Chapter 186 - Beauty
When he heard Li Huowang tell him to just stand in the courtyard and talk to him, Gao Zhijian hesitated. He looked around warily and then began to speak, “I... I... I might... I might be an emp...”
As he spoke, Gao Zhijian’s voice gradually became softer and softer, turning into something akin to a mosquito’s buzzing.
“Hm? An emp? What are you talking about? Speak up,” asked Li Huowang.
Gao Zhijian was ashamed when Li Huowang talked to him like that and just returned to his room.
“Why did he stop talking? What was he trying to say? An emp?” wondered Li Huowang. He was about to head down and ask but decided against it. He closed the window and approached his bed.
He had many other things to do and had no time to meddle in the private affairs of others.
Plus, he was a Strayed One. He was not suited to be a counselor, lest he dragged the others into his troubles as well.
And so, Li Huowang was not interested in what Gao Zhijian was trying to tell him.
Gao Zhijian was not stupid. His mind just worked slower than the others. Gao Zhijian must’ve his own issues to deal with. He knew that there would come a day when Gao Zhijian would naturally tell him everything.
After Li Huowang waited and confirmed that Gao Zhijian never came up, he blew out the candle and went to sleep. As he lay on the bed, Li Huowang stared at the roof.
“Do you still remember where Simpleton wanted to go?” asked Li Huowang.
Bai Lingmiao hugged Li Huowang even while her eyes were closed. “I asked him a couple of days ago and found that he wasn’t sure either. He had said the Liang Kingdom the last time but then he answered with Qing Qiu a few days back.”
“Qing Qiu...” mumbled Li Huowang as the map surfaced within his mind. Qing Qiu was the next kingdom after Hou Shu, and beyond it was the Liang Kingdom.
Their journey would end once Bai Lingmiao arrived back at her village at the base of Cowheart Mountain. At that time, he would finally be able to settle down there too.
What should I do once I’m there? Should I arrange for a wedding ceremony and marry her? But since I will be staying at her house, technically she’s marrying me, right?[1]
Amidst his thoughts, Li Huowang placed his jaw on the top of her head and snuggled with Bai Lingmiao.
Neither of them had fallen into love at first sight, nor had they sworn to love each other. Li Huowang didn’t know how to pamper her, and Bai Lingmiao had never flirted with him. Both of them were akin to a small stream; they went on and on until they reached a lake.
To Li Huowang, nothing about it felt particularly special. It was just that he felt comfortable staying by her side and wanted to do so for his life.
But he was still worried about the one remaining issue he had.
His hallucinations.
“Is there nothing that can cure the symptoms of a Strayed One?” Li Huowang wondered aloud. This was not only a question of responsibility, but also a future threat.
Li Huowang was still unconvinced. He was afraid that he would end up treating the hallucination as the real world once more and abandon Bai Lingmiao.
For a period of time, Li Huowang was very certain that the other side was fake and that he would never doubt himself again.
But now, the reality hit him hard. Everything was possible. He would never be so sure anymore.
Li Huowang recalled the final words spoken by one of the members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao. “Chen Hongxiu, that old nun, knew nothing! I’ll tell you the truth! One of the four Joys of the Sitting Oblivion Dao, Bei Feng, is also a Strayed One! He has managed to live to a ripe old age of 190, and he’s still doing well! None of a Strayed One’s bewilderment or confusion bothers him!”
As he thought about it, he got more and more annoyed.
At that moment, Li Huowang suddenly realized that he had played right into that person’s trap and cursed.
Fuck! That bunch of crazy lunatics are still trying to swindle me even after their death!
“Senior Li, what’s wrong?” asked Bai Lingmiao.
Staring at the sleepy Bai Lingmiao, Li Huowang was about to say something when he suddenly felt his hallucination coming back. “Quick! Bring the chains!”
Hearing this, Bai Lingmiao didn’t even question him. She immediately found the chain from under the bag and tied up Li Huowang.
“Tie harder! Don’t ever let me go!” said Li Huowang.
When he saw Bai Lingmiao reassuring him even as she was busy tying him up, Li Huowang sighed and tilted his head back.
At that moment, the pillow filled with grain transformed into a soft pillow filled with cotton.
Li Huowang gradually raised his head and stared at the white environment. The ward looked quite different compared to the last time.
Li Huowang knew where he was. After staying in the psychiatric hospital for so long, he knew that this was the ward where they kept the patients that had to be strapped in. A normal hospital would never have such a ward.
He thought about it for a moment, and came to a logical conclusion. “I was transferred?”
Li Huowang smiled bitterly and shook his head. After all, it was a hallucination and just about anything could happen here.
Li Huowang stared at the clean white ceiling and didn’t know what to do next.
He stared at the straps on his arms. After a moment, he raised his head and spoke into the microphone. “Is there a nurse? This is the thirteenth ward. Could you please bring my phone? I would like to make a call.”
After some static, a male voice answered him, “You are Li Huowang, correct? I’ve read your report. My surname is Wang, and so you can call me Nurse Wang. Who would you like to call? I can connect them to the microphone and the speaker by your bed.”
A male nurse?
Li Huowang pondered for a moment, and asked, “Nurse Wang, could you call Yang Na—”
However, as soon as he mentioned Yang Na’s name, Bai Lingmiao’s face popped up in his mind.
What am I doing? Why am I interacting with a hallucination? Yang Na is fake and Bai Lingmiao is real.
“Aa! Who is it? So annoying! Who’s calling me so early in the morning?” At that moment, a familiar voice came from the speaker.
When he heard her familiar voice, Li Huowang stopped hesitating. “Nana.”
“Huowang!” Yang Na cried out in surprise and happiness.
“Why are you still in bed? Where did you go last night and just how crazy was the night?” asked Li Huowang.
Hearing his question, Yang Na started letting out all her complains, “I didn’t go anywhere to play last night. The first year of university is more or less like another advanced year in high school. I’m so busy I could die.”
“You no longer have to study late into the night and you don’t even have classes all day long. How could you be busy?”
“Who said that? You can only say that because you have never gone to university before! Once you are in, you will realize that all those teachers in high school lied to us about how carefree being a university student was!” said Yang Na.
After she said those words, she suddenly became quiet. After a while, she carefully probed Li Huowang. “Huowang, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to trigger you.”
Hearing this, Li Huowang stared at the black microphone and chuckled, “You think you can trigger me just like that? I’m pretty much unfazed. By the way, did you hear me sing Happy Birthday to you that day?”
“Yes, I did. Thank you. But... I’m still waiting for my birthday gift.”
1. Usually in Chinese culture the girl would go to the boy's family after marriage, but on rare occasions where the boy lives with the girl's family instead, they will use a different Chinese character to describe it. ?
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