When the ward door opened again, the "patients" had already gone back to their beds. Every one of them looked like a frostbitten eggplant, utterly devoid of their earlier liveliness.
Standing beside Yun You, Yu Feng rubbed his brow, feeling a headache coming on. But he was only a merchant apprentice, so it was hardly his place to say anything.
Having put his shirt back on, Shen Rui walked out of the room with an embarrassed expression. He had intended to say something to change the subject, but Yun You spoke before he could.
"What was that?"
"P-Poker."
Shen Rui smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head as he explained, "It's... a card game invented by those Blue Coats. It's pretty famous in the taverns around here."
Yun You frowned slightly, a sharp gleam reflecting from her glasses.
"Taverns?"
"Uh, alcohol won't affect the treatment, and it can also interfere with the continued spread of the mutant slime mold... That's what the doctors told us." Under that sharp gaze, Shen Rui nervously glanced around, afraid a doctor might happen to pass through the hallway.
Yun You fell silent for a moment, then sighed.
"Before coming here, I heard about what happened to you and was always worried about your safety... Looks like I was overthinking it."
Hearing that sigh, Shen Rui hurriedly explained.
"Th-That's not entirely our fault. Life outside the city is too monotonous. We had to find some... uh, form of entertainment to pass the time."
"So your way of passing the time was gambling?"
Feeling guilty, Shen Rui said nothing.
Disciplining them was not her job, so Yun You did not pursue the subject. After a brief pause, she brought up the arrangements ahead.
"In two days, you will be transferred to West Continent City