At the entrance of Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital, Director Hao stood waiting.
"Director, I can take them back when they return. Why don't you go back and rest? It's a bit windy outside, and it wouldn't be good if you caught a cold," said a senior director, holding a thermos cup and standing obsequiously beside Director Hao.
Although there wasn't much need for career advancement at Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital, everyone still adopted a subservient attitude in front of their superiors.
"It's fine, I have to wait for them," Director Hao said. Their escape was a serious matter.
Previous incidents, like frequent hospital visits and multiple brushes with death, were all within the rules, even if they were troublesome. But this was the first time patients had actively snuck out of the hospital.
Director Hao checked his watch. Why weren't they back yet? Logically, they should be arriving soon. The journey shouldn't take long by car.
After a long while, Director Hao's legs began to ache from standing. The surrounding orderlies were full of admiration. This was the only mental patient who could make the director personally wait at the entrance. It was a point of pride for them.
"They're back!"
"They've returned!" some orderlies shouted. Nearly two hours had passed. If they hadn't returned by now, they would have thought something serious had happened on the road.
Their imaginations ran wild, picturing scenarios like the orderlies being hacked to death by the two mental patients.
It wasn't impossible. It depended on how far they dared to imagine.
Director Hao looked into the distance. Lin Fan and Old Zhang were walking together, followed by three orderlies and the hospital's special vehicle.
Were they crazy? Don't tell me they walked back. As the hospital director, he had a good mentality, strong professional knowledge, and understood these situations.
He should have gone to pick them up himself.
"Director, what are you doing here?" Lin Fan asked, puzzled, as he returned happily, cradling a crow in his arms. He saw the director and the others waiting at the entrance. Were they aware of their return and giving them a warm welcome? What a good Director Hao.
Director Hao put on a bright smile. "Waiting for you to come home."
He couldn't ask where they had gone or why they had run away. Questioning them sternly would only worsen the situation. A professional psychiatrist should know how to communicate with mental patients properly.
In all of Qingshan, only a handful of people understood this principle.
So… talent was rare.
Director Hao noticed the crow in Lin Fan's arms. "This is…"
"A hawk! Old Zhang said it's a hawk. I'm going to keep it as a pet. Is that okay?" Lin Fan asked.
He seemed to be asking for permission, but his demeanor suggested that he had already decided to keep the pet and no one could take it away.
"What a magnificent hawk! Of course, it's okay," Director Hao said, staring at the crow. He didn't contradict Lin Fan's identification of the bird. Those details were unimportant. It was an evil creature.
The evil crow was in a good mood. It had been furious when Lin Fan caught it, but now someone was praising its magnificence.
These humans had sharp eyes. They could see through its disguise.
Not bad, not bad.
"Lin Fan, I'm thirsty. I want a Sprite," Old Zhang said.
"Let's go back then."
Lin Fan, holding the "hawk," walked towards Ward 666.
The senior director whispered, "Director, aren't you going to say anything to them?"
Director Hao glanced at the senior director. He had just thought only a few understood, but now he realized it was just him. The others lacked professional expertise.
The senior director was bewildered when Director Hao glanced at him and turned to leave.
Director, that look makes me nervous. I don't quite understand.
Li Ang and the others, their legs aching, complained to their colleagues about how tired they were. The patients refused to get in the car and insisted on walking back, making their legs feel like they were about to break.
However, Li Ang didn't dare say much to Lin Fan, afraid of being reminded of the money he owed.
He really didn't want to have any deep interactions with mental patients. He wanted to live a few more years, study hard, and become the brightest star of Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital.
In Ward 666, Lin Fan and Old Zhang were drinking soy milk, while Lin Fan still held the crow tightly in his arms.
"Sprite!"
"Cola!"
"Cheers!"
The two of them laughed, beaming. It felt good to be home.
The windows outside the ward were crowded with people, heads jostling for a better view of the inside. They weren't interested in Lin Fan or Old Zhang, but rather fixated on the crow in Lin Fan's arms.
"I know what that is. It's a magpie."
"Magpies aren't black."
"Is it a crow?"
"It's not a crow. It's clearly a parrot."
A group of mental patients chatted amongst themselves. Their gathering deterred even the patrolling orderlies, who weren't skilled enough to navigate a crowd of mental patients with ease.
Being targeted by a group of mental patients would be a terrifying experience.
Inside the ward, Lin Fan noticed the crowd outside and opened the door with a smile. "Come in and take a look if you want."
Good things should be shared.
They were all friends living here. Some had left, and some were new, but that didn't affect Lin Fan's friendliness towards them.
A group of mental patients poured into the ward.
The orderlies felt a sense of panic. A group of mental patients entering the most dangerous ward in Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital – what could happen?
It was beyond their imagination.
An orderly immediately notified the director. Upon hearing the news, the director's heart sank. He didn't act rashly but instead informed Director Hao. Such a situation required the director's personal attention.
It was too dangerous.
When Director Hao learned of the situation, he frowned. This gathering was indeed alarming. Even he wouldn't dare to confront it directly. He decided against getting involved in such a risky situation and instructed the orderlies to keep watch.
If there was any real danger, the orderlies were to intervene. Earning a living wasn't easy. If they didn't do it, who would?
He'd rather the two patients stayed in the hospital longer, preferably for life. But wandering outside was unacceptable.
As the director, he was responsible for every mental patient.
Inside the ward, Professor Xingkong nibbled on a sausage, observing carefully. He commented, "If I'm not mistaken, this is an alien invasion."
Professor Feiqin countered, "You're wrong. This is clearly a crow."
Old Zhang, sipping his Sprite, said, "No, it's not a crow. It's a hawk. Look at its beak, its claws, and its feathers. It's definitely a hawk. You're all mistaken."
Professor Feiqin adjusted his glasses, adopting a thoughtful expression. He scrutinized the bird carefully and concluded, "It seems I was mistaken. This is undoubtedly a hawk-crow hybrid."
The evil crow was puzzled. What was wrong with these humans? Something felt off.
But it didn't matter.
As long as humans maintained their awe and praise, it would allow them to remain relatively safe for the time being.
Several orderlies stood cautiously outside, peeking into the ward. Usually, one or two mental patients were enough to give them a headache. Now, with so many gathered together, the level of danger was unimaginable.
The ward was like an abyss, a terrifying place.