Chapter 18: He truly could not take any more of this!

"Is there something wrong with these items?" Pei Hexuan and Bai Lu’s gazes fell simultaneously onto the objects on the coffee table, their eyes filled with hesitation and confusion.

Some of these items were treasures acquired at auctions, while others were heartfelt gifts from friends—hardly of great monetary value. Why had Bai Qianzhou dug them out?

"We’ll ask Zhouzhou when she wakes up. If she likes them, we can just keep them in her room," Pei Hexuan said softly.

"But you’ve always held these in high regard, haven't you?" Bai Lu asked, looking troubled.

"They aren't as important as Zhouzhou. If she likes them, let her have them. Don't worry, Zhouzhou is your daughter, and she is also a daughter of the Pei family; naturally, she should be cherished."

Pei Hexuan looked at his wife with tenderness. He had seen how well Bai Lu treated his two sons, and for that reason, he was all the more determined to treat Bai Qianzhou well in return.

"Morning, Mom and Dad. Is my sister still asleep?" Pei Yanlin walked down, stifling a yawn.

"Right there," Pei Hexuan said, pointing toward the sofa.

Pei Yanlin leaned in close, trying to get a better look. Just then, disturbed by the noise, Bai Qianzhou sat up in a daze. Rubbing her still-sleepy eyes, she muttered, "So noisy."

"Ah! A snake!" Pei Yanlin’s greatest fear was snakes. As Bai Qianzhou rose, the small green snake that had been hiding behind her, snoring away, was revealed.

Pei Hexuan and Bai Lu saw the snake as well, their nerves instantly tightening like taut strings as they watched Bai Qianzhou with sharp vigilance.

"Hmm? A snake?" Bai Qianzhou squinted slightly, looking around in confusion.

"Zhouzhou, don't move. Whatever you do, don't move," Pei Hexuan said, his voice low and urgent. He kept his eyes on her while frantically looking around for something to drive the creature away.

"Xiao Qing? Why are you here?" Still half-asleep, Bai Qianzhou picked up the small green snake without a second thought, her face full of innocence.

"S-sister, what are you doing?" Pei Yanlin’s face had turned pale with terror.

The little green snake stirred in Bai Qianzhou’s hand: *Little Zhouzhou, you told me not to scare them, but it seems they are quite terrified of you.*

Prompted by the snake’s reminder, Bai Qianzhou seemed to snap to her senses. She turned back, saw the horrified expressions on the three family members, and then looked down at the innocent, blinking snake in her hand. She realized what she had just done.

Is it too late to throw Xiao Qing out now?

"Zhouzhou, you... please, slowly throw away whatever it is you're holding."

Hearing this, the little green snake immediately coiled its tail around Bai Qianzhou’s wrist in alarm. If she threw it out, it wouldn't die, but it would certainly hurt!

"Um, don't be afraid. Its name is Xiao Qing. It’s a friend who grew up with me. Look," Bai Qianzhou said, offering a soothing look to the snake before addressing the Pei family.

"Your friend?"

"Yes, my friend. It doesn't bite people easily, so you can rest assured." Bai Qianzhou held the little green snake up, and it raised its head to look at them.

*I am a snake with accumulated merit,* the snake thought to itself, *why would I bite people easily?*

"Xiao Qing, say hello to everyone," Bai Qianzhou said softly.

The family of three then watched, wide-eyed, as the little green snake lifted half its body up while still in Bai Qianzhou’s hand.

"It’s... it’s quite something. But, sister, could you please keep it further away from me?" Pei Yanlin stepped back involuntarily, his expression rigid.

His sister’s hobbies were truly one-of-a-kind; he really couldn't handle this at all!

"Zhouzhou, your second brother has been afraid of snakes since he was a child. Is there any way you can cure him?" Pei Hexuan said, holding back a laugh and teasing her with a playful tone.

"I can't do anything about that, unless he finds a way to see the snake as something else entirely," Bai Qianzhou replied with a shrug.