May 29, 2023 by Wyrd
The doctor gently shook his head in response to Ruan Qing’s gratitude and smiled, saying, “I didn’t do much, and besides, these things all require payment.”
As soon as the doctor finished speaking, he realized he had said the wrong thing.
Because the expression on the young boy’s face froze the moment he heard about payment.
Payment...
Ruan Qing nervously opened his mouth, looking hesitant, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent.
Where would he get the money? He couldn’t even afford the rent.
If he remembered correctly, the set of examinations he just underwent was quite comprehensive, and the cost was likely over 5,000 yuan.
And the hospital certainly wouldn’t allow patients to owe medical expenses.
Ruan Qing bit his lower lip, gripping the strap of his messenger bag tightly, and instinctively looked towards Jiang Sinian beside him.
The boy’s actions pleased Jiang Sinian, and his gloomy expression instantly vanished. He lightly chuckled and raised an eyebrow, saying, “Since I am your landlord, it’s only natural for me to take responsibility for you.”
The words “take responsibility” were somewhat ambiguous when spoken by Jiang Sinian. As he spoke, he picked up Ruan Qing’s hand hanging at his side, rubbing his thumb against it slightly.
His tone shifted. “But it doesn’t mean the landlord has to pay the medical expenses for the tenant without reason. I always need to get something in return to be happy, don’t you agree?”
Jiang Sinian’s words carried a hint of frivolousness and temptation, resembling the Queen coaxing Snow White into eating the poisoned apple.
Although he didn’t explicitly say anything, his intentions were glaringly obvious on his face, and anyone could guess what he wanted.
It seemed that from the very beginning, he hadn’t hidden his motives, whether it was evident in the way he looked at the boy or in his special care for him.
The doctor looked down at Jiang Sinian holding the slender hand of the young boy, his expression showing little change from before. However, a faint darkness flashed through his usually gentle eyes.
Ruan Qing wasn’t accustomed to physical contact with others. He nervously tried to withdraw his own hand, but he couldn’t pull it away.
Jiang Sinian used just enough force, not strong enough to harm the young boy, but his dominance prevented the young boy from pulling his hand back.
Ruan Qing could only give up. He lowered his head, showing a hint of hesitation on his face, and finally spoke softly, “I will repay you, along with the rent.”
Just as Jiang Sinian was about to say something, the doctor smiled and spoke, “It’s getting late. Sinian, come with me to make the payment.”
Jiang Sinian had no objections. He let go of the young boy’s hand and said, “Wait for me in the office.”
After speaking, he left with the doctor, closing the door behind him.
In the office, Ruan Qing was left alone. He picked up the glass of water on the table and drank it slowly.
The water had cooled down just enough, so he finished it in one gulp.
Perhaps one glass wasn’t enough to quench his thirst. Ruan Qing poured himself two more glasses of cold water and drank them all. Finally, his dehydration subsided.
Maybe he had drunk a bit too much water because after sitting for a few minutes, Ruan Qing felt the urge to use the restroom. He looked around the office but didn’t find one attached.
The doctor and Jiang Sinian hadn’t returned from making the payment yet.
After a few more minutes of sitting, Ruan Qing couldn’t endure it any longer and stood up. He put on his mask, opened the office door, and walked out.
The hospital had more than one building, and this particular building seemed to have a special presence. There were fewer doctors and patients, giving it an atmosphere that didn’t resemble a hospital.
However, the building’s structure was similar to that of a hospital, with rooms resembling operating rooms and clinics. Most of them were closed.
The hallway was quiet. Ruan Qing hesitated and chose a direction to walk, closing the door behind him as he went.
What made this building different from the others was that the rooms didn’t have any labels, nor were there signs indicating the restroom or exit directions.
Since he couldn’t see anyone on the third floor and had no one to ask for directions, Ruan Qing had to search on his own.
It seemed like this building was connected to the other buildings. Ruan Qing took winding paths until he reached another section and finally found the restroom.
Then, as he came out of the restroom, he realized something: he couldn’t find his way back.
Moreover, he didn’t have the contact information of the doctor or Jiang Sinian.
Ruan Qing had to rely on his memory to find his way.
However, the hospital was just too big, and other areas were like a typical hospital, crowded with patients and doctors. People passing by would instinctively gaze at Ruan Qing.
This made Ruan Qing feel very uncomfortable and somewhat averse.
After walking for a long time without finding his way, Ruan Qing finally gathered the courage to ask one of the nurses who specifically provided assistance, “Excuse me, where is the doctor’s office?”
The nurse, who was busy writing records on paper, looked up with some exasperation upon hearing the question. She then saw a slender young boy looking at her nervously. The nurse instinctively softened her tone and said, “Which doctor are you looking for?”
Ruan Qing paused at the question, feeling a bit frustrated and dejected.
He seemed to have forgotten the name of that gentle doctor.
Seeing the boy’s furrowed brow, the nurse realized that he might not know the doctor’s name. She gently spoke. “Do you remember any specific features of the doctor?”
Ruan Qing’s face turned slightly red, and he sheepishly replied in a low voice, “...Very handsome, very gentle, and very warm.”
The nurse paused and smiled tenderly. “Are you looking for Dr. Wen Li? You go straight ahead to the end, then turn left when you see Emergency Room No. 3, and take a right turn after the Cardiac Radiology Department to reach the Internal Medicine Department. Then, go up to the fourth floor and continue straight. After taking a right turn, go down to the third floor.”
Ruan Qing replied, “...Okay.”
The nurse’s instructions seemed complicated, and the young boy didn’t seem to remember them.
At first, he followed the nurse’s directions, but as he proceeded, he became unsure of the direction.
The viewers in the horror livestream room were desperately giving directions to the boy, but he couldn’t see the comments and continued to search in confusion.
The young boy searched for a long time and finally found the building he was looking for, but he ended up on the wrong floor, and the young boy himself seemed unaware of it.
Because the building had no signs or floor indicators, the young boy didn’t go to the third floor but ended up on the fourth floor.
All the rooms had no door numbers, and Ruan Qing had no idea where the previous room was located, so he had to search one room at a time.
If only he hadn’t closed the door back then, there would have been at least a reference point.
Most of the doors on the fourth floor couldn’t be pushed open. Just as Ruan Qing was about to give up and go downstairs, suddenly he managed to push one door open slightly.
Ruan Qing hesitated for a moment, then pushed the door open with force. The room was dimly lit, with no lights on and no windows.
Even during the daytime, it was somewhat dim and lacked light, making it difficult to see inside clearly.
Ruan Qing walked into the room slowly.
After adjusting to the darkness, Ruan Qing realized that it seemed to be a laboratory. The laboratory was simple and didn’t appear to have anything special. It just didn’t look like it was something that should be in a hospital because there was no visible medical research equipment inside.
In the center of the laboratory, there was a huge glass enclosure, and inside the enclosure, there was a massive black sphere floating.
Vaguely visible around the black sphere were black objects floating in the air like light veils, emanating a frightening sense of danger.
However, the glass enclosure prevented that thing from floating out.
Just as Ruan Qing was about to avert his gaze, the massive black sphere suddenly shed its black exterior, as if being peeled, revealing a gigantic eyeball in the center with pitch-black pupils.
It was as if an eye had opened.
No, not ‘as if’, it was really an eye!
Ruan Qing felt a scalp-tingling sensation as the enormous eyeball stared at him. His body tensed up, and cold sweat instantly broke out all over him.
It was an indescribable and unimaginable fear.
Before Ruan Qing had time to react, in the next second, the glass enclosure shattered instantly. With no more barrier from the glass enclosure, the black mist began to spread and wriggle, emanating endless danger and oppression.
The eye was large, almost bigger than a basketball, with the whites occupying most of the eye. The black pupil in the center had no trace of light, as if it had devoured all the light. Standing in front of that eye made one feel powerless and insignificant, as if facing the entire universe.
It was as if they vaguely saw some terrifying colossal creature in front of them, rendering all existence feeble and incapable of mustering any resistance. Even if they tried to resist, it would be as futile as a gnat shaking a tree, with no effect whatsoever.
The black mist continued to spread, rapidly approaching Ruan Qing.
There was no need to think twice; once touched by this black mist, something dreadful would surely happen.
Ruan Qing felt his breathing becoming difficult, and every cell in his body screamed at him to run.
But he couldn’t move. Stared at by that eye, all his strength seemed to vanish, leaving him stiffly rooted in place.
At that moment, the screen in the horror livestream room turned blank. There was no black mist, no giant eye.
The screen only showed the boy entering the room and standing there dazedly, seemingly lost in thought.
There was no hint of noticing anything amiss with the boy’s condition.
Dah! Dah! Dah!
Just as the black mist was about to engulf Ruan Qing, familiar footsteps echoed in the corridor.
The spreading black mist paused, and in the blink of an eye, it vanished. The entire laboratory returned to its original state, as if the glass cover had never shattered and the black sphere had never opened.
It was as if Ruan Qing’s experience had been a mere illusion.
It was an illusion, yet it felt so real.
As the black mist disappeared, Ruan Qing’s body went limp, and he sat down on the floor, struggling to steady his breath.
If it weren’t for the footsteps interrupting that huge eye, he might have died right there.
However, Ruan Qing didn’t have much time to regain his composure because the footsteps were getting closer.
They were almost at the door.
The laboratory door wasn’t closed, and someone quickly appeared at the entrance. A tall figure blocked the light, making the entire laboratory dimmer and enveloping Ruan Qing’s slender figure.
The doctor stood at the doorway, lowering his eyes with indifference, and looked down at the young boy crouched on the floor. His voice was soft and slow. “What are you doing here?”
The doctor’s voice was different from before. Despite its gentle tone, it inexplicably conveyed a sense of coldness and danger, sending shivers down one’s spine.
May 29, 2023 by Wyrd
The doctor gently shook his head in response to Ruan Qing’s gratitude and smiled, saying, “I didn’t do much, and besides, these things all require payment.”
As soon as the doctor finished speaking, he realized he had said the wrong thing.
Because the expression on the young boy’s face froze the moment he heard about payment.
Payment...
Ruan Qing nervously opened his mouth, looking hesitant, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent.
Where would he get the money? He couldn’t even afford the rent.
If he remembered correctly, the set of examinations he just underwent was quite comprehensive, and the cost was likely over 5,000 yuan.
And the hospital certainly wouldn’t allow patients to owe medical expenses.
Ruan Qing bit his lower lip, gripping the strap of his messenger bag tightly, and instinctively looked towards Jiang Sinian beside him.
The boy’s actions pleased Jiang Sinian, and his gloomy expression instantly vanished. He lightly chuckled and raised an eyebrow, saying, “Since I am your landlord, it’s only natural for me to take responsibility for you.”
The words “take responsibility” were somewhat ambiguous when spoken by Jiang Sinian. As he spoke, he picked up Ruan Qing’s hand hanging at his side, rubbing his thumb against it slightly.
His tone shifted. “But it doesn’t mean the landlord has to pay the medical expenses for the tenant without reason. I always need to get something in return to be happy, don’t you agree?”
Jiang Sinian’s words carried a hint of frivolousness and temptation, resembling the Queen coaxing Snow White into eating the poisoned apple.
Although he didn’t explicitly say anything, his intentions were glaringly obvious on his face, and anyone could guess what he wanted.
It seemed that from the very beginning, he hadn’t hidden his motives, whether it was evident in the way he looked at the boy or in his special care for him.
The doctor looked down at Jiang Sinian holding the slender hand of the young boy, his expression showing little change from before. However, a faint darkness flashed through his usually gentle eyes.
Ruan Qing wasn’t accustomed to physical contact with others. He nervously tried to withdraw his own hand, but he couldn’t pull it away.
Jiang Sinian used just enough force, not strong enough to harm the young boy, but his dominance prevented the young boy from pulling his hand back.
Ruan Qing could only give up. He lowered his head, showing a hint of hesitation on his face, and finally spoke softly, “I will repay you, along with the rent.”
Just as Jiang Sinian was about to say something, the doctor smiled and spoke, “It’s getting late. Sinian, come with me to make the payment.”
Jiang Sinian had no objections. He let go of the young boy’s hand and said, “Wait for me in the office.”
After speaking, he left with the doctor, closing the door behind him.
In the office, Ruan Qing was left alone. He picked up the glass of water on the table and drank it slowly.
The water had cooled down just enough, so he finished it in one gulp.
Perhaps one glass wasn’t enough to quench his thirst. Ruan Qing poured himself two more glasses of cold water and drank them all. Finally, his dehydration subsided.
Maybe he had drunk a bit too much water because after sitting for a few minutes, Ruan Qing felt the urge to use the restroom. He looked around the office but didn’t find one attached.
The doctor and Jiang Sinian hadn’t returned from making the payment yet.
After a few more minutes of sitting, Ruan Qing couldn’t endure it any longer and stood up. He put on his mask, opened the office door, and walked out.
The hospital had more than one building, and this particular building seemed to have a special presence. There were fewer doctors and patients, giving it an atmosphere that didn’t resemble a hospital.
However, the building’s structure was similar to that of a hospital, with rooms resembling operating rooms and clinics. Most of them were closed.
The hallway was quiet. Ruan Qing hesitated and chose a direction to walk, closing the door behind him as he went.
What made this building different from the others was that the rooms didn’t have any labels, nor were there signs indicating the restroom or exit directions.
Since he couldn’t see anyone on the third floor and had no one to ask for directions, Ruan Qing had to search on his own.
It seemed like this building was connected to the other buildings. Ruan Qing took winding paths until he reached another section and finally found the restroom.
Then, as he came out of the restroom, he realized something: he couldn’t find his way back.
Moreover, he didn’t have the contact information of the doctor or Jiang Sinian.
Ruan Qing had to rely on his memory to find his way.
However, the hospital was just too big, and other areas were like a typical hospital, crowded with patients and doctors. People passing by would instinctively gaze at Ruan Qing.
This made Ruan Qing feel very uncomfortable and somewhat averse.
After walking for a long time without finding his way, Ruan Qing finally gathered the courage to ask one of the nurses who specifically provided assistance, “Excuse me, where is the doctor’s office?”
The nurse, who was busy writing records on paper, looked up with some exasperation upon hearing the question. She then saw a slender young boy looking at her nervously. The nurse instinctively softened her tone and said, “Which doctor are you looking for?”
Ruan Qing paused at the question, feeling a bit frustrated and dejected.
He seemed to have forgotten the name of that gentle doctor.
Seeing the boy’s furrowed brow, the nurse realized that he might not know the doctor’s name. She gently spoke. “Do you remember any specific features of the doctor?”
Ruan Qing’s face turned slightly red, and he sheepishly replied in a low voice, “...Very handsome, very gentle, and very warm.”
The nurse paused and smiled tenderly. “Are you looking for Dr. Wen Li? You go straight ahead to the end, then turn left when you see Emergency Room No. 3, and take a right turn after the Cardiac Radiology Department to reach the Internal Medicine Department. Then, go up to the fourth floor and continue straight. After taking a right turn, go down to the third floor.”
Ruan Qing replied, “...Okay.”
The nurse’s instructions seemed complicated, and the young boy didn’t seem to remember them.
At first, he followed the nurse’s directions, but as he proceeded, he became unsure of the direction.
The viewers in the horror livestream room were desperately giving directions to the boy, but he couldn’t see the comments and continued to search in confusion.
The young boy searched for a long time and finally found the building he was looking for, but he ended up on the wrong floor, and the young boy himself seemed unaware of it.
Because the building had no signs or floor indicators, the young boy didn’t go to the third floor but ended up on the fourth floor.
All the rooms had no door numbers, and Ruan Qing had no idea where the previous room was located, so he had to search one room at a time.
If only he hadn’t closed the door back then, there would have been at least a reference point.
Most of the doors on the fourth floor couldn’t be pushed open. Just as Ruan Qing was about to give up and go downstairs, suddenly he managed to push one door open slightly.
Ruan Qing hesitated for a moment, then pushed the door open with force. The room was dimly lit, with no lights on and no windows.
Even during the daytime, it was somewhat dim and lacked light, making it difficult to see inside clearly.
Ruan Qing walked into the room slowly.
After adjusting to the darkness, Ruan Qing realized that it seemed to be a laboratory. The laboratory was simple and didn’t appear to have anything special. It just didn’t look like it was something that should be in a hospital because there was no visible medical research equipment inside.
In the center of the laboratory, there was a huge glass enclosure, and inside the enclosure, there was a massive black sphere floating.
Vaguely visible around the black sphere were black objects floating in the air like light veils, emanating a frightening sense of danger.
However, the glass enclosure prevented that thing from floating out.
Just as Ruan Qing was about to avert his gaze, the massive black sphere suddenly shed its black exterior, as if being peeled, revealing a gigantic eyeball in the center with pitch-black pupils.
It was as if an eye had opened.
No, not ‘as if’, it was really an eye!
Ruan Qing felt a scalp-tingling sensation as the enormous eyeball stared at him. His body tensed up, and cold sweat instantly broke out all over him.
It was an indescribable and unimaginable fear.
Before Ruan Qing had time to react, in the next second, the glass enclosure shattered instantly. With no more barrier from the glass enclosure, the black mist began to spread and wriggle, emanating endless danger and oppression.
The eye was large, almost bigger than a basketball, with the whites occupying most of the eye. The black pupil in the center had no trace of light, as if it had devoured all the light. Standing in front of that eye made one feel powerless and insignificant, as if facing the entire universe.
It was as if they vaguely saw some terrifying colossal creature in front of them, rendering all existence feeble and incapable of mustering any resistance. Even if they tried to resist, it would be as futile as a gnat shaking a tree, with no effect whatsoever.
The black mist continued to spread, rapidly approaching Ruan Qing.
There was no need to think twice; once touched by this black mist, something dreadful would surely happen.
Ruan Qing felt his breathing becoming difficult, and every cell in his body screamed at him to run.
But he couldn’t move. Stared at by that eye, all his strength seemed to vanish, leaving him stiffly rooted in place.
At that moment, the screen in the horror livestream room turned blank. There was no black mist, no giant eye.
The screen only showed the boy entering the room and standing there dazedly, seemingly lost in thought.
There was no hint of noticing anything amiss with the boy’s condition.
Dah! Dah! Dah!
Just as the black mist was about to engulf Ruan Qing, familiar footsteps echoed in the corridor.
The spreading black mist paused, and in the blink of an eye, it vanished. The entire laboratory returned to its original state, as if the glass cover had never shattered and the black sphere had never opened.
It was as if Ruan Qing’s experience had been a mere illusion.
It was an illusion, yet it felt so real.
As the black mist disappeared, Ruan Qing’s body went limp, and he sat down on the floor, struggling to steady his breath.
If it weren’t for the footsteps interrupting that huge eye, he might have died right there.
However, Ruan Qing didn’t have much time to regain his composure because the footsteps were getting closer.
They were almost at the door.
The laboratory door wasn’t closed, and someone quickly appeared at the entrance. A tall figure blocked the light, making the entire laboratory dimmer and enveloping Ruan Qing’s slender figure.
The doctor stood at the doorway, lowering his eyes with indifference, and looked down at the young boy crouched on the floor. His voice was soft and slow. “What are you doing here?”
The doctor’s voice was different from before. Despite its gentle tone, it inexplicably conveyed a sense of coldness and danger, sending shivers down one’s spine.
