Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Drums and Gongs Have Yet to Sound

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The King of Serpents – No Ads
(This chapter was supposed to be uploaded at midnight, but I unexpectedly fell asleep at the computer. Only now am I uploading it.)

Secretary Luo and Le Er were sitting in the office; even Secretary Huang had made himself scarce. Luo was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, Secretary to the County Party Secretary—calm and stern. His glasses framed a handsome, scholarly face, the very picture of a refined young man.

“Sha Le’er, do you know why I’m here today?”

Le Er could guess the general reason—it must be about snake breeding. Last time, Feng Shuying had mentioned arranging a poverty alleviation project for him; perhaps there was now some progress. Still, he restrained his excitement and shook his head at Secretary Luo.

“The county intends to support you, but we’re unsure if you can succeed. We need materials and analysis,” Secretary Luo said, his face expressionless, his tone dry and colorless. “How much money are you planning to invest yourself?”

“Well… I’m really poor…” Le Er replied with a guileless smile. “I suppose I can scrape together half a million.”

He wanted to seize this opportunity—no choice but to reveal his finances.

“Half a million?” For a moment, even Secretary Luo’s face lit up with surprise. “And you call yourself poor… Well, that makes things easier. But, are you able to draw up a proposal?”

“I haven’t had much schooling,” Le Er answered honestly.

“You can ask Teacher Feng for help; she’s exceptionally talented,” Secretary Luo remarked, taking out a cigarette and offering one to Le Er, who declined. Lighting his own, Luo continued, “Aren’t you acquainted with Boss Hong from Foshan? Have you contacted him?”

“He’s still abroad and hasn’t returned,” Le Er lied, his face betraying nothing. “I also have an older sister, who’s Boss Hong’s assistant—she might be able to help me, maybe even invest.”

Le Er decided to raise the stakes. Truthfully, he wasn’t confident about running the farm on his own; if the project was really going to start, he’d have to swallow his pride and ask Li Ying for support.

“I thought you didn’t have a sister?” Secretary Luo had clearly done his homework on Sha Le’er. “Where did this sister come from?”

“She’s not my real sister,” Le Er replied, a little embarrassed. “She’s my sworn sister.”

“Oh, then get in touch with her as soon as possible,” Luo said, surprised by Le Er’s connections. If those could be brought in, the odds of success would rise considerably. “Call me immediately if you get through to her.”

“Will do.”

“You’re working as a village assistant now, right?”

“Yes,” Le Er scratched the back of his head, “Secretary Huang wants me to organize a cultural program.”

“Do a good job at that then, earn yourself some respect in the village,” Luo said, flicking his ash. “But remember, while the performance matters, your main focus must be on snake breeding—that’s your real career. You can start by identifying a location for the farm. Securing the land should come at no cost—discuss it with Secretary Huang, he’ll support you fully.”

They talked a while longer before Secretary Luo, busy as ever, took his leave. Le Er was both elated and anxious: elated that such an opportunity was before him, with government support to smooth his way; anxious because he wasn’t sure if he could actually pull it off.

After some thought, he pulled out his phone and dialed Li Ying. But the call told him her number was no longer in service. His heart sank.

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“Sis, what are you doing? Have you abandoned your little brother?”

A trace of bitterness lingered in Le Er’s heart. But he shook himself and forced a smile.

“What’s there to be afraid of? I refuse to believe I can’t make this succeed.”

There was no need to rush; some things couldn’t be hurried. Better to focus on the performance for now. Returning to Taosha Village, he didn’t even go home, but went straight to see Teacher Feng. She lived and ate at the school, which was situated between Shantao and Xiasha villages, a little closer to Shantao. The front of the school faced the little Sand River, while behind it rose a small hill. The building was a two-story brick house with a small playground in front, a red flag fluttering in the breeze.

The evening sun was sinking, the sky ablaze like blood. Late autumn fading into winter, the cold wind had arrived; trees around the school shed their leaves, which swirled in the air and fell sparsely on the playground, evidence of frequent sweeping.

The campus was silent as he entered. The students had long since gone home, and the village teachers had left as well. From upstairs in the school building came the melodious sound of a violin. A girl with long hair stood at a corner of the building, playing. The notes floated like falling leaves, swirling with the autumn wind. Le Er knew nothing about music, but even he found the sound beautiful. He stood transfixed, listening, his thoughts drifting with the leaves, soaring and falling, carried far away.

The music faded gently, the last note settling as softly as a leaf on the ground. Le Er raised his head, emerging from his reverie.

“Sha Le’er, come up,” Feng Shuying had clearly seen him from the start.

“Teacher Feng, your playing is wonderful.”

Le Er climbed the stairs. Feng Shuying’s quarters upstairs were secured with an iron gate. She greeted him with a smile and invited him into her small room.

“It smells wonderful in here…”

A maiden’s room was indeed different—a subtle fragrance hung in the air, intoxicating. The room itself was simple, but arranged with such elegance and warmth by Feng Shuying that it overflowed with a young woman’s romantic spirit.

She poured him a cup of tea.

“You’re an honored guest, but I can only offer you tea.”

“Hehe… Even a ladle of cool water would be enough for me,” Le Er replied with his usual rustic grin, perching on a small stool. He picked up the cup and sniffed it; a clear fragrance filled his senses. In the white porcelain cup, a dozen or so tea leaves stood upright like silver needles.

“These tea leaves look so pretty and smell so good—it’s a shame to drink them.”

With that, he gulped down half the cup at once. The little teacup hardly held enough for one swallow, but since Teacher Feng had poured it, he thought it would be rude to drain it dry.

“You’re wasting good tea by guzzling it like that,” Feng Shuying chided, giving him a sidelong glance. That look, full of subtle charm, startled Le Er for a moment. But he didn’t quite understand such nuances; he only felt his heart skip a beat. Feng Shuying was a dignified beauty, not one to deliberately flaunt her looks or allure—her breathtaking grace was innate, revealed naturally in every movement.

Still, Le Er didn’t dwell on her beauty.

“Uh… How am I like a cow?”

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“Didn’t you tell Secretary Huang yourself that you were just an ox?”

“You… You know about that too?”

“Of course I know,” Feng Shuying laughed lightly, refilling his water. “I ought to give you cold water instead. This tea is for sipping, savoring slowly.”

“But drinking slowly isn’t satisfying… Mm, cold water is more refreshing.”

“Playing music for an ox,” she teased, laughing harder.

“Hehe…” Le Er grinned at her. “Teacher Feng, I wish I had an elder sister as beautiful as you. How about I call you ‘Sis’ instead? Calling you Teacher Feng feels awkward.”

“Uh… You want to call me Sis? Sure, I don’t have a younger brother anyway,” she replied with a smile. “But have you reached your sister in Guangzhou yet?”

“You know about that too?” Le Er was slightly annoyed. “Did Secretary Luo tell you? He’s not much of a friend—couldn’t even keep it secret for half a day before telling you.”

She chuckled, “I even know you can invest half a million… Hey, you really aren’t honest, are you? You look all guileless and simple, but it’s all an act, right? I bet you’re hiding plenty of things from me. Out with it—how much money do you really have?”

“That’s all there is… Ah, I guess the secret’s out. Now everyone knows.”

He pretended to be downcast.

“You’re not being honest, but don’t worry—your secret’s safe with me. A few others might know, but it’ll never spread to the village,” Feng Shuying teased. “If you’re not telling the truth, don’t call me Sis.”

“Big Sis Feng… Don’t be like that. I’m being honest, but please don’t spread it around. Otherwise, it’ll be awkward for me to stay in the village… I do have some more money, but really, not much.”

He called her “Big Sis Feng” with a sweetness in his voice.

“How much?”

“I can come up with a little over a million… That’s it. I’m being completely honest this time.”

“A million?” Feng Shuying was taken aback. “Did you win the lottery?”

“No, Little Gold the snake brought it to me,” he replied, his expression dimming at the mention. “But Gold ran away and left me.”

Feng Shuying already knew about the snake and offered him a few words of comfort.