By the time they had finished clearing away the dishes and takeout boxes, it was completely dark.
Du Peilin was truly a chatty person. He was chatting away merrily with my grandpa, an old hand in the world. His stories had even made the uncles in the large ward forget their fears for a moment. They gathered around him, listening in awe and cheering him on.
I dragged the overly excited Du Peilin out of the ward. "It's already dark. Aren't you going to prepare?" I gritted my teeth, annoyed that he could be so unreliable.
"Prepare for what? I've always faced things as they come. Why worry about so many uncertain things in the future?" Du Peilin, as expected, looked nonchalant and laid - back. "Xiao He, learn from me. Don't think so much all the time. You'll age quickly."
I was so angry that I wanted to hit him. I really couldn't understand why Zhao Zifeng was so infatuated with such an unreliable man.
The long ceiling lights in the hospital corridor were on all the time. The buzzing sound of the current made the interior seem even more desolate.
A somewhat chaotic sound of footsteps came from the elevator entrance.
We were now in the stairwell on the top floor of the inpatient department. Not far ahead was Yang Fan's single - room ward. After the bail was granted, the police had withdrawn, but there were still two hospital security guards on duty. Someone like me, who had no relation to Yang Fan, couldn't get close at all.
"Is this the place?"
"Yes, it is."
A rather familiar voice sounded. I looked up and saw three hurried figures appear in the corridor.
"Uncle Yang? Aunt Yang?!"
I looked up and saw a young man in a suit leading two rather reserved middle - aged people walking towards us.
I was quite stunned.
The couple following the young man were none other than Yang Liansheng and Li Zizhen, the couple we had met in Dayu Village.
Apparently, they were also surprised to see me here. Uncle Yang quickened his steps and came to me. He grabbed my arm. "Little Master Du, why are you here?"
"I... What happened to my son?!" Aunt Yang's eyes were red from crying for who knew how long, and her voice was hoarse. "He's always been a good boy. How could he suddenly become a criminal? How could he suddenly become a vegetable?!"
"Yang... Yang Fan is your son?!"
I was extremely surprised. The world was really too small! I had heard before that besides Xiaoshanzi, Uncle Yang's family had a son and a daughter. The son worked in a big city, and the daughter was studying in another city... I never thought that this Yang Fan was actually their eldest son!
"Yes!"
Uncle Yang tightened his grip on my arm. "Our Xiaofan is a good person! How could he do bad things? He said he had a girlfriend in the city and was going to get married soon."
Aunt Yang nodded in agreement with her husband, wiping away her tears.
... I fell silent.
How could Uncle Yang and his wife, such good people, raise a son like Yang Fan, who would stop at nothing for profit?
The young man beside them nodded at me and said, "Miss Du, I'm the lawyer assigned to Yang Fan by General Assistant Ji. I'm here to visit Yang Fan."
I naturally understood what he meant.
Du Peilin and I silently followed the three of them. I watched as the lawyer skillfully took out his credentials and negotiated with the security guards at the door. I could feel the nervousness of Uncle Yang and the others.
Originally, I only wanted to deal with the One - Eyed Buddha Mother. I didn't care at all about the life or death of a scumbag like Yang Fan.
However, Uncle Yang and his wife were such good people... and they had just lost their youngest son.
Looking at their obviously hunched figures, I felt even more reluctant to ignore them.
It seemed that Yang Fan's life... was also worth saving.
"Hey, Xiao He, do you know these two?" Du Peilin, who was following behind, noticed my strange expression and leaned over to ask.
"Yeah."
I saw the two security guards look at us and finally open the door of the single - room ward. Only then did I feel relieved.
"Besides catching the One - Eyed Buddha Mother, we also need to save the host." I whispered to Du Peilin as we entered the room. "These two old people are very kind. I want to help them."
"Sure!"
Du Peilin readily agreed. "Keeping the host alive will cost more. I can help you deal with the One - Eyed Buddha Mother, but saving the person will be an extra charge."
I was so annoyed by his mercenary attitude that I gave him a fierce glare. "Fine! It doesn't matter. You can name your price after we save him."
I was confident because of the balance in my card. I wasn't afraid that he would ask for an exorbitant price.
"Little Master Du is really generous!" Du Peilin imitated Uncle Yang's tone and whispered.
At this time, we had entered the ward.
This small room of more than ten square meters was empty. There was only a hospital bed in the middle. The pale light shone on the man lying on it. Aunt Yang gasped first, and then couldn't hold back her sobs.
"Xiaofan, what's wrong with you! How did you end up like this? Wake up! Mom is here to see you!"
Aunt Yang cried and was about to rush towards the hospital bed.
But Du Peilin and I held her arms from the left and right.
"Auntie, don't go!"
I frowned and said in a deep voice, while my eyes were fixed on Yang Fan on the bed.
It had only been a few days since I last saw him, but Yang Fan had become extremely thin. His bony face was paler than the pillowcase. His bloodless lips were slightly open like a dried - up fish. On his once - decent face, a red knife scar ran across his nose. Although it had been treated with medicine, the red flesh still bulged between his eyes, like a huge single eye, slightly closed and waiting for the moment of awakening.
"Xiaofan!! How did he get this injury?!"
Uncle Yang only knew that his eldest son was injured and in a coma, but he never expected to see such a terrifying and strange scene.
"Uncle Yang, he's possessed by a ghost."
I didn't hold back.
I had dealt with the strange things in the Yang family. The old couple knew my abilities, so they could understand the seriousness without me having to explain.
Uncle Yang was stunned for a moment. He also wanted to go to the hospital bed to see his son.
A father and son are connected. Xiaoshanzi had just passed away, and now Yang Fan had become like this. Uncle Yang let out a long sigh, covered his head, and squatted on the ground.
"Little Master Du, you said Xiaofan is possessed by a ghost... Then... Did the ghost do all those bad things he did?!"
Aunt Yang turned to look at me with red eyes.
When Yang Fan was arrested, they had received a notice from the police and learned about the bad things their son had done. Aunt Yang couldn't believe it!
In her heart, her son had always been a good and studious boy. He could stay and work in Beijing. Not long ago, he had said that he was looking at houses and preparing to get married. How could he suddenly become a criminal?
Apart from being possessed by a ghost, Aunt Yang really couldn't think of any other reason for her son's sudden change!