Chapter 1616 — On the Spur of the Moment

Thinking of how Zhang Naipao had shown him nothing but unwavering loyalty — all because of his own grandstanding — Zhong Yongliang knew it was Gao Xiaofu's turn this time.

If he could help Gao Xiaofu suck out the snake venom, Gao Xiaofu would be even more dead set on following him forever after! And seeing that Gao Xiaofu had neither died nor passed out after all this time, Zhong Yongliang figured the venom couldn't be that fierce. So he gritted his teeth and charged over...

In truth, the Five-Step Meridian-Dissolving Powder posed no great danger to ordinary people outside the cultivation world — at worst it would cause some redness and swelling. But the drug that Foreman Zhu had mixed in to send the venomous snakes into a frenzy — that one was harmful to the human body. Once inside, if it was not flushed out quickly, it would cause labored breathing, a racing heartbeat, and even the risk of suffocation and unconsciousness!

However, that was only for ordinary people. For cultivators, such a poison held little effect, since cultivators possessed far stronger resistance.

And so the unfortunate Gao Xiaofu, after crying out in pain a few times, began to show signs of rapid breathing and full-body convulsions. When Zhong Yongliang saw this, he jumped in shock!

Good God — was the snake venom already taking effect? Was there actually something lethal in it? Yet frightened as Zhong Yongliang was, he had already rushed to Gao Xiaofu's side. Backing out now would only cost him even more face!

Moreover, losing face was the lesser concern — worse would be if Gao Xiaofu grew resentful. With Paozi absent, Zhong Yongliang had only Gao Xiaofu as someone he could rely on. And if he truly stood by while the man died, and word reached Zhang Naipao, what would Zhang Naipao think of him?

Although Zhong Yongliang believed Zhang Naipao's loyalty to be unshakeable and unlikely to waver, he feared that the stronger Zhang Naipao became, the harder he would be to control! So winning people's hearts was the only way forward — and that was exactly how he had originally secured Zhang Naipao's unwavering devotion.

With that thought, Zhong Yongliang lunged at Gao Xiaofu without a second look back, seized the arm that the venomous snake had bitten, and pressed his mouth to the wound to suck the venom out...

Gao Xiaofu was immediately moved to tears! Given the choice, he would rather have sucked the venom out himself than let Zhong Yongliang take the risk. But the bite was on the back of his arm near the shoulder — he was no giraffe, and he could never reach that spot on his own. He had no choice but to rely on someone else!

"Brother Liang, you are too good to us underlings! Now I finally understand why Paozi is so dead set on you..." Gao Xiaofu was utterly overwhelmed with emotion — Brother Liang truly cared nothing for his own safety! In fact, earlier that very night, Gao Xiaofu had been somewhat displeased when Brother Liang told him to go play kissing games with those two chubby girls, feeling like Brother Liang was using him, the little brother, as a shield!

But now it seemed clear — when it mattered most, Brother Liang was the one to count on. Yesterday's trivial business, having the little brother run an errand, was perfectly normal. But when a real crisis hit, Brother Liang was the first to rush in!

Gao Xiaofu swore to himself that he would become, just like Paozi, Brother Liang's right-hand man, helping him deal with his enemies!

Zhong Yongliang took a few mouthfuls of venom and spat them out, and his lips instantly swelled into the shape of sausages!

"Wow, Little Liangzi's mouth looks fabulous — just like a butt!" Seeing Zhong Yongliang's condition, Shen Yushu burst out laughing.

"Pfft—" A classmate who had been drinking water spat out a mouthful and nearly choked himself to death.

The rest of them burst into laughter as well.

Zhong Yongliang seethed with displeasure. He shot Shen Yushu a venomous glare and silently swore to himself: You great big cow, one day I'll finish you off! Making a fool of me, humiliating me!

But for now, Zhong Yongliang still had to keep sucking the venom out of Gao Xiaofu.

"Grandpa Zhu, something happened... That grass snake — it bit someone, and it seems to have venom!" Chen Xi stared in horror at Gao Xiaofu and Zhong Yongliang, her voice edged with worry.

"Yes, that snake does seem to be venomous — let's get out of here before we get dragged into this!" Foreman Zhu's expression flickered between dark and light. A perfectly good plan, and it had been ruined by this idiot Gao Xiaofu who had appeared out of nowhere — Zhu wanted nothing more than to slap the boy senseless!

But with everyone watching, he couldn't do a thing about it. All he could do now was leave first and think of another way to deal with Wei Zhao later. With Gao Xiaofu bitten by the snake, selling the snake to Wei Zhao was out of the question — Wei Zhao wouldn't buy it even if it were given away for free!

Just as Foreman Zhu was preparing to flee with Chen Xi, his eyes flickered to the two thousand yuan that Gao Xiaofu had thrown onto the bamboo basket earlier. Delighted, a new scheme immediately took shape in his mind!

Foreman Zhu cast a sly glance at Chen Xi, then pretended to reach for the money — only to "accidentally" knock the banknotes off the rim of the basket, letting them fall in among the grass snakes!

"Grandpa Zhu, the money dropped..." Chen Xi had also noticed Foreman Zhu's careless fumble that sent the money tumbling into the basket.

"Quick, pick it up and let's go! We don't need the snakes!" Foreman Zhu said to Chen Xi.

"Ah? But shouldn't this money be returned to the person who bought the snake..." Chen Xi hesitated. She was a kind-hearted person — the snake had bitten someone, and now they were just going to walk off with the money? Wasn't that a bit too... ruthless?

Although a sale was a deal between two willing parties — one willing to buy, the other willing to sell — Chen Xi still felt they were in the wrong, and she didn't want the money. Even though the sum was no small amount!

"Then pick it up and give it back to him, and then let's hurry and run!" Foreman Zhu didn't care either way. As long as Chen Xi went to pick up the money, it didn't matter whether she returned it or not.

"All right!" Chen Xi reached down to pick up the money, but she never expected that the very moment her hand touched the banknotes inside the basket, she let out a bloodcurdling scream — "Ahh!" Her hand had been bitten by a snake inside the basket!

Chen Xi instinctively yanked her hand back, but a clearly visible wound on it was already bleeding, and it had swollen up in an instant. She was so frightened she didn't know what to do!

"Ahh! Xi, how could you be so careless!" Foreman Zhu cried out in feigned panic. "What do we do, what do we do? There's no doctor here. Xi, stay right where you are — Grandpa will go to the nearby clinic and find one!"

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