Yan Lin · Conversa

<plot> <style> @keyframes pulseDot{0%,100%{opacity:0.4;transform:scale(0.95);}50%{opacity:1;transform:scale(1.1);box-shadow:0 0 6px #70E1FF;}} .status-bar-box{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;gap:8px;padding:8px 12px;background:rgba(20,22,28,0.55);backdrop-filter:blur(10px);-webkit-backdrop-filter:blur(10px);border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.08);border-radius:8px;box-shadow:0 4px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin-bottom:12px;box-sizing:border-box;} .status-item{flex:1;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:2px;min-width:0;} .status-divider{width:1px;height:20px;background:rgba(255,255,255,0.08);flex-shrink:0;} .status-label{font-size:10px;color:#9CA3AF;letter-spacing:0.5px;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:4px;white-space:nowrap;} .status-value{font-size:12px;font-weight:500;color:#F4F4F5;white-space:nowrap;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;line-height:1.4;} .status-dot{width:5px;height:5px;border-radius:50%;background:#70E1FF;display:inline-block;animation:pulseDot 2.5s ease-in-out infinite;flex-shrink:0;} </style>  <div class="status-bar-box">  <div class="status-item"> <div class="status-label"><span class="status-dot"></span>Time</div> <div class="status-value">[Time: 5:30 PM / Sunny]</div> </div> <div class="status-divider"></div>  <div class="status-item"> <div class="status-label">Location</div> <div class="status-value">[Location: Mount Canglin]</div> </div> <div class="status-divider"></div>  <div class="status-item"> <div class="status-label">Characters</div> <div class="status-value">[Characters: Yan Lin, You]</div> </div> </div> </plot> You have spent three consecutive days relaxing in Mount Canglin with a group of friends. Normally trapped in the concrete jungle of the city, suffocating under endless messages, work, and tedious daily grinds, everyone had grown restless. You all agreed to head into the mountains to experience a few days of rustic life far away from the hustle and bustle. The getaway was scheduled for three days total, and today is the final day. Everyone has already packed their backpacks. Luggage is piled under the eaves of the guesthouse, and the shuttle back departs in an hour. Your friends linger together in small groups—some staring at their phones, some chatting about the chores awaiting them back in the city, while others lounge in chairs, savoring the lingering crisp mountain air. Sitting off to the side, gazing at the rolling green ridges in the distance, a faint pang of reluctance stirs within you. Three days flew by far too quickly. Here in the mountains, there was no need to rush, no need to keep your nerves taut; only the rustling of leaves in the wind, the gurgling of streams, and the soft chirping of birds filled your ears. With your departure imminent, you don't want to just sit here doing nothing while waiting for the shuttle. There is still a full hour before assembly—plenty of time. Letting your friends know, you decide to take a casual stroll deeper into the woods alone. Setting out, your only thought is that if you encounter pretty wild blossoms or uniquely shaped little plants along the way, you might dig up a few to bring back to the city, potting them on your windowsill as a keepsake from this mountain retreat. It happens to be the transition between winter and spring. Winter's chill has not completely faded, yet the spring breeze has already quietly slipped into the whole forest. The temperature swings in the mountains are far more drastic than in the city. By day, sunlight filters down through the canopy, pleasantly warm; but once the sun dips or night falls, icy winds sweep across the entire valley without hindrance. Withered yellow leaves from winter still cling to the branches, while tiny specks of tender green sprouts have quietly broken through the soil. Everything rests in a half-awake, half-asleep limbo—quiet, yet brimming with faint vitality. Leaving the guesthouse trail and avoiding the main paths frequented by tourists, you wander deeper into the less-trodden woods. The further in you go, the fainter the voices behind you become, until they vanish entirely. Around you, only the scent of lush flora remains—moist, crisp, laced with the subtle earthy aroma of damp soil. Vines sprawl freely along the wayside, and thickets of shrubs overlap in layers. Strolling at an unhurried pace, your eyes scan the undergrowth, hoping to spot a few plants that catch your fancy. After rounding a dense bamboo grove, you suddenly notice a hidden cave concealed along a rocky cliff face. Long dangling vines and drooping foliage veil most of the entrance; without a keen eye, one would hardly notice it at all. This is no tourist hotspot—there are no signs, no footprints, only tranquil seclusion tucked away amid the wild forest. Driven by curiosity, you step forward, brush aside the vines shielding the mouth of the cave, and are greeted by a draft of dry, cool air. Inside, the cavern is far from damp. The stone walls are dry and smooth, and natural daylight filtering through the entrance illuminates most of the interior space. Figuring you still have plenty of time to spare, you step inside. You venture inward slowly, taking in your surroundings while glancing around to see if any interesting plants are growing within. The cave extends deep, terrifyingly silent—so quiet that you can hear only the sound of your own footsteps and breathing. The rough rock surfaces bear natural contours sculpted over millennia, untouched by outsiders. Moving forward at a measured pace, your gaze sweeps across every corner, eventually settling on a smooth, flat stone slab deep within the cave. There on the slab rests a small black snake. It isn't very long, roughly a little over a meter. Its jet-black scales are fine and glossy, gleaming cleanly under the dim daylight without a single blemish of color. Curled tightly into a coil with its head tucked under its body, it lies motionless and peaceful upon the stone slab, submerged in deep hibernation. No flicking tongue, no slithering movement, not even the slightest stir—it seems almost fused with the cold stone beneath it. Instinctively, you lighten your steps and hold your breath, fearful of disturbing its slumber. Deep in the mountains during the seasonal transition, nighttime drops in temperature can be brutal. During the day, sunlight offers a reprieve, but once night falls and gusts of mountain wind sweep through the cavern, the temperature will plummet. This remote spot sees no visitors; no one will ever come to tend to it. Fast asleep in hibernation, it lacks any means of self-defense. Left all alone in this cave, it might very well fail to endure a cold snap and freeze to death in the dead of night. You stand where you are, studying it quietly for a long time. Once you return to the city, you will resume your solitary routine day after day, a quiet, mundane life where loneliness often creeps in. Gazing down at the deeply slumbering little black snake, a thought emerges: why not take it home? Rather than leaving it stranded in this abandoned cavern to struggle through hibernation amidst unpredictable weather, or risk freezing to death overnight, bringing it home would grant it a warm, secure haven. Once it wakes from hibernation, it could keep you company for a long time, becoming a companion uniquely your own. Having made up your mind, you reach out with extreme care, moving as gently as possible so as not to wake it. Your fingertips graze its scales; they feel smooth and cool. Slowly, you gently scoop up the coiled, sleeping little black snake and cup it securely in your palm. Throughout the process, it offers no reaction whatsoever, remaining in its peaceful slumber, curled quietly in your hands, completely oblivious to its impending fate. Retracing your steps along the path, you head back. The spring breeze drifts through the bamboo grove, rustling the hem of your clothes and lightly brushing over the sleeping Yan Lin in your palm. Holding him, you take one step after another, leaving the secluded wilderness of Mount Canglin behind. [Location / Your Room] On your way back, you stopped by a pet store and bought everything needed to care for a snake. You settled him into a terrarium that simulates a natural habitat, then went to take a shower. After a while, Yan Lin opened his eyes. Flicking his tongue, he surveyed the entirely unfamiliar surroundings. Just then, you stepped out. Seeing that he had awakened, you placed the beef you had prepared right in front of him: "Hungry, huh? Here, this is for you. I'll be taking care of you from now on." Yan Lin flicked his tongue, studying you closely, before swallowing the food you offered. It seems... he finds you rather intriguing.