A Forum for Patients of Fourth Hospital
Chapter 6: Fearless Smiley

The pitch-black night, with zero visibility, was the perfect time for sleep. Yu Xiao was soundly asleep while Zhao Lan lay motionless, too scared to move, straining to hear any sounds coming from the nearby bed.

Footsteps stopped next to Yu Xiao’s bed, causing the pillow to sink. If the lights were on, Zhou Xiao Zhen would have been able to see the twisted and swollen hand resting on the bed.

However, it was dark, so they lay still, silently beseeching their deities and ancestors for protection. They fervently hoped that Yu Xiao would continue to sleep and that no harm would befall them.

“~Let me see who’s been naughty again…”

A harsh and unpleasant voice filled the quiet ward, ringing in Yu Xiao’s ear. Even the lightest sleeper would have been startled awake by such a voice.

…However, only Yu Xiao’s two roommates were aware that she was completely deaf at the moment, despite her average sleeping habits.

“~Patients who deceive nurses shall be devoured… hehehehe…”

Ten minutes slipped by, and the ward reverted to its former state of eerie stillness. Standing by the bedside, Shadow’s silhouette seemed hesitant. In all her years of experience, she had never encountered a patient who slumbered so deeply.

But that didn’t matter; she had other methods. The deformed and swollen hand reached out, slowly approaching the slender neck of the figure lying on the bed.

Yu Xiao began to sense a creeping unease in her slumber, as though a frigid breath lingered upon her neck. She instinctively pulled her neck in, gripping her blanket with an iron grip as she twisted onto her side. As she raised her head from the pillow, a peculiar disquiet settled upon her. Hastily, she reached for the pillow and adjusted her position, eventually succumbing to a profound slumber.

Unbeknownst to anyone, a small yellow piece of paper slipped out from beneath her pillow.

“~Ah… truly mischievous…”

The gnarled fingers inched closer, sending waves of despair coursing through Zhao Lan. What if Yu Xiao woke up and saw this horror? How could the three of them, already so gravely ill, possibly stand a chance against a vengeful ghost?

In a chilling moment, a black fingernail lightly grazed the yellowed paper, creating an eerie, almost imperceptible sound.

“?”

Like an activated talisman, the intricate cinnabar lines drawn on it burst into brilliant light, akin to flowing magma.

【The Thunder Striking Ghost Repelling Talisman】!!!

Taoist talismans were many and profound, offering numerous practical uses. This particular talisman, as its name suggests, was specifically created to ward off malevolent spirits using celestial thunder.

“Boom~!!!”

A dazzling lightning bolt exploded in the ward, casting a blinding light that turned the night into day. In its glow, Zhou Xiao Zhen and Zhao Lan’s pale and terror-stricken faces were revealed.

The deafening thunder reverberated through the room, its echoes lingering long after the lightning had dissipated.

Amidst the tumultuous noise, a chilling and unmistakable wail of ghostly anguish reached their ears.

*

*

Yu Xiao woke up feeling content, without any dreams or needing to get up in the middle of the night. She had slept soundly until dawn, when the light above flickered on and gradually brought her out of her peaceful slumber.

Lying in bed, Yu Xiao gazed at the ceiling lamp for a moment, feeling a bit dazed and unsure of what was going on. The events of the previous day seemed distant, like a faded memory. She let out a lazy yawn and prepared herself to greet her fellow patients.

When she turned her head, she was taken aback by what she saw. Zhou Xiao Zhen and Zhao Lan were sitting together, their hands wrapped around their legs and their chins resting on their knees. They looked tired, with fatigue evident on their faces and dark circles under their eyes. They stared at her with vacant expressions, as if lost in their own thoughts.

“What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me?” Yu Xiao asked, her confusion evident.

As she turned her head again, she noticed spots of red blood on the blanket she had used to cover herself. Looking closer, she saw three large characters written in what appeared to be blood, spelling out the words: “I hate you!”

Feeling both confused and angry, Yu Xiao threw off the blanket in frustration. “What is going on? I have always been kind to both of you. Why do you hate me?”

Zhou Xiao Zhen spoke up, her voice filled with emotion. “Smiley, can you hear us now?” she asked, her eyes pleading.

“Of course I can!” Yu Xiao replied, hands on her hips. “I told you my ears would be fine after a good night’s sleep. Did you do something wrong while I couldn’t hear?”

The two stared at her, their eyes filled with a mixture of emotions.

“Smiley,” Zhao Lan said, her heart torn between love and hate. “Do you not remember what happened last night?”

Yu Xiao furrowed her brow, lost in thought. After a moment of reflection, she realised that something had indeed happened, but she couldn’t recall what it was.

“That’s not important,” Zhou Xiao Zhen interrupted, getting up from the bed and walking towards Yu Xiao with a serious expression. “As your disciple, I promise to serve you and carry on your legacy!”

(The phrase “衣钵传承” (yi bo chuan cheng) means “to pass on the mantle”, referring to passing on one’s knowledge or skills to someone else.

Yu Xiao recoiled in disbelief, her eyes widening. “What are you doing? It’s too early for this!” she exclaimed, watching Zhou Xiao Zhen kneel down and take her hand. “You’re being absurd!”

Zhao Lan looked at her friend with a combination of worry and disapproval. “Zhou Xiao Zhen, this is not how a lady should behave.”

Zhou Xiao Zhen straightened up and cast her eyes downward.

Feeling ashamed of her lack of decorum, Zhou Xiao Zhen quickly composed herself. “You’re correct, Misty. I need to improve my manners and conduct myself with more refinement.”

Content with the younger girl’s reply, Zhao Lan placed her arm around Yu Xiao’s shoulder. “Smiley, what is your opinion of me? Do you consider me to be deserving of being your disciple?”

“……”

Yu Xiao took quite some time to fully comprehend the events of the previous night. As she listened intently, her mouth hung open in shock. She checked under her pillow, but found no sign of the talisman paper she had placed there; only a small pile of ashes remained.

“Good gracious!” Yu Xiao exclaimed, clutching her chest. “Am I really that incredible?”

To her surprise, her first attempt at drawing a talisman had actually worked!

“Last night’s scene was truly…” Zhou Xiao Zhen, who had missed several classes due to illness, struggled to find the right words. “It was as extraordinary as a calf soaring through the skies on a plane!”

Zhao Lan’s expression was difficult to interpret. She gently pushed Zhou Xiao Zhen, who was clinging to Yu Xiao, to the side and spoke solemnly. “Smiley, thank you. If it weren’t for you, we might have died last night.”

It was indeed true. If they had fallen asleep, they would have become prey. However, as per the female ghost’s duty, vigorously shaking individuals who couldn’t be awakened, unless one was in a coma, they would wake up even if they had slept deeply.

“This is not normal,” stated Yu Xiao. “If all patients were examined in this way, none of them would survive.”

“Yeah,” replied Zhao Lan, still visibly shaken. “If it weren’t for your talisman…”

“I cannot accept this,” declared Yu Xiao, clenching her fists.

Zhou Xiao Zhen was momentarily startled, then exclaimed in immense frustration, “Ah, what else can we do? They’re ghosts. How can we fight back?”

“Why not?” sneered Yu Xiao, wearing a smirk on her face, as she retrieved her talisman-drawing equipment from the drawer. As she began to draw, she asked, “Does anyone have tape? Double-sided tape would work best.”

Zhao Lan’s eyes lit up with excitement as she quickly remembered something. “I have it!”

With a lingering sense of animosity, Yu Xiao hurriedly drew several talismans. Zhao Lan provided the double-sided tape, and the three gathered around the door, trying to decide on the best spot to attach the talismans… to ward off the ghosts.

They initially planned to attach the paper to the door handle outside, but they were hesitant to open the door and extend their hand out. Eventually, they decided to slip it into the gap in the door. However, they worried that it was too obvious and the ghosts might not touch it.

Yu Xiao anxiously glanced at the clock and urged, “Let’s hurry. The hospital news will be released at 8 o’clock in the morning. We can’t afford to miss it.”

“What news?” Zhao Lan asked curiously.

“Is there still news from the hospital?” Zhou Xiao Zhen added.

Yu Xiao opened the forum for the Fourth Hospital and found the post.

【Compendium of the Experts I Encountered at the Hospital Morning News.】

“Grass, what’s going on here?” Zhou Xiao Zhen asked, her brows furrowing in surprise as she scrolled through her phone. “I see experts from the Fourth Hospital, as well as the Second and Fifth Hospitals in the Third Hospital… But why is there no one from the Sixth Hospital?” she wondered aloud, her voice tinged with curiosity.

“It’s likely that the Sixth Hospital is a recent addition…”

“~Ding Dong~!”

Their conversation was interrupted by a melodious chime that resonated from the ward.

A soft, soothing melody filled the air as the curtains gracefully unveiled the outside world. Yu Xiao could not resist the temptation and disregarded her doctor’s advice to avoid vigorous exercise. She dashed to the window with the speed and agility of a sprinter.

The view outside was truly breathtaking, with a vast sea of lush greenery, vibrant flowers, and elegant fish gracefully swimming in a pristine pond. In the distance, majestic mountains stood tall, creating an awe-inspiring panorama.

What an exquisite scene of pristine mountains, babbling water, chirping birds, and fragrant flowers!

“Who wants to see these eerie mountains and flowers? Wasn’t our hospital in the middle of the city?” Zhou Xiao Zhen’s eyes filled with tears as she grappled to understand their unfamiliar surroundings.

Zhao Lan felt a sense of foreboding, but what she saw shocked her. “Don’t lose hope. Even if the view remains the same, we can’t just jump out of the window. Remember, we’re on the thirteenth floor.”

The sweet melody was abruptly replaced by a young lady’s voice delivering the hospital’s morning news. “A new day begins now! Bringing you the latest updates from the hospital~,” she cheerfully announced.

“Yesterday, a patient known as ‘Brother Legend’ in Ward 15 of the Third Hospital inexplicably assaulted medical staff. The incident is now under investigation by the hospital’s medical dispute office.”

“…The Fourth Hospital’s points ranking has been updated, and ‘Zhuge Liang Burning the Pan Silk Road’ has taken first place. Congratulations to him on this achievement.”

“…Yesterday at four o’clock in the afternoon, the Sixth Hospital had officially opened. Thanks to the hard work of our medical staff and the cooperation of our patients, a total of ninety-seven patients have received successful treatment. We would like to congratulate all of them. Currently, the Sixth Hospital has available beds and is prepared to admit patients in need of pain relief.”

“Grass!” Zhou Xiao Zhen exclaimed. “Does death also count as a form of pain relief?”

Yu Xiao’s mouth twitched. “I suppose it does.”

“… Thanks to the tireless efforts of our medical staff and patients, the Sixth Hospital is now running smoothly and efficiently. The hospital’s points ranking system is now in effect, and the patient known as the ‘Deaf Descendant’ is currently in the lead. Let’s congratulate her.”

“Fantastic! That’s my sister!” Zhou Xiao Zhen exclaimed, patting Yu Xiao’s back excitedly. “You’re the first!”

“…The patient who displayed exemplary behaviour yesterday has been honoured with the prestigious title of ‘The Grudge of the Pretty Nurse.’ Congratulations to her once again.”

——— Translator’s Notes ———

“师父” (Shi Fu) means “master”, and refers to the person who teaches or mentors someone in a particular skill or discipline.

The phrase “衣钵传承” (yi bo chuan cheng) means “to pass on the mantle”, referring to passing on one’s knowledge or skills to someone else.

哥只是个传说 (Gē zhǐ shì gè chuánshuō) means “Brother Legend”

诸葛亮火烧盘丝洞 (Zhūgě Liàng huǒshāo Pánsīdòng) means “Zhuge Liang Burning the Pan Silk Road”. This name is a reference to the historical figure Zhuge Liang, who was a famous strategist and military leader in ancient China. The use of “burning the Pan Silk Road” refers to an event in which Zhuge Liang supposedly set fire to a section of the Pan Silk Road to prevent an enemy army from advancing.

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