Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Comforting

Chapter 87: Comforting

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The two of them continued walking along the narrow path in the fields. Soon enough, Auntie Tan spotted a plump cauliflower snake, a slower-moving species that was ideal for beginners to practice catching.

Auntie Tan came to a halt and swiftly repeated the snake-catching steps to Ye Ling. She then patted Ye Ling’s shoulder and encouraged her. “Go on, I’ll be right behind you.”

Ye Ling looked towards the snake not far away, her legs feeling somewhat weak. Slowly, she approached the snake while taking deep breaths and exhales. She recalled Auntie Tan’s snake-catching movements in her mind.

“I can do this!” Ye Ling thought.

Ye Ling gritted her teeth and stared at the snake without moving her eyes. She raised her pitchfork and quickly stabbed it into the snake’s body.

Ye Ling’s arms went numb from the intense struggle of the cauliflower snake. Auntie Tan’s voice came from behind. “Catch it!”

She had used a tool to catch the snake earlier, but now, Ye Ling had to pick up the snake with her hands.

For a brief moment, she felt an urge to cry and flee. However, she had come this far, and giving up now would be a waste.

Ye Ling comforted herself that the snake wasn’t poisonous anyway.

At worst, she might get bitten.

Ye Ling took a deep breath and felt her hands trembling. She pinched her thigh hard. The pain calmed her down a lot. She imitated Auntie Tan and tried her best to stabilize the snake’s body. Taking advantage of the snake’s weak struggle, she quickly caught it.

The sensation of holding the snake almost made Ye Ling scream. As she held the snake firmly, she found herself shedding tears.

Auntie Tan walked over to Ye Ling. With a mix of emotions, she said, “You’ve already caught him. Why are you crying?

She then opened another bag meant for the non-venomous snake and instructed Ye Ling, “Put it in.”

Ye Ling cried as she gently placed the snake inside, preparing herself for the worst.

Luckily, the snake’s reaction was slow, and as soon as it was in the bag, it simply slithered down without resistance.

Auntie Tan closed the bag and noticed Ye Ling sitting on the ground, crying even louder.

Approaching Ye Ling, Auntie Tan couldn’t find words to comfort her. Instead, she encouraged her. “You’ve got a knack for catching snakes. If you ever find yourself in dire straits, you could make a living catching snakes. Stop crying and be proud.”

Ye Ling found herself on the verge of both tears and laughter at Auntie Tan’s words.

“Auntie Tan, who comforts people like this!” Ye Ling thought.

After crying for a while, Ye Ling wiped her tears with her hand. However, she hesitated as she realized her hand had recently handled a snake. She was so frightened that she felt tempted to fling her hand away.

After a few seconds, Ye Ling consoled herself, “Oh well, I’ve caught it, so what’s left to fear?”

With determination, she wiped away the tears from her face.

Auntie Tan extended her hand, momentarily surprising Ye Ling. She placed her hand in Auntie Tan’s palm and felt the warmth of her rough, dry skin. This warmth instantly calmed Ye Ling’s emotions.

Auntie Tan helped Ye Ling up and patted off the dirt from her pants. “Let’s go.”

Leaving the fields, they reached the main road. On the way, they would go to their respective homes. Just as Ye Ling turned around, Auntie Tan called out, handing her one of the sacks. “This is what you caught. Take it back with you.”

Ye Ling mustered a faint smile. “No need, Auntie Tan. You’ve taught me so much today. You can keep this snake.”

Auntie Tan grinned mischievously. “I don’t need this snake from you. Take it back yourself. If you’re not brave enough to kill it, ask your Min Nan to do it. Snake meat is delicious. If you eat snake meat, you won’t be afraid of snakes in your dreams at night. That’s how you’ll truly conquer the fear they bring.”

Ye Ling stood there, at a loss for words. After a while, she slowly accepted the sack containing the non-venomous snake from Auntie Tan.

The heavy sack occasionally gave off a struggling sensation. Ye Ling felt her heart race. After bidding farewell to Auntie Tan, she hastened her pace towards home.

Upon reaching the doorstep, the fragility she had suppressed earlier surged back. She even felt the impulse to toss the sack to the ground and run away.

As she pushed open the courtyard gate, Min Nan, who was washing beans near the kitchen, noticed Ye Ling’s return. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Ye Ling holding a gunny sack in her hand.

Meanwhile, Ye Ling’s expression was extremely pained, as if she was about to cry the next second.

Min Nan quickly approached Ye Ling. “What happened? What’s that?”

When Ye Ling saw Min Nan’s concerned gaze, her strong and brave facade immediately shattered.

She abruptly dropped the gunny sack and let out the tears she had been holding back for so long. “It’s a cauliflower snake..”