Chapter 62

Chapter 62

The administrator secured the wheelchair to the back of the cart and handed the cotton blanket to Chu Ya. Chu Ya wrapped Shen Juanjuan tightly in it and asked the Black Wolf ahead, "Can we set off now?"

The Black Wolf angrily pawed at the ground, let out a long howl filled with frustration, then shot forward like an arrow. The cart behind was pulled taut by the rope, causing the few people on it to lean backward, quickly grabbing onto the edges.

"Rong Chen, that hospital director is an acquaintance of mine; ask him to take good care of the child... It's cold on the road, wrap up well... Be careful, you all be careful..."

The voices of Director Liu and several administrators soon vanished in the wind as the Black Wolf pulled the cart forward at a rapid pace, splashing up snow all around. However, except for Chu Ya, to the others, it looked like a cart running by itself through the snow.

If it were any other time, Shen Juanjuan would have been extremely excited, but now he had no time to spare, his mind full of worry for Lin Duozhi.

"Lin Duozhi."

Sitting between Rong Chen and Chu Ya, Shen Juanjuan extended a hand from under the blanket, gently touching Lin Duozhi's face and brushing away the snowflakes stuck to his eyelashes.

Lin Duozhi's eyelashes trembled, and he slowly opened his eyes, almost silently calling out to Juanjuan.

"Lin Duozhi, did your fingers break? Does it hurt?" Tears rolled down Shen Juanjuan's cheeks again.

Lin Duozhi moved his lips: "It doesn't hurt, it really doesn't."

"Please get better soon, okay? I'll bring you meat every day, the kind my brother roasts, every day."

"I'll get better soon. My extra finger is gone, but I can go to Cloud Peak... to come and get you, your brother, and Tang Yuanyuan... After saying this, Lin Duozhi took a long breath, finally unable to hold back his tears, "Juanjuan, it still hurts... It really hurts."

"We'll be fine once we get to the hospital. All the children who go to the hospital will get better, they won't feel pain anymore once they're inside."

"How much longer until we reach the hospital?"

Shen Juanjuan sobbed and asked the Black Wolf, "Wangwang, how much longer until we reach the hospital? Wangwang, answer me, Wangwang."

Rong Chen interrupted him: "Twenty minutes, it's not far."

"Chief Administrator Chen says it's not far, just bear with it a little longer." Not knowing how to make Lin Duozhi feel better, Shen Juanjuan said, "Would you like me to sing for you?"

Lin Duozhi nodded lightly.

Shen Juanjuan stretched out both hands from under the blanket, turning the steering wheel while singing and sobbing, "Child, instead of being unhappy, why don't you sing and bask in the sun with grandpa? Grandpa's little car goes beep beep beep, da da da, beep beep beep..."

Lin Duozhi also sang silently along, "Grandpa's little car goes beep beep beep, da da da, beep beep beep..."

The children's sobs and songs were carried away by the wind and snow, drifting in the heavy night air. Rong Chen held Lin Duozhi, turning to look ahead, the reflected light from the snow revealed the moisture in the corners of his eyes.

The Black Wolf's speed was astonishing, the cart seemed to be flying rather than moving on the snow, the two tracks on the snow surface appearing and disappearing intermittently. Chu Ya held Shen Juanjuan in his arms, pressing his head against his chest, while Rong Chen turned his back to shield Lin Duozhi from the wind and snow.

The Black Wolf soon reached the foot of Keke Mountain, letting out a roar full of warning, which made the dark shadows on the mountain stop their movements.

Quantum beasts and their owners cannot be separated for too long. Chu Ya looked up at the sky several times during the journey; the avian quantum beast was visible at first, but after passing Keke Mountain, it disappeared from sight. Although there would certainly be other monitors in Keke Town, he didn't think they would send a sentinel guide so quickly.

They encountered the returning orphanage van near Keke Town, struggling to drive through the snow.

"You're riding in a cart? A cart?!" The driver and the logistics officer in the passenger seat were very surprised.

"It's being pulled by a quantum beast. Be careful when you return to the orphanage; the mutants on the mountain are a bit restless."

"No problem, we all have guns." The passenger patted the automatic rifle in his arms.

The orphanage, not far from Keke Mountain, kept about ten automatic rifles for safety reasons, usually locked in storage, only to be requested when staff went to Keke Town.

After a brief exchange, they parted ways. Soon, Chu Ya saw the outline of buildings ahead; they had finally arrived at Keke Town.

The Black Wolf stopped at the town gate, and Rong Chen jumped off the cart, carrying Lin Duozhi, and then untied the wheelchair from the back. Chu Ya handed Shen Juanjuan down first, then moved the cart and sat on the wheelchair.

After untying the rope from the Black Wolf, Chu Ya let Shen Juanjuan sit in front of him and went to the town gate with Rong Chen.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" The soldier outside the guardhouse, shivering and stamping his feet, shouted over.

"I'm from the orphanage; the child has injured his hand and needs to go to the hospital. Could you please open the gate?"

Shen Juanjuan, wrapped in a blanket with only his head showing, also called out anxiously, "Open the gate, please, his fingers are broken, open the gate quickly, it hurts a lot."

The soldier walked over, first looking at Lin Duozhi in Rong Chen's arms, then at the others. Everyone was covered in snow, their eyelashes and eyebrows white. When the soldier's gaze fell on Chu Ya's wheelchair, he paused, as if thinking of something, then looked at him more carefully, suspicion rising in his eyes.

Before the soldier could ask, Rong Chen preemptively replied, "He's helping us escort the child."

"Open the gate quickly, we need to go to the hospital, open the gate quickly." Shen Juanjuan looked up and pleaded repeatedly.

Chu Ya remained silent, his expression unchanged. He had been to the Tuta Passage recently and believed the soldiers here had received similar orders, not to obstruct him but to monitor his every move.

However, these ordinary people were easy to shake off.

The soldier silently took out the remote control for the gate, and the sliding door moved aside. Rong Chen thanked him, placed the cart next to the guardhouse, and hurried into the town gate with Chu Ya.

Chu Ya slightly turned his head and saw the soldier say something at the entrance of the guardhouse, then another soldier came out, both following them.

The town hospital was near the town gate. Liu Hong must have already contacted the hospital, because as soon as Rong Chen and Chu Ya entered, the doctors came forward, taking Lin Duozhi to the operating room.

"Lin Duozhi, Lin Duozhi." Shen Juanjuan chased after the gurney, nearly tripping over the blanket, and Chu Ya quickly removed it for him.

Lying on the bed, Lin Duozhi looked at Shen Juanjuan, his face as pale as the sheets.

"Shen Juanjuan, I'm scared..."

"Don't be afraid, I'll create a mental force shield for you, don't be afraid."

The warmth of the hall melted the ice on Shen Juanjuan's eyelashes into water. He blinked his eyes, chasing after the gurney while hurriedly making gestures, "Mental force shield!"

Lin Duozhi moved his left hand, wrapped in bandages, "…mental force shield."

Lin Duozhi entered the operating room, and Shen Juanjuan was left outside, head hanging, motionless.

Chu Ya pushed the wheelchair forward, and Shen Juanjuan slowly turned around, hugging his neck, and said sadly, "Chief Administrator Chen whispered to you that he broke his fingers himself; I heard it."

He paused for a moment and then asked, "Why would he break his fingers? Isn't he afraid of pain?"

Chu Ya remained silent for a long time before replying, "Perhaps he fears another kind of pain more."

He wasn't sure if Shen Juanjuan understood, but the child didn't press further, only rubbing his eyes against Chu Ya's shoulder.

"Will Lin Duozhi's fingers grow back?"

Chu Ya thought seriously, "I don't think so."

Shen Juanjuan lifted his tear-filled eyes, looking over Chu Ya's shoulder, and whispered, "Without enough fingers, when we play rock-paper-scissors with Tang Yuanyuan and Chen Hongliang, our paper won't be as big as theirs."

"Then play rock; your rock can be rounder than before."

As they spoke softly, the Black Wolf paced back and forth in the hall, while Rong Chen inquired about Lin Duozhi's injuries from the doctor. The two soldiers who had accompanied them stood guard at the entrance of the hall, their eyes fixed on Chu Ya.

A moment later, Rong Chen approached, his expression noticeably more relaxed.

"The doctor told me that Lin Duozhi is fine. We brought him here in time, and the wound was treated well."

Shen Juanjuan asked anxiously, "So he won't be in pain anymore?"

"He won't feel pain now; he's been given anesthesia."

Shen Juanjuan sighed in relief, no longer so worried.

Rong Chen added, "Chu Ya, take Shen Juanjuan to rest in the ward for a while, the one at the far end. There's nothing much to do here."

Before Chu Ya could respond, Shen Juanjuan said unhappily, "Why do you call him Zhu too, Chief Administrator Chen? The hospital director calls him that too. His name is Shen Miaomiao."

Rong Chen was taken aback, and Chu Ya pulled Shen Juanjuan aside, "That's not Zhu, it's Chu Ya. The pronunciation and characters are different. Look, these are the characters: Chu, Ya. It's my name."

Chu Ya wrote his name on Shen Juanjuan's palm, and Shen Juanjuan withdrew his hand, still unhappy, "No, you're Shen Miaomiao, you are Shen Miaomiao." He pursed his lips and looked at Chu Ya, adding, "Chu Ya is just your nickname."

Chu Ya smiled faintly and said nothing more. Shen Juanjuan tilted his head and mouthed silently, "Chu Ya, Chu Ya..."

Upon reaching the ward, Chu Ya noticed the two soldiers following them into the corridor. He closed the door and whispered in Shen Juanjuan's ear, "Shen Juanjuan, I need to do something important now. You have to stay here alone."

Shen Juanjuan immediately protested, "I want to go with you," but Chu Ya pressed a finger to his lips, "I have to do something very important. If I fail, I'll be in great danger."

Shen Juanjuan's eyes widened, and just as he was about to speak, Chu Ya pinched his lips together, "Don't make a sound. I'm afraid someone might hear you. Just listen to me. Not only do I need you to stay here, but I also need your help. Can you do that?"

Chu Ya's voice was soft but carried an unprecedented seriousness. He released Shen Juanjuan's lips, and before the boy could respond, he pinched them again, "Just nod if you agree."

Shen Juanjuan nodded.

"Good, now I'll tell you what to do."

The two soldiers standing in the corridor saw the door open, and Shen Juanjuan hurriedly wheeled out, "Hurry up, my stomach hurts, I need to use the bathroom, hurry up."

Chu Ya stopped a nurse, "Excuse me, where are the restrooms on this floor?"

"Just down the corridor."

"Thank you."

Chu Ya wheeled Shen Juanjuan toward the restroom at the end of the corridor. The two soldiers exchanged glances and followed closely behind.

The restroom had separate stalls. After Shen Juanjuan entered, Chu Ya waited outside, but Shen Juanjuan called out loudly, saying he was scared and demanded that Chu Ya come in with him.

When Chu Ya wheeled himself into the stall, the two soldiers peered inside, watching the wheelchair enter and the small door slam shut.

"I'll wait for you right here, okay?"

"I'm scared, don't leave, stay here."

...

The restroom had only one door, so the two soldiers retreated to the corridor entrance, whispering to each other and occasionally glancing back.

A few minutes later, a doctor in a white coat emerged from the restroom. He glanced at his watch and hurried toward the main hall, passing the two soldiers, one of whom stepped aside to let him through.

The doctor crossed the hall and quickly descended the steps, his white coat hanging loosely on his thin frame.

No one else came out of the restroom, so the two soldiers leaned against the corridor wall, continuing their conversation.

Chu Ya lowered his head as he walked out of the hospital, quickly removing his white coat and hurrying down the street. When he was out of the range of the streetlights, the Black Wolf appeared beside him, and they ran swiftly together.

"Fog Mountain Street 75, Fog Mountain Street 75..."

Chu Ya stopped at a bus stop, scanning the signs for Fog Mountain Street but found none. He stood there, looking around, and spotted a shoe repair stand nearby. He rushed over and asked the vendor, "Excuse me, where is Fog Mountain Street?"

The vendor continued working on the shoe sole, and only after Chu Ya asked again did he reply without looking up, "Never heard of it."

The vendor's wife, eating a bean cake with hot water, sized Chu Ya up and said, "There's no Fog Mountain Street here."

Chu Ya, understanding that Fog Mountain Street wasn't nearby, asked, "How can I get to that street then?"

"Didn't I just say there's no Fog Mountain Street here?" the vendor said impatiently, "I've lived in Keke Town for years and never heard of such a place."

Chu Ya stood at the crossroads, staring blankly ahead.

After leaving the small stall, he asked several passersby in succession, but none of them knew where Wushan Street was; they had never heard of it.

Yet, the day before he went to the abyss, his father clearly mentioned this place to him. He remembered it very clearly: Building 75 on Wushan Street.

The Black Wolf had been following him all along, pawing at the ground with some impatience. Chu Ya glanced at his wristwatch; it had been almost ten minutes since he left the hospital, and Shen Juanjuan was still alone in the restroom. Since he couldn't find Wushan Street, he could only return and wait for the next opportunity to go out.

Two soldiers waited for a while, puzzled that Chu Ya hadn't come out yet. They cautiously approached the restroom. As soon as they reached the entrance, they heard a child's strained "heyo" sounds.

"Psychic Shield! Quickly find Lin Duozhi... hey, Class Two, cheer up, Class Two, cheer up... hey, hey, it's coming, hey... Psychic Shield, quickly find Lin Duozhi!"

The two soldiers looked at each other, one of them tiptoeing to the stall door, bending down, and peeking through the gap to see the wheelchair.

He quietly walked back and whispered to the other, "He's inside."

"Hey, this brat, even pooping needs a chant."

"Come on, let's go outside. Are we going to guard here?"

Chu Ya returned to the hall in his white coat, just in time to bump into Rong Chen coming down from the second floor. He quickly lowered his head, passed by Rong Chen, and then walked past the two soldiers to the restroom.

Rong Chen, holding a pile of newly collected medicines, stared at his back for a moment. When the two soldiers looked over, he acted as if nothing had happened and carried the medicine to the nurse's station.

Shen Juanjuan sat on the toilet, eyes closed, straining, his hands clenched in front of his chest, his head trembling.

When Chu Ya pulled open the stall door, Shen Juanjuan was about to exclaim in surprise, but Chu Ya immediately made a hushing gesture and slipped into the stall.

When the door opened again, Shen Juanjuan pushed the wheelchair out. The two soldiers, who had been guarding the corridor entrance, now moved to the hall and sat on the long bench.

All the windows in this building were equipped with iron bars, and the only entrance and exit was here.

"I just—"

"Shh." Chu Ya pressed a finger to Shen Juanjuan's lips, looking into his bright, shining eyes, and whispered in his ear, "I know, you did well, you're amazing."

"Hehehe."

Chu Ya didn't return to the ward but stopped the wheelchair beside a bench near the operating room. Rong Chen handed the medicine bottles to the nurse and also came over to sit on the bench. His gaze swept over Chu Ya's legs, but he said nothing, only waiting quietly for the surgery to end.

Ten minutes later, the operating room door opened, and Lin Duozhi was wheeled out. Seeing Shen Juanjuan, a faint smile appeared on his pale face.

"Lin Duozhi." Shen Juanjuan smiled at him, carefully examining his hand wrapped like a dumpling in bandages.

"Your hand looks like a raccoon's." Shen Juanjuan held his hand, saying, "It's really pretty, my raccoon has white paws like this."

"Does it hurt?" he asked again.

"It doesn't hurt."

"I cast a Psychic Shield for you, I cast one every little while, so it doesn't hurt."

The doctor told Rong Chen, "There's no problem with the wound, but it will hurt when the anesthesia wears off. I've prescribed painkillers, feed them to him when the time comes."

"Okay."

Shen Juanjuan said to Lin Duozhi, "The doctor said you'll feel pain later."

"How long is 'later'?"

"Don't worry, I'll keep casting the Psychic Shield for you." Shen Juanjuan patted Lin Duozhi's head, whispering, "I was so scared you might die, I don't want you to become a little mound in the backyard."

"…Me too, I was afraid I would die."

"You won't die, that's good." Shen Juanjuan thought for a moment, "In the future, when we play rock-paper-scissors with Tang Yuanyuan, we'll only choose rock, not scissors."

"Okay."

It was now ten o'clock at night. With Rong Chen needing to take care of Lin Duozhi, Chu Ya and Shen Juanjuan couldn't return to Mixin Town in the snow, so they decided to rest in Lin Duozhi's ward for the night.

The hospital was mostly empty with few patients, and Lin Duozhi had a private double room. Chu Ya and Shen Juanjuan slept fully clothed on the other bed, while Rong Chen arranged a few chairs beside Lin Duozhi's bed, wrapping himself in a blanket to lie down.

Shen Juanjuan tried several times to talk to Lin Duozhi, but Chu Ya stopped him each time. Bored, he fidgeted, and Chu Ya held his wandering hands.

"Don't touch the edge of the bed, it's dirty… don't cover your mouth with the blanket, it's dirty… don't rub your face against the pillow, it's not clean…"

Shen Juanjuan finally couldn't help but speak, "I checked, it's very clean."

"Those dirty things are too small for you to see," Chu Ya said with his eyes closed.

For a moment, the room was silent, with only the howling wind outside.

The Black Wolf silently entered from the door, leaped onto a single sofa in the corner, and lay down. It seemed to be resting, but its eyes vigilantly watched outside through the window.

After a period of silence, Lin Duozhi's weak voice suddenly broke the quiet, "W-what is that?"

Shen Juanjuan, who had been tossing and turning, suddenly sat up, "What?"

Lin Duozhi's eyes were fixed on the corner, "There, right there…"

Shen Juanjuan, who hadn't seen the Black Wolf earlier, could see it now, and asked Lin Duozhi, "Do you mean that black thing?"

The black thing raised its head and growled unhappily.

"Yes, that one."

Shen Juanjuan explained, "Do you think it's a table ghost? It's not, it just looks a bit ugly."

"Roar!"

"It's my brother's quantum beast, called Shen Wangwang. Don't be afraid, it doesn't bite people randomly. It looks ugly, but it's actually a very handsome big black dog."

"Roar!!"

Rong Chen and Chu Ya also sat up. Rong Chen listened to the conversation between the two children and looked at Chu Ya with a questioning gaze. Seeing Chu Ya nod, his face changed abruptly, and he turned to stare blankly at Lin Duozhi before closing his eyes and letting out a long sigh.

"Quantum beasts, aren't quantum beasts ducks?" Lin Duozhi asked.

Shen Juanjuan said, "No, not all quantum beasts are ducks. My quantum beast is a raccoon."

"What's a raccoon?"

"It's a very cute bear." Shen Juanjuan raised both hands to his ears, "It has round little ears and shiny black eyes..."

The two children continued talking for a while. As the painkiller took effect, Lin Duozhi's voice grew weaker until he finally fell into a deep sleep. Shen Juanjuan was also very tired; he turned over and snuggled into Chu Ya's arms, soon falling asleep with soft snores.

Chu Ya opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling, hearing Rong Chen's voice, heavy with sighs, echo softly, "How can we possibly avoid this..."