Chapter 461 - 253: Jiang Guoqiang in Dire Peril! Lu Fan’s Swift Action

Chapter 461: Chapter 253: Jiang Guoqiang in Dire Peril! Lu Fan’s Swift Action

Qingshan Village.

Jiang Guoqiang woke at five-thirty. Tossing and turning, unable to fall back asleep, he finally just got up.

Pan Lanfang was still asleep. He dressed quietly, grabbed his hoe, and headed out the door.

The rice in the fields had already been harvested, leaving the ground bare. He planned to till the soil and plant some winter vegetables.

Reaching the ridge between the fields, he struck his hoe into the ground, took off his jacket, and hung it on a tree branch. Then he rolled up his sleeves and got to work.

The early morning air in the fields was cool, and dew dampened his canvas shoes.

He bent at the waist, turning the soil one hoe-stroke at a time. His movements were steady and unhurried. After decades of this work, every swing landed with perfect precision.

After working for over half an hour, the sun rose, the mist dissipated, and the fields brightened.

Jiang Guoqiang straightened up and pounded his lower back. Just as he was about to take a breather, he felt a sharp pain in his right ankle.

He looked down to see a thumb-thick snake slithering away from his foot. Its body flashed in the grass, and then it was gone.

Jiang Guoqiang froze for a moment, then looked down at his ankle.

Two small red dots were oozing blood.

He crouched down and squeezed the wound, forcing out a little blood. It didn’t hurt, but it felt a bit numb.

"It’s fine. Just a little snake, not venomous," he muttered to himself, getting up to continue his work.

But after just two steps, his leg felt weak.

He crouched down again to look at the wound. The skin around it was starting to turn red and swell up a bit.

"Damn thing, don’t tell me it was a bamboo pit viper?" he grumbled. He took out his phone to call Pan Lanfang, but after fumbling with it for a moment, he realized the battery was dead.

He sighed, shouldered his hoe, and started limping home.

By the time he reached the village entrance, his leg felt heavier and heavier. His ankle had swollen up like a bun, and he could barely squeeze his foot into his shoe.

Gritting his teeth, he dragged himself forward one step at a time.

Old Liu from the village convenience store was sitting at the entrance smoking. He was startled when he saw Jiang Guoqiang’s condition. "Hey now, Uncle Guoqiang, what happened to you?"

"It’s nothing, just a snakebite," Jiang Guoqiang said, waving a hand dismissively as he tried to keep walking.

Old Liu rushed over to support him. He glanced down at the ankle, and his face paled. "Whoa, look at that swelling! That must’ve been a venomous snake! You wait here, I’ll get my son to drive you to the hospital!"

"No, no, it’s just a small wound. I’ll be fine if I go home and put some herbal medicine on it," Jiang Guoqiang insisted, still trying to act tough.

Old Liu ignored him and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Jian Guo! Jian Guo! Get out here! Your Uncle Guoqiang’s been bitten by a snake!"

A man in his thirties ran out of the house. He took one look at Jiang Guoqiang’s ankle and, without a word, helped him into their family’s minivan.

When they arrived at the town clinic, a doctor took one look and said with a frown, "This venom is serious. We don’t have any antivenom here. You need to get him to the county hospital immediately."

Old Liu’s son started the van again and sped toward the county seat.

Along the way, Jiang Guoqiang’s complexion grew worse. His lips turned pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

He kept his eyes closed, gritting his teeth in silence.

While driving, Old Liu’s son made a phone call. "Ma’am, you need to come to the county hospital. Uncle Guoqiang was bitten by a snake. We’re on our way now."

Pan Lanfang was feeding the chickens at home when she got the call.

The moment she heard the news, the bowl of chicken feed fell from her hands, scattering corn kernels all over the ground.

"What? Bitten by a snake? How is he? Is it serious?" Her voice was trembling.

"The doctor said it’s pretty serious and he needed to go to the county hospital. Don’t panic, we’re almost there."

Pan Lanfang hung up, her hands shaking uncontrollably, and quickly called Jiang Yixia.

The phone rang several times before it was answered.

"Mom, what’s wrong?" Jiang Yixia’s voice came from the other end of the line.

"Yixia, your father’s been bitten by a snake! He’s on his way to the county hospital. You have to come, you have to come now!" Pan Lanfang started crying as she spoke.

Jiang Yixia’s heart clenched. "Bitten by a snake? What kind of snake? Was it venomous?"

"I don’t know! That’s just what they said on the phone. I haven’t even seen him yet... Please, just come quickly. I’m so scared..."

"Mom, don’t panic. I’m on my way. You head to the county hospital, too. We’ll meet there." After saying that, Jiang Yixia hung up and called Jiang Ming.

Jiang Ming was at his job at the gym, coaching a member when he got the call.

His face went pale as he listened. He asked his manager for time off and drove straight to the county hospital.

Jiang Yixia rushed out of her flower shop, hailed a taxi, and gave the driver the address of the county hospital.

Sitting in the car, her hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

She took out her phone, scrolled through her contacts, and her finger paused on Lu Fan’s name.

She hesitated for a few seconds before finally dialing the number.

The call was answered on the first ring.

"Yixia? What’s wrong?" Lu Fan sounded a little surprised. She rarely called him at this time.

"Lu Fan, my dad was bitten by a snake. He’s on his way to the county hospital. Can you... can you help me contact a doctor at the hospital?" Jiang Yixia’s voice was choked with emotion.

"Which county hospital? Qingshan County People’s Hospital?" Lu Fan’s tone immediately became serious.

"Yes."

"I understand. Don’t worry, I’ll make arrangements right away. Are you driving or taking a car? Be safe, and message me when you get there."

"Okay."

After hanging up, Jiang Yixia leaned back against the seat, and the tears finally fell.

Lu Fan hung up and immediately dialed Jiali’s number.

"Jiali, Qingshan County People’s Hospital. Do we have any connections there?"

Jiali was taken aback for a second. "President Lu, what’s happened?"

"Uncle Jiang was bitten by a snake and is on his way there. Contact the hospital immediately, arrange for the best doctor, and have them prepare antivenom. It doesn’t matter what kind of snake it was—tell them to get every type of serum ready."

"Understood. I’ll get on it right away."