Yu Xiao’s lips curved into a subtle smile, neither nodding nor shaking in response. With a slight tilt of her head, she directed her gaze down the eerie hallway. “So, where is Doctor George?”

    At the far end of the corridor, Doctor George’s office beckoned like a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered.

    Deciding to search for George alone, Yu Xiao had assigned Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen to look at the patients back at the ward.

    As she strolled down the corridor, passing lit wards that hinted at occupied rooms, she noticed something strange. Apart from the ten patients she had seen earlier, there seemed to be no one else. Were others hiding, or did they not require treatment?

    As puzzling thoughts filled her mind, Yu Xiao finally reached the end of the eerie corridor, facing a solitary door labelled “Doctor’s Office.”

    Closing the distance, she gathered the courage to gently knock on the door. A series of knocks produced no immediate response, leaving her uncertain about the office’s occupancy.

    Frowning, Yu Xiao decided to knock once more, her knuckles echoing through the silence like a desperate plea…

    And then it happened.

    With a creak akin to a coffin lid opening, the door suddenly swung inward.

    As Yu Xiao peered into the dimly lit office, she was met with the sight of George, seated motionless behind the desk. The room was shrouded in an unsettling calm, making it painfully clear that George was the sole inhabitant of this foreboding space.

    Yu Xiao’s smile grew wider upon seeing him. “Hello, Dr. George. I have something to discuss with you.”

    Although George didn’t seem pleased by her visit, he maintained his manners. “Please, come in.”

    Taking the hint, Yu Xiao entered the room and found a seat across the desk from George. Leaning in, she asked, “May I sit here, Dr. George?”

    “Certainly, miss,” he replied, gesturing towards the chair on his right.

    With a less-than-elegant screech, she dragged the chair across to the front of the table. Seated and composed, she met George’s gaze with a bright smile.

    “Doctor,” Yu Xiao got straight to the point, “How do I get discharged?”

    Adjusting his glasses, George replied, “Miss, you can only leave when you’re better.”

    Persistent, Yu Xiao asked, “What does ‘better’ mean? Is it up to you?”

    George paused, then explained, “The criteria for improvement are set by the Dean. Only their approval on the discharge report allows you to leave.”

    “And how do I meet the Dean?” Yu Xiao knew George had the answer.

    “Ah, the Dean…” George chuckled. “I can’t even see him.”

    Yu Xiao became tense. “Why? Isn’t he here?”

    “He is,” George’s smile turned sly. “But he’s reclusive… The Dean is not the type of person you can casually meet with…” Sёarch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    “Thank you,” Yu Xiao rose, grateful. “I won’t bother you anymore.”

    George watched her walk away, wondering eagerly, what would she do now? How would she react when her hopes were dashed after meeting the Dean? Ah, her despair will be delicious.

    “Oh, by the way,” Yu Xiao turned abruptly, catching George off guard before he could hide his greedy expression. “Dr. George,” she asked, “may I have your contact number? So I can update you on my condition and strengthen our doctor-patient relationship.”

    *

    *

    The hospital corridor was deserted as Yu Xiao emerged from the doctor’s office, feeling perplexed because she didn’t know the location of her hospital room.

    As she walked down the hallway, every room had its lights on and they all looked the same. She paced back and forth in the empty corridor, even contemplating whether to call out for her sisters to come and find her. However, she dismissed this idea; who knows what calling out might attract.

    With a surge of confidence, Yu Xiao swiftly opened the door on the left, her hand diving into her pocket. The faint “click” of the door lock reached her ears as it swung open, revealing a ward bathed in orange light.

    Inside the room, a dozen people dressed in patient gowns stood in a neat line by the bed. Each one remained completely still, with unchanging expressions, in a state of motionlessness and silence.

    Men and women of various ages stood as if at attention within the ward, causing Yu Xiao to shudder at the sight. Just as she moved to close the door, a nurse dressed in white appeared beside her, startling her.

    “What are you doing?”

    Yu Xiao promptly shut the door and took a few steps back. “I can’t find my ward,” she explained urgently.

    *

    *

    Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen only realised this issue upon returning to the ward. What would they do if they couldn’t find their way back? Luckily, their worry was short-lived as Yu Xiao quickly came back, waving gratefully at the nurse. “Thank you for bringing me back.”

    “— Smiley!”

    “— Big Sis Yu!”

    Their relief was palpable at her safe return, but Qiao Qiao’s excitement was unmatched. She jumped off the bed and eagerly clung to Yu Xiao’s sleeve, drooling profusely.

    “Qiao Qiao, I’m sorry. I can’t give you my hand right now,” Yu Xiao apologised helplessly.

    Qiao Qiao’s expression immediately changed. “Are you going back on your word?”

    Noticing the tension, Zhou Xiao Zhen compared Qiao Qiao’s urgency to that of a dung beetle on a mission. Standing by Yu Xiao’s side, she offered, “Should I bring the mahjong, Smiley?”

    Unyielding, Yu Xiao bit her lip. “I don’t want this either, but George doesn’t want me to do it.”

    “…” Qiao Qiao: “?”

    “I just visited George; he seemed very worried about me and wanted me to stay in his office a little longer. However, I didn’t think it was appropriate, so I returned. He was still concerned and had a nurse accompany me back.” Yu Xiao’s cheeks turned slightly red. “Nevertheless, he was still worried and gave me his number, telling me to reach out if I needed anything.”

    Qiao Qiao, Zhao Lan, and Zhou Xiao Zhen remained silent, taking in the information.

    “But I made a promise to you,” Yu Xiao asserted firmly to Qiao Qiao, her teeth clenched. “I don’t break promises. I will speak to George now, affirm my decision, and he will support me. You won’t have any trouble, I assure you!”

    In the midst of Qiao Qiao’s disbelief, Yu Xiao quickly dialled the phone. George promptly answered, asking, “Who is this?”

    “George, it’s me,” Yu Xiao replied sweetly. “I wanted to…”

    “Smack!”

    Qiao Qiao grabbed the phone with a death grip, staring at Yu Xiao, vigorously shaking her head, almost creating a blur.

    In an attempt to calm Qiao Qiao, Yu Xiao smiled reassuringly, then snatched the phone back, ending the call abruptly. “Oh, everything’s fine now. Goodnight~” The line went dead instantly.

    After the call, she asked innocently, “Qiao Qiao, what’s the matter?”

    Qiao Qiao burst into tears after a moment of silence, collapsing onto the bed, her small body trembling. It appeared that she was genuinely devastated.

    Yu Xiao, feigning innocence, said, “Why is Qiao Qiao so upset? It’s as if someone has bullied her.”

    In shock, Zhou Xiao Zhen asked, “Are you dating George?”

    Yu Xiao remained silent, grappling with her emotions.

    They were in a spacious hospital room with thirteen beds arranged side by side, shared by both men and women. Each bed was labelled with a name assigned by Dr. George, and no one was allowed to switch beds without permission.

    Yu Xiao’s bed was the third one by the door, Zhou Xiao Zhen occupied the fourth, and Zhao Lan’s was the innermost one against the wall. Among them, only Qiao Qiao continued to sob while the other patients appeared to be asleep, their eyes closed in the peaceful room.

    Gathering around Zhao Lan’s bed, they exchanged their thoughts. “As soon as I returned,” Zhao Lan murmured, looking at the motionless figures around them, “it became like this. We tried to look for you, but the nurse restricted our movements.”

    Sharing what she knew, Yu Xiao added, “It seems that our only way out is by contacting the hospital Dean.”

    “But even George couldn’t locate him,” observed Zhao Lan, leaning against the corner. “I have a feeling that there is more danger lurking here, and our assigned beds were not chosen randomly.”

    “Currently, there is a nurse stationed outside,” Yu Xiao chuckled. “Let’s try to get some rest first and then seize an opportunity to search for clues.”

    The three of them returned to their respective beds. These beds had a peculiar smell, as if they were damp and hadn’t been cleaned for a long time.

    As Yu Xiao lay on her bed, the lingering scent prevented her from falling asleep. However, since it was still early and she knew there would be activities later in the night, she needed to rest in order to stay alert.

    So, she closed her eyes and began thinking about things that brought her joy: delicious food, beautiful clothes, handsome men…

    Three minutes later, Zhou Xiao Zhen started to sense that something was amiss. She opened her eyes and noticed that Liu Cui, the plump woman in the adjacent bed, was lying sideways and staring at her with wide-open eyes. Her drool had already drenched a significant part of her pillow.

    “…” Zhou Xiao Zhen was frightened but didn’t have the courage to take any action. She swiftly turned towards Yu Xiao and whispered, “Sister Yu, I’m really scared.”

    “— Sister Yu?”

    Yu Xiao: “zzzzZ”

    Zhou Xiao Zhen: “…”

    No wonder she’s called Smiley. Zhou Xiao Zhen lay flat on her bed, her eyes filled with envy, tears almost flowing out of her nostrils.

    Meanwhile, Yu Xiao slept soundly during her nap. In her dream, she was swimming with several attractive men. They were all dressed in revealing attire that was soaked and clinging to their skin. She was also swimming, with two handsome men supporting her on either side.

    As they swam, the waves grew larger, and one of the attractive men suggested, “Let’s surf.”

    Yu Xiao chuckled, playfully replying, “Who surfs in a pool?”

    Then, a wave crashed, startling her awake into complete darkness.

    Zhou Xiao Zhen whispered, “Wake up.”