Turning the Page

Just as Li Huowang turned to head back, he saw the albino girl shyly slip off one shoe and remove a golden anklet wrapped with red thread from her pale, almost translucent ankle.

Widening his eyes, he took it and weighed the golden anklet in his palm. Though it was a bit thin, it was still gold and probably worth a decent amount.

Satisfied, he stuffed it into the wide sleeve of his Daoist robe, then pointed at the white-haired girl. "Listen up, from now on, she's in charge of the Material Room. Whatever she says, you do."

Seeing everyone nod hesitantly, Li Huowang grabbed the prepared pill ingredients and hurried toward the Pill Refining Room.

As he walked, he snuck glances at the others' waists, trying to spot another jade pendant. Unfortunately, he found none.

When Li Huowang reached the Pill Refining Room again, he saw the oppressive pill furnace slowly opening.

Several dark blue pills flew out as Danyangzi swept his sleeve, quickly lining up and slipping into the earth-yellow gourd at his waist.

Li Huowang watched with burning envy. This must be the divine ability Xuan Yin mentioned. He wondered if he could learn it somehow. "I've been thinking too small, just chasing money. If I could bring this ability back to reality, then..."

Bending down, Li Huowang set down the pill ingredients and prepared to stand aside, eyes closed in meditation. He still knew nothing, so it was best to listen and observe.

"Xuan Yang~"

"Another job? That fast? Am I just a errand boy now? I can't keep running errands forever. I need to find a way to get that Leper Head to teach me his divine ability."

Li Huowang clasped his hands and bowed to the shouting Danyangzi. "Master, what are your orders?"

"Go. Bring me a Medicinal Guide named Bai Lingmiao from the Material Room."

Li Huowang's heart skipped a beat. His right hand, still in the bow, reached into his sleeve and touched the red-threaded anklet. Bai Lingmiao seemed to be the name of that albino girl.

"Hm~?" Danyangzi turned his head, staring at the new disciple who hadn't moved.

Li Huowang felt a sharp ache in his teeth. Honestly, he'd just said he'd look out for her, and now he had to go back and tell her to walk to her death. That just didn't sit right.

"Did you not hear what I said?"

Sensing Danyangzi's tone turning hostile, Li Huowang sighed helplessly and closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he was back in the clean white hospital room. "What do I do now?"

In the past, he would have obeyed without a second thought. But the problem was, that world might actually be real now. If he really brought her there, he'd be killing someone for real. He couldn't get past that in his conscience.

Once the nurses let him go, Li Huowang bit his thumbnail and paced the room. "What do I do? What do I do?"

Before he could figure it out, the hospital door swung open from the outside. Li Huowang saw his Attending Physician walk in.

He let out a bitter laugh. Great, now he was trapped on both sides. No way to run.

The doctor pointed at him with a look of disappointment. "You, you... once the visiting family leaves, we'll talk alone."

"Visiting family?"

Before Li Huowang could react, he saw his mother, looking haggard, hurry in with oranges in hand.

"I heard you got into a fight at the hospital? What happened to your head? Why is it wrapped like that? Does it hurt?" The woman rushed up, her face tense as she examined him.

"Mom, it doesn't hurt. I'm fine, really. They're the ones who aren't fine." Li Huowang quickly reassured her.

After calming her down for a while, he managed to keep his mother from crying.

In front of his own flesh and blood, all the troubles from both worlds had to take a backseat.

"Don't worry, I'm doing well. My condition is much better, and I haven't fallen behind on my studies. I can still take the college entrance exam after I'm discharged." Li Huowang did his best to share only the good news.

"Don't hide it. The doctor told me everything. Tell me, what really happened that day? Who threw the first punch?"

Li Huowang tried to soften the story as much as possible, but it didn't seem to help much.

"We were in the right! Why should we pay compensation?! They were the ones in the wrong! Even if they're sick, that's the hospital's responsibility! Our family never bullies anyone, but we won't let anyone bully us either! Let them take it to court! We'd win in front of a judge!" Sun Xiaoqin slammed the table so hard it rattled.

Watching the doctor awkwardly rub his nose, Li Huowang tried to calm her again. "Mom, Mom, don't get worked up. You're here for a visit, just spend some time with me."

Sun Xiaoqin suppressed her anger and bent down to take fruit out of the bag. "Don't worry about this. I'll handle it. Here, these are your favorite milk grapes. Eat up. Look how thin you've gotten. The hospital food must be bad, right?"

"No, no, the hospital food is actually pretty good." Li Huowang sat beside his mother and started eating.

Listening to her complaints and chewing on the sweet grapes, Li Huowang's heart finally calmed.

He loved this feeling. Since entering the hospital, it had been a long time since he'd felt the warmth of family.

Looking at his mother, Li Huowang almost opened his mouth to tell her everything that had happened to him. But the words reached his lips and stopped.

No. She wasn't like Yang Na. If he told her, she'd just think his condition had worsened. He couldn't let her worry anymore. He'd tell her once everything was stable.

Just as the mother and son were chatting happily, the Attending Physician's phone rang. "Ms. Sun, the family of patient Liu has arrived. Would you like to..."

"Son, stay put and eat more. I'll buy you more when you're done."

Sun Xiaoqin smiled warmly at Li Huowang, then straightened her back, turned, and strode toward the door like a rooster ready for a fight.

For some reason, watching her leave made Li Huowang feel incredibly at ease.

His mother might be tough, but as long as she was nearby, he felt safe. She was like a big umbrella over his head, shielding him from the wind and rain. All the anxiety from his troubles vanished in that moment.

"Heh, the lobby's going to be lively soon." Li Huowang plucked another greenish-yellow grape and bit into it. The sweet juice burst in his mouth.

Just as he thought that, his body suddenly lurched. Everything around him began to change color. "Ah, Mom's visit made me forget how to fool that Leper Head. What do I do now?"

When the world stabilized again, Li Huowang found himself standing in the Material Room. Danyangzi stood nearby with a grim expression. The other Medicinal Guides had their heads bowed low, forming a circle.

Danyangzi's filthy right hand flipped over, revealing a clump of sticky, writhing black matter. Each squirm made a sound like a toad licking an eyeball.

"Huh? Wasn't he going to use Bai Lingmiao for pill refining? Did he move on?"

After a brief second of hesitation, Li Huowang spoke up. "Master, what is that?"

"Hmph. A good thing. Tai Sui. Black Tai Sui."