From where Jiang Zhuo stood, he had a clear view of the big tree on the shore. He saw a tail slip into the water, and ripples spread across the lake.
A water snake could swim far faster than any person. Luckily, the two of them were already clinging to the bank, so in theory they only had to climb up. The infuriating part was that who knew what kind of design this lake was supposed to have, because they had to haul themselves out like they were climbing out of a Swimming Pool, and one with the water level lowered at that.
They tried twice and still couldn’t get up, and both of them were frantic.
Just as Ye Heng was trying for the third time, he suddenly felt someone give his butt a shove from below. Using that boost, he made it onto the bank at once, then immediately reached down to pull Jiang Zhuo up from the water.
Ye Heng saw the snake on the surface swimming closer and closer. He yanked hard on Jiang Zhuo’s hand. Though he did pull him onto shore, from the corner of his eye he still saw the snake close in on Jiang Zhuo’s leg.
He also heard Jiang Zhuo let out a muffled grunt before collapsing weakly onto the ground, and Ye Heng grew even more terrified.
Not even when he’d been chased by a dog, or by his dad with a stick, had he ever run this desperately. Ye Heng dragged Jiang Zhuo toward home while calling his older brother.
Ye Heng was in a meeting, but when he saw Ye Heng’s call, he still answered. The moment he picked up, he heard panting on the other end. “Big Brother, I got bitten by a snake in the artificial lake.”
Ye Heng shot to his feet. He didn’t even have time to say the meeting was over before grabbing his car keys and rushing out. Even pressing the elevator button, he could feel his hands shaking. “Xiao Heng, you can’t run. Stop right there. Call Dad.”
Ye Heng took out two phones, using one to call his mother and the other to notify the hospital to get ready, they would be bringing the patient over themselves.
Ye Heng’s parents were both sitting on the living room sofa. When Mrs. Ye got the call, she panicked too, springing up from the couch so fast her voice trembled. Beside her, Mr. Ye was startled as well and quickly leaned in to listen. All he heard was Ye Heng saying, “Mom, have Dad go to Grandma Shen’s villa and pick up Xiao Heng. I’ve already called traffic police and asked them to help clear the way. I’ll wait at the hospital.” Mr. Ye reacted at once and grabbed his keys.
Dragged along like that, Jiang Zhuo couldn’t run anymore either. Now he stopped, sat down on the ground, and refused to move.
His legs were especially uncooperative, weak and shaky. He had definitely felt that cold, slick touch, but there were no fang marks on the back of his calf. Looking at the scraped patch of skin there, he wasn’t sure whether he’d actually been bitten or not.
“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely find a way to get you treated,” Ye Heng reassured Jiang Zhuo, craning his neck anxiously toward the road ahead. Very soon, he saw his family’s car.
Ye Heng hurriedly helped Jiang Zhuo up and into the car. The moment Mrs. Ye saw Ye Heng, tears welled up in her eyes. Both boys looked a mess by now.
Ye Heng said, “Mom, I’m fine. It’s Jiang Zhuo, he got bitten.”
Once they left the mountain villa compound, sure enough, a traffic officer on a motorcycle was already waiting outside the gate. After a single exchanged glance with Mr. Ye, the officer started the bike and led them straight toward the hospital. In the car, Ye Heng told his mother what had happened after they fell into the water.
By now Jiang Zhuo had calmed down a little too, and he didn’t feel anything wrong with his body. “I probably wasn’t bitten. I don’t feel unwell.”
Mr. Ye had been observing the two of them the whole way and hadn’t noticed anything unusual, which reassured him somewhat. Still, he thought a checkup was necessary. “Best case, it didn’t bite you. But we should still go to the hospital. Both of you fell into the water, after all. Call your family first.”
Jiang Zhuo pulled his soaked phone from his pocket. Unlike Ye Heng’s phone, which still worked after getting wet, his had died on the spot.
“I’ll call for you.” Mrs. Ye took out her phone and looked at Jiang Zhuo, but after quite a while, she still didn’t hear him recite a number. Only then did Jiang Zhuo remember that he didn’t know Qiu Xianzhi’s phone number by heart.