A Forum for Patients of Fourth Hospital

Chapter 108: Idol Drama

“Heh.” Yu Xiao kept her face neutral. “Hi.”

The woman didn’t let go of her hand, but squeezed it tighter, her eyes shining with admiration. Or was it greed? “I’m Wang Chun (王纯: “a pure king” or “a simple monarch”), but you can call me ‘My Husband is Di Jia’. That’s my nickname.” She leaned closer to Yu Xiao, as if sharing a secret. “Dragon sister, you’re my idol. You have no idea how much everyone at the Fourth Hospital looks up to you.”

“…Really?” Yu Xiao knew exactly how they looked at her, but she pretended to be clueless.

Wang Chun nodded eagerly, still holding onto Yu Xiao’s hand like a lifeline. It took another girl to pry her off, dragging her away by the arm. Wang Chun let out a whimper as she released Yu Xiao’s hand.

The other girl smiled apologetically at Yu Xiao, then offered her hand. “I’m Liu Si Si (柳思思: “a thoughtful willow” or “a pensive sallow”), but on forum I go by ‘Eternal God of Hemp’. I share a ward with that gal who just left, and I’m also a big fan of yours.”

Yu Xiao took her hand briefly, then pulled it back. She didn’t like all this physical contact. It felt like they were trying to leech off her energy.

Liu Si Si didn’t seem to mind. She clapped her hands over her mouth and bounced on her toes, squealing, “Oh my god, Dragon sister, you’re so awesome, so badass!”

Yu Xiao: “…”

The only one who hadn’t greeted her yet was a man in his thirties, with a plain face and a bland expression. He didn’t look too excited or too indifferent. He just looked bored. After watching the two girls fawn over Yu Xiao, he decided he should at least be polite, so he walked over and held out his hand.

“Xie Ping (谢平: “a thankful level” or “a grateful peace”), from Third Hospital. Nickname Sky City,” he said in a polite tone. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Yu Xiao said, shaking his hand briefly. Then she couldn’t help but ask, “So, why do you guys from Third Hospital need us from Fourth Hospital to guide you through a mission?”

“…”

Xie Ping’s face froze, then turned a bright shade of red. He looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole and die, or punch Yu Xiao in the face, or both. He stammered for a few seconds, then managed to spit out, “Well, don’t you guys from Fourth Hospital need them from Sixth Hospital to guide you?”

Lu Xu stepped in, laughing nervously. He wrapped his arm around Xie Ping’s shoulder and pulled him away. “Hey, hey, no need to get defensive. We’re all friends here, right? We’ll have plenty of time to chat later. By the way, where’s the doctor? Shouldn’t he be here by now?”

Wang Chun, who had been hovering nearby, seized the opportunity to pester Yu Xiao. “Dragon Sis, Dragon Sis!” she said, rubbing her hands together. “You have talismans, right? Lu Xu said you have talismans. Can I buy some?”

Yu Xiao shot Lu Xu a dirty look, then sighed. She reached into her backpack and pulled out a few talismans. “How many do you want?”

“All of them!” Wang Chun said, her eyes shining.

Yu Xiao paused, then smirked. She lowered her voice and said, “Are you sure you have enough money?”

She put her backpack on the ground, unzipped it, and opened it wide. Wang Chun gasped as she saw the rows of talismans inside.

Wang Chun, Liu Si Si, and Xie Ping stared in awe. Was this woman secretly a millionaire? How did she get so many talismans?

Wang Chun wanted to buy them all, of course. She knew she could make a killing by selling them at the Fourth Hospital. But she and Liu Si Si didn’t have enough points to afford them all. So she bit her lip and settled for a few.

“Dragon Sis, Dragon Sis.” She tucked the talismans into her pocket and looked at Yu Xiao with puppy eyes. “Can I have your number?”

Yu Xiao shook her head. “Nope. That’s extra.”

Luo Jin, who had been standing in the background like a prop, suddenly spoke up. “He’s here.”

Everyone stopped and listened. They heard footsteps coming closer. They turned to the door and saw an old man in a white coat and white hair walk in. “Hello, hello! You’re all here!”

Yu Xiao blinked. This was the doctor for this mission?

She had done a lot of missions before, and she was used to seeing hot guys and gorgeous girls as doctors. But this old man was a different story. He had dark skin, wrinkled face, and a worried look. He looked less like a doctor and more like a farmer who had ploughed the fields his whole life.

“Hello, hello.” He waved his hands with a forced smile. “I’m your doctor, Mr. Wang.”

“???”

The patients were all confused. Mr. Wang? Wasn’t he the ghost who got fired from the morgue for taking bribes? How did he end up as a doctor here?

Mr. Wang went around shaking hands with everyone, then he let out a heavy sigh and said, “You know, you guys were all cured and ready to go home, but…”

Lu Xu, always a nosy parker, was a perfect straight man. He shook Mr. Wang’s hand and asked eagerly, “But what?”

“But the hospital has been taken over,” Mr. Wang said angrily, pointing in a direction. “There’s a dying patient who, out of spite for this world, made a deal with the devil to blow up the whole hospital before he kicks the bucket, so that everyone would go down with him.”

“Jesus Christ, that’s nuts,” Lu Xu gasped. “You didn’t come here just to tell us this, did you? Is there a way out?”

“Yes, there is, and it’s up to you guys,” Mr. Wang said. “I begged that patient for a long time, and he finally gave us a chance. A chance that only you young and brave souls can take!”

“Yes, we can grab it,” Yu Xiao said, patting Mr. Wang on the shoulder. “Mr. Wang, cut the crap, and take us there.”

Mr. Wang led the eight of them through the maze of the hospital until they reached a ward at the end of a hall. He pushed the door open, and a strange smell hit Yu Xiao’s nose. It was like a mix of disinfectant, sweat, and something else she couldn’t identify. Something rotten.

She wrinkled her nose and followed Mr. Wang inside. The ward had a balcony, and a wheelchair was parked there, facing the outside. A man sat in it, his back to them. He had a fringe of hair around his bald head, and black ink on his neck. Tattoos, maybe, but Yu Xiao couldn’t see them clearly. He also wore a red string around his neck, with something dangling from it. A charm, perhaps.

Mr. Wang walked up to the man and said, “Movie Director Liao (廖), I’ve brought them. The ones you wanted. Are they good enough?”

The wheelchair creaked as the man turned to face them. Yu Xiao caught a flash of his face and wished she hadn’t. He was greasy and flabby, with a fringe of hair around his bald head. He wore a Buddha around his neck, a cross on his wrist, and a rosary on his fingers. He also had something tied to his ankle, but Yu Xiao couldn’t make it out.

His eyes were the worst part. They appeared dull and cloudy, resembling a pair of dirty windows.

With a lifeless gaze, he scanned the surroundings, as if

“D for me,” Zhao Lan chimed in.

Liu Si Si rolled her eyes as she showed her note. “E. Seriously? They couldn’t come up with something more creative? This is supposed to be a comedy horror, not a kindergarten alphabet lesson.”

Xie Ping sighed and held up his paper. “C. I don’t mind the name, but I have no idea how to act. How am I supposed to survive this?”

Yu Xiao waved her hand dismissively. “Acting schmacting. Who cares about that? We’re all sick patients here, not Hollywood stars. If this thing depends on our acting skills, then we’re all doomed. Well, maybe not all. I’d say ten percent of us have a chance.”

Zhao Lan nodded sagely. “Smiley has a point. Maybe the real challenge is not acting, but figuring out what the directing team wants from us.”

Yu Xiao perked up. “Hey, that’s a good idea. Why don’t we ask Mr. Wang for some tips?” She turned to Mr. Wang, who was standing near the elevator. “Yo, Mr. Wang, any advice for us poor souls?”

Mr. Wang shot Yu Xiao with a look of pure loathing. “Advice? Oh, I have plenty of advice for you. Stay the hell away from the upper floors. Each one is worse than the last, up to the seventh. There are horrors beyond your wildest nightmares waiting for you there. If you value your life, you’ll stay right here where it’s safe.”

He pressed the elevator button and stepped inside, leaving the others in stunned silence.

Liu Si Si gazed at Yu Xiao with stars in her eyes. “Dragon Sis, you’re so amazing. What’s our next move? I’ll do whatever you say.”

Yu Xiao scratched her head. “Um…”

“Come on, don’t be modest. Everyone knows you have the most awesome techniques in this place.” Liu Si Si nudged her. “Show me what you can do.”

Yu Xiao gave a weak smile. “Actually, my techniques are nothing special. They’re just making stuff up about me.”

Zhao Lan bit her lip. “Do we have to stay here forever?” She glanced around nervously. “I’m worried about Precious. What if something happens to her?”

“… Hey, are you listening?” Zhou Xiao Zhen’s voice interrupted Zhao Lan’s thoughts. She sounded cheerful and excited. “Let’s have some fun here, shall we? How about we play an idol drama? The title is ‘Why Do I Have to Make a Choice,’ and this is Scene One!”

— Welcome to Braised Egg High School, the best high school in the world. Here, you will meet two very dazzling twin stars. They are Poor Boy A and Rich Boy B. They come from different worlds, but they are best friends. Every morning, they walk to school together…”

Yu Xiao frowned as she heard the broadcast. What was this nonsense? She tried to ignore it, but then she felt a strange force pulling her.

“… Everyone in the school admires A’s handsome and melancholic face…”

Yu Xiao gasped as she found herself walking next to Luo Jin, who looked as confused as she did. Their movements were stiff and unnatural. Suddenly, Luo Jin lifted his hand and flicked his bangs, making a sad expression.

“… Everyone in the school adores B’s handsome and flamboyant demeanour…”

While walking, Yu Xiao abruptly stopped, raising her hands in a shooting position, as if making a basketball shot…

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