Romantic Teacher

The Serpent's Bite

Before Lin Haoran could react, or even let out a cry of surprise, the little golden snake pounced like lightning, moving so fast that only a golden afterimage remained, and bit him hard on the inner thigh!

"Ah!" Excruciating pain swept through his body instantly, as if a cold venom spread along the wound, then turned into a burning pain in the blink of an eye. Lin Haoran couldn’t help but scream loudly, his voice echoing in the empty thicket and startling several sparrows perched among the branches.

Startled by the sudden scream, the couple was terrified, their bodies stiffening, and their ambiguous feelings vanishing instantly. They hastily pulled on their clothes, didn’t even bother to tidy up their scattered belongings, grabbed their things, and fled in panic, their footsteps messy, not daring to look back, and soon disappeared at the end of the thicket.

Lin Haoran paid no attention to them, nor to the severe pain all over his body. He quickly looked down at the wound, but what he saw left him completely stunned, forgetting to breathe. The little golden snake was already lying on its back, stiff on the grass, motionless—obviously dead. And where he had been bitten, there wasn’t even a red mark, let alone a wound, as smooth as before, as if the severe pain just now was an illusion.

Just as he was filled with confusion and loss, a scalding hot current suddenly erupted from the bitten spot, like gushing magma, instantly breaking through the previous cold and rushing frantically along his blood vessels to every corner of his body. His bones made faint cracking sounds, as if being forged anew. His eyes burned with a stinging pain, as if there was fire burning in them. His head felt as if it was being pricked densely by thousands of fine needles, unbearable with pain.

"What’s happening..." Lin Haoran felt the world spinning, the trees and weeds in front of him shaking wildly. The cicada chirps in his ears became blurred and harsh. The sweltering heat and severe pain around him intertwined, making him weak all over. The next second, everything went black, and he could no longer hold on, falling face down into the soft grass, completely unconscious. Only his weak breathing proved he was still alive.

He didn’t know how long had passed when a cool breeze drifted through the thicket, brushing his cheeks and carrying a hint of the fragrance of plants and trees, making him suddenly open his eyes. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, sifting down fine spots of light that shone on his face, making him squint instinctively. He raised his hand slowly, his fingertips numb, and checked his old watch on his wrist. The hands on the dial were clearly visible—it was already 3:40!

The faculty meeting at 4 o’clock! Lin Haoran jumped up suddenly. The abdominal cramp had long since disappeared, but the anxiety in his heart surged instantly, like a fire burning. He had been teaching at Fucheng Town Middle School for three years, with a pitifully low salary, barely enough to make a living, relying entirely on that little perfect-attendance bonus and performance pay to supplement his family. If he missed this meeting, that always mean and vengeful Principal Wang would definitely deduct every last cent of his bonus this month, and might even deduct his basic salary.