Lin Yan said this, and then subconsciously glanced back before turning to continue her story.
"Later, I arrived at the entrance of the insurance company and met this male doctor, who gave me your business card…"
Gao Heyann looked at Dai Lin and asked, "Have you two met before?"
"Yes," Dai Lin said, "I gave her your business card."
A look of surprise appeared on Gao Heyann's face, then he told Lin Yan, "Miss Lin, first of all, let me make it clear to you, just throw away that so-called peace charm. Choosing our hospital was the best decision."
"Then, Doctor? Can you prescribe me some medicine? Traditional Chinese medicine? Western medicine?"
"No medicine that can cure supernatural phenomena exists."
"Ah? But I heard from a patient outside that you do prescribe medication…"
"What he said… it's not prescription drugs, but rather cursed objects. Of course, we have both internal and external types. However, twenty years... I'm not sure if it is still a Resentful Spirit, I can't diagnose just by hearing your description. Let's do a preliminary check-up for now."
Immediately after, Gao Heyann picked up a stethoscope and pressed the diaphragm against Lin Yan's chest.
With the stethoscope on, Gao Heyann first looked puzzled, then surprised, followed by an expression of grave seriousness.
Dai Lin, having sat through a whole day of outpatient clinics with Gao Heyann, was already used to such oddities.
After a long while, Gao Heyann put down the stethoscope to the side.
"How is it? Doctor? Do I need to undergo further testing?"
"The Spectral Examination Department is off duty now. Come back tomorrow, you need to get checked there. Given your urgent situation, I will process your admission procedures right away."
"I have to be hospitalized now? So, am I safe here? That female ghost, she won't be able to find me, right?"
"I'm sorry, but the hospital doesn't have the ability to isolate ghosts," Dai Lin said helplessly to her: "However, during your hospitalization, we will ensure your safety to the greatest extent possible."
Gao Heyann continued, "Based on the detailed examination tomorrow, we'll decide whether to operate on you."
"Surgery?"
"Don't worry too much for now... Although we need to excise the curse, a post-surgery curse pathology test is necessary for diagnosis."
"Excise a curse? Curse pathology test?" Lin Yan felt bewildered hearing these terms.
Dai Lin added an explanation, "Similar to a regular hospital's pathology test, this is the gold standard of diagnosis at Hospital 444."
Gao Heyann continued to elaborate, "Exactly. We need to use a special surgical scalpel from the hospital to open your soul and completely remove the curse attached by the ghost, then carry out a curse pathology test. Not every ghost can kill people in large numbers like in horror films. To kill someone, a curse needs to be cast, much like a virus gradually destroying the immune system. To identify the kind of ghost that cursed you, the curse must be removed and sent to the Curse Objects Center for testing to arrive at a final diagnosis. The issue with your situation is that the ghost had already killed someone twenty years ago, so it was already at least a Resentful Spirit. With such a long time, I can't guarantee that it hasn't turned into a more malevolent spirit. If that's the case, you'll need to go to the Ghost Surgery Department and have them perform the operation."
Lin Yan quickly asked, "Open the soul? And... how can a curse be removed? Does it have a physical form? And if it's a malevolent spirit... is it very troublesome?"
Gao Heyann explained, "We have ways to see and touch the curse. However, we can only remove it, not eliminate it completely; only the Curse Objects Center has the power to seal it. As for malevolent spirits... Don't worry too much before the diagnosis is confirmed. As your doctor, it's my duty to inform you of the worst-case scenario."
"Why does that ghost... want to curse us?"
"Being cursed is often just like falling ill—there's usually no rhyme or reason to it. You don't need to try to find out why; you can be certain that neither you nor your parents have done anything wrong. Try to keep a level head until we have the results back tomorrow. From what I heard with the stethoscope just now, it doesn't seem like it's a Resentful Spirit. Of course, I cannot guarantee that."
At this point, Lin Yan asked a question she cared deeply about, "Doctor, do you have magic and superpowers?"
Gao Heyann answered without hesitation, "Many patients ask this question. All I can say is... we were ordinary people too. Only through Curse Objects can we contend with curses. We cannot eliminate curses nor can we kill ghosts. But rest assured, we have the ability to cure patients."
Lin Yan continued to press, "Is anesthesia required for surgery? What's the difference from a regular surgical operation?"
"Anesthesia is definitely required, but our anesthesiology department doesn't use ordinary anesthetic agents. As for the surgery... if you agree to have the operation, we will provide you with a detailed consent form explaining the procedure and any associated risks."
"Alright then, go ahead and arrange for my hospital admission. But, how much will the hospitalization cost?"
"A regular ward deducts 90 Spiritual Therapy Points per day, while the Intensive Care Unit deducts 300 points per day. Although the hospital can't isolate ghosts, being hospitalized ensures your safety to the greatest extent. I cannot ascertain whether or not you've been cursed by a Resentful Spirit right now; staying in the ICU would be safer."
"300 Spiritual Therapy Points per day... So, that means I'll definitely need to stay in the hospital before and after the surgery, right?"
"Of course, we can't kill the ghosts; we can only remove the curses. How long you need to stay cannot be guaranteed."
While a deduction of 300 Spiritual Therapy Points per day may not seem like much, patients have no idea about the value of these points, and inevitably feel insecure, not knowing what they might randomly lose in the future.
"Can a regular ward protect me?"
"Based on my experience, ensuring your safety is not difficult."
"Then, let's just go with the regular ward!"
"Okay, I'll arrange for your emergency admission."
...
At the nurse's station.
The tall nurse noticed Gao Heyann, Dai Lin, and Lin Yan approaching.
"Dr. Gao, are you off duty now?" the tall nurse asked.
Gao Heyann nodded and said, "I need to take this patient to the admission department to complete the admission procedures."
"An emergency admission patient?"
"Yes. There are no more patients coming in, so you can all go off duty."
Following this, she and Dai Lin escorted Lin Yan towards the elevator.
Watching the two leave, another nurse with a round face came over and said, "So, Sister Zheng, are we off duty now? Huh? Why do you keep staring at Dr. Gao?"
Nurse Zheng, watching Dr. Gao Menghua and the others enter the elevator and the doors slowly close, said, "I used to work in the emergency department, so I was quite close to her sister, Dr. Gao Menghua."
"Dr. Gao Menghua, she was about to marry the Vice President back then, but in the end... That's why the Vice President still takes such good care of Dr. Gao Heyann."
"Dr. Gao Menghua is still in a coma and has been hospitalized all this time. Most doctors say it's almost impossible for Dr. Gao Menghua to wake up..."