Because of the height difference and her exhaustion, Lin Shuang did not notice the abnormality in the man's eyes and maintained her approachable, even somewhat formulaic, smile.
You can't hit a smiling face; sometimes a well-practiced and competent smile can indeed play a significant role in communication.
Sure enough, the man paused for a moment, then quickly relaxed, took a half-step back, and looked at the nurse in front of him.
After thinking for a moment, he lowered the brim of his hat and said hoarsely to the nurse:
"...I, I came to the inpatient department to visit a friend."
His voice sounded somewhat muffled, like that of a long-time smoker or someone with damaged vocal cords—hoarse and dry.
Lin Shuang gave the man a strange look, but maintained her friendly smile, turning to the side and pointing to the corridor behind her:
"Then you've come to the wrong place. This is the emergency department."
To get to the inpatient ward, go to the end of this corridor, turn left, and take the elevator. The inpatient ward is on the fourth floor and above.
The man nodded and was about to walk past Lin Shuang when, just as they were about to pass each other, Lin Shuang suddenly spoke:
"Oh, right, there's one more thing..."
!!
He turned around abruptly again, his body twisting strangely, and he almost fell on top of Lin Shuang.
It was as if his front legs wanted to run backward, while his hind legs wanted to run to the left, and he almost did a split on the spot.
Even in her dazed state, Lin Shuang sensed something was amiss. Her smile froze, and she took a half-step back, asking uncertainly:
"Um, sir, are you alright?"
This person can't even stand up straight, is he...?
Have you been drinking?
Before Lin Shuang could smell the alcohol, the man suddenly straightened up and took a step back, then casually lifted the fruit basket in his hand and said:
"...I was in such a hurry to go upstairs that I lost my balance. Is there anything else you need?"
A barely reasonable explanation.
Feeling something was off, Lin Shuang didn't press the matter further and simply finished what she had only said halfway through:
"...I wanted to ask if you made an appointment in advance? You need to make an appointment to visit the inpatient department now."
"If you haven't made an appointment in advance, you can get a form from the service desk and fill it out."
The man's fierce gaze swept over Lin Shuang from head to toe, then he walked forward without looking back, saying in a hoarse voice:
"The application has been submitted and approved."
Startled by that blatant, almost licking gaze, Lin Shuang's voice caught in her throat as she stood frozen, watching the man quickly disappear down the corridor.
*Smack*
"Xiaoshuang, are you free? Take this patient to Dr. Jiang's. I'm not finished with my work yet."
The head nurse, who had returned in a flurry, tossed a sentence at the stunned Lin Shuang, left a patient behind, and then quickly disappeared again.
The head nurse's voice made Lin Shuang nod subconsciously. Sweat streamed down her forehead as she moved, and she suddenly realized that she was covered in cold sweat.
What just happened?!
What kind of look was that?
Why do I feel like I'm being watched by a wild beast?!
"……How are you?"
The patient's somewhat confused voice made Lin Shuang purse her lips. She didn't have time to think further and once again put on a mechanical smile.
Suppressing the fear in her heart, Lin Shuang shook her head stiffly at the patient, paused, and said:
"...It's nothing, you're looking for Dr. Jiang, right? Please come with me."
Leading the patient away with small, quick steps, Lin Shuang just wanted to get away from this place that made her somewhat uneasy as soon as possible.
To the patients behind her who were confused, Lin Shuang's pace quickened and her movements became increasingly uncoordinated.
His disheveled movements resembled those of a frightened little animal fleeing.
...
...
The strangely behaving man did not enter the elevator after turning the corner of the corridor. Instead, he avoided the gazes of those around him and slipped into the emergency exit not far from the elevator.
He locked the iron gate, then spoke in a deep voice to the empty white wall:
"Your Excellency, we're being watched."
"Being Watched".
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