My question left Chen Zi'an deep in thought.
I had only known him since meeting him yesterday, and we hadn't spent much time together. But this was the first time I'd seen him put on a serious expression, without the theatrical exaggeration he used when telling ghost stories.
He thought for quite a while. Just as I was about to press him, he opened his mouth.
"Honestly, I don't know either. But I seem to remember something like that." His face was blank. "I think I heard someone mention it... this rule..."
"This rule didn't only come into existence recently, did it?" I asked tentatively.
Chen Zi'an scratched his head. "It's been around since I was a kid, I think. I'm not sure. I can't remember."
He was like one of those amnesiacs on TV: he clearly had some memories and could vaguely recall something, but trying to remember it caused him great pain. Or perhaps it was more fitting to compare him to a student who couldn't answer a question on an exam.
By then, the taxi had driven back to the hotel, then continued on to the hospital.
Chen Zi'an wanted to come along and see what was going on. We couldn't stop him.
When we entered the hospital, the nurse at the front desk had changed, but the moment I spoke, her expression showed that she recognized me. Maybe someone had told people at the hospital about me yesterday, or even spread the word around. The nurse was clearly both wary of me and curious.
She pointed us straight to the place, then watched us go as if she were seeing off a harbinger of doom.
I didn't take it to heart. I followed her directions and wound my way through the hospital.
There were a lot