Fang Yusheng remained unmoved as he watched the venom infect Fang Pingjue’s entire left leg. The last hope in Fang Pingjue’s heart shattered.
“Please, Yusheng, save me…” Fang Pingjue did not give up and continued to beg Fang Yusheng to save him.
Fang Yusheng had never seen Fang Pingjue so humble before. He turned his head, and his gaze behind his sunglasses landed on Fang Pingjue’s face.
Fang Yusheng tried his best to think about how Fang Pingjue looked when this face smiled at him. After thinking about it for a long time, his mind went blank. He had seen Fang Pingjue’s angry look, his indifferent look, his cold expression, and his current painful and despairing look. However, he had never seen his father smile at him.
It was quite sad.
“My mother…” Fang Yusheng paused. Seeing Fang Pingjue’s snotty nose looking at him, he continued, “She didn’t do anything wrong. You betrayed her, but you never said sorry to her.”
Bending down, Fang Yusheng helped Fang Pingjue smoothen his crease shirt and said into his ear, “As long as you kneel and apologize to her, I’ll save you.”
Fang Pingjue was a man. His dignity did not allow him to kneel to a woman or anyone else.
However, the venom spread wider and wider, infecting every part of his body. If he were not rescued in time, he would die from the poison tonight.
The fear of death destroyed his dignity as a man.
“I apologize. I’ll kneel.”
Fang Pingjue grabbed Fang Yusheng’s trouser leg and climbed up step by step. Then, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times to the wall. “Lisa, I’m sorry. I’ve failed you and our child. I apologize…”
Fang Yusheng looked at Fang Pingjue with an indifferent gaze as the latter apologized.
Perhaps, the Fang Pingjue of the old times was still in Fang Yusheng’s memory. Fang Pingjue’s back had been tall, his shoulders steady, and his embrace warm. However, at this moment, the image of that tall man collapsed; Fang Pingjue died in Fang Yusheng’s memory, in his imagination.
Fang Yusheng did not feel happy when he heard Fang Pingjue’s apology.
He only felt sorrow.
He felt sorrow for his mother, who had passed away long ago, and for himself, who had yearned for fatherly love in his childhood.
“Enough!” Fang Yusheng roared.
Fang Pingjue placed his forehead close to the ground and did not raise his head for a long time.
Fang Yusheng lowered his head and looked at Fang Pingjue’s back while leaning on the ground. He slowly took a deep breath and said, “I won’t forgive you.” As for what his mother would’ve done, Fang Yusheng did not know.
She was already dead. What was there to talk about forgiveness and hatred for?
Fang Yusheng took out his phone and called the ambulance and Xu Pingfei.
Then, he sat down on the chair and howled at Fang Pingjue. Fang Pingjue’s expression was getting closer and closer to that of a corpse. His mind was on the verge of collapse, and the venom was still slowly spreading.
If he did not receive first aid soon, he might die.
“Consider yourself lucky!” Fang Yusheng snorted. He had a child now, and he could not watch the child’s grandfather die while still being healthy. Thus, he squatted, held Fang Pingjue’s leg, and sucked out the black venomous blood with his mouth.
When Xu Pingfei and the rest rushed back to the villa, they saw this filial scene.
The ambulance also arrived soon. Fang Pingjue was still conscious when the emergency staff pushed him into the van.
Xu Pingfei sat beside him and cried non-stop. She held his hand and kept shouting, “Pingjue, hold on.
“Old Fang, we’ll be reaching the hospital soon. You won’t die.”
Fang Pingjue looked at the tearful Xu Pingfei and felt upset.
They had been together for so many years. How could they not have feelings for each other?
Xu Pingfei’s tears fell on the back of his hand; he found them a little scalding.
When Fang Mu rushed over to the hospital, Fang Pingjue was still in the operating theater. The Fang family members were sitting outside the operating theater. All of them had their arms crossed and their heads hung low with heavy hearts.
Fang Mu walked to Xu Pingfei and asked, “How did Dad get bit by a snake?” His cold voice was filled with agitation.
Those ignorant of his true colors would really think that he was worried about Fang Pingjue.
Fang Yusheng sneered in his heart. Fang Mu was upset and worried not because of Fang Pingjue’s wellbeing, but because he was worried why had the old man not died!
If Fang Pingjue had died due to the snake bite, everything would’ve been fine.
Fang Pingjue had been saved, and it would bring him endless trouble.
“There’s a forest near the villa. It’s hot now, so it’s not surprising for there to be snakes,” Fang Yu’an objectively said. Fang Yuqing was also worried about her father. However, after what she had experienced, she had become more composed. Even though she was anxious, she still looked calm.
Xu Pingfei had doubts in her heart, but her heart was in a mess. So she did not think too much about it.
Fang Mu walked to Fang Yusheng’s side. He held a lighter in his right hand and a cigarette in his left. Smoking was prohibited in the hospital, so he did not smoke and just pinched the cigarette. He sat beside Fang Yusheng and looked up at the operating theater. With a frown, he said to Fang Yusheng, “I heard that you were the first to discover him?”
Fang Yusheng nodded and did not hide anything.
“It’s all thanks to you.” Fang Mu sounded quite sincere.
Fang Yusheng thought: I ruined your plans. You can’t wait to kill me.
Although he thought this, he politely replied, “He’s my father too.”
Fang Mu patted his shoulder and did not speak. He looked like a brother.
Fang Yusheng’s shoulders shook, and he flung Fang Mu’s hand away. He, Fang Yusheng, could not bear to see Fang Mu. It was not just for a day or two. He felt disgusted whenever Fang Mu touched him. When he returned, he would wash up and change his clothes. He would also burn his clothes. Fang Mu’s touch made him feel vexed.
When Fang Yusheng shook his hand off, Fang Mu narrowed his eyes and quickly returned to being normal.
At this moment, the door to the operating theater opened. A nurse rushed out and said to the family members, “The patient’s condition is dangerous. We have to amputate his left leg as soon as possible to keep his life…”
When Xu Pingfei heard that they were going to amputate his leg, her face turned pale.
***
After weighing the pros and cons, Fang Mu finally signed on to the amputation on behalf of the Fang family.
The surgery lasted for a long time. When the surgery ended, the nurses pushed out Fang Pingjue. His left leg, which was under the blanket, was empty. Xu Pingfei looked at his left leg and saw nothing there. She immediately cried and ran to the ward after Fang Pingjue’s bed.
Fang Mu and Fang Yusheng followed her. Both of them looked sad and lonely, but there was no pain.
It would be hypocritical if the two of them showed painful expressions.
To be honest, even if Fang Pingjue really died, these two brothers would not frown. On the other hand, Fang Yuqing and Fang Yu’an hid in the stairwell and secretly wiped their tears.
When they arrived at the ward, Fang Yu’an saw that Fang Pingjue was still unconscious. He could not help but pull open the blanket to take a look at his father’s leg. Fang Pingjue’s left calf had been amputated, and white bandage was wrapped around his leg. Seeing nothing under that knee, Fang Yu’an, a boy, could not help but run out to cry again.
Xu Pingfei could not straighten her back due to the crying.
Qiao Jiusheng could not bear to see her father-in-law like this. It was not that her heart ached, but she felt terrible when she thought about how this person was still alive and kicking a few hours ago.
Two hours later, Fang Pingjue slowly woke up.
He saw the white light and was a little dazed.
I’m not dead yet?
Fang Pingjue’s gaze gently shifted. He saw his children standing in front of his bed. He looked at Fang Mu and Fang Yusheng a few more times before his gaze landed on Xu Pingfei, who was crying until her eyes were swollen. He really wanted to ask her: Didn’t you say that you did not love me? Then why are you crying?
But he didn’t have the strength to ask.
Seeing her husband awake, Xu Pingfei immediately walked over to him. “Does it hurt?”
Fang Pingjue was already numb from the pain. If Xu Pingfei hadn’t said anything, he wouldn’t have noticed it. When he heard those words, he felt the pain in his leg and noticed that it was abnormally painful. He tried to move his leg, but he found a problem. Fang Pingjue’s expression suddenly changed. “My leg…” His breathing was weak, and his voice was so low that it was barely audible.
Xu Pingfei bent down and held his head. Even though she could not stop sobbing, she consoled him. “Don’t be sad. It’s more important to be alive. It’s just that you lost a leg. It’s okay, Old Fang. Don’t be sad…”
Fang Pingjue was stunned for a long time.
Missing a leg?
He instantly fell silent.
He had been arrogant for a lifetime, but he had actually lost half a leg!
When Fang Pingjue remembered that this miserable scene was likely the result of a scheme of his good son, he felt grief and indignation. “…” His throat rolled for a moment, but he could not make a sound, only letting out a low whimper.
Upon hearing him cry, many people felt terrible.
“Ugh… Get lost… Get lost!” Fang Pingjue looked in the direction of his children and roared a few times.
Xu Pingfei did not know who he was shouting at.
But someone knew.
At this time, Fang Mu naturally could not leave. If he did, it meant that he was guilty.
He remained upright with a perfect sadness on his face. No one could tell anything was wrong with him.
He was really an Oscar-level actor.
Seeing Fang Mu’s expression remain the same, Fang Pingjue felt that Fang Mu was evil. His anger increased.
“Get lost!” he roared again. This time, he coughed non-stop.
Seeing his reaction, Xu Pingfei was shocked.
As she served Fang Pingjue, she turned her head and said to the children, “You guys go back first. Your father is in a bad mood. Come back tomorrow.”
The children looked at each other and slowly walked out of the ward.
The five of them took three cars home. Fang Yu’an and Fang Yuqing took one car, Fang Mu took another, and Fang Yusheng and Qiao Jiusheng went in their own car.
Qi Bufan had come to pick them up.
The moment she got into the car, Qiao Jiusheng said to Qi Bufan, “Let’s go eat.” It was almost morning, and they had been quarreling for the entire night. Qiao Jiusheng was hungry and tired; she felt even hungrier than she was.
At four in the morning, almost no restaurant was open in the area.
However, Qi Bufan was resourceful. He managed to find a restaurant that was open at night.
The restaurant had quite a few customers even at this time.
The restaurant’s name was also quite interesting. It was called “order whatever you want.”
Qiao Jiusheng did not know if she could order anything or let the customer order anything.
She asked the lady boss, “Your shop is called ‘order whatever you want.’ Does that mean I can order whatever I want?”
The lady boss was dressed in a black strap tight dress and had long linen-colored curly hair. She was a woman in her thirties with a slender figure and an exquisite appearance. She sat behind the cashier and played games. When she heard Qiao Jiusheng’s question, she took the time to look at Qiao Jiusheng and smiled like a gangster. “Your man is beautiful, and you’re quite beautiful too. Beauties can order whatever they want in this shop.”
Qiao Jiusheng immediately felt that this lady boss was a kindred spirit. She had good taste and spoke funny words.
“Then… give me a bowl of Oil Noodles with more chili.” Qiao Jiusheng had become addicted to spicy food recently. She continued, “Do you have sweet potato noodles? Give me a bowl of sweet potato noodles with more spice.”
The lady boss replied, “You have a big appetite.” Then, she looked up at Fang Yusheng.
Fang Yusheng ordered a bowl of prawn porridge, and Qi Bufan ordered a plate of dumplings and a Beijing Roast Duck.
After giving them the bill, the lady boss continued to play her game.
Fang Yusheng paid the bill and was led by Qiao Jiusheng to a small room surrounded by bamboo. The moment they sat down there, Qiao Jiusheng said, “That snake is really smart. Only the two of you were in that villa. Yet, the moment it entered the villa, it knew how to bite big.”
Qiao Jiusheng’s words were meaningful.
Qi Bufan looked at her and smiled.
Fang Yusheng placed his chopsticks in the hot water and gently stirred the drink. He nodded and agreed. “Yes, it slipped away quite quickly.” After saying that, Fang Yusheng took out a small bag and handed it to Qi Bufan. “Get someone to test this.”
Qi Bufan took the small bag. He frowned when he saw the liquid inside it. “This is…”
Qiao Jiusheng leaned over to take a look and softly said, “Is there snake venom in here?”
Fang Yusheng nodded. “Yes, it was sucked out of the old man’s wound.” He had sucked it out for Fang Pingjue. First, he wanted to suck the venom out to save Fang Pingjue, and second, he wanted to collect the venom.
“Back then, the snake that blinded me was a venomous snake from Australia called Thin Scales.” He looked at the liquid in the bag, narrowed his eyes behind his sunglasses, and said, “If nothing goes wrong, the results of the test should indicate that this venom belongs to Thin Scales.”
Qiao Jiusheng’s body shook. “It’s him?”
Fang Yusheng glanced at her and did not refute her.
