The Lotus Lantern of Prayer

White floors, white walls, white fluorescent lights...

Just after crossing the boundary and entering the hospital corridor, the white that filled his vision immediately became glaring. Compared to the crossroads, the brightness had increased by at least two or three times, making it very uncomfortable.

The air was thick with the smell of disinfectant, as if it were deliberately concealing something.

Jiang Qiao pushed open a ward door. The room was fully equipped.

"Someone was here before." The glasses man entered the room and reached out to touch the hospital bed. To his surprise, a faint warmth passed into his palm.

There was also a distinct impression on the bedsheet, showing that someone had lain there not long ago.

For reasons unknown.

Perhaps he wanted to get to know Jiang Qiao. Perhaps he wanted to use this rare opportunity to explore this eerie space.

In any case.

The glasses man and the silver-haired woman had followed after Jiang Qiao entered the hospital.

"There's water, and it's even hot water."

The silver-haired woman turned on the faucet in the restroom by the door. The water that flowed out was quite hot, at least thirty-eight or thirty-nine degrees.

Everything here was almost exactly the same as in a normal hospital ward.

Except that there were no windows in the walls.

And.

Under the bed farther inside sat an unlit lotus lantern.

Jiang Qiao overturned the bed and took it out.

The lamp oil inside had already burned away. The blackened wick still held a trace of warmth, as if it had only gone out recently.

After he picked up the lotus lantern, a small card that had been pressed beneath it was revealed.

"Liu Quan?"

"Long life and longevity?"

Looking at the name and blessing on the card, a proverb inexplicably surfaced