Golden Orchids

Chapter 3

Yan Zhi woke up early the next morning. She had steamed some buns for breakfast to share with Su Su. She knocked on her bedroom door. No response.

Yan Zhi had learned that her sister was a heavy sleeper. The woman could basically sleep through anything. A whole building collapse on her, and she would be none the wiser.

Yan Zhi knocked on the door again and called out her name. Still no response. Rolling her eyes, Yan Zhi barged in. "Sleepyhead! Wake up! It's almost noon!"

She found Su Su still laying on the bed, hiding under her red blanket. Yan Zhi giggled, "Come on, time to wake up, "

"A few more minutes..." she grumbled under the sheet. Annoyed, Yan Zhi tugged and pulled off the blanket from the top of her, hoping that would be able to coax her out. Instead, the snake uncurled and lunged at her from under the blanket.

He was as fast as lightning. Yan Zhi took a huge step back, barely avoiding his fangs. He landed on the floor with a thud. His head raised as if ready to strike again.

"Little black snake!" Su Su immediately yelled the sleepiness in her eyes disappeared. She picked him up and cradled him in her arms.

"That thing almost killed me, " Yan Zhi yelled.

"It didn't mean to, " Su Su said, stroking the dragon's head. "He's just not used to you being here that's all, "

Then she realized where the dragon had come out from.

"The snake had been sleeping with you?"

"He's harmless!" Su Su defended him.

The dragon then wrapped himself around Su Su's neck. He flicked his tongue at Yan Zhi.

You're not a snake. Stop pretending to be one!

Seeing Su Su being so defensive over him made Yan Zhi's heart soften. Su Su made the snake promised not to harm her ever again. Yan Zhi couldn't even tell that he even agreed to it.

After breakfast, Su Su suggested scavenging the forest again for fruits. They need it to barter for rice in the market. Walking through the bamboo forest, they struck out a conversation.

"How long you had been living here?" Yan Zhi asked.

"A few months, "

"Where to you before here?"

Su Su stopped in her tracks. She starched her hair, "I don't remember..."

"You don't remember?" Yan Zhi pondered on the answer. Before she could ask for any more questions, she got distracted by the glee in Su Su's voice.

"Bamboo shoot!" she called out. Su Su ran up the base of a cluster of bamboo trees. Just as she said, there were a couple of bamboo shoots sprouting from the forest floor.

From her basket, Su Su took out her blade and began hacking on the shoots.

Yan Zhi crotched down next to her.

"You do know these are poisonous right?"

"Only if you eat them raw, " Su Su explained. "I'm not good at cooking anyway, I sell them in the market. People would pay for them at a high price, "

"Do they?" Yan Zhi asked.

Su Su giggled and spoke to her basket, "Little black snake, tonight you get to eat meat again,"

"Actually, you don't need to treat the snake that nice, " Yan Zhi said as she placed the cut bamboo shoots in the basket. The weight of the bamboo shoots almost crushed the snake. It slithered out and curled up beside Su Su's feet.