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墨書 Inktalez
I don't even know what to make of everything that's been happening these days; maybe if I told someone, they'd think I'm crazy. But this situation needs to be resolved; I can't just leave it hanging like this.
The Wooden Box is a relic left to me by my grandmother, and perhaps I should call home to ask about it.
During the next few workdays, I went through the motions in a daze. Zhang, the chubby guy, slipped his uncle's phone number to me. I took it without saying much. As soon as work ended, I dashed out like an arrow released from a bow.
Once I was on the street, I called home. My mom answered, and when I asked her what was inside the Wooden Box, she couldn't say for sure.
I shifted the conversation and continued asking, "Did Grandma say anything about the Wooden Box before she passed?"
My mom started to mumble, saying that during the last few days, Grandma kept mentioning that Saning hadn't married yet and urged her to find a wife for him. I thought to myself that he had just graduated from college not long ago; how could he possibly get married? It must have been something Grandma said in her confusion.
My mom added, "But Saning, your grandmother said you must take good care of that Wooden Box."
Hearing her words made me feel like she was being vague. My life had been turned upside down by this Wooden Box lately, so I pressed on, "Mom, did Grandma mention anything strange about the Wooden Box or anything else?"
My mom hesitated before finally saying, "Your grandmother insisted that you must come back on the seventh day after her passing. But I thought you just started working a few days ago; it wouldn't be good for you to return and disrupt your job, so I didn't mention it."
I figured there must be a reason for Grandma wanting me to go back. The seventh day after her passing is just two days away. Since there was still time, I didn't blame my mom for keeping Grandma's wishes from me.
After hanging up the phone, I let out a sigh and thought that on the seventh day, I'd take the Wooden Box back with me. Walking through this bustling city felt somewhat bittersweet.
Since my office isn't far from where I work, taking the bus usually takes about ten minutes, and walking takes half an hour.
It was around six o'clock when I walked downstairs and saw an elderly woman sitting alone in the corner, burning Ghost Money.
As I passed by, I couldn't help but glance at her a few times, but my gaze quickly fixed on the stool beneath her, which seemed oddly familiar.
After a few moments of looking, I didn't think much of it. Once I got upstairs and turned on the light, the familiarity of that stool nagged at me more. I entered my room to search for the Wooden Box, but to my surprise, I couldn't find it anywhere.
I thought to myself, could it be...? Once I was sure, I dashed down the stairs. However, just as I reached the bottom, I saw the old lady leaving the community with the Wooden Box in her arms.
I chased after her, but as soon as I turned a corner, she vanished from sight.
I scanned my surroundings frantically until I spotted her crossing the street at the intersection ahead. Without hesitation, I sprinted after her.
But as I reached the middle of the road, a speeding car suddenly came barreling toward me, its horn blaring incessantly before it struck me and sent me flying.
When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a hospital bed.
Zhang Fatty was sitting next to me, peeling an orange. When he noticed I was awake, he teased, "Saning, you seem to be in and out of the hospital every few days. Are you falling for one of those nurse girls?"
I glanced at him and opened my mouth to respond but only felt a dryness in my throat and a sharp pain coursing through me.
Zhang Fatty continued, "Don't speak! You must be wondering how you ended up here again and who saved you this time."
I nodded slightly in response.
Zhang Pangzi said, "You got hit by a car while crossing the street. The driver brought you to the hospital, but luckily you’re tough enough to survive! However, it’s strange! My uncle waited for you at the East City Ruins all night last night. Around ten o'clock, he called me to say something had happened to you. I didn’t believe him at first; my uncle runs an antique shop and usually acts like a fortune teller. But this time, I didn’t expect him to be right."
As I listened to Zhang Pangzi ramble on, my mind was racing with thoughts. I struggled to ask him, "What about my wooden box?"
Seeing me speak as if I might pass out at any moment, Zhang Pangzi replied, "Don’t talk. Isn’t that box at your home?"
Suddenly, everything from last night came rushing back to me. Right! An old lady who was burning ghost money took my box away.
I tried to get up because that wooden box was incredibly important to me.
Zhang Pangzi watched me struggle and pressed me back down.
I said, "My box was stolen."
"Is your box more important than your life? Just rest. My uncle will come see you tonight. I've already taken care of your leave from work. I need to head back now and will come find you later." With that, Zhang Pangzi left, but I remained in a daze, still thinking about the missing wooden box.
Should I report it to the police? My eyes darted around the room as the sunlight streamed in. When my gaze finally settled, I began to feel anxious because I realized this hospital room looked familiar.
It seemed like the same room where Wang Wei and I stayed just a few days ago. In an instant, panic set in.
Just then, a nurse came in to change my bandages. I looked quite unwell and asked her, "Is that bed broken?"
The nurse looked at me and asked, "How did you know?"
I didn't take the bait. At that moment, I was already certain that this hospital room was the same one I had stayed in last time. I thought to myself that this must have been a well-meaning gesture from Fatty, who had found me a single room, but it turned out that his good intentions had backfired. I should have made things clear with him last time.
I said to the nurse, "Can you transfer me to another room?"
The nurse replied directly, "With so many patients in the hospital every day, having a bed is already fortunate. You can't change rooms; just make do with what you have."
Hearing this made my heart sink. I continued, "I want to be discharged right now."
"That's not possible! Your injury isn't healed yet. We need to change your dressing before you can think about discharge," she said as the doctor came in to help with the dressing. She lifted my leg, and a wave of excruciating pain shot through me. Fatty had said it was just a scrape, but it turned out my foot was seriously injured. When the nurse changed the dressing, I saw a gash over ten centimeters long on my foot. A wound like that wouldn't heal in less than ten days or two weeks.
The pain was unbearable.
However, having grown up in the countryside, I wasn't one to be overly dramatic. A few days of rest would allow me to get back on my feet and work again.
At that moment, I felt particularly anxious, so much so that when the nurse was leaving, I grabbed her arm.
She looked at me in surprise, and I quickly released my grip.
Once the nurse left, I deliberately dragged my injured leg to open the window. Sunlight streamed in, and I thought even the fiercest ghosts must fear the light.
Now that I was back on Wang Wei's turf, how could I not feel apprehensive?
Even lying in bed at that moment, I didn't dare to close my eyes.
Why did Fatty stuff me back into this hospital room again?
The last time I saw Wang Wei, he was smoking. Damn it, what terrible luck. I don't know why I'm here alone right now, and the more I think about it, the more anxious I feel.
As time passed, the sunlight gradually faded away.
For most of the past nine minutes, my gaze had been fixed on that broken hospital bed.
I pulled out my phone to call Fatty and ask him to get me out of here, but just then, my phone ran out of credit.
The night grew darker, and I felt as if I could see Wang Wei lying on that bed.
I glanced at the time; it was already seven o'clock. My heart began to race, beads of sweat forming on my forehead, and even my palms were clammy.
I thought to myself that if Wang Wei showed up later, I would confront him. But right now, I was injured and didn't know if I could win against him.
Most importantly, I had no idea whether he was alive or dead.
People always carry an inexplicable fear of the unknown...
Just as I was lost in thought, suddenly, the door to the hospital room swung open...
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