Wang Zhi snapped out of his thoughts and said, "It's free, so why not stay a few more days for observation?"
Alai shook his head, saying he wanted to go home to rest, where it was quiet. Wang Zhi didn't push further and warmly shook Alai's hand, bidding him a reluctant farewell.
When Li Shiren saw that Alai was about to be discharged, he hurriedly tried to stop him. "Alai, I think your post-concussion symptoms from the lightning strike are quite severe. There could be mental and psychological issues. There's no rush—stay a couple more days for observation. We have everything you need here. I'll even take you for another scan and a further psychological evaluation."
Alai smiled slightly, clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, and said, "Thank you, Director Li, for your care and concern. I will remember your kindness and repay it someday."
With that, he instructed Miyuki and Mirei to pack up.
Li Shiren, helpless and pale, said, "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to come to me."
"Certainly, thank you, Director Li, and thank you, Dr. Wang," Alai said as he swaggered out of the ward.
Fangfang, carrying a thermos box, hurried after him, asking, "I didn't sleep a wink last night, worried you might get into trouble, but you seem just fine."
Alai smiled faintly, "Your predictions didn't work this time, did they? Trouble didn't find me."
Fangfang pulled Alai aside, annoyed. "I feel like Director Li was a completely different person today compared to yesterday. Something is definitely going on between you two. Why won't you tell me? I've given you my body—what else is there to hide?"
Alai thought to himself that this was too serious for Fangfang to know about. If she knew the truth, it would only bring more trouble. It was better for her to remain an outsider.
Quickly, he came up with an excuse to placate her.
"I have a miraculous medicine. It was passed down to me by Elder Liaokong before he passed away, and he instructed me not to show it to outsiders."
Fangfang, somewhat irritated, said, "You don't want others to do to you what you wouldn't do to them. I won't press further." She handed him the thermos box. "It's black fish soup for your wound recovery. Even though you might not need it, you should eat it while it's hot."
Alai accepted the box without hesitation and ate heartily, wiping his mouth afterward. "You can't always hang around me. Even as an intern, you should get back to work at the hospital."
"It's fine, Director Li takes special care of me. I'm not a full-time employee anyway, so it doesn't matter if I go or not. I still want to go back to the courtyard with you and help you with your studies."
To get rid of her, Alai said, "I have some things to do in the city, so I won't be going back for now. We can meet later at the 'Good Again' inn after you finish work."
"Alright, I'll wait for you there. Don't be late," Fangfang reluctantly agreed.
At that moment, Alai noticed a familiar figure limping toward the bathroom, his face covered with several bandages.
It was Hu San, limping along.
The two locked eyes.
Alai took the initiative to ask, "Brother Hu, why are you still in the hospital? What happened to your face? Does your chest still hurt?"
Hu San, realizing he was in a tight spot, glanced at the two brawny monks with Alai. He didn't dare to act rashly and replied grumpily, "I was discharged but had to come back. The night before last, I drank too much and fell into a ditch. What's the big deal?"
"Achoo... Achoo..."
Hu San sneezed several times, spraying mucus everywhere.
"Oh dear, Brother Hu, it seems like you caught a cold after getting wet. You should really control your drinking."
Hu San said, "Yeah, you're right. What brings you back to the hospital, Alai?"
Alai replied, "I came to remove the steel plate from my arm."
"Oh."
Hu San mumbled an "oh" as if in thought and said, "Goodbye."
Alai said, "Take care."
Without saying much more, Hu San hurried away.
"Hehe," Alai thought to himself, "Was that fight at Thunder God Cemetery last night? This guy must have been involved. It was too dark, and everyone was wearing masks, but I can guess..."
Let's skip the small talk.
Alai led Miyuki and Mirei to buy some fruit from a street vendor, concocting an excuse along the way to visit his school. There, he found his chemistry teacher in the faculty dormitory and pulled out several bottles, asking the teacher to help analyze the contents.
The chemistry teacher praised Alai for his diligence and readily agreed. He led the three to the laboratory, where they conducted a detailed analysis of the substances Alai had provided, teaching Alai hands-on.
The analysis revealed that the food was normal, the white medication was a sedative, and the liquid in the mineral water bottle turned out to be a hallucinogenic drug.
This drug causes mental confusion and contains some toxic substances that can damage the brain. It should be used with caution as it may lead to kidney function deterioration and, in severe cases, acute renal failure due to malignant syndrome.
Puzzled, the teacher asked where Alai had obtained the drug.
Alai quickly made up a story, saying he had taken it from a mentally ill person in his village.
Miyuki and Mirei, following Alai's prior instructions, kept silent, their hearts pounding. They were deeply impressed by Alai's unusual abilities and his extraordinary intellect.
They realized that if they had been in such a situation, no matter how skilled they were in martial arts, they would have been clueless about their fate. The thought was terrifying.
As they left the lab and the school, the three walked in silence.
Alai took a deep breath and cursed under his breath, "You think I'm mentally ill? You want to keep me in the hospital forever, under your control?"
He was thankful he had paid attention to the details. Otherwise, he would have ended up dying in the hospital without knowing why.
Miyuki suggested, "Alai, why don't we take this evidence to the police?"
Alai shook his head. "This was a medical mistake. I'm fine now, and if we report it, the evidence chain will be incomplete. They won't face the punishment they deserve, which isn't my goal." He urged the two to keep the matter strictly between them.
Both nodded repeatedly, their admiration for Alai growing.
On their way back to the inn, they passed a shopfront with a large sign that read "Xiongfeng Fitness Club." Alai immediately recalled that Hu San had once given him a business card, and this was the place.
He couldn't believe that the construction site where he once worked had become this tall building.
"Hehe, Xiongfeng Fitness Club."
Alai glanced at it, then noticed a small shop next door selling sports equipment. The three of them entered, and Alai's eyes were drawn to a small three-section staff. He couldn't take his eyes off it.
Miyuki, noticing Alai's interest, cheerfully paid for it and handed it to him with a smile.
Alai explained that it was a gift for someone.
They then headed to Wu Tong's mask shop.
The shop owner immediately recognized Alai and, both surprised and delighted, said, "What a surprise to see you here! It's an honor."
Alai, astonished, asked, "How do you know me?"