mysterious hue over Da Wang basking in the sunlight.

It glanced faintly at the sulking Ai Yue, then continued to lower its head and lick its fur without any reaction.

Ai Yue sighed helplessly. Da Wang was no longer the easily fooled Da Wang from before. Now, Da Wang seemed to have awakened its intelligence; it couldn't be ordered around, acted on its own accord, and had a strong personality.

It was also very powerful, always coming through when needed! It could also bring back prey every day, so it was qualified to act like a master.

Ai Yue composed herself mentally, bent down to pick up the wild chicken from the ground, and walked toward the kitchen, not wanting to look at the proud Da Wang another moment. Today they would eat the wild chicken it brought back.

Recently, Ai Guosheng and Li Shilan had developed a new hobby: raising chickens!