"Fang Yuan, what are you looking at?" Qin Yue, a little nearsighted, glanced toward the end of the corridor, but could see nothing but a dark mass.
Fang Yuan's eyes were also a little tired. She took a few steps toward the shadows of the trees. This time, she could see clearly—it was indeed the black cat.
The black cat looked at Fang Yuan and meowed softly. Its voice was ambiguous, completely devoid of the joy it had felt seeing her before, but rather a mocking one.
Is the black cat mocking Fang Yuan?
Why is it mocking her?
And how did it end up in this hospital?
Dogs can find their owners with their sensitive noses, so can black cats?
The black cat doesn't own anyone here. At least, Fang Yuan isn't the black cat's owner.
She had abandoned it long ago. Although, for a while, the black cat had made Dormitory 441 its home, the girls in that dormitory had driven it away.
Could it be that it mistook Xiao Jing for its master?
Is it here to find Xiao Jing?
Fang Yuan suddenly felt a strange sensation. The black cat was still black, but its eyes seemed not like a cat's, but Xiao Jing's. Lonely, melancholy, and sharp, so sharp that they could see through her thoughts.
No, impossible!
Fang Yuan groaned inwardly. How could this be possible? She dreaded the look in the black cat's eyes. It made her wonder if she was naked and exposed in public.
Only a madman would do such a thing, exposing herself without shame.
She wasn't mad!
She suddenly loathed this black cat—its presence always brought bad luck, always accompanied by death.
At this moment, Qin Yue noticed Fang Yuan's abnormality and gently held her hand, saying, "Are you okay?"
Qin Yue's hands were warm and tender, while her own were cold and stiff.
"It's okay." Fang Yuan closed her eyes and shook her head, as if trying to shake off the palpitations. When she opened them again, there was nothing beneath the shadows of the trees at the end of the corridor; leaves rustled in the dappled shadows. This time, even the black cat had vanished.
Could it have been all an illusion? Fang Yuan's heart tightened.
"Teacher Qin, did you see a black cat over there?"
"No," Qin Yue said lovingly, stroking Fang Yuan's head. "I see you're exhausted. It's been tough on you these days. Let's go, let's go back."
Qin Yue knew exactly what Fang Yuan had been through. So many horrific events, one death after another—it would have been unbearable for anyone. But she persevered, facing it bravely, not escaping or retreating. She was still a child after all, and even the most resilient of her children would have their downfalls.
When the mind can no longer bear the weight of stress, many people often resort to depravity, using tobacco, alcohol, sex, the internet, and other lifestyles to numb themselves. She'd seen this happen all too often, including many students in the medical school. But that wasn't the worst outcome. The worst outcome was that even when the pressure was unbearable and on the verge of collapse, they couldn't find a way to numb themselves. A few days ago, a student in the medical school, suffering from psychological depression, suddenly became extremely violent and attacked anyone he saw, resulting in two deaths and five serious injuries.
Fang Yuan's body was fragile, but within it beat an incredibly strong heart. However, everyone has moments of weakness, and Qin Yue worried that Fang Yuan would become consumed by her sorrow.
The night was dark, and the lights in the hospital corridor seemed dim in the thick darkness. The air was filled with the ever-present smell of formaldehyde. The corridor was deserted, save for the occasional stern-faced nurse hurried by with a medicine tray. The sound of crying could be heard from the ward next to Fang Yuan's.
Another patient has died, Fang Yuan thought darkly. The family members wept bitterly, their voices growing louder and louder, disturbing the nurses, accustomed to witnessing life and death, who rushed over to scold them. The cries finally died down, becoming silent sobs.
Death eclipses all the beauty in life.
"Let's go!" Fang Yuan sighed inwardly, taking Qin Yue's hand and leaving the hospital. Outside, He Jianhui waited anxiously in his Pasak.
The car roared a few times, ignited, and took off, moving like a beetle through the sharply defined wilderness. The city's buildings stood in a staggered pattern, their neon lights ablaze with color, flowers blooming, and music and dance flourishing. The brightly dressed men and women wore indifferent expressions, using aloofness to hide the desolation deep within them.
In silence, the Pasak quickly arrived at Nanjiang Medical College and dropped Fang Yuan off at the women's dormitory.
"Thank you for taking me back," Fang Yuan said to He Jianhui.
He Jianhui smiled. "Nothing, I was just on my way."
Xiao Jing's death hadn't saddened him. He couldn't blame him, as he wasn't familiar with Xiao Jing to begin with.
"On your way? Oh, yes, you were taking Teacher Qin back, so you could take me on your way."
"No, I was going home, and I was taking the two young ladies back," He Jianhui said seriously. Seeing Fang Yuan didn't understand, he added, "Because I live here too."
Fang Yuan was surprised. "You live in the medical school too?"
He Jianhui retorted, "Why can't I live in the medical school? Don't you understand the principle that those who are close to the water get the moon first?"
Fang Yuan finally understood. He Jianhui must have bought a faculty residence in the medical school to pursue Qin Yue.
Qin Yue rolled her eyes at He Jianhui, seeming displeased. Xiao Jing had, after all, been romantically involved with her, and she was in a bad mood, not wanting to hear He Jianhui's smooth talk.
He Jianhui made a bitter face. "Okay, the boss is upset. We're leaving. Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
Fang Yuan turned and headed for the girls' dormitory 441.
The hallway was dark, and the stairs were completely invisible. Fang Yuan climbed cautiously, step by step. Fortunately, it was only the fourth floor, so the climb didn't take long. When she reached the third floor, she encountered two girls coming down the stairs. They shone flashlights at Fang Yuan, blinding her eyes with a dazzling white light. Fang Yuan was frustrated, and for some unknown reason, she cursed, "Why are you shining them? Are you sick?"
"You're the one who's sick..." One of the girls yelled back, not wanting to be outdone. Then, suddenly, she stopped, as if something was stuck in her throat.
In the dim light of the flashlight, Fang Yuan saw one girl glaring at her, a hint of anger on her face. The other girl covered her mouth with her hand and whispered something to her. Fang Yuan faintly heard the words "441." The unconvinced girl paled at the whisper, her body trembling, her eyes filled with fear.
Fang Yuan walked over calmly. The two girls timidly made way for her, avoiding her body as if being touched by her would bring inescapable misfortune.
A girl from the third-floor dormitory poked her head out, saw Fang Yuan, and then retreated back like a timid mouse. Then, the dormitory door slammed shut with a loud metallic clang.
Fang Yuan felt sad for these people. Suspicion, blind obedience, timidity, and shallowness—these bad habits had no place in a medical school, yet they were rampant here.
The lights in girls' dormitory 441 were brightly lit, all on. Su Ya lazily lay on her bed, reading Anne Boleyn's "Goodbye Vivian," nearly torn apart. Xu Zhaodi, who always went to bed early, sat up straight in bed, bored and seemingly waiting for her.
Sure enough, as soon as she saw Fang Yuan walk in, Xu Zhaodi asked, "How's Teacher Xiao?"
"Dead," Fang Yuan said softly, as if describing something that had nothing to do with her. She was exhausted, so she lay down on the bed without even washing her feet.
"Dead—" Xu Zhaodi muttered, stealing a glance at Su Ya. Su Ya, however, seemed oblivious, turning a page in her book.
Xu Zhaodi didn't ask any more questions. She went to the bedroom, closed the door, locked it, washed her face and feet, and then returned to the bedroom to lie down on the bed.
She hadn't turned out the lights; the lights in the living room and bathroom were still on.
"Did you turn off the lights?" Fang Yuan asked lazily, turning over.
"No, never mind. Leave it on."
It's said that ghosts are afraid of light and won't enter a room that's too bright. Had Xu Zhaodi heard that, too, and that's why she left all the lights on?