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Only when Tao Qiu's brow had completely smoothed out did the cubs finally feel reassured for the time being.

About another week passed, and November was almost upon them. The mornings and evenings were already freezing cold. Only around midday and in the afternoon was there a little sunshine, though it was no longer very warm.

The radishes and pears were ripe and could be harvested in the next few days.

Tao Qiu was planning to clear out a place to store the crops, laying down stones and dry firewood to keep them clean and free of moisture. But when he was halfway through the work, Green Python arrived.

Not only had the snake come, she had also dragged several prey animals along.

Tao Qiu was somewhat surprised. Green Python had been badly hurt when she crashed into the sharp rock. That was also why Tao Qiu believed she genuinely cared for her child, trusted and sympathized with her, and chose to trade with her.

He had thought Green Python would need more time to recuperate and hadn't expected her to come so soon.

No wonder Black Rabbit was afraid of her. Her strength was truly not to be underestimated.

Green Python hadn't concealed her presence, and Tao Qiu sensed her shortly after she entered the territory. Third Cub sensed her at the same time.

But Tao Qiu had previously told the cubs about the current relationship between the two sides, so Third Cub was no longer as afraid of Green Python. She looked up at Tao Qiu and said, "Chirp chirp?"

—Had the big snake come to bring them meat?

Eldest Cub and Second Cub weren't as perceptive as their father and younger sister. They only found out when Third Cub spoke.

Second Cub asked, "Chirp chirp?"

—Could they go take a look?

"Of course, but you can't leave the valley."

Perhaps with Tao Qiu's situation in mind, Green Python had deliberately brought the prey to the valley entrance. When she wasn't fighting, she really was a thoughtful and considerate snake.

When Tao Qiu arrived, Green Python was examining the battleground where she and Tao Qiu had fought desperately. Seeing that the place had been cleaned up, her gaze flickered slightly. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking.

Tao Qiu left the three little bird cubs in the valley, then took his bird form and went out.

He looked at the prey on the ground, then at Green Python's wounds, which had scabbed over but still looked gruesome, and said sincerely, "Chirp, chirp chirp chirp."

—There was no need to hurry. She could have waited until her wounds healed before bringing them.

Green Python hissed a few times.

—It was nothing. Catching a little prey didn't take much effort for her. She was bringing three today, and would deliver the rest gradually. The coldest weather had yet to arrive, and if she brought too much, they wouldn't be able to eat it all before it spoiled.

Tao Qiu nodded. Recalling the little snake who had cried so much, he asked, "Chirp chirp?"

—Was her little snake feeling better?

At the mention of her child, Green Python's coldness fell away, and her whole demeanor softened considerably.

Green Python: "Hiss... hiss..."

—Her condition had stabilized. She had been eating the red fruits he gave them these past few days.

Tao Qiu was curious. "Chirp chirp, chirp chirp chirp?"

—They were strict carnivores. Were they used to eating fruit from plants?

Green Python looked at Tao Qiu, a little embarrassed, and hissed at length.

—The first red fruit she stole smelled delicious, so she tried a bite. Other than finding the taste decent, she hadn't felt anything. But Little Snake had craved it terribly. Before that, she had barely been able to eat meat, yet that time she had eaten half a red fruit in one go. She said her body felt very comfortable after eating it, and her condition had indeed improved over the following days.

As Tao Qiu listened, the corner of his eye couldn't help twitching. Little Snake had been half-dead, and eating the fruit he grew had restored her energy, only for her to come and ambush him.

Why does this feel like an ill-fated bond straight out of the farmer and the snake?

Seeing Tao Qiu's somewhat resentful look, Green Python guessed what he was thinking. Embarrassed for once, she explained in vain, "Hiss..."

—She hadn't known Little Snake had followed her.

Tao Qiu: "..."

Good grief! Little Snake had been energetic enough to travel all that way and still have the strength to ambush him. That showed just how effective that tomato had been!

That makes it feel even more unfair!

Her attempt to explain had only made things worse. Afraid that Tao Qiu would dislike Little Snake and refuse to trade crops with them in the future, Green Python hurriedly took the blame, hissing urgently.

—She was the one who had sent snakes to steal the red fruit, and she was the one who had given it to Little Snake. If he wanted to blame someone, he should blame her. He could scold or beat her as he pleased; she only hoped he would spare her life and continue trading fruit with her so she could raise Little Snake.

Seeing that she was truly anxious, Tao Qiu immediately said, "Chirp, chirp chirp, chirp chirp chirp."

—She shouldn't worry. He didn't blame her or Little Snake, and he certainly wouldn't stop trading with them.

Green Python breathed a great sigh of relief inwardly. Whether she wanted to win his sympathy, pour out her troubles, or had some other purpose, she hissed another long account to Tao Qiu.

—Snow Bird, both she and Little Snake had him to thank. She had laid many clutches of eggs over the years, but only a few had ever hatched. Even when they did hatch, the young snakes died not long afterward. Little Snake was the last one left.

—She had devoted all her energy to raising her, afraid that if anything happened to her, Little Snake wouldn't survive either. That was why she hadn't taken part when they fought over the fruit. Who could have known Little Snake still wouldn't hold out? Not long ago, she had almost breathed her last. Green Python had frantically tried to find a way to save her, but nothing worked. Later, with nowhere else to turn, she had come here to steal fruit, never expecting it to actually save her.

Her words reminded Tao Qiu of what Black Rabbit had told him before: "It's been lively over there lately." Coupled with Green Python saying she had "frantically tried to find a way," it wasn't hard to guess how urgent the situation had been.

After pouring out her troubles, Green Python tentatively asked Tao Qiu, "Hiss..."

—Would he continue growing those plants in the future?

Tao Qiu thought for a moment before answering, "Chirp, chirp chirp chirp."

—He would. His children needed to eat those fruits too.

He didn't say that he was actually growing them mainly for himself. Admitting that would undoubtedly give her a handle on him.

Green Python had just said that she had tasted the fruit and felt nothing other than that it tasted good.

If she wasn't lying, the reason was well worth investigating.

Had the fruit affected Green Python without her noticing, or was it really just ordinary plant fruit to her?

If it was the latter, then the fruit only worked on a certain group. What was special about that group?

Had they all been close to death, like him, Third Cub, and Little Snake? But Eldest Cub and Second Cub had been healthy since hatching, and the fruit worked on them too.

Tao Qiu couldn't think of answers to those questions for the time being, but he wouldn't tell Green Python about them either.

What was the difference between exposing his own weakness and courting death?

Playing the riddler was annoying, but at least it protected him.

It wasn't that Tao Qiu liked scheming. Although he and Green Python had made peace for the time being, they weren't close enough to share secrets.

Green Python had voluntarily shown her weakness to trade for crops and save Little Snake's life, but Tao Qiu had no reason to do the same. He wouldn't use the crops to pressure Green Python, but he still needed to carry himself a little more loftily. That would save him a lot of trouble.

Green Python seemed very pleased with his answer and said gratefully, "Hiss... hiss..."

—That was good. If he ever needed her help, he could come to her.

Tao Qiu nodded. "Chirp chirp chirp, chirp chirp, chirp chirp chirp."

—The fruit was good, but she shouldn't let Little Snake eat too much. Snakes still needed to eat mainly meat. If they needed more after finishing it, she could come trade with him.

Green Python thanked him again.

The two of them had been talking for so long that the bird cubs couldn't wait any longer and quietly poked their heads out to look.

Green Python's eyesight was good, and she spotted the three round little heads at a glance.

Seeing how lively and adorable the chicks were, Green Python was once again convinced that the crops Tao Qiu grew were good things. Her hope of raising her child was no longer an unattainable wish.

If her little snake kept eating the fruit, she could be this healthy and happy too, couldn't she?

At that moment, Green Python was entirely a loving mother. Seeing the bird cubs reminded her of her own child, so she tilted her enormous snake head and flicked her tongue at them, believing herself to be very friendly.

"Chirp!"

The sight was simply too terrifying. The bird cubs' feathers puffed up in fright, and they zipped back inside, afraid that if they looked for another second, the big snake would come after them.

The bird cubs knew that the big snake hadn't come to fight, and that her child was almost dying, which was very pitiful.

But birds and snakes could be considered natural enemies to some extent, and they had seen Green Python in a frenzy. They truly couldn't look at this terrifying giant the way they looked at their father.

Green Python: "..."

She looked at Tao Qiu somewhat ashamedly. "Hiss..."

—Sorry, she hadn't meant to.

Tao Qiu found both Green Python and the bird cubs a little funny, but he was considerate enough not to laugh out loud and generously reassured her. "Chirp, chirp chirp."

—It was all right. They were a little timid.

The prey had been delivered and everything that needed saying had been said. Green Python had no reason to stay any longer, so she said goodbye to Tao Qiu and left.

Before she went, Tao Qiu said to her, "Chirp, chirp chirp, chirp chirp."

—Goodbye. Next time, she could bring Little Snake over and let the children play together.

Green Python's eyes lit up. "Hiss..."

—All right.

Only after she left Snow Bird's territory did coldness return to Green Python's expression.

Come to think of it, Snow Bird could grow fruit with special effects and had even managed to hatch three chicks and raise them so well. It had to be because he had eaten the fruit he had snatched.

It wasn't that Green Python wasn't jealous, but she wouldn't do anything out of jealousy.

Snow Bird was the only one who had fruit that could save Little Snake. Since he was willing to trade with her, why should she do anything unnecessary and risk falling out with him?

Not only would she refrain from harming Snow Bird in the future, she would also have to protect him as she did Little Snake.

But Green Python was a little curious. She had come twice without seeing any other large birds in the valley. Who, then, had Snow Bird had the eggs with?

Lost in thought, Green Python suddenly stopped.