Chapter 6 Staring at "Holy crap!!"
Wen Zhiling counted the days on her fingers, and the last day finally arrived.
She took a day off and drove to the new district to celebrate with Aunt Qiao and Brother Qiao Yan.
When they arrived at the hospital, Qiao Yan told her that Aunt Qiao was asleep. She had a slight fever last night, and the pain from her surgical wound had kept her up all night. He felt quite embarrassed; Wen Zhiling's bus ride to the hospital took two hours, and the round trip took almost half a day.
The sunlight on the terrace was warm, just like the feeling that the Qiao family gave Wen Zhiling. She said, "How could it be troublesome? Brother Qiao Yan, you and Aunt Qiao are both very important family members to me. Of course, we should celebrate good things with our family."
Upon learning that today was the last day, Qiao Yan, though unaware of the details, was happy for Wen Zhiling. The discomfort she felt from always having to spend money on their family also lessened somewhat.
Wen Zhiling paused mid-sentence, realizing that this action was like popping champagne halfway through a party, which wasn't very auspicious. She added, "But you never know."
Qiao Yan didn't understand why her tone had changed. Wen Zhiling said seriously, "If someone really comes looking for me, no matter what kind of trouble they bring, I will definitely leave as soon as possible and never involve you."
"What do you think I care about?" The sudden increase in volume startled Wen Zhiling.
"Zhi Ling, I," Qiao Yan regretted her loss of composure and wanted to make amends but couldn't find the words, "Wait for me for a year, just one year, and I will definitely pay you back the money... We can talk about the rest after we're even."
Qiao Yan must be under too much pressure. Wen Zhiling thought for a moment and said, "If you really feel bad about it, why don't you treat me to dinner tonight?"
Qiao Yan went upstairs to explain things to the caregiver, while Wen Zhiling sunbathed on the terrace. When the day of liberation finally arrived, she felt a little lost and disappointed.
It felt like someone was watching her. Wen Zhiling turned around and saw a nurse standing at the corner of the terrace—the same nurse who had asked her to fill out the form last time. The nurse had a pair of smiling eyes that were very memorable. Today, she wasn't wearing her uniform and was staring at Wen Zhiling with a smile. For a fleeting moment when their eyes met, her smile was brighter than the sunshine.
Wen Zhiling was completely baffled; the nurse had already disappeared around the corner.
Qiao Yan said he would take Wen Zhiling to stroll around the school in the afternoon, as the scenery was beautiful. As they passed a hotel, Wen Zhiling suddenly felt extremely unwell; her stomach burned like it was on fire. Her head felt like it had been struck hard; she was dizzy, her vision blurred, and a zebra crossing appeared as four or five overlapping lines.
Qiao Yan panicked: "Zhi Ling! What's wrong?"
Her heart was beating faster than usual, her blood was rushing like a dam had been opened, and the clanging and banging of machines and voices came from all directions. The world became noisy and chaotic, countless pieces of information flooded her brain, and she fainted.
-
On the top floor of the hotel, Meng Run paced back and forth in the corridor, on the verge of collapse.
His forehead was covered in sweat as he raised his voice to argue with the person on the phone: "Symptoms? How would I know what symptoms are? It's just going crazy, he suddenly went crazy! He pushed me out like that... How was I supposed to know if he would hurt himself? You're a doctor, I'm asking you! Food? I didn't eat anything that caused an allergic reaction... Are you really a doctor? Allergies can turn into rabies!"
Thump!
The white vase was knocked over and shattered on the ground.
Zong Linhan knelt on the ground, breathing rapidly. Veins bulged on his forehead and arms, and his shirt was soaked with sweat. He looked as if he had been pulled out of the water. His back was bent like a bow, and his trembling hands were covered with shards of glass. But the pain from his wounds could not awaken his will; it only intensified the reddening vision in his eyes.
He recalled what the superpowered driver had said not long ago, and his agitation intensified. A powerful urge to destroy overwhelmed his senses. Through his bloodshot vision, he saw the mahogany table in the suite and wanted to lift it and smash it out the window. When he came to his senses, his hand was already gripping the sofa leg, the blood in his palm soaking the carpet, barely able to withstand the intense destructive urge.
Zong Linhan struggled to his feet, supporting himself on the edge of the cabinet. His movements were slow and laborious. He leaned against the wall and used his remaining willpower to enter the bathroom.
He sat on the cold tiles, grabbed the showerhead, and was violently drenched in cold water from head to toe. Blood mixed with the shower water and flowed through the cracks between the tiles.
After an unknown amount of time, the extreme cold gradually took over, overwhelming his destructive urges, and his mind cleared slightly. Could it be that he had actually been marked by an esper sometime during this period?
Zong Linhan tried his best to calm his breathing, loosened his collar, and was about to catch his breath when suddenly, an even more intense sensation surged through him. It was as if the pain just now was merely a switch; the real discomfort was the burning thirst that followed. He suddenly longed to see someone. He wanted to hug them, kiss them, and have their soft lips pressed against his, inflicting both pain and pleasure upon him. A familiar yet strange memory from the past flooded back; he remembered the dim dusk, the cramped little sofa, the sweltering summer, and the soiled nightgown.
His slender hand gripped the cold water tap, turning it to its maximum. The showerhead sprayed water at its maximum, the dense droplets of water stinging and washing over his mind like needles, covering the clear images and cravings in his head.
-
When Meng Run rushed in with the special suppression needle, he was startled by the scene in the bathroom.
The floor was covered in blood, the captain was soaked, his carefully crafted look from the press conference was a mess, his black hair was disheveled, his clothes were in disarray, half of his expensive shirt was torn by himself, his lip was bitten and there were two scratch marks on his arm. If Meng Run didn't know that the captain had been alone here the whole time, he would have really suspected that the urban legend was true, that the murdered superhumans had teamed up and come back to seek revenge.
It was rare to see the captain so weak. He leaned against the wall, his head slightly raised, his breathing still uneven, his black eyelashes trembling slightly, casting small brush-like shadows on his fair face.
Meng Run's jealousy burned fiercely. Damn it, we're both men, so why does this guy look sexy even when he's disheveled?
Zong Linhan narrowed his eyes slightly, his voice hoarse, "What are you doing, barging into the captain's bathroom like an insubordination?"
Meng Run: "..." You're insane!
Half an hour later, Zong Linhan heard that he didn't need to attend the press conference. He comfortably changed into clean clothes, put his feet up, leaned back on the sofa like a grandpa, and drank the special medicine that Meng Run had brought him.
Seeing that the captain had reverted to his neurotic and somewhat cheeky demeanor, Meng Run couldn't help but wonder, "Captain, you're not just pretending because you don't want to attend the press conference, are you?"
Zong Linhan glanced at it casually, "I started sweeping awards when I was ten years old, isn't that realistic?"
Then he coughed several times, choking on the bitter medicine. His already blood-loss-prone face became even paler. His hands, wrapped in bandages, braced against the sofa, but then he pulled them back to his chest in pain.
Meng Run: "..." Just keep being stubborn.
Meng Run took out the medical kit that had been urgently delivered by helicopter and pulled out two vials of medicine. "Universal suppressant injection. You'll need two injections to suppress it in your case."
Zong Linhan raised his eyelids slightly, "Does it hurt?"
Meng Run: "You'll have to bear the pain."
With a precise needle piercing the vein, Zong Linhan closed his eyes and deliberately let out a soft "Ah~".
Meng Run's forehead veins bulged: "Captain, you can call me even more lewdly, or I'll report you for sexual harassment tomorrow."
Zong Linhan lifted his eyelids, a wicked smile on his face. "I'm in pain, so I need to find some fun."
"What a load of crap." After completing his task, Meng Run didn't even bother to glance at Zong Linhan. He turned on his computer, feeling utterly hopeless, and headed to contact the higher-ups to write a thick report.
He had just typed a line when he glimpsed Zong Linhan putting on a hat and mask, picking up his coat, and heading out. The man was pale, bloodless, and his body was swaying slightly.
Meng Run quickly called out, "No, where are you going right now that you've just recovered?"
Zong Linhan: "Let's wander around."
Otherwise, his mind would be filled with the image of one person.
The city center is bustling and vibrant at dusk, full of life.
At the busy intersection, people come and go, each hurrying along, with places to go and people to meet.
Zong Linhan wandered aimlessly through the crowd, brushing past people he would only meet once in his life. He liked going to places he had never been before, because new places were empty, blank, and safe, devoid of memories.
He stopped at the supermarket entrance. He hated supermarkets; they were all pretty much the same—similar products, similar layouts, easily reminding one person of another. The cool air from the air conditioner hit him, the familiar hawking, the yellow discount tags, the kids pushing shopping carts like flying machines—his tense heart, after a long day, inexplicably relaxed a little.
He strolled around the supermarket slowly, like an inspector on patrol, and the stock clerk couldn't help but glance at him several times.
After two laps, Zong Linhan stopped in the fruit section and frowned at the shelves full of tomatoes.
"The tomato flavor is on sale, three for 9.9 yuan."
"Why are you eyeing instant noodles again? Eating too much isn't good for you. If you really crave them, buy some tomatoes and I'll make noodles with them."
The all-too-familiar female voice sent a shiver down Zong Linhan's spine.
At the corner of the fast food section, a man and a woman were pushing a shopping cart, separated from the fruit section by only one shelf.
Wen Zhiling tossed the instant noodles into the shopping cart, but then felt something was missing. She looked around curiously but couldn't find any shrimp.
Qiao Yan sighed, "I put it back. You scared me to death this afternoon. Maybe you just had an allergic reaction to the seafood porridge."
Wen Zhiling: "I guess it's low blood sugar. I woke up right away."
Qiao Yan put the instant noodles back on the shelf and pushed Wen Zhiling toward the fruit section. "Let's buy some tomatoes. Let's eat properly these next few days. My mom fainted once, and that was bad enough. If you do it again, how am I supposed to live?"
The two finished buying their groceries and went to pay. The cashier quickly scanned the items, and the machine beeped. That feeling of being watched returned, and Wen Zhiling turned around strangely. The small supermarket was completely open, and no one was looking at her.
Qiao Yan followed her gaze and turned to look at her. "What's wrong?"
Wen Zhiling looked away: "It's nothing."
She can't still be a junior nurse, can she?
-
From the supermarket to Qiao Yan's house, you have to pass through a night market, where fried food sizzles and crackles, the aroma of cumin and chili mingling, even the night breeze carries a hot and smoky flavor.
Wen Zhiling couldn't resist the food, and soon she was carrying several bags. She was captivated by the salt and pepper potatoes and spicy chicken strips, and had completely forgotten about the tomato noodles.
She stopped in front of a shooting range. Colorful light bulbs swayed, and colorful balloons hung under a plastic canopy. A young couple had just finished a game, their scores pitifully low—not even enough to reach a small doll—and were arguing.
The shop manager, with his sharp eyes, spotted Wen Zhiling and Qiao Yan. "Want to give it a try? Thirty yuan each, ten bullets!"
In the gift area, there was a brown teddy bear that was about half a person's height. When Qiao Yan saw Wen Zhiling staring at the bear, he volunteered to pay for it.
After handing over 90 yuan for three rounds, Qiao Yan didn't even get the lowest score prize. He looked embarrassed. Wen Zhiling piled the snacks in his hands and said, "Do you want that bear? I'll try it."
"Hey, I'll go first!" The young couple next to them paid first and then started shooting.
It turns out there's only one bear left. As things get rarer, their value has skyrocketed.
The young girl stood next to her boyfriend, waiting anxiously, as if this game had become a life-or-death situation. If they didn't win this round, the couple next to her would definitely be in trouble next round.
Wen Zhiling's gaze was fixed on them, and she suddenly remembered that summer when Zong Linhan dragged her to a game stall. He forced an air gun on her, teaching her while teasing her. In the end, he scored a record-breaking high score and gave her the biggest doll.
The boy's technique was much more stable this time, and he was on the verge of scoring high. Wen Zhiling's competitive spirit suddenly ignited, and she also wanted that doll.
"Oh, what a pity!" The boy missed his shot, and the shopkeeper, seemingly disappointed but actually delighted, handed the gun to Wen Zhiling. "Here you go, little girl, if you had fired it all, this bear would be yours!"
The night market was already bustling, and when people heard about the competition, even more people gathered to watch.
Wen Zhiling picked up the gun. Qiao Yan saw that she was silent and thought she was nervous. "Relax. If we don't win, we'll go back to the supermarket and buy one."
Amidst the bustling crowd and the sweltering night breeze, Wen Zhiling took a deep breath and raised her gun to aim.
Bang!
The first balloon popped.
Immediately following up with swift, precise shots, Wen Zhiling fired several shots in quick succession with almost no pause, her palms sweating. The crowd applauded. Wen Zhiling was on edge when suddenly her elbow was bumped. A passerby accidentally bumped into her, causing her to miss. The crowd sighed with regret, "Oh, what a pity."
Both of them were almost at the maximum score when the boy in the couple exclaimed, "Hey boss, did you tamper with this gun?!"
The boss laughed and said, "I sold ten of these bears, and there's only one left. I gave away the other nine, of course."
The boy asked the girl, "Want to play again?"
Qiao Yan also asked Wen Zhiling if she wanted to try again, but Wen Zhiling shook her head and prepared to leave.
"Boss, let's play a game." A soft male voice came from behind Wen Zhiling, very close to her.
Wen Zhiling froze, almost thinking it was a hallucination.
The man behind him wore a black baseball cap and a mask, the light highlighting his aloof features and indifferent expression hidden behind his glasses. He was dressed simply in a white T-shirt and jeans, tall and strikingly handsome.
Wen Zhiling's fingertips felt cold. The tension she had felt while shooting relaxed, then tightened again. The faint scent of citrus wafted over, enveloping her wildly beating heart. She never imagined she would see him again, especially not in a crowded night market!
The stall owner took the money and handed it over, saying, "Come on, come on, see if this bear is the one you're most destined to have!"
Just as the stall owner was about to shout "Start!" to get the atmosphere going, bang bang bang—gunshots rang out almost without pause, and the balloons burst one by one, cleanly and efficiently wiping them all out!
The speed and efficiency were so great that the onlookers didn't even have time to react. A moment later, they erupted in cheers: "Holy crap!!"
The stall owner was stunned and quickly handed over the large brown bear.
Zong Linhan took the bear, glanced at Wen Zhiling, his dark eyes calm and unreadable.
A note from the author:
----------------------
Babies, I revised the entire article again over the weekend, lol
I removed the interstellar setting and changed it to superpowers, trying to avoid major plot changes. It won't affect much if you don't rewatch it, but I'm still quite embarrassed. I didn't expect to be so fickle after not writing for almost half a year [crying emoji].
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