At that moment, Dr. Wang, who had been watching from the crowd, hurriedly called the young nurse and approached the scene.
Hu San's black clothing had already turned yellow and was emitting faint blue smoke. His undershirt had been burned through, leaving a large hole. Upon further inspection, there was a palm-sized mark on his chest, and his lips were pale, devoid of any blood. He was unconscious.
"Doctor, please save my husband!"
Dr. Wang was stunned, but the cries of Hu San's wife brought him back to his senses. He instructed the nurse to begin CPR and administer oxygen...
The nurse immediately began pressing down on the acupoint between Hu San's nose and upper lip as part of the resuscitation effort, causing the hospital to descend into chaos.
"Whee-oo, whee-oo…"
Suddenly, police sirens could be heard approaching Renxin Hospital.
Unbeknownst to the crowd, someone had called the police.
A police car pulled up at the entrance of Renxin Hospital, and several officers quickly exited the vehicle.
The officers went upstairs and immediately spotted A-Lai, covered in blood, in the hallway. They approached him directly.
"You're the one who caused the disturbance and got into a fight, aren't you? Come with us to the station."
"Officer, it wasn't me causing trouble. It was a man named Hu San who attacked the hospital staff. I couldn't stand by and did what I had to."
"Regardless, you injured someone. You need to come with us to explain everything at the station."
At this point, the young nurse stepped forward and said, "You've got the wrong person. If you're going to arrest someone, arrest me. He's a patient; I'll go with you."
The officer noticed the red, swollen marks on the nurse's face, indicating she was also involved. "In that case, both of you will come with us to the station to clarify the situation."
The remaining patients and bystanders turned to reprimand the officers, criticizing them for not discerning the facts before making arrests.
A female officer, exuding authority, advised, "We are performing our duties, conducting a routine investigation. We will get to the truth and ensure justice is served."
Without further ado, the officers escorted A-Lai out of the hospital hallway, pushed him into the police car, and also "invited" the young nurse into the car.
"Whee-oo, whee-oo…"
The police car sped away from Renxin Hospital, merging into the city traffic.
Soon, the car arrived at the police station, where the two were taken to an interrogation room, and questioned one by one.
The young nurse answered the female officer's questions clearly and logically, recounting the entire sequence of events.
The bizarre story left the officer stunned.
Shortly after, the nurse finished her statement.
A-Lai was then "invited" into the interrogation room, and the questioning began.
"What's your name?"
"My name is A-Lai."
"A what? What's your full name? Answer completely!"
"I'm from Lei Family Village, surname Lei, given name Tianlai. Lei as in 'thunder and lightning,' Tian as in 'the sky,' and Lai as in 'coming and going.' I'm 19 years old, hospitalized for a lightning strike, bed number eight…"
"I didn't ask for all that. Stick to answering the questions."
"Yes, sir! I'll do that."
"Why were you causing trouble in the hospital?"
"I wasn't. I saw a big brute bullying a nurse and couldn't stand by. I stepped in to reason with him, but he wouldn't listen and started hitting me…"
"Do you know what a controlled weapon is? You pulled out a knife in public. Hand it over!"
A-Lai reluctantly pulled the knife from his pocket and said flatly, "This isn't a controlled weapon. It's a prop for a magic trick. I was only trying to scare him into stopping his attack on me."
The female officer carefully inspected the knife. Aside from the sharp tip, the blade was plastic and retractable—it was indeed a magic prop.
The officer continued questioning A-Lai, who answered every question thoroughly, as if narrating a story, piquing her curiosity. "What kind of palm strike did you use at the end? You left the man in that condition—was it also a trick? Explain."
A-Lai clasped his hands together and softly chanted, "It was the first strike of the Three Heavenly Strikes, called the Heart Questioning Palm. Amitabha, it is the highest good."
The officer felt that A-Lai was either being overly mysterious or playing with her intelligence. She sternly asked, "Lei Tianlai, where did you learn these impressive skills?"
"I don't know."
A-Lai paused, then added, "But I think it must have come from the heavens."
Though irritated, the officer thought to herself: "Lei Tianlai, what a formidable name, and it suits him well." She teased, "I heard you were hospitalized after being struck by lightning. So, you're saying you're the Thunder God, come to earth?"
A-Lai, forgetting himself in his excitement, nodded repeatedly like a pecking chicken and playfully replied, "I feel like I might be."
"Heh."
"You sure are quick to climb the ladder, huh? Acting all high and mighty now?"
The officer, her expression serious, noticed A-Lai blushing, though his gaze remained unsettled, sneaking glances at her chest. Softening her tone, she said, "It seems you're not telling me everything."
A-Lai protested, trying to defend himself...
The male officer taking notes interrupted, "He's only eighteen, practically a child, with no criminal record. He's probably just spoiled and fearless, talking big and acting tough—that's just how he is."
The female officer sternly advised, "Lei Tianlai, let me tell you three things: First, no matter how mischievous you are at home, here you need to answer questions properly, without any slick talk. Second, standing up for justice requires the right approach—do you understand? Third, you must become a law-abiding citizen who knows and respects the law and bravely stands up for what's right."
A-Lai thought to himself that gaining the nickname "Thunder God" was worth it. He nodded earnestly.
The officer and her colleague whispered and deliberated.
Seeing the young nurse waiting at the door, the female officer smiled at A-Lai and said, "You can both go now."
A-Lai took in the officer's appearance—her face dark yet flushed, a composed and calm demeanor, her uniform neat and well-fitted, giving her an air of authority. She seemed only four or five years older than him. She had spoken to him kindly, so he ventured, "How are we supposed to get back? You brought us here in a hurry, and I don't have a cent on me."
The officer looked at the bloodied nurse and sighed, "Alright, we'll return to the hospital to verify things, and I'll personally take you back. We'll also re-interrogate Hu San and other witnesses. If everything checks out, you can press charges. We'll then proceed with criminal detention for Hu San on charges of illegal injury and public disorder."
Sitting in the back of the police car, A-Lai clutched the metal bars, watching the city's tall buildings flash by, the KFCs, KTVs, luxury hotels… The ginkgo trees lining the streets. It was his first time riding in a police car, and he thought of his grandfather.
His grandfather was the principal of the Lei Family Village school. If he had been there, he would have been worried sick. The thought brought tears to A-Lai's eyes, filling him with sadness.
He glanced at the young nurse beside him. Hu San's two slaps had left her dazed, her peach-colored cheeks swollen and red-hot, though her eyes still showed strength. The blood from her mouth had stained her pink nurse's uniform, leaving red spots.
Noticing A-Lai looking at her, the nurse, grateful for his help, asked, "Does it still hurt, little monk? I'm sorry you got dragged into this."
"Me?"
A-Lai snapped back, "Of course it hurts, but I've forgotten about it." He then looked at her swollen face and asked, "Does it still hurt?"
"You mean me?"
The nurse touched her cheek and replied, "Yes, it hurts, and it's burning, but I've also forgotten about it."
The two fell silent for a moment.
A-Lai looked at the nurse and said, "I'm not a little monk. I have a name. I'm Lei Tianlai. What's yours?"