A Forum for Patients of Fourth Hospital
Chapter 8: Dr. George, the attending physician

As Zhou Xiao Zhen hurried towards the door, Zhao Lan’s question interrupted her, “Wait a minute! Should we be opening the door so hastily? What if something bad happens?”

Zhao Lan’s concern wasn’t unfounded. After all, they had encountered fake/ghost food delivery men before, and it had left a deep impression on them. Zhou Xiao Zhen halted her steps, recognizing the validity of Zhao Lan’s worry.

Just as they both hesitated, Yu Xiao intervened, “Go ahead and open the door.”

Zhou Xiao Zhen was startled, saying, “Huh?”

“Trust me,” Yu Xiao insisted, even though she was about to offer an explanation.

“Click.”

Without any more delay, the door swung open, revealing a skeletal hand holding a package. “Sign here,” the delivery man gruffly demanded.

Zhou Xiao Zhen obediently complied, eagerly accepting her anticipated mahjong set, exclaiming, “Hahaha, my secret weapon has arrived!”

As Zhou Xiao Zhen excitedly unpacked her new set, Yu Xiao looked at her with a mixture of emotions, “Are you certain you should have opened the door?”

Zhou Xiao Zhen didn’t grasp Yu Xiao’s hesitation, “Why not? You said it was fine.”

Yu Xiao sighed, “You place too much trust in me, my dear. You didn’t even take my reasoning into account.”

Seeing the complicated expression on Yu Xiao’s face, Zhou Xiao Zhen inquired, “Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing,” Yu Xiao shook her head and changed the subject, “Shall we have breakfast now?”

Zhou Xiao Zhen agreed, “I’m famished.” She asked, “Are we going to use the same method as yesterday to verify the delivery man?”

Yu Xiao smiled, “No need for that today. It won’t be as complicated.”

The trolley screeched loudly as it made its way down the aisle. The delivery man, salivating at the thought of another delicious meal, had been left unsatisfied by the previous patient who had only filled him seventy percent.

The tantalising aroma of fresh meat filled his nostrils as he approached a nearby ward. Trying to sound casual, he asked, “Hello, would you like some food?”

“Hello, could I have some rice?” came a young woman’s voice from within the ward.

The delivery man couldn’t help but indulge in thoughts of savouring the succulent meat of a young individual, and the prospect of an entire ward only fueled his excitement further. “May I ask what rice dish you would like?” he inquired.

“It matters not what dish you bring,” the young woman replied. “However, we do have a mahjong set, and we are lacking one player. Would you be interested in joining us?”

“…”

The sound of the cart resumed down the aisle. The offer to play mahjong irritated the delivery man and he quickly refused.

Fortune appeared to favour them as the next person they encountered was the actual delivery man.

As the three of them sat down to have breakfast, Zhao Lan inquired, “Precious, how much time do you have left?”

Zhou Xiao Zhen responded, “I only have three months left.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Lan was overcome with a profound sense of sadness as she reflected on her prognosis of a mere twenty-one days. “I looked at the mall yesterday,” she began, her voice tinged with melancholy. “I noticed that with just one point, one can buy ten days of time. Unfortunately, I only have three points, so even if I use all of them to purchase time, I will only have one more month to live.”

Yu Xiao pondered for a moment before offering, “I have ten points. I can share five of them with you.”

Zhao Lan shook her head, declining the generous offer. “Absolutely not. You have just as little time left as I do, and ten points are not worth risking your own life. You still need to undergo treatment in order to have a chance at survival.”

Every treatment awarded points, but according to Yu Xiao’s research on the Four Hospitals forum, those treatments were dangerous, and only a handful of patients managed to survive. Sometimes, even surviving a single treatment seemed like a miracle. However, without treatment, they would be left to witness the passage of time until their demise.

“Are you certain, Misty?” Yu Xiao inquired, her face reflecting her worry.

Zhao Lan remained resolute, saying, “Without a doubt.”

“Very well,” Yu Xiao consented, “I will accompany you.”

Zhou Xiao Zhen, with rice grains still clinging to her mouth, chimed in, “Then count me in as well. It’s like a cliché from a horror movie – if people get separated, something bad will happen. Plus, it would be so lonely for me if you all go for treatment and leave me behind.”

Zhou Xiao Zhen continued, as if fearing their rejection, “And I require four people to play mahjong. Without all of you here, I’ll have no one to intimidate the delivery guy with a game of mahjong, and I’ll end up starving.”

“…”

Yu Xiao and Zhao Lan were both convinced.

“Alright,” Yu Xiao said. “Let’s register for the next session. I’ll have time to draw more talismans.”

Throughout the afternoon, Yu Xiao diligently crafted charms while Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen gathered around and used Yu Xiao’s phone to browse the Four Hospitals forum.

The experience posts written by veteran users of the Four Hospitals proved to be extremely valuable, as they provided detailed accounts of treatments they had personally undergone, as well as the attending doctors who acted as guiding NPCs. Each account stated that the attending doctors couldn’t actively harm the patients, but they couldn’t provide any significant assistance either.

Some healing instances were reusable, which made it possible to access one of the instances mentioned in the posts. Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen enthusiastically dedicated themselves to memorising all the information on the instances they came across, eager to prepare for the session.

After dinner, the trio anxiously gathered, with the option to join tomorrow’s session shining on the profile page of the forum.

The three clasped hands, and Zhao Lan declared, “Together!”

The trio tapped the confirmation button simultaneously.

A small skeleton appeared on the screen, joyfully revealing its teeth and blowing a kiss. 【Thank you for your positive cooperation, chirp~.】

After completing the registration, the three let out a sigh of relief. Yu Xiao grinned and said, “Let’s get a good night’s sleep and prepare for tomorrow. I read on the Four Hospitals forum that the healing instances can be quite dangerous, so we need to stay alert.”

“Mmm!” The three of them climbed into their beds.

Suddenly, Zhao Lan slapped her thigh and exclaimed, “Oh no!”

Yu Xiao and Zhou Xiao Zhen turned to look at her, asking, “What’s the matter?”

“We still have a few charms left! How can we possibly sleep peacefully without placing them around the room?” Zhao Lan exclaimed, quickly putting on her shoes and retrieving double-sided tape from the drawer.

Yu Xiao exclaimed, “I forgot too!” She swiftly rose from bed.

They assembled near the door.

Zhao Lan stated with confidence, “I have already determined the perfect spot for the charm.”

“Where?”

“On the floor,” Zhao Lan answered, indicating the ground by the door. “If the ghosts intend to enter and harm us, they will have to cross it.”

Zhou Xiao Zhen appeared perplexed. “But don’t ghosts float?”

“…”

The group lapsed into a momentary silence before Zhou Xiao Zhen broke the silence once more. “Did I say something wrong?”

“Well …” Yu Xiao chuckled. “While it is true that ghosts typically float, the fact that we heard the footsteps of the inspecting ghost last night implies that some ghosts do walk.”

Zhou Xiao Zhen nodded, comprehending. “I see now!”

Thanks to the talismans on the door and floor, the trio slept peacefully that night. Yu Xiao even had a delightful dream, although she couldn’t quite recall the specifics upon awakening. However, she did notice a wet spot on her pillow where she had drooled in her sleep.

The next day, Zhao Lan’s alarm clock blared a cheerful and festive tune, announcing that it was time to wake up.

“Good luck ~ that good luck ~ good luck ……”

“Good morning, comrades,” she greeted her sleepy friends as she switched off the alarm. “It’s seven-thirty, time to start the day.”

Yu Xiao and Zhou Xiao Zhen groggily got out of bed. They headed to the bathroom to freshen up their pale, lifeless faces. When they emerged, they found Zhao Lan wearing her sportswear and deep in thought, squatting by the door.

Inquisitive Zhou Xiao Zhen probed, “Misty, what’s on your mind?”

“I’m inspecting the talisman we hung up last night,” Zhao Lan replied, visibly frightened. “It was gone this morning, and I suspect a ghost paid us a visit.”

Zhou Xiao Zhen countered, “Despite the explosion, it is surprising that the ghost still had the audacity to come back.”

But Yu Xiao had a different perspective, “Who said there was only one ghost during the night shift?”

Zhao Lan then revealed that she had thoroughly searched the Four Hospitals forum and stumbled upon a post that provided instructions on reporting any medical staff who had mistreated patients. Moreover, she had come across a doctor-patient dispute office within this very hospital, similar to those found in other hospitals.

Yu Xiao was taken aback and exclaimed, “Doesn’t that creepy nurse who checked us count as an offender?”

Zhou Xiao Zhen hesitated for a moment and replied, “But that ghost has already been struck by lightning twice. Should we still proceed with filing a report?”

…

“Dingdong~”

At eight o’clock sharp, the curtains of the ward gracefully parted, unveiling the breathtaking vista of the majestic mountains and the melodious chirping of the birds outside. Accompanied by the dulcet tones of a soothing melody, a soothing female voice resonated, proclaiming, “It is a splendid day, and our dedicated medical staff eagerly anticipates the arrival of our esteemed patients.”

However, in an abrupt turn of events, Yu Xiao’s sight suddenly plunged into darkness, only to regain clarity and reveal her presence in an unfamiliar corridor.

This hallway bore no resemblance to the familiar corridors of People’s Hospital. It was adorned with aged, yellowed walls and dim lighting, which made the paintings on the walls almost indistinguishable.

Despite the hazy details, Yu Xiao managed to catch a glimpse of a painting portraying a building bearing the inscription “St. Elizabeth’s Psychiatric Hospital.”

Yu Xiao turned her head to find Zhou Xiao Zhen and Zhao Lan standing beside her, equally puzzled.

“Good afternoon,” a voice unfamiliar to them interrupted their bewilderment.

Beside them, Yu Xiao noticed a man who appeared to be a doctor. He was in his thirties, with a slim and straight posture, wearing a clean white coat and neatly combed hair. His deep eyes, fixed on the trio, had a light smile. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses sat on the bridge of his high nose. His lips, neither thick nor thin, had a faint, pale hue.

“Good afternoon, ladies.” His captivating voice, deep and gentle, added to his charm. “I am your attending physician. You may call me Dr. George.”

Turning around, he led them towards the right. “The treatment for this afternoon is about to begin. Follow my lead and make sure you don’t fall behind.”

The three women exchanged glances and silently followed him.

George guided them through a series of turns until they reached what seemed to be a teahouse. It was a spacious place with no tables. In the centre, a circle of about a dozen chairs had already been occupied by several people, leaving only three seats available.

(The Old Teahouse in Pengzhen Town, Chengdu)