Chapter 122: The Consequences of Groping Hands

Hearing the old doctor’s explanation and questions, Su Xue was stunned. Her own suspicions aligned with exactly this type of snake; she had encountered such vipers while in Australia and was deeply aware of their potent toxicity.

The old doctor pointed to the wound on Su Xue’s wrist and said, "Look, this wound is very distinct. Compared to other sea snakes—those found in our domestic waters—the mark is quite different. There are about fifty species of sea snakes worldwide, but only nineteen are found in China, the most common being the blue-banded sea snake, the broad-lipped sea snake, and the hook-nosed sea snake. Their fangs leave larger marks with wider spacing than what is on your wrist. This mark, however, is very similar to that of a Belcher’s sea snake. While the Belcher’s is known as the most venomous snake in the world, its fangs are not very effective, and it secretes very little venom. Furthermore, it is quite mild-tempered; unless it feels mortally threatened, it generally does not attack humans. If you encounter one, as long as you do not approach it and remain perfectly still, it will usually calm down and slither away. Since sea snake venom is primarily neurotoxic and medical research on it is limited, there is currently no antivenom available if one is truly bitten by such a lethal species. If you were indeed bitten by a Belcher’s sea snake, there would be a ninety percent chance of death."

Su Xue sat there in a daze. The doctor’s words mirrored her own thoughts, yet she found it strange: if it really were that kind of snake, how could it appear in local waters? And if it were truly that venomous, how could she and Zhang Can have survived? She concluded that the snake that bit her must only resemble a Belcher’s sea snake in appearance, for if it had been the real thing, they would not still be alive.

However, the old doctor seemed even more perplexed. He held up the lab results and said, "The strange thing is that the trace amounts of toxins left in your system are exactly the neurotoxins of a Belcher’s sea snake, though the quantity is so minuscule that it would cause you no harm. Yet, the young man’s test results show not even a trace of that toxin. I am even more baffled—if he sucked the venom from your wound, how is it possible that there is no presence of the toxin in his body?"

Su Xue paused for a long time before asking, "Doctor, are you certain the toxins in my body are from a Belcher’s sea snake?"

The old doctor nodded. "I am certain, but the concentration is extremely weak. I am simply confused; judging by the two fang marks on your wrist, it is impossible for the toxicity to be this low, yet that is the reality. I am truly bewildered—this is the first time I have seen a case like yours."

Zhang Can chuckled. "There is no such thing as an absolute in this world. I think it was just a common water snake. Back in my hometown, the snakes in the water are all non-venomous."

The doctor shook his head, clearly unconvinced but unable to provide any evidence to the contrary. After staring at the test results for a long while, he finally sighed and smiled bitterly. "Young lady, since you are fine now, go home and rest well. Be more careful around sea snakes in the future."

Su Xue stood up hesitantly. Zhang Can followed her out, nonchalantly picking up the lab reports that Su Xue had forgotten. The old doctor stared at the doorway as they left, clearly still puzzled by the entire affair.

Once outside the hospital, Zhang Can drove while Su Xue sat in the passenger seat. Now that the tests had confirmed neither of them was in danger, she felt a sense of relief, though she still couldn't fathom what had actually happened with the sea snake.

"Miss Su, where are you headed?" Zhang Can asked as the car drove down a street not far from the Old Stone Studio.

Su Xue had been lost in thought. Startled by the question, she looked at him blankly and asked, "What did you say?"

Zhang Can shook his head and replied with a wry smile, "I asked where you want to go so I can drop you off."

"Oh..." Su Xue replied, "Just take me back to the apartment at Tianxin Square. I haven't turned in the keys yet anyway."

Zhang Can turned the car toward Tianxin Square, reflecting on the grievances between them over the past while. *Let it go,* he thought. *Consider it even.* While his own acts of retaliation might have seemed trivial to some, for a girl who prides herself on her composure, they were unforgivable.

He pulled the car to a stop beneath the Tianxin Square building. After stepping out, Su Xue did not walk away immediately. She stood still and looked at Zhang Can in the car, hesitating before saying, "Zhang Can, would you like to come upstairs for a chat?"

Rarely having seen Su Xue so gentle, Zhang Can felt somewhat uneasy. He couldn't help but wonder if there was some hidden agenda behind her invitation. Yet, logically, there shouldn't be; the past had largely faded with the arrival of Wang Qian. Zhang Can, despite his resentment, would never seek to retaliate against her because of Wang Qian. It was simply that this version of Su Xue felt so out of character that he found it hard to believe.

When a person acts differently than usual, it is natural to be suspicious—especially with someone like Su Xue, who had a fiery temper and was prone to throwing punches. If she were suddenly as gentle as any other woman, Zhang Can would feel suspicious; it would be abnormal *not* to be.

He met Su Xue’s beautiful eyes, and seeing a flicker of genuine expectation—and no malice—he opened the door and stepped out. Of course, this was just his intuition. Whether Su Xue would pin him down and beat him up or torture him once they were inside was anyone's guess. But he trusted his gut; regardless of the past, Su Xue would not, and should not, treat him as rudely as before. There was no longer any conflict of interest between them; the original suspicion that he was involved with drug traffickers had been cleared up, so such a situation shouldn't recur.

The two entered the elevator in a relatively amiable silence and rode to the seventeenth floor. Once they stepped out, Zhang Can pointed to the doors of units A and B. "Should we go to your side or mine?" Although he had moved to a new place, he hadn't surrendered this apartment, and he didn't care about the rent money anyway.

"Let’s go to my place," Su Xue replied after a moment's hesitation.

Zhang Can didn't ask further and followed her. Su Xue opened the door, pushed it slightly ajar, and invited him in. Her actions were so different from before that Zhang Can felt quite awkward, but he slipped through the gap. He had vivid memories of this room—this was where he had been beaten until his head bled, unable to even contemplate fighting back.

"Sit," Su Xue said, gesturing to the sofa. "I’m afraid there’s nothing to drink. After I decided to move out, I had someone clear the place; there are basically no daily necessities left."

"It's fine," Zhang Can said with a dismissive wave. "I’m not thirsty. What did you want to talk about? Besides my hometown or antiques, I don't know much else. I assume you aren't an antique collector, Miss Su?"

Su Xue smiled. "I’m certainly not. There’s no hidden meaning here; I just wanted to chat. I imagine that, given our past, you see me as a girl with a fiery and rude temper. In truth, that was just the nature of my work. In my spare time, I’m quite normal. I like to think I’m actually a rather quiet and gentle person."

"Quiet and gentle?" Zhang Can couldn't help but chuckle, then nodded. "That’s possible. Everyone has another side. I suspect most people have a dual nature—one part passionate and outgoing, another part dark and hidden."

Su Xue murmured an agreement and sighed. After a long pause, she said softly, "If there were any misunderstandings between us before, I hope you can overlook my recklessness and forgive my excesses. It was my job. As for today, I am truly grateful for you saving my life—sincerely grateful."

Seeing the topic turn back to the incident, Zhang Can rubbed his face and feigned ignorance. "Isn't that being a bit dramatic? It was just a water snake, wasn't it? Is it really that big of a deal? I think that old doctor was overreacting to scare us. If that snake were truly venomous, would you and I be sitting here talking?"

Su Xue shook her head and sighed again. After a long while, she said, "Zhang Can, I feel you have a lot of defenses up against me. I truly apologize for my previous behavior. Regarding today, whether you admit it or not, I know the truth. Tell me, are you perhaps a descendant of a medical lineage?"

"A medical disciple?" Zhang Can grinned, secretly impressed by her imagination. It seemed she was truly fixated on the incident. If she insisted the sea snake was highly venomous, then he must be a master of medicine; otherwise, there was no way to explain it. Since he was playing dumb, he might as well play the fool to the end.

"Miss Su, speaking of medical disciples, I did learn to gather herbs and brew medicine from 'Barefoot' Doctor Zhou back in my hometown. But I never treated water snake bites because the snakes in our water aren't venomous. Bites never mattered—I’ve even caught big water snakes and cooked them for dinner!" Zhang Can grew more animated as he spun his tall tale.

Su Xue knew he was keeping his guard up, but she understood why, given how she had treated him in the past. She was a highly trained elite, a special forces soldier; how could an ordinary person like Zhang Can possibly stand up to her? Yet, while his skills seemed ordinary, he held many secrets that made Su Xue increasingly curious—and increasingly unable to see through him.

Hesitating, Su Xue rubbed her chest and frowned slightly, as if in pain. The gesture gave Zhang Can a sudden start.