Ni Shanshan, having worked the night shift, returned home in the morning and did not come back to the hospital until eight in the evening.
Once inside the ward, Ni Shanshan couldn’t help but ask, “Can you tell me, little sister, why you haven’t left?”
“Sister, can I trust you?”
Trust was a two-way street, and Chen Xuanqiu felt there was no need to keep secrets from this kind young nurse any longer.
“Of course! I’m a nurse. If you can’t trust me, who can you trust?”
Ni Shanshan replied sincerely.
Chen Xuanqiu then closed the ward door, invited the nurse to sit down, and began, “Sister, to be honest with you, I’m not here because I’m sick. I can see unclean things, like wandering spirits. That’s why they mistakenly think I have schizophrenia.”
“Do you know? Nine out of ten patients here say the exact same thing.”
A playful smile slowly spread across Ni Shanshan’s face.
Chen Xuanqiu was speechless. She knew she had to present some real evidence, otherwise, it would only reinforce their misconception that she was delusional.
“Do you know why the nurses on this floor are always getting sick or having accidents? It’s because you’ve inadvertently come into contact with something unclean.”
Chen Xuanqiu went straight to the point.
“Unclean things? What exactly do you mean?”
Ni Shanshan furrowed her delicate brows slightly.
“Every malevolent spirit carries a black mist. What you touch is that mist. Once it clings to you, you’ll feel a chill spread through your entire body, as if you’ve suddenly stepped into an ice cellar—just like you did the night before last.”
Chen Xuanqiu explained patiently.
Ni Shanshan’s expression grew serious. Although the girl’s words sounded like delusions, a closer thought revealed a certain unsettling logic.
“So, where are these malevolent spirits you speak of?”
Ni Shanshan pondered for a moment before speaking slowly.
“In ward 305, there’s an infant spirit, no bigger than a premature baby, completely covered in blood! In room 314, there’s a female ghost perpetually perched on the male patient’s shoulder, her body utterly disfigured as if she’d been struck by a car. In room 322, there’s an old woman with white hair, frail and ancient, with a black mole at the corner of her mouth. And there are a few more on other floors.”
Chen Xuanqiu revealed everything without reservation.
Ni Shanshan’s petite frame began to tremble, for Chen Xuanqiu’s descriptions perfectly matched the details she had heard.
“Sister, what’s wrong?”
Chen Xuanqiu asked with immediate concern.
“I’m starting to believe what you’re saying,” Ni Shanshan confessed. “To my knowledge, the female patient in ward 305 fell ill after her son was born prematurely and died. The man in room 314 ran over his wife with his car during a property dispute during their divorce. As for the old woman in room 322, she was the previous patient in that very room and passed away just last month.”
Ni Shanshan recounted each detail.
“It’s good that you believe me. I just hope you won’t treat me like a mental patient from now on, and please don’t tell Dr. Ren that I’m ‘acting up’.”
Chen Xuanqiu breathed a sigh of relief.
“But even if I don’t say anything, it’ll be hard for you to leave anytime soon,” Ni Shanshan said, a note of worry in her voice. “Our hospital can’t treat a strange condition like seeing ghosts.”
Ni Shanshan was clearly worried.
“Don’t worry,” Chen Xuanqiu replied. “I’m only here to appease my parents. They said if I’m not ‘cured’ within a month, they’ll take me to a Taoist priest or a shaman or something.”
Ni Shanshan let out a breath, but then her brow furrowed again. “I still don’t understand. If there are malevolent spirits here, why are you insisting on staying?”
“Well, why did you take the night shift, knowing how difficult it is?”
Chen Xuanqiu countered.
“That’s obviously for you, you little rascal! If I weren’t here, you wouldn’t even be able to sleep at night.”
Ni Shanshan teased.
“I’m here for you too, Sister!”
Chen Xuanqiu said earnestly.
“What do you mean?”
Ni Shanshan was puzzled.
“Do you know? My constitution can dispel those black mists. That’s why your illness suddenly improved after you hugged me the night before last. If I just leave, what will you do if you come into contact with that black mist again?”
Chen Xuanqiu asked.
Hearing this, Ni Shanshan fell into a daze, her eyes slightly red-rimmed. After a long moment, she sniffed and said, “You silly child, we’re not related. You don’t need to do this.”
“Yes, we’re not related. So why did you switch to the night shift to stay with me? That’s not a nurse’s responsibility.”
Chen Xuanqiu countered.
Ni Shanshan could no longer hold back her tears and quickly turned away.
“Sister, now that you know there are malevolent spirits in this hospital, why don’t you resign?”
Chen Xuanqiu probed cautiously.
“I can’t,” Ni Shanshan replied, wiping away her tears with a bitter smile. “My father is gravely ill, and his treatment costs tens of thousands of yuan every month. I simply don’t have the luxury to make a fuss.”
“Alright then, I’ll deal with these malevolent spirits for you before I leave.”
Chen Xuanqiu said, gritting her teeth.
“Deal with them? You have a way to fight them?”
Ni Shanshan was utterly astonished.
“Yes, my constitution seems to have an innate ability to ward off evil. If they touch me, they’ll die. I hope to eliminate all the dangers here for you before I leave.”
Chen Xuanqiu revealed her plan.
“Please, don’t take any risks! If anything happens to you, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”
Ni Shanshan quickly tried to stop her.
“I know my limits. All I need is your cooperation.”
Chen Xuanqiu insisted stubbornly.
“How do I cooperate?”
Ni Shanshan was confused.
“You’re a nurse, so of course, you’ll provide me with medical support when needed. Even catching people involves bumps and scrapes, let alone catching ghosts.”
Chen Xuanqiu stated it as a matter of course, for she remembered her previous encounters and understood that what she intended to do would be extremely perilous.
“If it’s too much, then forget it. I appreciate your kindness, little sister, but you should find another hospital quickly.”
Hearing this, Ni Shanshan grew worried again.
“Sister, though I may not be some towering hero, I always stand by my word.”
Chen Xuanqiu shook her head, unyielding.
With only a month’s time, Chen Xuanqiu prepared to act swiftly. Her first target was the old woman, whose surrounding black mist was sparse, making her seem like an easier target.
“Sister, I’m going to make my move tonight. The target is that old woman. Just cover for me outside the door and don’t let anyone interfere.”
Chen Xuanqiu whispered to Ni Shanshan.
“Don’t go, I’m begging you! Please!”
Ni Shanshan practically pleaded.
Chen Xuanqiu offered no reply, only a serene smile, her resolve unspoken.
****
Time quickly passed, and deep into the night, Chen Xuanqiu arrived at the nurses’ station, where she found two nurses chatting idly.
“Sister Ni, I have something important. Could I trouble you for some help?”
Chen Xuanqiu called out to Ni Shanshan.
A look of struggle crossed Ni Shanshan’s face. After a brief moment, she turned to the nurse beside her and said, “Sister Tong, I’ll go take a look.”
Having greeted her colleague, Ni Shanshan hurried towards Chen Xuanqiu.
“Are you really going?”
Ni Shanshan asked, looking down at Chen Xuanqiu.
“Is there any doubt? Sister, do you know? I’m not just doing this for you; I’m doing it for myself too. If I don’t overcome my fear of ghosts, I might live my entire life in constant dread.”
A determined expression settled on Chen Xuanqiu’s face.
Ni Shanshan was stunned. She hadn’t expected a sixteen-year-old child to possess such courage.
“Let’s go!”
Chen Xuanqiu gestured, then walked towards the end of the corridor.
Ni Shanshan had no choice but to follow quietly behind.
Soon, the two arrived at ward 322. Since no patient was currently occupying it, many potential troubles were avoided.
Chen Xuanqiu bravely peered through the glass window first, finding the room plunged in darkness, nothing discernible.
Ni Shanshan opened the door, then instinctively recoiled two steps, her face etched with terror.
Chen Xuanqiu wanted to reach out and push the door, but she found that the courage she had just mustered vanished instantly. She didn’t even have the nerve to move a single finger.
‘Chen Xuanqiu, come on, you’re a man. You can’t be a coward in front of Sister Nurse.’
Chen Xuanqiu gritted her teeth, then pushed the door open and stepped inside.