DDT - Chapter 76
Chapter 76: Female Ghost × Little Pitiful One (6)
The Chang City Third Hospital had rather strict management. Family members were not allowed inside the inpatient department to visit; all visitations had to be scheduled in advance.
It used to be a manual process, requiring family members to apply for an appointment at the registration window several days beforehand. Now, with the development of the internet, appointments could be made directly on a mobile phone, and payments could also be handled on the phone, making it much more convenient and efficient.
Because the Third Hospital had a limited number of reception rooms, one had to wait in line when many people made appointments. If you were diligent about scheduling, you could probably get a visit about once every half-month. Of course, if you weren't diligent and found it troublesome, you might not come for a month or two, or even longer.
Yi Shuhan's stepfather and mother had never come, not even once.
It had been a year since Yi Shuhan was hospitalized. Aside from when they came to pay the fees, no one had ever visited her. Her stepfather was one thing; Yi Shuhan wished he would just die, so it was best they never met. As for her mother, she was most likely intimidated by her stepfather and didn't dare to see her. In the first few months, Yi Shuhan had held out hope. Every time she saw other patients' relatives and friends come to visit, and the nurses leading the patients toward the reception rooms, their faces filled with joy, the longing in Yi Shuhan's heart grew. She missed her mother.
However, a year passed, and the nurses never once took her to the reception room. Gradually, Yi Shuhan's heart died. Rather than hoping her spineless mother would find the courage to visit, she might as well eat a few more bites of food during the day.
Yi Shuhan had just finished lunch in the cafeteria when she saw several nurses escorting the yellow-haired man from a few days ago toward the first floor.
Today wasn't a day for outdoor activities. Going to the first floor meant one of two things: either completing discharge procedures or going to the legendary reception room.
The yellow-haired man hadn't changed his clothes; he was still in his patient uniform. It made sense. After all, he had a life on his hands. How could he be bailed out so quickly? Wouldn't that be tantamount to telling the outside world that he wasn't sick?
When the yellow-haired man reached the stairwell, he suddenly turned his head and met Yi Shuhan's gaze. The corner of his mouth curled into a wicked, lewd smile. He mouthed two words: You wait.
Yi Shuhan rolled her eyes and ignored him. Seeing her turn away, the yellow-haired man cursed under his breath before swaggering down the stairs. The thought of the person he was about to meet made him so happy he wanted to jump for joy.
His family had money and power. Dealing with a mere little girl would be a piece of cake. And wouldn't it be wonderful to get a taste of that little girl? It would be best to torture her to death. The yellow-haired man chuckled lowly, "Hehehe." He seemed to recall the last woman he had gagged and toyed with to death in the park woods.
This time, what kind of new trick should he try?
The nurses behind him exchanged glances, their eyes filled with contempt for the man.
When they reached the reception room, the nurses stood guard at the door. The room had no surveillance or recording equipment, allowing patients and their families to talk face-to-face.
"Young Master, President Wang instructed me to come see you. If you need more money, just tell me how much. Or if there's anything else you want, as long as it's not too outrageous, I can help you get it."
A middle-aged man in a crisp suit, looking like a butler, sat bolt upright in front of the yellow-haired man, speaking in a formal tone.
Upon entering and seeing it wasn't his stern father or strict mother, the yellow-haired man immediately relaxed. Butler Wang had been with their Wang family for many years and had watched him grow up. As long as he acted a little spoiled, what wouldn't Butler Wang do for him?
"Uncle Wang, how's the situation outside? When can I get out?" the yellow-haired man asked, propping his cheek on his hand.
"Young Master, there are still people making a fuss outside. But President Wang has already paid Zha Lang to remove the trending topic. That woman's family has been protesting with banners at the courthouse every day, trying to cause trouble. President Wang spoke with Brother Bei from North Street, and he sent some people to drag that troublemaking family away. The court took our money and doesn't want any more problems, so they just ignored it. I reckon in a little while, this whole thing will blow over completely."
The yellow-haired man listened carefully. Hearing that the matter was more or less resolved, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Ever since he was sent to the Third Hospital to lie low, his diagnosis certificate stated he had severe paranoia, schizophrenia, and dissociative identity disorder. The attending doctor, perhaps unaware of the real reason he was admitted, had the nurses supervise his medication every day. The colorful pills and capsules made his head spin. Fortunately, he was smart enough to pretend to take the medicine, hiding it in his mouth and keeping quiet until he could spit it out in the bathroom. He was perfectly sane; he wasn't going to take random drugs. If something went wrong, it would be too late for tears.
The only thing that annoyed him was that night in the women's restroom when he saw a ghost. He had been scared witless. When he told the nurses, no one believed him. They even gave him a shot of tranquilizer and subjected him to several days of strict medication monitoring. He had no choice but to actually swallow the pills. As soon as the nurses left, he rushed to the bathroom to stick his fingers down his throat, trying to vomit them up. Tragically, he couldn't.
It was the first time he realized the side effects of psychiatric drugs were so strong. Since it was his first time truly taking them, his head became dizzy and heavy after just a short while, and his chest pounded violently. He was terrified. What if he died from taking the wrong medicine?
For the next two days, he was in a daze, devoid of even the most basic emotions. He never wanted to experience that state of desirelessness a second time. In the following days, the nurses saw that he was behaving and stopped watching him so closely, giving him the chance to spit out the medicine again.
Speaking of which, it was all that damn little girl's fault! If she hadn't scared him, he wouldn't have been so humiliated!
"Uncle, doesn't Dad know the director here? I want to take care of a little bitch who offended me and got me locked up," the yellow-haired man said, leaning forward slightly toward Uncle Wang.
"Oh, my dear young master! You haven't even settled your business outside, and you're already thinking about another girl?" Uncle Wang knew his young master all too well. The moment the yellow-haired man opened his mouth, he knew what he was planning.
"Uncle! That woman is really despicable. She bullies me every day and made me take a bunch of medicine meant for crazy people. I don't even know how much damage that stuff does to the body! I heard it hurts your kidneys!" The yellow-haired man reached out and shook Butler Wang's arm. "Uncle Wang~ Uncle Wang~ Don't worry! I know my limits! Nothing will go wrong this time! I'll just teach her a little lesson, hehe."
Uncle Wang looked at him and sighed. "This is the last time! Young Master, you can't be so willful anymore."
"Ah! Thanks, Uncle! I've already found the perfect spot. Isn't there an old building behind our inpatient department? All you have to do is get a nurse or doctor to trick that little bitch into going there! In two days, it's an open-air activity day, the perfect time to strike!" The yellow-haired man's eyes glinted with a malicious light. He couldn't wait to tie that girl up and properly train her. The thought alone excited him, and the wicked fire in his belly stirred.
"Uncle Wang, remember, don't get it wrong. It's the girl in Room No. 1!" the yellow-haired man specifically instructed.
Uncle Wang nodded wearily. "Alright, Young Master. I'll take care of it after today's visit." In his view, the Wang family had already cleaned up the yellow-haired man's messes several times; one more wouldn't make a difference. Knowing his young master didn't know when to stop, Uncle Wang had a feeling that this girl who had provoked him was likely doomed.
He would have to investigate the background of the girl in Room No. 1 beforehand to make it easier to cover things up afterward. After more than a decade, Uncle Wang had become adept at handling such matters.
After the visit, the nurses once again escorted the yellow-haired man back to the inpatient department. Uncle Wang watched his back with a profound look, thinking, He's my own flesh and blood, after all. He should be spoiled. The Wang family has plenty of money and power to be the scapegoat anyway.
Yi Shuhan, of course, had no idea that the disgusting yellow-haired man was plotting against her again. She was currently leaning over a table in the library, having borrowed some paper and a pencil from a nurse.
Chi Junluo was still hanging on Yi Shuhan's back. She had marveled more than once at how easy this world was. All she had to do was hang on the heroine's back all day to unscrupulously collect the Power of the Heavenly Dao. In a word: awesome!
Seeing Yi Shuhan with a pen and paper, she leaned forward curiously, her long hair brushing against Yi Shuhan's face.
Prolonged contact with the female ghost had altered Yi Shuhan's constitution, making it more yin. She vaguely felt a tickle on her face. The warm current on her back shifted, seeming to move forward. The next moment, Yi Shuhan felt something touch the hand holding the pencil. The sensation was both intangible and as light as a feather—truly, truly hard to describe. An ordinary person would have been covered in goosebumps. Yet Yi Shuhan was perfectly calm. She relaxed her arm, feeling a strange force guiding her hand.
Chi Junluo wrapped her arms around Yi Shuhan from behind, her right palm enveloped in the Power of the Heavenly Dao. She held Yi Shuhan's right hand and wrote a single, elegant word in the corner of the paper: "Hi."
Yi Shuhan blinked. Was this a new way of meeting face-to-face???
She glanced back at the nurse guarding the library door. The nurse's eyes were fixed on her. Pencils were sharp, dangerous objects. If they didn't watch the patients, and a patient had an episode and tried to self-harm or commit suicide, they would be held responsible.
Yi Shuhan turned back and lowered her voice. "Sister Chi, your handwriting is beautiful."
Her voice was very soft, almost a whisper, but the ghost Chi heard it. The pencil in her right hand began to move again: "Just call me Chi Chi. I'm about the same age as you."
Yi Shuhan's voice was quiet, but the ghost behind her could hear it, which meant Chi Junluo's head was right next to hers. Yi Shuhan instantly pictured their current posture, and a blush crept onto her face.
Not that Chi Junluo could see it.
"Chi Chi," Yi Shuhan called out softly.
Perhaps it was her imagination, but Yi Shuhan thought she heard a faint chuckle by her ear.
"A gift for you," a line of words appeared on the paper.
"Okay," Yi Shuhan replied softly, nodding gently.
Chi Junluo recalled the method the Heavenly Dao had taught her in the last world for using its power to copy the pattern on the bottom of the Imperial Jade Seal.
She did the same now. She pictured her appearance from their first meeting in the mirror, imprinting it in her sea of consciousness with the Power of the Heavenly Dao. A steady stream of power flowed into her right arm, and the pencil in Yi Shuhan's hand began to move.
Yi Shuhan's eyes widened as she stared at the paper. Two rough outlines gradually appeared on the once-blank sheet. She held her breath, as if afraid of disturbing Chi Junluo's movements.
Chi Junluo, on the other hand, was marveling at how useful the Power of the Heavenly Dao was. It was just like a 3D printer, perfectly replicating the image in her mind onto the physical paper.
About ten minutes later, Yi Shuhan watched as a picture of herself and Chi Junluo materialized on the page. In the drawing, Yi Shuhan stood straight, looking forward. Behind her, a beautiful, long-haired older sister had her arms crossed over Yi Shuhan's chest, her chin resting on her shoulder, her eyes filled with a gentle smile.
Yi Shuhan's eyes sparkled. "!! Chi Chi! You draw so well!"
Wasn't this cheating? Chi Junluo's old face flushed, but thankfully Yi Shuhan couldn't see. Finally, Chi Junluo added a signature in the bottom right corner with beautiful, flowing script: Chi Junluo & Yi Shuhan.
The weight on her hand lifted. Yi Shuhan sensed that Chi Junluo had moved her hand away. She put down the pencil and, as if she had found a priceless treasure, traced the drawing in the air. Her vision blurred slightly. This was the first gift she had ever received!
Yi Shuhan tore the drawing from the notebook, then tore out a clean sheet of white paper. She carefully used the blank sheet to protect the drawing, folding the edges meticulously to wrap the portrait of the two of them.
She glanced at the nurse. Seeing that she wasn't paying attention, Yi Shuhan stuffed the drawing into her shirt, securing it with the waistband of her pants.
Chi Junluo, who had witnessed the entire process: ...So intense.
Yi Shuhan stood up and returned the paper and pencil to the supervising nurse. The nurse flipped through the blank notebook; there were just some random scribbles on it, like someone releasing stress. Nothing seemed amiss. The nurse waved her hand, signaling that Yi Shuhan could leave.
Yi Shuhan reached up and touched the drawing tucked at her waist, a smile appearing on her face for the first time.
She was really looking forward to their routine midnight meeting.
She couldn't wait to see Chi Chi in reality again. The thought made her uncontrollably happy. She had a good friend now. Chi Junluo was so good to her.
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