☆, Chapter 7: The Scare
With the college entrance exams over, Hao Ren holed up at home and became a complete shut-in. Ever since she was young, her summer vacations had always consisted of a library card to pass the two months. Later, with the internet, she spent all her time online, though that was just reading books and watching videos. She couldn’t afford to play games, as they cost money. The exams were in June, but even if she got into a university, registration wouldn’t be until September. The thought of a full three-month summer vacation made Hao Ren feel particularly helpless.
If it were Hao Yi, he would probably be ecstatic about a three-month summer vacation. Hao Yi’s summers were always colorful and varied: interest classes, summer camps, global tours. Even when he stayed at home, friends would often come over to play. But none of this ever had anything to do with Hao Ren.
Last summer, Hao Ren had secretly gone out to work, but unfortunately, Hao Weiguo found out and dragged her home, beating her half to death. The reason? It was embarrassing, of course. To this day, Hao Ren still couldn’t figure out, since no one knew he had a daughter like her, how exactly her working outside had brought him any shame.
Fortunately, the house had central air conditioning, and her shabby little nursery was within its blessed range. So, although her only forms of entertainment were reading and surfing the internet, the summer wasn’t too difficult to endure.
Ever since the exams ended and he learned that Hao Ren had started her summer vacation, that guy Hao Yi would often show an expression of envy, jealousy, and hatred. Hao Ren found this quite helpless. Only a colorful summer vacation like yours, young master, is worthy of envy. A shut-in’s summer is really not as wonderful as you imagine!
Hao Ren had thought that this summer vacation of hers would be as lonely and peaceful as usual, but the turn of events far exceeded her expectations.
The first day of summer vacation began with a heart-wrenching scream from Auntie Mei.
“Ah—a snake! Weiguo, Weiguo, come quick! There’s a snake in the garden!”
Besides shopping for clothes, Auntie Mei’s greatest hobby was tending to the flowers and plants in the garden, so it wasn’t strange for her to be in the garden in the morning. The landscaping in this villa complex was excellent, and traces of various small animals were always present. So, when Hao Ren heard her scream, her first reaction was that she was making a fuss over nothing, until another voice sounded in her mind.
“Your Majesty the Queen, are you there?”
The one calling her “Your Majesty the Queen” was definitely not human, so she quickly dropped her book and rushed towards the garden.
It wasn’t until she reached the door and saw the scene in the garden that she understood why Auntie Mei had screamed so miserably. The hair-raising beast tide she feared most hadn’t appeared; there was only a lone snake in the garden. But the snake’s appearance was truly terrifying. It was a huge Burmese python, over three meters long, and the thickest part of its body was as thick as a person’s calf. Its striking yellow and white skin was so dazzling under the summer sun that it seemed to glow.
The creature was coiled under the shade of a tree as if no one else was there, completely ignoring Auntie Mei’s terrified screams. It wasn’t until it saw Hao Ren appear that it slowly raised its body.
“Ahhhhh—Weiguo, save me! Weiguo!” Auntie Mei probably thought this was the prelude to an attack. She was so scared she fell to the ground, all her usual elegance and grace gone.
The Burmese python paid her no mind at all. It just calmly raised its body and bowed its head in Hao Ren’s direction.
“Your Majesty the Queen, this little snake represents all the snakes of H City to come and pay homage to you!” Its voice was humble and gentle, a stark contrast to the terrifying image it presented.
Such a thick snake calling itself “little snake.” Hao Ren was instantly amused, but she didn’t dare to laugh out loud. That woman was still crying for her father and mother over there. If she happened to see her smile, she would definitely be dead today.
The sight of that woman crying for her parents was not something one saw every day. Such a wonderful scene was something she wanted to enjoy for a little longer. After a moment of hesitation, Hao Ren made a wicked request to the giant Burmese python: “Big snake, do me a favor and scare the woman in front of you!”
“Is this not Her Majesty, your mother?”
The Burmese python’s gaze swept towards Auntie Mei, immediately eliciting another round of screams.
Hao Ren quickly shook her head. “No, just a mistress who made it to the top!”
“As you command, Your Majesty the Queen!”
The Burmese python bowed to Hao Ren and slowly slithered towards the terrified and immobile Auntie Mei. Without any hesitation, it coiled its entire body around her.
A python’s fatal constriction! Hao Ren often watched a certain documentary channel and had some knowledge of how snakes attack. Seeing this, she quickly reminded it, “Take it easy, don’t accidentally kill her!”
Although killing her right then and there would be immensely satisfying, if it really happened, the big snake would surely have to die with her. That woman’s life was not worth the big snake’s.
The Burmese python nodded in Hao Ren’s direction. “Rest assured, Your Majesty, this little snake knows its limits!”
“Aaaah—save me—”
The girl and the snake had reached a tacit understanding, but unfortunately, Auntie Mei was completely unaware. Watching the Burmese python’s cold body gradually wrap around her, she was already trembling like a leaf in the autumn wind. A certain TV station, whether it was the documentary or the science channel, loved to broadcast programs about snakes. She had watched them with Hao Yi before. Now, seeing a snake as terrifying as the one from Anaconda wrapping itself around her, she didn’t last long. Auntie Mei’s body’s self-preservation mechanism quickly kicked in. Her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.
At this moment, Hao Weiguo finally arrived, brandishing a golf club. Seeing his wife tightly coiled by the large snake, her life and death unknown, his voice trembled with nervousness. “Xiaomei! Xiaomei!”
Without a second word, he bravely charged towards the Burmese python.
“Mom! Let go of my mom!”
Even Hao Yi came running with a baseball bat.
A flurry of footsteps sounded from outside. Through the garden fence, Hao Ren could clearly see the security guards rushing over with electric batons.
Afraid that this group would harm the big snake, Hao Ren quickly rushed forward and grabbed the snake’s head before any of them could. With Hao Ren blocking them, Hao Weiguo and Hao Yi were unable to attack for a moment.
“Run! Run!”
“Then, Your Majesty, this little snake will take its leave! Your gift is behind the bushes in the garden!” Using Hao Ren’s cover, the Burmese python quickly uncoiled itself, twisted its head free from Hao Ren’s grasp, and then, under the terrified gazes of the crowd, swiftly slipped through a gap in the fence and escaped, slowly and elegantly.
Although both Hao Weiguo and Hao Yi were armed, throughout the entire process, neither of them had the courage to actually attack, allowing the Burmese python to leave unharmed.
Auntie Mei was immediately sent to the hospital by the father and son, and Hao Ren found the gift the Burmese python had left for her behind the bushes. It was a small space heater for winter. Hao Ren had long suspected that this creature was a pet raised by a nearby family, and seeing this heater confirmed it.
For a cold-blooded animal like a snake, a small heater in winter was undoubtedly the most important thing. Hao Ren imagined the Burmese python coiled around the small heater in the middle of the night, slowly crawling towards her house. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but her heart felt as warm as if the heater had been turned on.
“Thank you!” Although the Burmese python could no longer hear her, and although this small heater was completely useless to her, she still smiled and said thanks in the direction where the python had just disappeared.
The Burmese python hadn’t used any force at all. Auntie Mei had only been frightened and was discharged from the hospital that same afternoon. Although she was physically fine, the scare she had received was not light. She probably wouldn’t dare to set foot in the garden for some time.
Hao Weiguo was truly devoted to this wife of his. Even though the woman was fine, he still chose to stay by her side.
Hao Ren had thought that was the end of it, but she never expected that as soon as their group returned, Hao Yi would seek her out.
“Unlucky Ren, I saw it. I saw you talking to that snake. Is this a Harry Potter situation? I always thought you were a Gryffindor, but it turns out you’re a Slytherin! Tell me! Where is your Hogwarts acceptance letter?” Hao Yi’s expression was solemn as he spoke, not at all like he was joking.
“Pfft—” Hao Ren burst out laughing. This brother of hers really had a wild imagination.
This guy had liked strange things since he was a child. He had even kissed a frog because of a fairy tale, and although he had been harshly struck by reality, his passion for fantasy stories had never diminished. His favorite novel was Harry Potter, and his biggest dream was to become a wizard. In his past life, after returning from studying abroad, he had even brought back a pair of South American alpacas, the so-called “grass mud horses,” and would have them “bleat” at anyone who annoyed him. In a way, this guy was quite a character.
Although his guess was infinitely close to the truth, Hao Ren wasn’t afraid at all. This guy had a record; even if he told someone, no one would believe him. An image of his gullible, younger self, who believed everything anyone said, flashed through her mind, and the smile on Hao Ren’s face grew even brighter.
“Instead of asking me that kind of question, you might as well go kiss a few more frogs. Maybe one of them will really turn into a beautiful princess!”
“You!” Hearing Hao Ren bring up his childhood scar, Hao Yi became furious. Unfortunately, he hadn’t laid a hand on Hao Ren for many years, and no matter how he waved his fist, he couldn’t bring himself to strike.
“You’re not going to tell me, are you? I’m going to tell Mom and Dad that you deliberately used the snake to scare them!” Only a guy like Hao Yi would think of this as a threat.
Hao Ren remained completely calm. “Go ahead and tell them. I’m not afraid!”
The little brat was true to his word and actually did tell on her.
Sure enough, after hearing Hao Yi’s account, Hao Weiguo’s face turned a little pale. But it definitely wasn’t because of Hao Ren. Hao Ren was pleased to see that he was looking at his own son with a worried expression.
“Dad, do you think that’s possible?”
“Auntie Mei, you should make my little brother read fewer of those weird novels. Otherwise, his brain might get damaged.”
Seeing Mr. and Mrs. Hao’s worried expressions, Hao Ren added fuel to the fire.
Auntie Mei had already been scared enough by the Burmese python earlier. Now, provoked by her stupid son, she couldn’t catch her breath and began to rub her chest. Seeing his wife in such discomfort, Hao Weiguo shot his disappointing son a cold glare.
Hao Yi was filled with grievances and could only glare at Hao Ren resentfully.
Hao Ren returned his glare with a cold smile.