Case Files Chapter 29: Angel of Death (9)

Translated by Vivian of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Addis

 

“Officers, you two always come and go together, are you partners?” Wu Meng blinked at Guan Jin and Lu YunYang, who was behind him.

“Yes.”

“No.”

Wu Meng was speechless.

Lu YunYang looked at Guan Jin, who probably wished that he could be further away, and quietly said to Wu Meng, “He has a childish temper, and I upset him recently, so it’s a little awkward between us. However, when we go back later, I’ll buy him some lollipops, and it’ll be fine.”

Wu Meng seemed to realize something, and she looked at Lu YunYang with an expression that said ‘I understand’. “Then it must be quite exhausting to take him with you on investigations, since you’re also responsible for appeasing him.”

“I’ve gotten used to it…” Lu YunYang shook his head helplessly.

“Today, when I arrived, I heard that Lei Jing was transferred to a different hospital.”

“Yes, to ensure her safety, once she was feeling better again, she was transferred,” said Lu YunYang.

“I see.” Wu Meng relaxed. “Right, this morning, a lot of people were discussing how Lei Jing got injured. Since most people don’t know what actually happened, they thought of other possibilities. Last year, a patient underwent an ileocecal resection surgery, which is relatively simple, and he stayed overnight at the hospital for a few nights. Lei Jing happened to be tending to him. Later, this patient kept saying that he had discomforts, so he would request to stay overnight at the hospital to get comprehensive checkups very frequently. Every time, there would be no problems, and he would leave, but he would come back soon afterwards. Just like that, in just the past year, he’s come to stay overnight for a total of five times already, and everytime, he happened to be in the wards that Lei Jing tended to. I heard that when that person stays at the hospital, he always hovers around Lei Jing, but because he didn’t make any obvious moves, Lei Jing didn’t think too much of it.”

“Have you seen that person before?” asked Guan Jin.

“No, since I rarely go to the wards that Lei Jing worked in. I only know that that person seems to be called Zhang LiYuan, and he’s a freelancer. There’s also a female patient with a similar condition. She frequently says that she has discomforts, yet none of our checkups reveal anything. However, she’s never stayed overnight before, and she only comes to see a doctor. Lei Jing doesn’t know her. We’ve always thought that these two had illness anxiety disorder.”

“Illness anxiety disorder?” Guan Jin felt that this term was quite self-explanatory.

“Illness anxiety disorder, also called hypochondria. People who suffer from this always suspect that they’re sick, and even though it’s been confirmed that they’re fine, they won’t believe it, resulting in serious anxiety, fear, and even depression,” explained Lu YunYang.

“Coincidentally, today, Zhang LiYuan came to stay overnight at the hospital again, and that female patient also made an appointment for a checkup in the morning. I mainly invited you two here so you can see if Zhang LiYuan is weird or not.” Wu Meng led them to a general ward, and when they arrived at the patient room at the end of the corridor, she pointed in through the slit in the door. “He stays by himself in this patient room.”

Guan Jin peered in and saw a young man lying on the hospital bed, and he was asking the doctor, who was looking through his medical records, “How come I haven’t seen Nurse Lei?”

The doctor didn’t even look up. “Something came up for Nurse Lei, so she won’t be able to come in for a while.”

“Huh?! What happened?!” The man abruptly sat up, worried. “Is she sick?”

“What are you asking so many questions for? Get ready for your checkup tomorrow morning, and remember not to eat anything.” The doctor put his medical records back onto the shelf.

“Then when will Nurse Lei be able to come by?” persisted Zhang LiYuan.

“Hard to say.”

The doctor turned around and left the room, leaving Zhang LiYuan sitting restlessly on the bed.

“How was it? Did you find anything out?” Wu Meng asked eagerly after they left the wards.

Guan Jin and Lu YunYang exchanged looks. Even he, an amateur, could understand what was wrong with the man. “This person doesn’t have illness anxiety disorder at all. He’s lovesick.”

“Lovesick? Are you saying that he comes to stay overnight at the hospital just because he likes Lei Jing?” Wu Meng widened her eyes. “That’s a little too roundabout.”

“Is Lei Jing a stubborn person that doesn’t like to talk about her private affairs?” asked Lu YunYang.

“Sure, she’s quite stubborn sometimes. Usually, although she’s quite smiley and cheerful, she indeed rarely talks about her own life.” Wu Meng nodded.

“I reckon that when Zhang LiYuan stayed at the hospital, he began to like Lei Jing, but unfortunately, she firmly rejected him. Nurses are very busy, so Zhang LiYuan couldn’t find any opportunities. Thus, he could only repeatedly pretend to be sick to stay so he could stay at the hospital and be closer to Lei Jing. Lei Jing doesn’t like to talk about personal problems, which is why she hasn’t brought it up before. However, I reckon that her colleagues in her department can probably tell what was happening.”

Wu Meng slumped her shoulders. “Ugh, I thought there would be some progress, but it turns out it was just a person blinded by love.”

“Just in case, we’re still going to verify it. Also, can you take us to see that other female patient?” asked Guan Jin.

“You suspect her?” Wu Meng was surprised.

“Just as a precaution.” Guan Jin wasn’t going to admit that he was just very curious about illness anxiety disorder.

Unfortunately, when Guan Jin and the others arrived, the woman had just finished with her checkup. Her hand was on the doorknob, and she grinned at the doctor inside the consulting room. “Thanks, Doctor Zhou. I’ll come back again.” Then, she left, her high heels clicking and her purple dress swaying.

“This person also doesn’t have illness anxiety disorder,” affirmed Lu YunYang.

“Why? You only saw her for a moment.” Guan Jin was confused.

“Illness anxiety disorder is a mental disorder, and people who suffer from it are usually anxious, worried, and concerned, so you can tell if someone has it or not just by looking at their mental state. That woman was beaming, and she walked with an air of confidence. She also wears bright colors, so from all aspects, it highlights her pride and confidence. Moreover, when she told the doctor that she would come back again, she wasn’t worried about her own health at all. On the contrary, she seemed to look forward to it.”

Guan Jin tilted his head and thought about it for a moment. “Could it be that this woman also comes in pursuit of love?”

Lu YunYang shrugged. “Who knows?”

Guan Jin was perplexed. What kind of world was this, where healthy people would pretend to be sick so they could frequently go to the hospital, a place that others avoided, just for love. Then again, as a person who had died and come back to life again, shouldn’t he be thanking the gods everyday?

After fussing around for an entire morning, they didn’t make any progress. Guan Jin listlessly sat in the car. In other people’s views, his current life might be very exhilarating, but compared to his previous life, it was practically as dull as plain boiled water. Should he consider going back? If he went on like this, he would really get possessed by “Guan Jin”. Should he go back and contact Tony again?

“Little Jin, what are you thinking about?” Lu YunYang’s face suddenly got close.

Guan Jin came back to his senses abruptly. “How come you’re not driving?!”

Lu YunYang sighed. “I don’t have any strength, I didn’t have time to eat breakfast this morning. Why don’t you drive?”

Guan Jin’s eyes lit up, but he pretended to be disdainful as he said, “Useless.”

Lu YunYang sat in the passenger’s seat and grinned faintly. I’ve seen your eyes light up when you look at this car. Sure enough, men really do love speed the most.

Ten minutes later… Lu YunYang did his best to remain calm, and he was tightly clutching the grab handle as he tried to persuade Guan Jin, “Little Jin, why don’t I drive?”

“Aren’t you hungry and strengthless?” Guan Jin turned the steering wheel freely and glanced at him.

“Being hungry won’t kill me, but getting in a car crash will.”

“…”

Guan Jin unwillingly sat back in his original seat. Why was it that everytime he drove, people were always like that? He was just like his mom, who always bitterly nagged to drive in place of him. Well, actually, he didn’t even know what his own mom looked like, but that’s what moms did on TV.

“How long have you been driving for?” Lu YunYang, who felt as if he had just strolled a circle around the gate of hell, couldn’t help but ask.

“Fourteen or fifteen years,” blurted Guan Jin.

“…Then you’ve been driving since you were eleven or twelve years old… No wonder your driving style is so——unique.”

Guan Jin realized he had said the wrong thing, but he continued to go along with it. “Of course. Ordinary people can’t understand talent.”

Lu YunYang was quiet for a while. Then, he exclaimed, “Ah.”

 “What’s wrong with you?” Guan Jin was a little angry.

“My head is dizzy, and my stomach is empty. Say, do you think I’m sick?” Lu YunYang put on an anxious expression as if he had illness anxiety disorder.

“You are sick! Sick in the head!”

*****

When Guan Jin returned home, he flopped onto his bed, exhausted. The entire afternoon, he had been organizing files at the police station, and he also had had to take the time to deal with that sham of a psychic. Guan Jin felt that he wasn’t living as himself at all; it was merely a trancelike dream.

In order to wake up from this dream earlier, Guan Jin turned on his phone. Sure enough, there was a text from Tony.

[There’s no way to live anymore. In order to maintain the organization’s reputation, the boss isn’t willing to let go of this mission no matter what. I think that I should look for somewhere to hide for a while. Also, you shouldn’t act rashly until this whole thing is over. Isn’t there that saying, revenge is a dish best served cold.]

 

Guan Jin threw his phone to the side. Hmph, he wasn’t patient enough for the dish to get cold!