Chapter 118: Snakebite – A bonus chapter for those urging Bixi to update.

I hurriedly tore up the page and started recording again. Fortunately, the two staff members did not blame me, and Elder Zhou was also concerned, asking if I was suffering from altitude sickness.

I felt like crying but shook my head, assuring them I was fine.

Elder Zhou, unusually playful, joked, “My most devoted disciple is very shy; you mustn’t bully her.”

Those people truly believed I was his prized disciple, their eyes full of envy as they looked at me.

By the time we reached the small mountain village, night had already fallen. Yet, I was startled by the dark crowd gathered at the village entrance; for a moment, I feared we had run into bandits.

The staff explained that the locals were excited to welcome Elder Zhou’s arrival; they hadn’t eaten dinner, instead waiting eagerly there.

Ethnic minorities are like this—simple and unpretentious, yet brimming with countless heartfelt emotions.

While eating at the village official’s home, villagers kept bringing dishes from their own homes to share with us. The children, some shy and reserved, watched us curiously.

Though there was a language barrier, I could still sense their reverence for culture.

The place we slept offered a view of the starry sky when looking up. The mountain night was especially beautiful, filled with the fragrance of flowers and the sound of cicadas. Exhausted, I quickly fell asleep.

At dawn, we set off with Elder Zhou toward the cave. The mountain path was difficult, and we rested several times along the way, eating dry rations. By noon, we finally arrived.

To protect the site, Elder Zhou only allowed one staff member to accompany us with a torch.

I had long heard that Elder Zhou was a master of the rubbings craft, so skilled it could be recognized as intangible cultural heritage. Seeing it in person, my mouth dropped open in astonishment.

Noticing my daze, he asked, “Want to learn?”

I nodded eagerly. Who wouldn’t want to master such a rare skill?

He smiled and said, “When we return, write a paper about this expedition. If I’m satisfied, I might just take you on as my final disciple.”

My excitement surged like the mighty Yellow River, and I threw myself into the work with great zeal.

To give Elder Zhou energy to focus on the rubbings, I was tasked with cleaning the stone wall. After scrubbing, I covered it with rice paper and secured the corners.

What seemed simple was in truth a skill honed by years of dedicated practice.

Elder Zhou lightly tapped the rice paper with a brush, pressing it tightly against the surface to be copied, then removed the dry paper, waiting for the damp paper to partially dry before gently applying ink with a dabbing motion.

The final step was the most time-consuming. The cave was damp, with no sunlight or breeze, so we had to wait for the paper to dry naturally.

Seeing my impatience, Elder Zhou quoted Lu Shihua, a Qing dynasty expert in calligraphy and painting authentication, from his book “On the Seals of Calligraphy and Painting”: “If a master’s mounting is not applied to calligraphy and paintings, even the most tattered pieces should be carefully stored, not pressed under other things, nor hastily given to unskilled hands. Hastiness kills the artwork. A clumsy worker is like an executioner to the painting. No rush—we’ll wait patiently. It would be a wasted trip otherwise.”

By then, the torches had burned out. The staff checked the time and suggested we step outside to wait.

The cave was stuffy, and I worried that staying longer might harm Elder Zhou’s health, so I helped him out.

Outside, Elder Zhou began conversing with some locals who had discovered ancient scripts. I didn’t understand a word of their minority language, but Elder Zhou listened attentively, occasionally taking notes.

About two hours later, Elder Zhou insisted on lighting a torch to inspect his work.

This time, he was determined to enter alone. I dared not take chances and led the way, holding the torch.

He carefully examined his rubbing, and I stood behind him with the torch, but he warned me not to come closer, as the light could affect the quality.

Unexpectedly, at that moment, I received a call from Shu Congxuan. No one except my family and Xia Qi knew I was in Yunnan; apparently, Xia Qi had informed him.

When I told him I was in the cave, he suddenly warned, “There are many snakes in tropical areas; be careful.”

I scolded him for talking nonsense, fearing Elder Zhou would think I was distracted, so I said a few casual words and hung up.

Then, right before me appeared exactly what Shu Congxuan had warned about.

I have been terrified of such creatures since birth; sometimes even seeing an earthworm would make me tremble all over.

The snake slithered forward, tongue flicking, slowly approaching Elder Zhou.

He was so focused on his work that he remained completely unaware of the looming danger.

I shouted a warning and lunged to push him away, but felt a sharp sting on my calf.

Within seconds, my leg went numb.

People outside rushed in; a brave one seized the snake and spoke rapidly. While the staff translated, a quick-eyed person plucked some leaves from a crevice in the stone wall, chewed them, and applied the pulp to my leg.

I recalled a TV show where a snakebite victim’s skin turned green and died the next day.

Perhaps due to extreme stress, my tongue tingled, and my mind began to falter, even hallucinating Luo Ange waving at me.

A dark-skinned woman among the entourage pulled out a gleaming silver dagger and knelt to tear open my pants.

Elder Zhou grabbed her arm sharply, demanding, “What are you doing?”

She babbled rapidly; the staff translated: “This snake’s venom spreads fast; you can’t suck it out. A cross-shaped cut must be made, or it’s very dangerous.”

Elder Zhou was furious. “Cutting out a piece of flesh—can a person survive that? Why didn’t anyone tell me this cave had venomous snakes before we came?”

The staff apologized, “Elder Zhou, these are unforeseeable circumstances. We’re sorry for the oversight.”

I knew Elder Zhou blamed himself for not protecting me better. Tugging on his sleeve, I said, “Elder Zhou, I’m fine. Let her do it—I don’t want to die here. I still want to be your final disciple.”

He smiled sadly, his heart aching. “Girl, you have to endure a little.”

That day, Xia Qi had told me about her ectopic pregnancy surgery. Although she was anesthetized, she could still feel the instruments stirring inside her like mixing a salad.

But why, without anesthesia, did I feel no pain when that woman cut away a piece of flesh slightly larger than a fingernail around my wound?

Someone had already prepared a dark, tar-like substance to cover the wound, and others helped bandage it.

They explained that after a venomous snakebite, movement must be minimized to prevent the poison’s spread. So, several strong young men split into two groups: one to find herbs deep in the mountains, the other to go down for help.

Elder Zhou was filled with guilt. A respected elder, a government official visited during festivals, yet now trapped with me in these mountains.

I said, “If you really feel sorry, promise me you’ll take me as your final disciple when we return and teach me everything you know.”

Without hesitation, he agreed, “Deal.”

I pushed further, “I’m taking the graduate entrance exam; you’ll have to tutor me.”

He accepted without objection. I laughed, “Master, please accept this bow from your disciple.”

He quickly pressed my head down, “You little troublemaker, settle down now.”

The young men returned swiftly with herbs and changed my dressing. Perhaps due to nerve numbness, I felt half my body had lost sensation.

I asked a staff member, “Am I going to die here?”

He didn’t answer, but Elder Zhou slapped my forehead and said, “Don’t speak such unlucky words. You’ll be fine.”

At that moment, I wished Luo Ange were with me. If he were, just holding me quietly, I’d feel happy.

Even death wouldn’t frighten me if he were by my side.

What’s there to fear about death? After eighteen years, I’d be a hero again.

But these were foolish fantasies. Luo Ange was surely with that beauty now, perhaps helping him find his underwear.

Maybe sensing Elder Zhou’s anger, no one dared slacken. Soon, a crowd hurried up from the mountain.

Two elderly men reputed to be experts in treating snake venom arrived to tend to me. They tied off both ends of my calf with cords, then had me carried down the mountain on a stretcher.

I didn’t think much, assuming I was fine. They moved quickly, and several times I nearly fell off the stretcher.

Back at the village official’s home, nearly the entire village came to see me. I had never felt such care before and nearly cried.

After the crowd dispersed, the elders untied my leg. Only then did I realize something was wrong—my entire calf had turned black.

Wasn’t I supposed to be fine after removing that piece of flesh? Why was it like this?

The two men muttered to Elder Zhou. Suddenly, I felt they were discussing amputating my leg.

Fear caused me to fall from the bed. My first instinct was to call someone.

Luo Ange’s number connected quickly. I cried out, “Luo Ange, save me, save me…”

No response, just silence. I glanced at the screen—still in call. Why wasn’t he speaking?

After a few seconds, a woman’s voice came through: “Darling, it’s your call.”

Outside, it was dark. Elder Zhou was speaking with those men. The staff helped me back onto the bed, one comforting me that it was alright.

I sat there, dazed, staring at the doorway, suddenly sensing fate watching me with a cruel smile.

Fate was using this pain, this price, to warn me to wake from my daydream.

It set an alarm clock: before it rings, I could be in love with Luo Ange; now that time has come, I must return.

Back to the cold reality.

At that moment, I calmed down. I quietly ended the call and dialed Shu Congxuan instead.

He was shocked, “Lanshan, what’s wrong?”

I replied calmly, “Shu Congxuan, I’ve been bitten by a snake.”

Then came a flurry of sounds—putting on shoes, slamming doors, running downstairs, starting a car—and his voice pleading, “Lanshan, don’t hang up. Keep talking to me. I’m coming to find you now. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid. I’m here. You’ll be alright.”

I whispered, “Good,” then everything went black.