Volume One, Chapter Eleven: She Was Bitten by a Venomous Snake

As time passed, Chi Qianyu grew increasingly agitated, a vague unease stirring within her.
“This isn’t right. It’s been over an hour—why hasn’t anything happened yet?”
Chi Yueyao was losing patience, though she kept her composure, her voice soft and gentle as she asked, “Qianyu, what exactly did you put in her room?”
Qianyu had wanted to maintain an air of mystery, to let Chi Xingwan embarrass herself. But now, panic gnawed at her, and she no longer dared to conceal the truth. “I had someone place a green bamboo viper in her room.”
Yueyao was horrified. “If someone gets bitten by a green bamboo viper, they could die! Qianyu, how could you be so reckless?”
Qianyu’s confidence faltered, her voice stubborn. “I just wanted to teach her a lesson, not kill her. I told a private doctor to prepare antivenom in advance.”
“But she’s been back in her room for over an hour!” Yueyao barely restrained herself from cursing.
This fool, Qianyu—if she really poisoned Xingwan to death, what then? If the Xiao family insists she replaces Xingwan and gets engaged to Xiao Yue, what will she do?
At the last engagement banquet, she had mingled with several wealthy young men. Though their families weren’t as prominent as Xiao Yue’s, they were certainly better than marrying a fool.
“We can’t wait any longer. Let’s go check her room.”
Qianyu was reluctant. “What if the viper didn’t bite her…”
Yueyao took a deep breath, her tone turning cold. “Qianyu, if she dies, you’ll be a murderer. Do you understand what that means?”
“If she dies, the Xiao family will never let it go. You arranged for the viper, told the doctor beforehand—these are all evidence, easily traced.”
Qianyu shivered. “Yueyao, don’t scare me.”
“I’m not trying to scare you. If someone dies, no one can protect you—not even Uncle or Aunt.”
Qianyu sprang up and rushed to Xingwan’s room. She meant to pound on the door, but to her surprise, the door was ajar and swung open with a single push.
Without a second thought, she stepped inside.
“Chi Xingwan, you—ah!”
Qianyu’s sudden scream startled Yueyao, who was just behind her but did not enter the room.
Yueyao was still clear-headed, worried that barging in might attract the attention of the viper inside.
“Qianyu, what’s wrong?”
Yueyao cautiously edged to the doorway, seeing Qianyu standing there with a terrified expression, but unharmed. Only then did she dare to step inside.
In the dim room, Xingwan sat on the bed, one leg crossed over the other, gazing at Qianyu with a faint, mocking smile.
A jade-green bamboo viper was coiled around her slender calf, its crimson slit-pupils fixed intently on Qianyu.
“I was wondering when you’d finally come in. You’re a bit faster than I expected.”
Seeing Xingwan unharmed, Qianyu’s fear vanished, replaced by humiliation and anger.

“Chi Xingwan, how dare you play tricks on me!”
Xingwan looked puzzled. “How am I playing tricks on you? Isn’t this snake yours?”
Qianyu stammered in fright, “You—you’re talking nonsense! This snake—how could it possibly be mine?”
“But that’s not what it says.”
Xingwan raised her leg, smiling. “It says you brought it here. It wants to return to your side.”
As she finished speaking, the viper suddenly lunged toward Qianyu.
“Ah—”
Two screams overlapped.
Qianyu barely managed to raise an arm to shield her face, reaching out the other hand toward Yueyao, hoping she’d pull her to safety.
Yueyao, flustered, shoved Qianyu away and fled the room, stumbling and scrambling in her panic.
Qianyu was pushed to the floor, sitting in a heap. A sharp pain radiated from her arm. She looked down to see two clear puncture wounds, the sight stabbing into her eyes.
She’d been bitten by the green bamboo viper!
A venomous snake!
“Help, help me, I don’t want to die.”
She had no strength left to stand; the wound burned and throbbed intensely, dizziness soon following.
“If you don’t hurry to the hospital, you really will die.”
Xingwan’s voice was like a devil’s whisper, making Qianyu’s head spin even more.
“Help…”
Yueyao ran all the way downstairs, far from Xingwan’s room, and at last her fear subsided.
Once she calmed, panic struck as she recalled pushing Qianyu away.
She had spent years at the Chi family, gradually winning Qianyu’s trust and being treated as a true sister. She couldn’t let this incident ruin everything.
She had to do something to make amends.
Just then, Chi Baiyu returned home.
Yueyao immediately stepped forward. “Baiyu, something’s wrong. Qianyu was bitten by a venomous snake in Xingwan’s room—I was just about to find someone to take her to the hospital.”
Baiyu naturally assumed Xingwan kept a venomous snake in her room and it had bitten Qianyu.
He rushed upstairs, finding Xingwan in the hallway outside her room, speaking on the phone.

“Chi Xingwan, I never expected you to be so malicious! Why do you keep a venomous snake in the house, and let it bite Qianyu? What are you thinking—do you plan to poison all our family before you’re satisfied?”
Xingwan replied coolly, “Your family’s genes must be poor. Each one of you loves to bite like mad dogs without looking at the evidence.”
Baiyu furrowed his brow tightly. “Did you just insult me?”
Xingwan said seriously, “Not only did I insult you, I can also beat you up. Would you like to try?”
Baiyu’s face twisted in anger; in all his life, no one had ever spoken to him like this.
“You—”
“Brother, help me…”
Just as Baiyu was about to explode, Qianyu finally crawled to the doorway, her hand still bleeding, leaving a long trail of blood behind her.
“Qianyu, hang in there. I’ll take you to the hospital right now.”
Baiyu scooped her up in his arms, glaring at Xingwan before leaving.
The second floor fell utterly silent.
Xingwan returned to her room, glancing at the bloodstains on the floor with distaste. She clicked her tongue.
Raising her hand, she drew a cleansing charm and cast it on the floor. The bloodstains vanished instantly.
“Wow, what kind of immortal spell is that?” Dumbly exclaimed, his voice breaking in surprise.
Xingwan ignored him and called the green bamboo viper out.
“I’ve already called the fire department. They’ll be here soon to catch you. They’ll either send you to the zoo or release you into the wild, but they won’t harm you.”
The viper nodded its head, as if in gratitude.
Firefighters arrived swiftly, tools in hand. The viper appeared willingly, offering no resistance, and was soon caught.
The Chi family all went to the hospital. Aside from the servants, only Xingwan remained at home.
That night, she sat by the window, waiting for Yang Haiyun and her child.
Yang Haiyun bowed deeply. “Master, thank you for giving me the chance to say farewell to my sister.”
“It was nothing. Now, let me send you on your way.”