White Snake, Green Snake, and Sister-in-law

The waiter lifted up Jiao's weakness, and it was Xincheng Enzeshi.

After a long period of emptiness, her delicate body was subjected to such intense activity all night. Just like the poem describes, little Lin Pengzi was soft and weak, lying on the bed, curled up in her lover's arms, unwilling to move.

Those two long legs that usually strutted back and forth in high heels at board meetings were now limply draped over the blankets, not even bothering to curl their toes.

"If the White Snake Lady really existed, wouldn't she have been released by now and be searching the world for her reincarnation, Xu Xian?"

Lin Ran was lovingly playing with one hand inside the blanket when he heard this. He looked down at the woman in his arms and asked, "Why do you say that?"

"Didn't that bald monk Fahai say he would only release Lady White Snake when the West Lake dries up and Leifeng Pagoda collapses?" Suzuki Tomoko said lazily.

"Yes, that's a common saying." Lin Ran nodded.

"Didn't Leifeng Pagoda collapse 24 years ago?" Suzuki Tomoko blinked. "I checked, and back then, the local people kept pulling bricks off the pagoda to try and rescue Bai Suzhen. They kept pulling and pulling until the pagoda collapsed, right? Logically speaking, if Bai Suzhen really existed, she would have already escaped."

Lin Ran glanced at her in surprise.

It wasn't that I was surprised that a Japanese person knew about this case, but rather that I was impressed. As expected of the head of the capitalist class, her art of speaking was truly superb.

"Is it really to save Lady White Snake?" The young man smiled. "Not necessarily."

"Oh?"

"The main reason was that there were rumors at the time that the bricks of Leifeng Pagoda could ward off evil spirits and protect the house and ensure peace if placed in the home. So the ignorant people all came to dig up the bricks. You dug up one brick, I dug up two bricks. Today a corner of the east side collapsed, tomorrow a whole section of the west side collapsed. As they dug, the pagoda collapsed."

Tomoko Suzuki listened and chuckled softly, "That makes it sound less romantic."

"It's still romantic."

Lin Ran waved her hand: "As Mr. Lu Xun said, who in the world doesn't hope that Leifeng Pagoda will collapse and rescue Lady White Snake? Regardless of why the bricks were dug in the first place, if everyone is willing to believe that it was to save Lady White Snake, then it's true."

"On the Collapse of Leifeng Pagoda" is now a text that must be memorized.

"So you mean that if a lie is repeated a thousand times, it becomes the truth?"

"That's not it." Lin Ran shook her head: "What I mean is, people will tell stories based on what they hope for. Whether Leifeng Pagoda collapsed or whether Lady White Snake appeared is not important. What's important is that people are willing to believe that Lady White Snake appeared. It's just like doing business. Sometimes consumers don't buy the product itself, but the idea behind the product."

Tomoko Suzuki raised an eyebrow slightly, without refuting.

The luxury goods under the Suzuki Group are all about selling a sense of longing, aren't they? How much does a bag actually cost to make? Yet it's sold for hundreds of times more. Consumers are buying what's behind the brand.

The two enjoyed the afterglow of their encounter, with the beauty in his arms. The writer Lin's interest in rambling and talking nonsense also came up, and he said with great interest, "However, those are just folk tales. According to my research, the reason why Leifeng Pagoda collapsed is far more complicated than what is recorded in history books."

"Oh?"

Tomoko Suzuki asked curiously, "Tell me about it."

"Back then, Bai Suzhen was imprisoned under Leifeng Pagoda by Fahai, while Xiaoqing escaped back to Mount Emei to cultivate, and she cultivated for a full five hundred years."

"Isn't that the late Ming and early Qing dynasties?"

"You really have a thorough understanding of our country's history," Lin Ran remarked.

"There's nothing I can do, my husband is Chinese." Suzuki Tomoko said with a hint of pride, pressing down on his large hand in the blankets, indicating that he should move to another spot and not keep rubbing the same place. The two sisters should be treated equally.

Lin Ran chuckled and said, "I'll do as you please." He continued, "Five hundred years later, Xiao Qing went down the mountain to seek revenge. The first thing she did was run to Leifeng Pagoda to try to rescue her sister. But she discovered that the pagoda had been cursed by Fahai and couldn't be demolished by force. So Xiao Qing came up with another idea."

"What method?"

"She began to take on many disciples and spread her teachings in the Jiangnan region, teaching people to raise silkworms and reel silk, and to weave brocade and embroider. Within a few years, the silk industry in the Hangzhou area flourished."

Tomoko Suzuki listened with great interest.

There's a saying that goes, "A cigarette afterward is better than being a god."

Men, after all, like to show off their insights to women, especially literary types like Xiao Ranran. Citing classics and rambling on is their forte.

As a mature woman, Tomoko Suzuki understands that at this time, she should listen quietly and occasionally show a few admiring glances to satisfy the man's sense of accomplishment, so that the relationship between husband and wife can be deepened.

"As the silk industry prospered, the people around Leifeng Pagoda became wealthy. What did they do after becoming rich? They built houses. What do they need to build houses? Bricks. Leifeng Pagoda was such a huge structure, standing in the way of everything by the lake, so every household went to the base of the pagoda to take bricks. Today you take one, tomorrow he takes one, you take one, I take one. How long can this pagoda last?"

"So you mean that what really caused Leifeng Pagoda to collapse was the spontaneous economic demand that arose among the people after Xiaoqing led everyone to prosperity?" Suzuki Tomoko suppressed a laugh as she summarized for him.

"That's right."

Lin Ran clapped his hands, causing Suzuki Tomoko to let out a coquettish cry and roll her eyes at him. Then, she touched her nose and continued, "This story tells us that the power of the people is boundless, and we should never stand on the opposite side of them."

"Does that sound like you're referring to me?" Tomoko Suzuki said, her face downcast, looking at him with amusement.

After all, as the head of the Suzuki Group and the leader of the bourgeoisie, her status naturally placed her on the opposite side of the people.

"So Your Majesty, I have conquered you." Lin Ran said triumphantly, "As one of the masses, my achievements once again prove that the power of the people is invincible."

Tomoko Suzuki almost laughed at his shameless remark: "Then why wasn't it me who conquered you?"

"Has my wife forgotten how she begged for mercy just now?"

On matters of male dignity, the young man wouldn't back down. He reached out and slapped her round, plump volleyball-like body, instinctively saying, "A bet's a bet. Call me Daddy now."

"Um?"

Tomoko Suzuki narrowed her phoenix eyes dangerously.

"Cough cough..." Lin Ran finally realized what she had said. She was used to playing role-playing games with Yukiko and had forgotten that the woman in her arms was not that drama queen.

"Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue, my wife, please don't get agitated."

"Oh, dear brother..."

"Huh? Huh?"

Lin Ran responded instantly, then looked down in shock at Suzuki Tomoko in her arms. Her beautiful, noble face was flushed red. When she saw Lin Ran looking over, her red lips parted slightly, exhaling a fragrant breath, and she repeated herself in Chinese.

hiss~

This is something the young man can't figure out.

No, you're really calling yourself that? Are you sure you're Suzuki Tomoko? Or are you not possessed by that woman, the upperclassman?

Seeing the young man's shocked yet somewhat ecstatic expression, Tomoko Suzuki's red lips curled up slightly.

In fact, no matter how strong a woman is, deep down she wants to be conquered by a man. This is a gene that has been passed down for millions of years of human evolution, a natural law that has existed between females and males since the birth of life hundreds of millions of years ago.

However, the stronger a woman is, the fewer men can conquer her, and she was very lucky to meet one.

There are countless outstanding women in the world, but truly top-notch men are rare. Someone as talented and beautiful as Xiao Ranran is one in a million. Every woman in the world should be conquered by him.

Thinking this, Suzuki Tomoko tilted her head back, looking at the little man in front of her with doting eyes, and reached out to knead and rub his handsome face: "Little Ranran, do you know? You're pursuing women the wrong way."

Lin Ran was still savoring the Queen's "Oh dear" when he heard this and was stunned. This was the first time he hadn't been called a womanizer, but rather someone had said that his way of pursuing women was wrong.

"What do you mean?"

"It means..." Suzuki Tomoko stroked his face, "A man as outstanding as you, Ranran, should be pursued by women all over the world."

Being praised like that, Lin Ran couldn't help but smile, feeling quite pleased, but she still humbly replied, "It's not that bad, it's not that bad. There are so many women in the world, there are bound to be some who don't like my type."

"That's because they have no taste." Suzuki Tomoko raised her eyebrows. In her opinion, her little Ranran should be loved by everyone.

Seeing her domineering demeanor, Lin Ran chuckled and held her soft hand against her face, saying gently, "I've never been a greedy person. In fact, with Mingmei, the great lawyer, my senior, and Your Majesty, I'm already very content."

Tomoko Suzuki stared at him.

"Hehe~"

Her Majesty the Queen couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Lin Ran looked embarrassed: "What do you mean?"

After laughing enough, Tomoko Suzuki clicked her tongue and said, "Do you even believe what you're saying?"

Lin Ran: "..."

(╯‵ ′)╯︵┻━┻

What does this mean? Does it mean you don't believe in the character of the great writer Lin?

Suzuki Tomoko smiled. She didn't understand men, but how could she not understand scholars? The virtues of scholars were known to all. They could speak sweetly and sincerely, moving people to tears, but afterwards they would still be as philandering as ever.

There's no way around it; it's a kind of gene that's been passed down for thousands of years. If you're not a romantic, what kind of scholar are you?

Seeing the indignant little man who felt his dignity had been insulted, Suzuki Tomoko leaned in and freely explored his lips and teeth, taking away some of the moisture from his mouth before finally snuggling back into his arms, satisfied.

With their hearts pressed together, feeling each other's heartbeats and breaths, she squinted, licked her lips, and said contentedly, "Are there any other versions? Make another one for your wife."

Lin Ran was indeed feeling a little guilty at this moment.

There's a saying that goes, "You can't believe a word a man says in bed," because at that moment, his penis is controlling his penis.

Seeing that Tomoko Suzuki had so considerately changed the subject, he quickly added, "There's a really wild version, do you want to hear it?"

Tell me about it.

"According to folklore, the White Snake and the Green Snake were like sisters, sharing both joy and sorrow." Lin Ran coughed lightly and said, "It is said that when they were cultivating on Mount Emei, they vowed to live and die together and marry the same husband."

"Marrying the same husband?" Suzuki Tomoko repeated, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Would Xu Xian, a scholar, agree to that?"

"Of course he disagrees. Who is Xu Xian? He has studied the classics and knows the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues by heart. How could he do something so unethical? He's afraid of being gossiped about, afraid of being told that Xu Xian is not only marrying a snake demon, but he's also marrying two of them, not even sparing his sister-in-law. What kind of behavior is that?"

Lin Ran imitated the gossiping tone of the older women at the entrance of her hometown village, making Suzuki Tomoko laugh heartily.

"So Xu Xian always avoided Xiao Qing, avoiding her whenever possible, wishing he could stay in the pharmacy every day to get medicine, and even sleep in the pharmacy at night instead of going home."

"and then?"

"And then? And then Xiaoqing is such a fiery snake." Lin Ran described it vividly: "She doesn't care about ethics or anything like that. If her sister likes someone, she likes them too. If her sister has something, she has to have it too. If her sister can marry, she can marry too."

"So she..."

"Forced marriage!" Lin Ran slapped the quilt, her voice rising and falling: "While Xu Xian was alone in the pharmacy, Xiao Qing pushed the door open, closed it, and bolted the window. Then... the next morning, Xu Xian was helped out of the pharmacy by Bai Niangzi, and he was practically floating."

Tomoko Suzuki laughed until her stomach hurt.

"Where did you hear this kind of unofficial history?"

"How can this be called unofficial history?"

Lin Ran said in a serious tone: "This is called folk legend. Folk legend is created collectively by the people. Within this collective creation lies what the people's collective subconscious most wants to see."

"Do ordinary people subconsciously want to see Xu Xian forced upon by the Green Snake?"

"What we want to see isn't forced sex, but the one who can't control himself." Lin Ran held up a finger and shook it: "Think about it, Xu Xian is usually very proper, always talking about propriety and morality, and he would avoid female benefactors. How interesting would it be if such a well-behaved scholar broke his vows because of a hot snake? That's the kind of contrast that the common people love to see."

Suzuki Tomoko thought about it and had to admit that what he said made some sense. There's always been a saying that a sister-in-law is half a brother-in-law's wife, and that a sister-in-law's buttocks are half the size of a brother-in-law's.

In traditional social customs, the relationship between a sister-in-law and her brother-in-law is naturally more ambiguous.

"And what about Fahai? What role does Fahai play in this version?"

"Fahai? That's interesting."

"How so?"

"Think about it, Fahai is a monk, but the book says he has a face like a full moon and eyes like bright stars, so he's not bad-looking. But why does he insist on getting involved in Xu Xian and Bai Suzhen's affairs? Is it really just because humans and demons are incompatible? After he captured Bai Suzhen, why didn't he capture Xiaoqing as well? Why is it that every time Bai Suzhen is in trouble, Xiaoqing shouts a couple of times and Fahai stops?"

Tomoko Suzuki seemed thoughtful: "You mean...?"

"That's right!"

Lin Ran looked like a storyteller, but since he didn't have a gavel, he could only pat the round volleyball. The sound was still quite loud, but it didn't make his hand go numb.

The young man stroked her again with satisfaction, and continued, "There's a folk tale that says Xu Xian has long admired the Green Snake, but due to Buddhist rules, he dared not show it. When he saw that Xu Xian could share a husband with his sister, he was so envious and jealous that his eyes turned red."

"So he was determined to separate Xu Xian and Bai Niangzi. On the surface, it was to act on behalf of Heaven, but in reality, it was for Xiaoqing's sake. If he couldn't have her, he would destroy her. This bald monk's heart is more venomous than a snake!"

Seeing the young man's righteous and indignant expression, Tomoko Suzuki laughed so hard she could hardly breathe, her shoulders shaking and the beauty mark at the corner of her eye twitching.

It has to be said, scholars really know how to talk nonsense.

But you know what, when you put his ramblings together, they actually sound quite plausible.

Lin Ran snorted twice: "Don't laugh, what I'm saying is just folklore. Maybe the unofficial history is the real history."

"That's certainly historically significant..."

Tomoko Suzuki wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes, then suddenly remembered something, her eyes narrowed, and she looked dangerously at the little man.

"Little Ranran, are you trying to warn me?"

"Huh? What kind of vaccination?"

"White Snake, Green Snake, twin sisters—according to your logic, wouldn't I be the Old Mother of Lishan?"

"Forehead……"

Lin Ran also realized what he meant. The folk tale he had casually made up did seem to have some similarities to the Suzuki family. He touched his nose and said, "Coincidence, coincidence, purely coincidence..."

"Yeah?"

Suzuki Tomoko hummed twice, but didn't dwell on it. After all, she had been prepared for this; she wasn't going to let her own flesh and blood go to another man.

Leaning against Lin Ran's chest, Suzuki Tomoko suddenly felt that nothing that happened last night and this morning made her feel as at ease as this moment.

A man who, after sleeping with you, can still hold you and talk nonsense, even portraying Fahai as a devoted monk secretly in love with Xiaoqing—that's the kind of life Lin Pengzi wants.

"Little Ranran".

"Um."

"Give me another one."

"Alright, continuing from where we left off, ever since Lady White Snake was imprisoned under Leifeng Pagoda, Xu Shilin, who was born into a family ruined, has been determined to succeed since childhood. He finally passed the imperial examination with top honors, and the first thing he did upon arriving at the capital was to make a phone call to Hangzhou: 'Hello, is this the West Lake Office? This is Xu Shilin from the Central Government'..."

"Wait a minute, how did he pass the political background check for the civil service exam?"

"Oh, because his household registration is with his uncle, who is also the head of the Public Security Bureau..."