He was a normal person. What normal person wasn't afraid of snakes? Only a freak like A-Guang had caught snakes to play with every day as a kid. They had all been scared plenty of times growing up.
Still, that snake-catching skill of his had drawn a whole crowd of children around him.
Children were easily impressed and found it exciting and fun. With food and clothing in short supply, his skill also gave everyone a chance to satisfy their cravings, so a whole bunch of kids had wanted to play with him.
Snake meat was still meat. As kids, they had often taken broken earthenware pots up the mountain to cook snake soup outdoors.
Holding the snake's head in one hand, A-Guang used the other to unwind its body from his arm. He gathered it in his hand and held it toward them, making them all shrink their necks back, though none of them stepped away.
"Bring the bamboo basket over. What are you standing there for?"
"I was just thinking I should admire you first. Catching snakes is the only time you look cool."
Ye Yaodong lifted the bamboo lid off the basket and passed it over.
"Just comforting yourself, huh? Other than not being as fair-skinned as you, I've got you beat in every way!"
As A-Guang spoke, he lowered the snake's tail into the basket first, then dropped its head inside. Ye Yaodong swiftly clapped the lid back on.
"Pfft, quit bragging. I'm the best-looking young guy in the village! Come on, let's keep going and catch a few more before dark. Once we're done using them, we can collect them again and make soup."
"Now that sounds good!"
"I've got chickens at home!" A-Zheng said eagerly. "Once it's dark and they're all back in the