Chapter 004: You Know, You Can't Live Without Me

"Did you get it?"

"Got it."

"Where did you hide it?"

"My crotch."

"That's really safe."

"Yeah, really safe."

After Old Man Zhang's sudden attack, the decorator was very cautious, constantly observing his surroundings.

Coming to the mental hospital was dangerous.

If the pay wasn't so high, he wouldn't have come.

No way around it.

Gotta eat.

Even if it's a mental hospital, so what? Could they inexplicably beat me to death?

That's what he thought before he came.

Now…

Better be careful.

Finish the job quickly, get the money, eat some spicy hot pot, and calm down.

After a while.

"Huh!"

The decorator rummaged through his toolbox, puzzled. Where was his hammer? He remembered bringing it. He had seen it earlier.

He scratched his head, trying to remember if he had taken it out and forgotten to put it back.

He got up and started searching.

"Where did it go?"

"Could there be thieves in a mental hospital?"

As he pondered this, he heard a dull thud.

"What's that sound?"

He stood in the corridor, looking towards the end. If he hadn't misheard, the sound was coming from there.

Curiosity is a special path leading humans to their demise.

Just like him.

Hearing the thudding sound, he couldn't resist his curiosity.

Gradually.

The thudding sound in his ears grew louder and clearer.

He could guarantee it.

It was definitely up ahead.

He walked to a door, the thudding sound now very loud.

He curiously looked inside.

Just one glance made the decorator tremble and shiver as if struck by lightning.

The dark room had its curtains drawn, leaving only a small gap.

The faint light allowed him to see something he shouldn't have seen.

Someone was lying there, and another person was raising something and smashing it down on them. In the dim light, he recognized the object as his missing hammer.

Thud!

Thud!

Blood splattered, covering the floor.

Old Man Zhang seemed to notice someone watching and slowly raised his head.

In the darkness, a ray of light illuminated Old Man Zhang's mouth and chin. Most of his body was hidden in the shadows, his outline barely visible.

Old Man Zhang's lips curled into a creepy smile.

"You saw it."

The decorator trembled, his legs shaking violently, an unknown liquid flowing down his pants.

Thump!

He collapsed onto the floor, his expression changing from curiosity to terror, his eyes filled with horror.

"Ah!"

"Murder!"

"A mental patient is killing someone!"

"Help!"

The decorator screamed, scrambling and rolling away. Even though no one was chasing him, he kept bumping into the walls and slapping the closed doors.

Some confused nurses were puzzled.

When did another mental patient arrive? Judging by the symptoms, it seemed like a persecutory delusion. This type was a bit dangerous, very aggressive.

The incident alarmed Director Hao.

A decorator came here for repairs and was frightened like this. He had to see who was so bold.

But as he passed by Ward 666.

Seeing that the two weren't there, his face changed drastically, and he hurried towards the end of the corridor.

Whoosh!

Director Hao and the nurses entered, pulling open the curtains, brightening the room.

He saw Lin Fan and Old Man Zhang sitting at the stainless steel table, their feet dangling, drinking soy milk.

It was spilled all over the floor.

"What are you doing?" Director Hao asked, keeping a safe distance in case of danger.

"Drinking cola."

"Drinking Sprite."

Director Hao observed the surroundings, finding nothing unusual.

Under the nurses' comfort, the frightened decorator gradually calmed down. He was truly terrified. Seeing no bloodstains in the room, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He swore to God.

If anyone ever invited him to do repairs at a mental hospital again, he would slap them. No matter how much money they offered, he wouldn't go, unless it was double.

"Director Hao, I can't do this job. Give me back my hammer, and I'll leave," the decorator said.

"Hammer?"

Director Hao frowned. A hammer was a very dangerous tool to keep in a mental hospital. There had been an incident where a mental patient used an inflatable hammer to hit a nurse's head.

Said he was playing whack-a-mole.

If it were the real thing, it would have been a bloody mess.

Director Hao looked around, his gaze finally landing on Lin Fan's crotch. He took a deep breath, slowly moved his feet, came to Lin Fan, and extended his hand, sternly saying:

"Take it out."

Lin Fan blinked, calmly saying, "I didn't take anything."

"Then what's this?" Director Hao said.

Lin Fan looked down and saw the hammer handle sticking up, pushing his pants high.

Lin Fan pulled open his crotch, looked down, released his hand, and looked up, saying, "A hammer."

"Give it to me."

"Oh."

Lin Fan reached into his crotch and took out the hammer.

Some of the female nurses looked disappointed.

So it was a hammer…

Director Hao shifted his weight back, ready to run. "Throw the hammer on the ground."

"Come and get it."

"Be good, throw it on the ground."

"No, come and get it."

Suddenly.

The two were in a standoff.

Director Hao felt the situation was quite dangerous. No matter what, he had to get the hammer. But now, the hammer was in the hands of a mental patient, making it a terrifying weapon.

Today was February 29th.

He didn't want to spend his birthday, March 1st, in the hospital.

"Fine, I'll come and get it."

"I believe you're a good boy."

Director Hao took a deep breath, staring into Lin Fan's innocent eyes, leaning forward, and slowly extending his hand. His heart pounded until he touched the hammer handle, gripped it, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good boy."

No one knew what he had gone through in those few short seconds.

He was only in his fifties.

He shouldn't have had a full head of white hair.

But if one's mind was constantly tense, they would understand why.

Clap!

Clap!

The nurses applauded.

"Great job, Director!"

"Director is a true hero. If it were me, I definitely wouldn't dare."

Director Hao smiled. The young people's flattery made him feel good.

"Alright, everyone back to your posts. The danger is over, the lost item has been found. Dismissed."

In the room.

Only Lin Fan and Old Man Zhang were left, drinking soy milk, swinging their legs, leisurely.

"What's the date today?" Lin Fan asked.

Old Man Zhang rolled up his sleeve, looking at the watch drawn on his wrist. "March 7th."

Lin Fan said calmly, "In twelve months, I'll have to leave for a while."

Old Man Zhang said reluctantly, "Ah, you're leaving? Where are you going? Can you take me with you? You know me, you can't live without me. They don't believe you, only I believe you."

As he spoke.

Old Man Zhang squatted on the ground, hugging Lin Fan's leg, looking pitiful. "You must take me with you, okay?"

Lin Fan looked down at Old Man Zhang, his lips splitting into a smile. "Okay, no problem."

Old Man Zhang happily drank his soy milk. "This baijiu is so sweet."

"This is soy milk."

"Cola?"

"Sprite."