13 The Green Snake and the White Snake

The Sun was peeking behind the horizon, lighting the river up like liquid gold. A faint gust of wind whispered through the valleys and swept down the hills, brushing against the dark wooden buildings, before the wind died out in the empty streets of Lushan. The river town Lushan was still fast asleep, snuggling against the mountainside.

Suddenly, a wail broke the still morning air, sending the nearby birds flying from the bloodcurdling scream.

"Stop pressing so hard, are you trying to kill me?" She LiangLin screamed into his pillow as his back and hips were squeezed and pressed out of their knots.

"It's your fault, brother LiangLin. I told you to sway your hips, not break your back! You gyrated them like a beast, and now look at you!" A green male snake, Lan QingYu, muttered as he pressed his knuckles into the tight muscles, grinding them like minced meat.

"We have a performance this evening. I better get your muscles sorted out, or the whole show will be ruined."

LiangLin mumbled something inaudible and pressed his face in the pillow, groaning at every press and squeeze QingYu sent his way.

Stay out of sight, was what his sisters and parents had told LiangLin a month ago as he took his meagre travel pouch and headed towards Lushan. He could already imagine his parents' expression if they knew he didn't heed their advice and, on top of that, became one of the main performers of the inn-house of Lushan.

His mother would bust a vein – after strangling LiangLin, that is. But LiangLin couldn't help it. The moment he stepped into Lushan, he was kidnapped and dragged into the inn-house, thrown into a changing room and forced to wear dancer's clothes. It was a terrible chaos of people screaming at LiangLin for being late, stripping him forcefully and combing his hair in the most ridiculous concoctions. It all came to a halt when Lan QingYu had stepped into the room, yawning and scratching his head, dazed and barely awake.

"Am I late?"

Back then, everybody's jaw dropped, including LiangLin's and Lan QingYu's. The two were a spitting image of each other. They could have been twins. The only differing feature between the two was that QingYu had a mole under his right eye and his hair was leaning towards deep auburn while LiangLin's hair was as dark as ink.

The innkeeper had nearly split from excitement. Instead of having one beautiful dancer who drew in customers from far and wide, he now had two identical ones. Who wouldn't want to see that?

The excitement died out soon enough when they realised LiangLin couldn't dance, even if his life depended on it. Not now that he had lost all of his gracefulness along with his zodiac animal. But no one knew he wasn't a snake-shifter anymore.

Lan QingYu's movements were effortless, tranquil and most of all, seductive and alluring. LiangLin – well, he had gyrated his back out for the 15th time now. But the customers didn't seem to mind. They enjoyed the two beauties twirling on the stage in tune with the music of the biba and zither. One dressed in white, the other in green, both adorned with golden bracelets, anklets and hairpieces. The jade roses of Lushan was what they called the pair.

Lan QingYu's rough massage halted as he leaned over LiangLin and sprawled out like a squid, pressing his bare chest to LiangLin's back. LiangLin didn't mind this. QingYu was clingy and seemed to enjoy having a non-biological twin to talk to and play with.

"Brother LiangLin, how have you liked Lushan so far? It's not that bad, is it?" QingYu drawled as he leaned to his elbow. His unbound hair cascaded around them like auburn silk.

"I guess it's all right," LiangLin muttered into the pillow.

"Hey, listen, brother LiangLin, you're so pretty and a snake god, why did you come here, to begin with? Are you trying to find love and get married?" QingYu whispered, his tone now curious and ready to gossip.

"No," LiangLin grunted as a response.

"Why not? Don't tell me you actually like working like this for the rest of your life?" QingYu was wriggling over LiangLin's limp body like an earthworm as he took a position where he could see LiangLin's face and expressions. LiangLin raised his perfectly arched brow and grunted but didn't answer.

How could LiangLin tell the green snake that he had lost his zodiac animal? He would be the laughingstock of the entire town and all the neighbouring cities. He'd rather die than tell the truth!

"Oh, or maybe you already have someone in mind?" The green snake's eyes sparkled with excitement as he leaned closer and put on a smug grin. "Is she beautiful? Maybe a snake god too? You came here secretly to work for the dowry, am I right? Tell me I'm right!"

"No." LiangLin closed his eyes. It was still early. He might catch an hour or two of sleep before he had to get up. He cracked his eye open again when QingYu rustled over his back and finally plopped next to him on the bed, smirking mischievously. LiangLin groaned as he saw the grin. It didn't seem to entail anything good.

"Or, maybe it's a he?"

LiangLin could feel his cheeks heat up. He definitely wasn't thinking of or wanting to marry a guy! Ok, he thought of a guy, but it wasn't in a romantic way! He wanted to punch XueYa's face in and chop that one-eyed bastard into pieces and get his snake back! LiangLin's nostrils flared as his flush darkened.

QingYu's eyes seemed to sparkle out of their sockets as he squealed in excitement.

"Is he pretty? Oh, he must be handsome, since you are so beautiful too." QingYu gushed and pulled a vacant pillow against his chest. The green snake let out a wistful sigh as his eyes softened.

"I want a rich and handsome husband too."

"Who said anything about a husband? That guy is a piece of shit! If I ever see him again, I will kick his nose in and rip out his balls!" LiangLin screeched. His wish to sleep drained out as he tried to get up on his elbows. There was pent up anger that needed to be let out. A soak in the icy river would do him good.

QingYu giggled into the pillow as he hugged it tighter and curled up his legs, moving out of LiangLin's way.

"Did he cheat? You sound so passionate."

Cheat? He sure as hell had cheated! He cheated LiangLin out of his snake body all right! Instead, LiangLin snarled, "Why would you want a rich and handsome husband, anyway? You are a man, work and take care of yourself instead of depending on another person."

QingYu sighed as he stretched out like a cat and propped his chin on his arm. "I can take care of myself, but I want to be pampered and worshipped by a gorgeous man. Is it too much to ask?"

LiangLin stayed silent. If he was perfectly honest, the idea sounded tempting. But to hell with men! He already encountered one gorgeous male, who turned out to be a giant piece of shit. He could only imagine what the rest of the lot had to offer. All with their seductive, lopsided smiles, brooding eyes and the knowledge that most would throw themselves at their feet… Nothing good about them!

Lan QingYu had a dreamy haze over his eyes as his lips curved into a smile.

"He would open the biggest gambling house in town for me to run, and then he would buy me everything I want, cook my favourite food, tell me how beautiful I am every day, and at night he would pin me to the bed and -"

LiangLin hurriedly placed his hand over the green snake's mouth. It was too early for him to listen to anybody's horny daydreams. Especially when the face that uttered them was identical to his.