Gong Cheng did not answer Gongxi Chou's question.
He asked in return, as though deep in thought, "Your surname is Gongxi?"
Upon hearing this, Gongxi Chou tilted his enormous python head. It should have been an extremely eerie and bizarre sight, but the bewilderment revealed in his serpentine pupils made him look adorably foolish, with a pure and spotless stupidity: "What Gongxi, what Mother Bei? Do you happen to know me?"
Gong Cheng said, "Gongxi is a surname."
Gongxi Chou went, "Oh," then said, "That surname is rather uncommon."
The net-patterned giant python slithered forward. Its soft and agile body made Chancellor Liu physically uncomfortable; her stomach spasmed, and she raised a hand to clutch her arm as she retreated a step. Gongxi Chou teased her, "This is only my totem form, not a real snake. I don't bite people."
Chancellor Liu swallowed back the sour fluid trying to rise in her throat.
Gongxi Chou turned his head toward Gong Cheng. "You harbor malice toward me, then asked whether my surname is Gongxi. Why is that?"
"Who is the Mama you mentioned? Shen Youli?"
Chancellor Liu watched Gongxi Chou warily from the side.
The latter admitted openly, "Yes, she's my younger sister."
Gong Cheng's expression turned strangely peculiar.
"So your surname is Shen?"
Gongxi Chou shook his head and denied it, introducing himself: "There isn't only one kind of brother-and-sister relationship in this world. Sworn siblings are siblings too. My surname is Chou, my given name is Qianren, and my courtesy name is Ci'en."
"Qiu?"
"Ah, yes, yes, yes. Now it's your turn to answer my question." Gongxi Chou did not transform back into human form. After all, he would easily give himself away the moment his human form appeared. The person before him was absolutely not an old monster