Chapter 348: Snake Bite

Lin Xiao patted Ning Xi’s shoulder and reminded her, “Sister Ning Xi, you should change your shoes.”

Ning Xi snapped out of her thoughts and looked down at the high heels on her feet, furrowing her delicate brows in frustration. “But I only have this pair. What should I do?”

Hearing their conversation, Wang Xue’s big eyes flickered with thought. Without a word, she turned and ran out of the room.

A few minutes later, she returned, holding a pair of brand-new sneakers in her hands.

“Big Sister, you can wear these,” Wang Xue said, pressing her lips together as she handed the shoes to Ning Xi.

“Little Xue, you’re such a good girl. Then I won’t be polite. Later, Big Sister will buy you a hundred pairs even better than these.” Ning Xi’s eyes lit up as she patted Wang Xue’s little head.

After changing into the new shoes, Ning Xi took Lin Xiao and Wang Xue by the hand, leading them along the rugged mountain path to begin their trek into the forest.

The mountain trail was quiet, the air fresh, accompanied by occasional bird calls and insect chirps.

A gentle breeze lifted Ning Xi’s silky hair, making her look like a spirit wandering through the forest.

Ning Xi and Wang Xue walked ahead while Lin Xiao followed behind at a steady pace.

After about thirty minutes of descending along the mountain path, they came upon a clear stream, about a foot deep, with water gently flowing over the rocks.

Ning Xi carefully approached the stream, scooped up a handful of water to wash her face, then waved at Lin Xiao. “Lin Xiao, come over here! There are fish!”

Lin Xiao didn’t suspect anything and walked over to her side, just about to ask where the fish were when—

Splash!

Ning Xi suddenly flung a handful of stream water directly onto Lin Xiao’s face.

“…”

Lin Xiao stood there speechless, staring at Ning Xi. No one would have expected that the composed and mature Ning Xi from the company could be this childish.

Ning Xi burst into laughter, leaning forward and back. “Hehe! Silly Lin Xiao, you fell for it.”

Off to the side, Wang Xue also covered her mouth, giggling.

As Ning Xi gazed at the crystal-clear stream, an idea suddenly struck her. She turned to Wang Xue and asked, “Little Xue, does anyone usually come here?”

Wang Xue shook her head. “This place is quite far from the village, so usually, no one comes here.”

“That’s perfect.” Ning Xi immediately beamed. “Is there a deeper pool nearby? Big Sister wants to take a dip.”

Wang Xue’s eyes widened. “Big Sister, you want to bathe?”

Ning Xi shot a flirtatious glance at Lin Xiao and, with a teasing tone, said, “Yes, I want to take a bath. Little Xue, you can join me too.”

“There is a small pool up ahead. The water is very clean, and we use it for bathing. But… but…”

Wang Xue’s face suddenly turned red as she spoke. Her big eyes darted toward Lin Xiao hesitantly, and she stammered, unable to finish her sentence.

Lin Xiao remained expressionless. “Sister Ning Xi, if you want to bathe, I’ll stand watch for you here. But don’t soak too long, if someone happens to come by, it’ll be troublesome.”

“Lin Xiao, if you want, you can join Big Sister too. I don’t mind.”

Ning Xi winked at him, flicking her pink tongue over her lips before letting out a teasing laugh, her gaze full of sultry charm.

Lin Xiao remained composed, but Wang Xue blushed all the way to her ears. She lowered her head so much that her chin nearly touched her chest.

“Sister Ning Xi, Little Xue is still a child. You should mind your behavior in front of her,” Lin Xiao said blandly. “Don’t corrupt the little one.”

“Tch, I was just being nice to you, but you’re here lecturing me instead.” Ning Xi rolled her eyes, grabbing Wang Xue’s hand. “Little Xue, let’s go take a bath. Leave this boring log to stand here in the wind.”

“Y-yes… okay…” Wang Xue responded in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz.

Ning Xi led Wang Xue toward the pool to bathe, while Lin Xiao remained in place, scanning the surroundings. After ensuring there was no one around, he sat cross-legged on a rock.

Laughter echoed from upstream, accompanied by the sounds of splashing water.

Listening to Ning Xi and Wang Xue play around, Lin Xiao couldn’t help but smile slightly.

He hadn’t expected Ning Xi to have such a playful and innocent side, so different from her usual mature and seductive demeanor.

“Ah!”

A few minutes later, just as Lin Xiao was lost in thought, a sudden sharp scream came from upstream, filled with fear.

Lin Xiao instantly sprang up from the rock, tapped his foot, and shot forward like a flash of lightning. In mere seconds, he covered over ten meters, leaping several times until he reached the pool above the stream.

Before him was a small pool, several meters wide.

In the water, two figures as fair as jade clung to each other in fright. The scream had come from Wang Xue.

Lin Xiao’s gaze swept over them, and his heartbeat momentarily quickened. He quickly looked away.

Ning Xi and Wang Xue were completely unclothed.

“Sister Ning Xi, Little Xue, what happened?” Lin Xiao asked in a steady voice.

Hearing Lin Xiao’s voice, Ning Xi clung to it like a lifeline. “Lin Xiao, help us! There’s a snake in the water!”

“A snake?”

Lin Xiao’s expression darkened. Without hesitation, he leaped into the pool, cutting through the water in an instant, and reached them within seconds.

There was no time to be concerned about propriety. Lin Xiao immediately wrapped his arms around the two, channeling inner strength through his feet. With a powerful burst, he launched out of the water, practically skimming the surface, and landed back on shore.

Once on dry land, Lin Xiao turned away immediately, refraining from looking at them. He picked up the clothes placed on the shore and handed them to Ning Xi and Wang Xue behind him.

Although Wang Xue was still young, she had grown up in the mountains and was much braver than Ning Xi. Once the initial fright had passed, she quickly calmed down.

Recalling what had just happened, her face flushed red. She silently took the clothes Lin Xiao handed her and put them on without a word.

Meanwhile, Ning Xi was still trembling, her lips pale as she clutched her clothes.

Everyone has weaknesses, and for Ning Xi, it was her fear of snakes.

That snake had been so close to her that her fingers had even brushed against its slimy, slippery body. The sensation made her shudder uncontrollably, as if her soul had fled her body.

“Big Sister, put on your clothes quickly, or you’ll catch a cold,” Wang Xue reminded gently after dressing herself.

Ning Xi jolted slightly, her unfocused eyes finally regaining some clarity. She glanced down at herself. Her face turned completely red in an instant.

She hurriedly put on her undergarments, but just as she was about to finish dressing, she suddenly let out a soft gasp. Her body wobbled and collapsed to the ground.

Wang Xue caught her in time and asked anxiously, “Big Sister, what’s wrong?”

Ning Xi frowned, fear evident on her face, her voice trembling. “I… I think I got bitten by the snake…”

“What?” Lin Xiao spun around and immediately crouched beside her. “Sister Ning Xi, where did it bite you?”

As he spoke, his sharp gaze scanned Ning Xi’s body, searching for the bite mark.