Beauty Snake - Chapter 96

Chapter 96: Ji Yunfei’s Cosplay Is a Total Failure!!

As she spoke, Ji Yunfei’s hand, hidden beneath the mascot suit, trembled uncontrollably. She wasn’t certain if her disguise was enough to trick Xie Yin.

“Who? Ji Yunfei?” Hearing her words, Xie Yin arched her left eyebrow and furrowed her right. Her tone did not sound particularly friendly.

“Yes… she had some business and couldn’t get away, so she asked me to take over Huahua’s shift.” Ji Yunfei’s voice, processed through a voice changer, sounded very deep, bearing almost no resemblance to her natural voice. Even so, her heart was in her throat, fearing any slip-up.

“Heh.” Xie Yin let out a disdainful snort and shook off Ji Yunfei’s hand. “I’d like to know what ‘important business’ she could possibly have during the fireworks festival, a time for the whole clan to gather and celebrate.”

“Don’t follow me.” Xie Yin’s attitude was impatient. Ignoring the stunned Ji Yunfei, she turned and headed toward the bonfire. “Tell her I am very angry right now. She can forget about me forgiving her this time!”

“Hiss…” Ji Yunfei stood there dazed, watching Xie Yin walk further and further away. Only when the silhouette was about to vanish did she snap out of it and chase after her, following cautiously at a distance.

“Walk slower, slower… I can’t keep up…” Xie Yin seemed determined to lose her. Although she was walking, Ji Yunfei felt like she was flying. Even with her tempered body, she was still lagging behind.

“You tell me to slow down and I should? Who are you that I should listen to you? I’m furious right now; you’d better not look for trouble.” Xie Yin glanced back at the person sticking to her like a piece of wet plaster, her tone even colder and her pace quickening.

Seeing this, Ji Yunfei performed a “magic trick,” pulling out a large bag of various strawberry-flavored sweets. While chasing after Xie Yin, she offered the bag like a peace offering: “Cool down, cool down. Don’t let your temper flare on such a festive day.”

Seeing the bag, Xie Yin’s footsteps paused. She snatched it from Ji Yunfei’s hand irritably. Looking inside at the contents, she turned her head, squinting with deep suspicion: “How do you know I like these?”

Uh-oh… I was too anxious and only thought about coaxing her back…

“Uh… oh, Ji Yunfei specifically gave this to me. She said it was guaranteed to cool your anger.” Ji Yunfei gave two awkward laughs, habitually scratching the back of her head. Because she was wearing the bulky, oversized mascot suit, the movement looked incredibly silly.

“She certainly is confident.” Xie Yin hummed softly. Her expression remained cold, but it had softened compared to the beginning. She tucked the sweets into her storage pouch and tossed the empty bag back at Ji Yunfei.

“If she doesn’t come, I have no desire to chase after her. It doesn’t matter if she shows up or not.” Xie Yin slowed her pace, allowing Ji Yunfei to walk alongside her. Just as Ji Yunfei was about to say a few more words to redeem herself, the other woman suddenly grabbed her wrist.

“Since she sent you, then accompany me and play well.” With that, Xie Yin accelerated abruptly, dragging her toward the bonfire.

Xie Yin’s speed was even faster than before. Against the massive wind resistance, Ji Yunfei felt like her mascot head was about to fly off. With a bitter face, she used her free hand to hold the unstable, giant snake head firmly in place.

Xie Yin seemed to be venting her anger on purpose, going faster and faster and pulling her through twists and turns. Before long, Ji Yunfei saw stars, and her stomach began to churn.

“You… you… slow down… I’m going to throw up…”

“Is this all you’ve got? You’re just as much of a weakling as that woman.” Hearing Ji Yunfei’s shaky, trembling breath, Xie Yin snickered, but she did slow down to give her time to recover.

Whether it was because the slower pace made Ji Yunfei feel better, or because she had been “tortured” too much, Ji Yunfei remained silent for the rest of the way, allowing herself to be pulled along like an accessory.

“Alright, we’re here.” Seeing the towering, scorching bonfire, Xie Yin finally stopped and let go of Ji Yunfei’s hand.

Stopping so suddenly and being released, Ji Yunfei stumbled and nearly fell. After finally catching her breath and remembering the speed, a wave of lingering fear hit her—if she had really fallen, her “head” would have separated from her body, and she wouldn’t have been able to get back up…

She looked up to talk to Xie Yin, but realized the person who had been standing in front of her had disappeared.

Now it was Ji Yunfei’s turn to be anxious. Trapped inside the suit with limited vision, she had to drag the heavy costume along, swaying the giant snake head as she searched and whispered Xie Yin’s name.

The bonfire area was packed. From Ji Yunfei’s perspective, all she could see were crowds of colorful clothes and heads, making it extremely difficult to identify anyone.

“Xie Yin, where are you? Xie…” Moving in the crowd was difficult in the suit, but fortunately, after a few steps, she spotted a familiar red-and-white hem.

Delighted, Ji Yunfei was about to waddle over when a fierce sound of gongs and drums erupted, every beat filled with passion.

What the hell? I haven’t given the secret signal yet!

Ji Yunfei stood dazed, but her hands were suddenly grabbed. She was pulled into the circle of people dancing around the bonfire. As her vision shifted, the red-and-white hem vanished again.

She looked left and right, only to find that the people holding her hands were other members of the Snake Clan she wasn’t familiar with. Naturally, Xie Yin was not among them.

Ji Yunfei felt a sense of loss, but she quickly adjusted her mindset, swaying her mascot head to the rhythm of the music while searching for Xie Yin.

However, the people around her were too enthusiastic. Ji Yunfei found no chance to observe properly and could only clumsily follow the drumbeats, spinning and dancing. The heavy snake suit swung in exaggerated arcs under the firelight, looking goofy and hilarious.

At that moment, she felt a mysterious force press against her lower back. Just as she was about to turn, Xie Yin’s clear voice, mixed with the crackling of firewood, entered her ears: “You knew the suit was heavy, yet you wore it anyway. Now you look so funny spinning around, I really don’t know what you were thinking…” The last half of the sentence was swallowed by a sudden crescendo of drums, and Ji Yunfei didn’t hear it.

Xie Yin stepped in front of her. Only then did Ji Yunfei notice the other woman had changed into a semi-transparent, red gauze dress, looking like a princess from the Western Regions. The silver bells at her waist and the golden snake chains on her ankles jingled with her dance steps.

Ji Yunfei was momentarily mesmerized, making her giant snake head look even more foolish. Xie Yin seemed to notice her daze; she gave a helpless light laugh and tapped her finger against Ji Yunfei’s mascot suit. The snake-scale patterns on the suit suddenly glowed with a fiery red light, as if a real snake were waking up in the flames.

The body that had been weighed down by the heavy suit suddenly felt light. Ji Yunfei looked down and found the clunky costume had transformed into a gauze dress similar in style to Xie Yin’s, with golden snake patterns embroidered on the hem shimmering with light.

“That’s more like it.” Xie Yin looked her up and down, nodding with satisfaction.

“You… hey—” Ji Yunfei opened her mouth to speak, but Xie Yin didn’t give her the chance. She gave a mischievous wink and pulled her toward the bonfire. The drumbeats accelerated. Xie Yin swirled to the rhythm, her red gauze brushing past Ji Yunfei’s large snake head intentionally or otherwise.

Standing on her tiptoes, her skirt bloomed like a snake shedding its skin. “Dance on my shadow,” she said, clutching Ji Yunfei’s wrist and leading her into the steps of an ancient dance.

Initially, Ji Yunfei danced clumsily, her legs nearly knotting together. But Xie Yin was patient enough to guide her through it again and again. Finally, Ji Yunfei got the hang of it and proactively followed the rhythm.

The firelight flowed like a river between their overlapping silhouettes. The people around the bonfire joined in the rhythm, forming groups of twos and threes, their clothes fluttering as they danced.

Ji Yunfei entered the flow, her worries fading. She looked at Xie Yin holding her hands, her eyes filled with deep tenderness and love.

Unfortunately, behind the mascot head, Xie Yin couldn’t see it.

Seeing Xie Yin’s genuine smile, Ji Yunfei couldn’t help but be infected by it, the corners of her own mouth curling up. In the noisy environment, she raised her voice: “So, are you still angry?”

Xie Yin didn’t say a word, she just irritably flicked the giant snake head. Ji Yunfei pouted in a “wronged” manner and said no more, simply cooperating with Xie Yin as they danced by the heat of the fire.

Dong— dong— dong— The bronze bell in the distant mountains rang, its layers of sound reaching Ji Yunfei’s ears.

The time was right.

“Come on, I’ll show you something good.” She flipped her grip to hold Xie Yin’s wrist, picked her up in a princess carry, burst through the crowd, and ran toward the North Mountain.

“What are you up to now?” Caught off guard by the sudden carry, Xie Yin was momentarily flustered, instinctively wrapping her arms around Ji Yunfei’s neck.

“You’ll know in a moment.” Ji Yunfei smiled and handed a black cloth to Xie Yin. “Cover your eyes.”

“So mysterious…” The person in her arms muttered softly, but surprisingly didn’t press for answers. She obediently took the cloth and covered her pale green eyes.

This was the first time since her amnesia that Xie Yin had been so obedient. Seeing Xie Yin pursing her lips nervously yet staying so well-behaved, Ji Yunfei’s heart softened. She couldn’t help but pat the girl’s fluffy head.

“Watch your hands.” The “taken advantage of” Xie Yin had no expression on her face, only lightly slapping her hand away.

This girl… how come she’s so nice when others pat her head, but when it’s me, it’s like she wants to kill me for revenge…

At this thought, Ji Yunfei’s mouth inside the snake head pouted so much she could hang an oil jar on it, feeling a bit sour.

She sighed and stopped talking, focusing on the path. They soon arrived at the destination: a man-made lake in North Mountain. The top of the pavilion in the center of the lake was the perfect viewing spot. She had spent quite a bit of effort to find this “treasure land.”

With a light leap, Ji Yunfei brought them to the top of the pavilion. She set the person down: “Sit here and don’t move.” After ensuring Xie Yin wouldn’t fall, she ducked into a nearby thicket.

Shedding the cumbersome snake head, Ji Yunfei realized she was drenched in sweat. It wouldn’t be elegant to go out like this. She spent a moment changing her clothes and tidying her appearance. Flashing a standard eight-tooth smile, she pulled a small cart behind her.

“Yin-yin, take off the blindfold.” Standing below the pavilion, Ji Yunfei called out softly in a coaxing tone.

Seeing the woman remove the cloth and look around, she waved: “Over here, over here.” Meeting Xie Yin’s eyes, she lifted the small cart like an offering. “Yin-yin, this cart of roses is for you! I picked them this morning and kept them nourished with spirit spring water. Look, the dew is still there.”

The cart was filled with bright red roses, their petals blooming wildly, with crystal-clear dewdrops clinging to them, shimmering brilliantly under the moonlight.

Ji Yunfei held the cart, waiting for a reaction. She waited until her arms began to ache, but Xie Yin gave no response. Ji Yunfei’s heart began to thump with unease. She pursed her lips and looked up at the pavilion, only to find the person was gone.

Panic set in. She dropped the cart to go find her, but before she could move, her ear was pinched.

“Ow—!” Xie Yin had appeared beside her at some point. Her eyes were narrowed and her cheeks slightly puffed. It was hard to tell if she was in a good or bad mood, but the strength in her hand was nothing to scoff at.

“You stood me up just for a few broken roses? In your heart, am I worth less than these flowers? Hmm?” Xie Yin’s free hand plucked a rose from the cart and pressed it against Ji Yunfei’s cheek.

The petals brushed against her cheek, feeling slightly ticklish. Ji Yunfei tried to turn her head away but was forcefully turned back. She wanted to cry—how could this little ancestor even be jealous of roses…

“I didn’t… I don’t… You know my heart only has you.” Pinched by the face, Ji Yunfei squeezed out a smile that looked like neither fish nor fowl, but was rather comical.

“Heh.” Seeing her lack of remorse and smooth-talking ways, Xie Yin snorted. “Instead of spending time being a smooth-talker, why don’t you improve your aesthetic sense?”

“Huh?” Ji Yunfei was stunned. Why bring that up? Besides, what was wrong with her aesthetics? As a qualified designer, her sense of beauty was always on point!

“Next time you pick a mascot head, pick a better-looking one. That one was hideous. So stupid-looking, just like you.” Xie Yin shook her head, leaned close to Ji Yunfei’s ear, and whispered.

“?” Ji Yunfei was dumbfounded. Based on Xie Yin’s words, she had recognized her in the suit from the start? How was that possible? Her disguise was flawless, and she even took care of the voice…

“You knew it was me all along?”

Xie Yin shrugged noncommittally. “I didn’t say that; you said it yourself.”

In an instant, Ji Yunfei felt like she had been struck by lightning. Her perfect plan had collapsed halfway through…

“Only a fool like you would think your disguise was perfect.” Seeing Ji Yunfei looking as wilted as a dead plant, Xie Yin’s mood brightened. “Go ask anyone in the Snake Den—except for my mothers and A-Wan, who doesn’t call me ‘Eldest Miss’? You, on the other hand, started ‘you-you-you-ing’ me immediately. Were you that afraid I wouldn’t recognize you?”

“Furthermore, do you know that you always scratch your head when you’re nervous? And you stutter. And you always try to ‘bribe’ me with strawberry cookies.”

With every sentence Xie Yin spoke, Ji Yunfei wilted further, her face scrunched up as if she had been heavily defeated. Seeing her like this, Xie Yin suddenly felt like something was stuck in her throat, and the rest of her words drifted away with the night breeze.

“Where’s that annoying energy of yours? Speechless now?” Xie Yin poked Ji Yunfei’s cheek with the rose. Seeing her still pouting and dejected, she reached out and patted her head comfortingly.

“Don’t be too discouraged. Although your acting was subpar and I saw through it instantly, it just means you have room for improvement. Besides…” she paused, knelt by the cart, and lightly sniffed the roses that bloomed like raging fire. She smiled. “I really like the roses. Actually, you’re the first person to ever give me flowers.”

“But I still have to ask you.” Xie Yin put her hands on her hips, looking puzzled. “Is it that hard to accompany me as yourself? You insisted on making me unhappy first, then dressed as a mascot to stay with me.”

At this, Ji Yunfei lowered her head in embarrassment, her fingers twisting together. “I… I thought, ‘push and pull’… you’d be happier when you finally saw the surprise…”

“Ow—” Her head was slapped firmly. Ji Yunfei looked up to see Xie Yin’s helpless expression. She pouted guiltily and said no more.

“How did you know I’d like your ‘push and pull’? You really are arrogant enough.”

Hearing that Xie Yin wasn’t actually angry, Ji Yunfei’s thick skin returned. She approached with a grin and picked her up. “Whether you like it or not, see it first before you decide.” She then leaped back onto the pavilion with her.

“What now?!” Being picked up without warning again made Xie Yin both ashamed and annoyed—mostly ashamed. She glared at Ji Yunfei and struggled out of her arms.

“Shh—” Ji Yunfei squinted, smiling like a cat that had stolen a fish. She pressed her index finger against Xie Yin’s lips. The ice-cold touch made the girl shiver involuntarily.

“3… 2… 1…”

“BOOM—!”

As the countdown ended, a massive sound erupted from the distance. Xie Yin turned her gaze, her clear emerald eyes filling with astonishment.

Immediately following, those pure-colored pupils were stained by a sky full of brilliance, becoming colorful as if dipped into a giant vat of countless hues, undergoing one tie-dye after another.

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