Wang Churan does not have the mood to humour his injured best friend further. It so uncanny think Wang Churan. That in front of him is definitely Jiayi but at the same time he feels this friend act a little bit different than usual.
Cheng Jiayi not necessarily a gloomy person but he absolutely not that exuberant either. Well, Jiayi has not always been that silent and quiet person. He used to be a bubbly and cheerful little boy. The kind that neighbouring aunt would love to pinch their little red cheeks. But he changed after his parents died when he was 10. Despite grandpa Cheng effort to ease his grandson sadness, everything just come crashing down since.
Wang Churan did not have the precise details of what truly happened back then. He just get the snippet of it from his parents. He just a 10 year old boy that time. But what he can affirmed, Cheng Jiayi life change drastically overnight.
He lost his kind and doting father as well as his beautiful and caring mother. He even lost his baby brother all at once. It was a traumatic event that even Wang Churan could not help feeling despondent, Jiayi must felt hundredfold worse than him.
Nonetheless, this Jiayi is much better than how he had been in the past three months. Grandpa Cheng death had hit him harder. Perhaps there is a silver lining in Jiayi getting injured.
"Whatever Jiayi, you can think of schoolmate Yang like how you want. Hey, visiting hour almost end and I should go now, but tonight my mom and I would come. I'll bring the phone I promise you."
"Thank you Churan. Would it not bother your mother ? About your phone let me pay for it, I cannot take it just like that."
"Woah, my mom will hit me, and you if she hear it, nahh, its nothing and you know my mom. I think if you are girl she would be delightful to make you her daughter in law," Wang Churan remarks with a snickers. This has been an inside joke in their family since they were little child.
Jiayi forget everything nice that he thought about Wang Churan as soon as listen to that remarks. Based on the original owner memory, Cheng Jiayi mother once dress him up with cute little girl clothes and Wang Churan mother that coincidentally came to their house seen and even commemorate it with a photo that even until today Cheng Jiayi has not managed to destroy.
Wang Churan has continuously used this part of their childhood as a teasing materials. Luckily he has enough tact not to spread it around. Though in Mrs. Wang defence, Jiayi look absolutely adorable in that princess dress.
"Well you can dream of it baby ChuChu. The glory of being my spouse belong only to the finest specimen of mankind, nothing less for handsome me," Jiayi boasts with a haughty demeanour he can pull with his injured self. If he ever has a list of checks box for an example of finest specimen, that second young master Yang will easily fill it, he thought absentmindedly.
Wang Churan almost stumbled when he listens to Cheng Jiayi reply. His eyes widens and his mouths make an O shape as he interject, "Jiayi did you get possessed or what ? Oh my god, maybe we shall call eminent priest or monk to exorcist you !"
Though he sounds sincere but the snicker at the end of it indicates Wang Churan is playfully jesting with him. Jiayi pretending want to throw his pillow toward him, but Wang Churan already speak his goodbye and left the hospital ward with laughter.
"Hmm do you think you can outwit me, the best sales associate of Le Luxe B city branch,you still a little kid, boy. I have met plenty of fox, hyena, tiger, cougar, and other dangerous species of human. Kid teasing, hmmph !" One day he will surely get that piece of embarrassing evidence.
Seriously Jiayi does need to tone down his attitude a bit. He surely and definitely act out of character. But Cheng Jiayi could not help it. This body he transmigrate, despite all the tragedies he had face, have friend and elders that steadfastly stand by his side. He still a luckier boy compared to his own.
He, Cheng Jiayi, in his 28 years old life, beside his TomTom, never has any closest companion. Don't mention of his useless parents. They practically abandon him after finalised their divorced. He was the unwanted child of their past marriage and a symbol of a failure. Due to the nature of his upbringing, Jiayi had a troubled teenage life.
As soon as he graduated from high school, he opted to start working instead of continuing his education. It is only after years of perseverance and tenacity; he flourish in luxury item retailer service.
Thinking and pondering about the matter of his life previously and as well as his current situation is tiring him out. Jiayi lay quietly on his bed while massaging his left arm and while doing this, he suddenly remember of the slight bump of his skin. Ya he had forgotten about this.
"Ermm," Jiayi try his best to take a look of the welt appear on the skin and wondering maybe its just an abrasion or injury he also get during the incidents. But the welts does remind him of injections trace or something that cause by insects' bites. But as he could not really look properly at it, he cannot really determine if its an injury or maybe just a mosquito bites. Whose know anyway it is summer currently and insects literally fly all over the place in hot and humid climate.
Anyway, as it is currently summer and even though this room equipped with A/C system, why he suddenly feel that temperature is a little bit colder. Is it only his imagination but he does feel like he was surrounding by chilly breeze, and he feel shivers all over his body.
"Uh is that A/C temperature too low," Jiayi murmur in a daze while pulling his blankets up to cover his entire body, only leaving his bandage head. It does not take him long before he start dozing off and falling fast asleep.
...….................................
Outside the hospital, a woman in nurse attire walk a little bit faster toward the building entrance. Today heat feel terrible than yesterday and she want nothing else but to cool off once arrived at her workplace.
The Tonghua hospital is known among the citizen of City C as a good private hospital and equipped with modern equipment and amenities. Thus, despite the summer heat, the temperature inside the hospital is relatively mild and refreshing.
"Sister Chia wow you are early today," the young nurse at the front counter greet her amicably. "It so hot today, that is why I come early. My house air conditioner broken, and I cannot tolerate it," the nurse called sister Chia reply.
"No wonder hih sister do you know who I seen today," the sudden shift of expressions on the face of young nurse catch sister Chia attention. "Who ? An actor or actress ? Is that young starlet last time ?" in sister Chia mind only such visitor would excite this young nurse.
"No, no. Rongrong that working with Doctor Shen said the children of Yang family came visit the patient at that premium private room."
"Oh that high school student with head injury, so what is so interesting about it ? I heard that student save Yang family youngest child so it would be appropriate for them to came and visited him. Anyway that student already awake ?"
"Yes he is. That boy is lucky that his head injury is only physical trauma, I heard when he first arrived at hospital, he might not make it with the bleeding and possible cranial ruptured. Yet, its a miracle that he awake less than 24 hours after the surgery," Sister Chia nodded her head as a mean to show her agreement to this statement.
"He indeed lucky, such a head trauma, if not causing fatality would usually end up with other adverse effects. Anyway what make you so excited about this."
The young nurse smile secretively toward sister Chia. "I had seen that Yang family son. He is so handsome, more handsome than any actor living right now," hearing it the older nurse only shaking her head. She thought there is something spicier. Turn out this young nurse only gossiping about some rich family scion.
"He might be handsome but what it had to do with you ? Enough, enough, go do your report or else the matron will scold you again," she remarks while looking at the form half finished on the counter. The young nurse wilted a bit with sister Chia reproach but she only nodding her head. Sister Chia shaking her head before heading toward the nurse station that situated at the administrative department at third floor. However as soon as she reach the stairwell, she fell something cold passed by her side. Sister Chia look around cautiously before reaching for the bracelet she wear. Its a charm bracelet that she obtained from her last visit to the temple at her hometown. She might grow up in socialist community, however she had had her own share of supernatural phenomena since working in this hospital. Thus, she had long lost her scepticism about mystical occurrence.
Sister Chia continue her ascend to the third floor but higher she climbed the stair, much colder the temperature become. Does the A/C system malfunction ? Sister Chia wonder while stroking her arm.
When she arrived at nurse station, it was met with a group of young nurse, murmur excitedly with one another. Nonetheless, the temperature in here is as normal as it always been.
"Sister Chia you come early today," one of the nurse notice sister Chia present and greet her with a smile.
"Ya. Its hot at home so I come early to cool off, hih why all of you so excited. Anything good happens ?" the young nurse now all look at her with the excitement to share some good gossip.
"Anyway, does the A/C at the stairwell broken ? It's quite cold over there," the statement receive with resounding no from almost all of the available nurse in the station.
"Actually, I also wonder about this. I used the stairwell from 4th floor and it's quite cold," one of the nurse that also just enter the room speak her mind.
"Ah when you said this, I remember, Rongrong, patient in 1st premium room at the 4th floor is Doctor Shen patient isn't it ?" she asked the young nurse that previously surrounded by other. The nurse call Rongrong immediately nodding her head.
"Oh, I don't know why but when I passed his room, the temperature is so cold so I knock the door and look inside, wondering if he might need help to reduce the A/C but he seems fast asleep, and his vital sign monitor does not show any abnormal reading. The thing is when I get in the temperature is normal, so does the A/C. I don't know if its only me or its just my intuition, but Rongrong there is something wrong in that patient room."
Hearing this all the nurses look one another. "Isn't that the room of Mr Song that died about 3 months ago," one of the young nurses interject. "Oh, that scary old man, I heard from the nurses work night time shift, they sometimes can see him walking the 4th floor corridor."
Like a floodgate open, everyone start narrating their own supernatural experience or hearsay. Sister Chia just shaking her head listening to this young nurses meanwhile Rongrong excuse herself immediately to check on her patients. That is patient in premium private room, if anything happened to him while under her observation, there would be hundred of reports that she might need to prepare, or worse she might lose her job.
Unlike other, young Rongrong is a staunch socialist and did not believe with the existence of ghost or other paranormal entities. In today's world, everything can be explained through scientific exploration and understanding.
Thus, she climb the stair to the fourth floor and walk toward the room situated at the middle part of the 4th floor corridor. She is surprised when she see an old man walking using a cane walk opposite of her. As she get closer she can hear the old man murmur quietly with a clear tension in his voice.
"Why I cannot get closer, there is something protecting him. I really want to get closer to him. His soul smell delicious." Rongrong did not sure if she heard it wrong or not, but the old man has a gloomy air around him. When they passed one another, Rongrong swear she can feel a bursts of cool wind and such unpleasant odor. She pause a bit and take a look at the old man whom walk toward the elevator and entering it. She frown and wonder, who is that old man perhaps. Is he visiting anyone here or perhaps a patient himself but there is only a few patients on this floor.
She walk toward the nurse counter situated at the entrance of the corridor. A young male nurse is now working his shift and keep himself busy by observing the patient monitor and filling out report.
"Brother Zheng, hi," Rongrong greet him with a smile. "Oh, Rongrong hi, ehh is it already patient round," the young nurse look up at her then glance the watch on the wall.
"Eh nothing, I just want to take a look at the inpatient at the 1st room. Chen Jiu mention that the room A/C might be broken," she reply. Hearing it, the nurse name Zheng Yu only smile slightly.
"Nothing happen. Chen Jiu had mentioned this to me as well, but the A/C is not broken, everything is normal at there," he remarks. Rongrong sigh with relief hearing this.
"Oh ya brother Zheng who is that old man walk by before, I don't remember any patient in this floor with his features."
"Old man ?" Zheng Yu is a bit taken with her question. "But Rongrong no one walk in this corridor since visiting hour ended aside hospital staff and I am sure not seen any old man walk before you come here."
Rongrong look at Zheng Yu and wonder if he is only joking with her. "Brother Zheng it's not funny ok, I seen him walk past this counter when I arrived."
"No Rongrong no one passed by the counter until you come, the last person I see is cleaning aunt half an hour ago. The patients at 2nd premium room complained of bad smell in her room," Zheng Yu explained to her patiently. Rongrong could not believe Zheng Yu explanation because she seen the old man by her own two eyes.
"Rongrong can you tell me what is that man look like ?" Zheng Yu suddenly ask her with a slight quiver in his voice. "Oh he is short in stature, I can't estimate his exact height as he was bent and walked using a cane. The old man is quite gloomy, and he wear a white Tang suits with black pant. Oh yeah he also wear golden rim spectacles."
Rongrong gives quite a precise details about the old man she seen. Zheng Yu feel disquiet hearing Rongrong description of the old man. He stare at her then could only sigh.
"You are new, so you must not know of this. Three months prior there was an elderly patients warded here. That patient is an old man named Mr Song and he looks like exactly the way you describe it," Zheng Yu speak quietly to her.
"So, is he already discharged ? Maybe you don't see him before but why does he come here for ?" wonder Rongrong.
"No Rongrong you don't understand. Mr.Song never discharged from the hospital. He was sent to the second-floor basement from 1st premium room."
At first, there is a confusion in Rongrong face when she listened to Zheng Yu. It is until few seconds later that she finally catch the true meaning of Zheng Yu explanation.
The patient never discharge occur only if the patient is passing away. That second floor is where the hospital morgue situated. Suddenly Rongrong feel chill all over and for the first time in her life she understands the meaning of getting scared.
"Brother Zheng you are not playing around, aren't you ?" She remains hopeful that Zheng Yu just make a joke at her expense. But Zheng Yu shake his head.
"It is the truth. You are not the only person that had seen him, few of our colleagues swear they had seen him in his previous ward room or walk along this corridor."
Rongrong watch the hospital corridor and suddenly she feels terribly nervous. Zheng Yu look at her with an understanding. "Don't be afraid. I have working here for 3 years; the only bad thing occur you might seen one or two of this dirty thing but they never do any harm. I heard when this hospital was built, it was blessed by prominent monk from Jiu En Temple," he speaks with a smile, try to soothe her frayed nerves.
Rongrong could only reacted with a slight smile. She then hurriedly said thank you to Zheng Yu and walk toward the 1st premium room. Despite the fact she might possibly seen a real ghost, she cannot forsake her job. However this event indeed changing her world view entirely. She does not really sure if she can be a firm believer of scientific exploration as she used to be before.