Ya She

Chapter 51 Silver Fish Talisman

The shrill alarm clock rang in the room. It took Tang Yuan a while to rub his eyes and get out of bed. He yawned sleepily and headed to the bathroom. He quickly stepped onto a small stool, put out the water, rinsed his hands, brushed his teeth, and washed his face. Then he took a comb and ran it through his hair in front of the mirror before smiling at the cute little boy in the mirror with satisfaction.

"What are you showing off for? Get out of the way." A large hand slapped him on the head without any politeness, ruining his newly styled hair.

"Ah! Uncle, you're so mean!" Tang Yuan bristled, covering his head as he jumped off the small stool, puffing out his cheeks in anger.

"Sweetie, little dumpling, I've bought breakfast. It's on the table in the dining room: soy milk, fried dough sticks, beef pies, and two bowls of wontons." The doctor completely ignored the child's little tantrum and leisurely picked up the soap.

Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, Tang Yuan, the little boy, rushed into the restaurant with a cheer, just as he had expected, followed by the clattering of bowls and chopsticks.

The doctor had a slight case of occupational obsession with cleanliness, which meant he liked to spend a little extra time washing his hands at home. Of course, it wasn't like going into the operating room where he needed to use the eight-step handwashing method, nor did he need a medical hand brush. He carefully washed his hands, trimmed his slightly overgrown nails, and then dried them with a towel, satisfied. So when he walked into the dining room, he found that half of the breakfast on the table was already gone, and Tang Yuan was wolfing down a pie in his left hand and a fried dough stick in his right.

"Eat slowly, chewing slowly is good for your health." The doctor sighed inwardly, thinking that after he picked up the child from the street and brought him to the hospital, the child could not explain his identity. He only knew that his name was Tang Yuan and that he had lived with his master since he could remember, but his master had disappeared.

Thinking about this, the doctor couldn't help but curse the unreliable master in his heart. This child must have been abducted at a young age. He even secretly took a picture of Tang Yuan and posted it on Weibo, asking netizens to help spread the word in the hope of finding her parents. However, according to the child, he had been with that master since he was very young. There is a big difference between a two- or three-year-old child and a ten-year-old child, so the possibility of finding the child's parents is very small.

Tang Yuan was only severely frostbitten at the time. After being revived, he had no money for medical expenses and couldn't be admitted to the hospital. Generally, in this situation, the police should have reported it to the local police station, obtained a certificate, and contacted an orphanage to take Tang Yuan in. Then, the police would search their vast database for potential parents of Tang Yuan.

This is a long waiting process.

The doctor didn't know what he was thinking at the time. Seeing Tang Yuan's dejected expression, he softened and communicated with the police officer who came to register the information. He then let Tang Yuan stay at their house for the time being.

Fortunately, Tang Yuan is very well-behaved and sensible, and he doesn't cause any trouble for the doctor. In fact, it feels like having a pet at home waiting for him to come home, which makes the doctor feel very accomplished. Of course, speaking of pets, the doctor is still not used to the little white snake that appears and disappears in his house.

Halfway through eating his fried dough sticks, the doctor, looking displeased, pulled the little white snake that had climbed onto his calf from his trouser leg.

"Haha... Little Lulu was hibernating, but maybe it was warm inside, so she woke up." Tang Yuan chuckled as he took the small, all-white snake from the doctor's hands. Looking at the little white snake lazily flicking its red tongue in Tang Yuan's arms, the doctor felt an uncontrollable surge of fear. He subconsciously frowned.

Having grown up in the countryside, he was used to seeing grass snakes slithering through the fields and had become indifferent to them. How could he have never known that he would be afraid of snakes now?

Even if he's afraid of snakes, he could easily crush a snake the thickness of a finger with one hand, so why would he be afraid? That's absurd!

Yes, snakes are cold-blooded animals. It must have suddenly crawled onto his calf, and the chill startled him.

While the doctor was making excuses for himself, Tang Yuan jumped off the dining table, grabbed the little white snake, and ran to the corner of the living room where the rustic wicker medicine basket sat. As Tang Yuan put the snake back, he pleaded in a low voice, "My little darling, please don't cause any more trouble! What if my uncle gets angry and kicks us out? It's freezing outside! You can hibernate, but I can't!"

The little white hand gracefully circled a few times in the medicine basket, but it didn't go to sleep. Instead, it raised its head slightly with a hint of arrogance, spitting out its bright red tongue and hissing.

"Huh? What did you say? I'm not like Harry Potter who speaks Parseltongue." Tang Yuan awkwardly scratched his cheek with his finger.

The novice rolled his eyes speechlessly.

"Is it hungry? I don't think Master usually feeds you..." At this point, Tang Yuan suddenly shuddered, remembering that the white snake indeed didn't eat ordinary food, but would occasionally bite his master's neck, not to suck blood, but to absorb spiritual energy. Now that his master wasn't around, who was he going to find to feed this beautiful snake? Tang Yuan chuckled awkwardly, deciding to pretend he knew nothing, and awkwardly returned to the dining room to continue finishing his unfinished bowl of soy milk.

When Tang Yuan returned, the doctor was just coming out of the toilet and washing his hands again. He also made Tang Yuan wash his hands again. When the two of them sat back down at the table, Tang Yuan continued to eat the rest of his breakfast with a sullen face.

After the meal was finished, the doctor tidied up the table. Seeing that he still had some time before going to work, he pushed up his glasses and said to Tang Yuan seriously, "Little Tangyuan, you can't go on like this. I contacted the local police officer yesterday, and he said that you can transfer to a school in your case. I'll ask around at the affiliated primary school for you in the next few days; it's just one street away from our house."

Tang Yuan was touched by the doctor's mention of "our family," but then he shook his head vigorously, like a rattle-drum: "Go to school? I don't need to go to school."

The doctor was taken aback because Tang Yuan hadn't said he didn't want to go to school, but rather that he didn't need to: "Nonsense, what child doesn't go to school?"

Tang Yuan pointed to the stack of books on the bookshelf and said matter-of-factly, "I borrowed these books from the city library using your library card. Do you think an ordinary primary school can teach me anything?"

The doctor looked in the direction Tang Yuan pointed and was instantly stunned speechless for a long time by the stack of seemingly profound book titles. Even elementary school students are already studying astrology, vibration theory, Yin-Yang and Five Elements Feng Shui… The doctor's lips twitched twice. Helpless, he chuckled, “Bring back some books you can't understand. They're quite heavy. Can you carry them?”

That's completely wrong! Suppressing the urge to flip the table, Tang Yuan puffed out his cheeks, jumped off, and ran to the bookshelf. He placed the stack of books in front of the doctor, raised his chin proudly, and announced, "Take the test anytime!"

The doctor picked up the top page, which featured Yin-Yang and Five Elements Feng Shui, with suspicion. He turned to a page, said a few words, and Tang Yuan smoothly recited the rest. The doctor's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. In disbelief, he tested Tang Yuan on several points, asking him about different books. Except for three books he hadn't read, Tang Yuan recited everything else word for word.

"You have a photographic memory?" The doctor closed his book, looking at the adorable little boy in front of him with a mixture of envy, jealousy, and resentment. He had always thought that photographic memory was just something from novels, but now there was one standing right in front of him!
"So-so," Tang Yuan said modestly, scratching his head. In fact, his expression was quite different; he was practically glaring at the sky.

The doctor thought for a moment. Even he couldn't stand such an over-the-top little boy, so he shouldn't let him out to irritate the future of the nation. "Sweetie, Uncle's going to work. Stay home and behave yourself. If you're hungry at noon, just call and order takeout. The money is in the drawer in the entryway. Don't wander off except to the library."

Tang Yuan nodded hastily. It was so cold outside, he didn't want to go out. Although it was already March, the weather outside was still unbearably cold.

The doctor quickened his pace, practically jogging, to the hospital. He changed into his white coat and followed the head doctor on his rounds. Chun Ge, who had already arrived, lagged behind, handing over a medical record folder and whispering, "That Cheng Zhugan from last night is here again."

Upon hearing this, the doctor frowned, then quickly took the medical record and began to read it.

"Cheng Zhugan" was a nickname given to a patient by the nurses. The fact that the nurses remembered him and gave him a nickname suggested he was a frequent visitor to the hospital. Cheng Zhugan's real name was Cheng Xiao, a very imposing name, but he suffered from restrictive cardiomyopathy, a difficult-to-treat condition. The heart is one of the most vital organs in the human body, and any problems with it can lead to various complications. Even in the mildest form of restrictive cardiomyopathy, a patient typically only lives to 25 years old. Cheng Xiao's condition was extremely severe; at just over twenty-two years old, he had already been in and out of the hospital several times in the past decade.

"So I wasn't in charge of his case before? Why are you showing me his medical records now?" the doctor asked, puzzled, while looking at the multipulse echocardiogram in the records. Cheng Xiao's surgeries are usually highly sought after by cardiothoracic surgeons, as it's truly rare to see someone's heart beating so strongly in such a state.

The doctor felt he didn't have the ability to receive this honor.

"Wasn't it because you participated in his mitral valve repair surgery early last year? Your retrograde approach technique was absolutely perfect! You couldn't tell it was your first time, which is why the head doctor called you in." Chun Ge's tone was slightly tinged with jealousy and envy. He punched the doctor's shoulder and snorted, "You little rascal, do I have to praise you in such detail again?" Don't worry, Cheng Zhugan's hospitalization this time isn't due to problems with your last surgery, but rather new complications. The doctor's hand, which was flipping through the 2D echocardiogram, froze. What mitral valve repair? What retrograde approach technique? Could he say he didn't remember any of it?
But if he tried to recall carefully, he could still vaguely recall some discontinuous surgical images, but those images were like those covered with frosted glass, hazy and unclear.

The doctor pressed his slightly aching temples, feeling that he had been experiencing some mental distress lately. However, he had a check-up last week, which revealed nothing abnormal. Perhaps he was just overthinking things.

Turning his attention back to the medical record in his hand, the doctor scanned through Cheng Xiao's densely packed medical history from top to bottom and couldn't help but feel admiration.

Restrictive cardiomyopathy ultimately leads to heart failure or pulmonary embolism and death. There is no better or more thorough solution than a heart transplant. However, heart transplantation is considered a major organ transplant in China. Due to conservative thinking, there are not as many donors as in other countries. Many people close their eyes unwillingly while waiting in line. Cheng Xiao was one of those who struggled between life and death.

"His condition is not good this time..." The doctor frowned as he looked at the test results. The contrast ultrasound showed microbubbles moving back and forth between the tricuspid valve. Based on the Doppler examination results, the degree of regurgitation from the right ventricle to the right atrium was estimated. This looks like a symptom of tricuspid regurgitation.

"I heard he's about to be at the top of the transplant list, so he really needs to hang in there," Chun Ge whispered, but then immediately shut his mouth. Because they had already followed the director to Cheng Xiao's ward.

Cheng Xiao's family was relatively wealthy, but his parents had passed away in an accident when he was young. His grandfather left him a fund before he died, which enabled him to afford his enormous surgery. He had a single room in the hospital, and Cheng Xiao lay there alone, looking out the window. His body was bloated from edema, no longer the slender figure he used to be. He looked like a normal person, yet he evoked a sense of pity and sorrow in those who saw him.

Seeing the doctors enter, Cheng Xiao withdrew his gaze from the peach blossoms outside the window. His handsome face was serene; only his purplish lips and deathly pale complexion hinted at his terminal illness. Walking down the street, his striking good looks would undoubtedly attract a lot of attention. He even had the leisure to joke with a familiar department head, completely unconcerned about his precarious health.

After clearing his throat, the head doctor began to explain the upcoming medical arrangements. Cheng Xiao's body was no longer suitable for conservative treatment with medication; surgery was the only option. However, the specific type of surgery would depend on the results of further examinations. Amidst the expectant gazes of the room, the head doctor selected a doctor and Chun Ge to be in charge.

When the doctor heard that he was the first assistant, he knew that the chief surgeon must have been impressed by his performance in the last surgery. He should have explained the situation directly, but he didn't want to miss this rare opportunity. After a slight hesitation, he nodded in agreement.

Next, Cheng Xiao was scheduled to undergo various tests again. The doctor and Chun Ge accompanied him throughout the process. Cheng Xiao didn't seem to care about all the trouble. His calm expression only changed when he glanced at the nameplate on the doctor's chest.

"Oh? It's you. I heard you performed my surgery last time, and it was perfect." Cheng Xiao curled his purple lips into a smile. His cyanosis was very severe, even extending to the tips of his fingers. This was respiratory failure caused by cardiopulmonary disease.

The doctor simply couldn't imagine how someone who was having so much difficulty breathing could have such a relaxed and gentle smile. Moreover, he felt unworthy of the praise. He could only push up his glasses and say businesslike, "When we go to the MIRI room later, please remove any metal jewelry or watches you are wearing."

“Oh, I go for checkups often, I know. Luckily I haven’t had a pacemaker implanted yet, otherwise I wouldn’t even be able to do an MRI. By the way, I remember you weren’t wearing glasses last time, why the change in your look?” Cheng Xiao said, slowly pulling something out of his hospital gown pocket. The item slipped through his fingers, arcing through the air before falling to the ground with a crisp sound.

The doctor instinctively reached out to pick it up, but froze in place when he heard Cheng Xiao's question.

Would he not wear glasses? Although he had surgery to correct his nearsightedness a couple of years ago, he's been used to having something on the bridge of his nose for so long that he always wears even his non-prescription glasses. The doctor chuckled dryly and said, "Maybe I wasn't wearing my glasses when I had the surgery."

Cheng Xiao shrugged and said, "Do you think I'll see you while I'm in surgery?"

Indeed, the anesthesiologist always enters the operating room first, and the surgeons only take their positions after the patient is fully anesthetized. The doctor felt a throbbing pain in his temples again; what had he forgotten?
Chun Ge, oblivious to the doctor's unease, bent down and picked up what Cheng Xiao had dropped: "Oh, it's still this little silver fish! You always carry it with you, and you didn't even lose it!"

The doctor couldn't help but look into Chun Ge's palm. It was a small silver fish, about the length of a thumb. To be precise, this was only the right side of the fish's body. Half of the fish's body was bulging, while the other half was flat. The bulging half was sculpted with lifelike detail, but the scales were dull and lifeless, clearly indicating that it was an old object. There was also a hollowed-out circular ring around the fish's mouth, presumably for attaching a rope.

"This is Cheng Xiao's precious little silver fish. It's said to be an antique left to him by his grandfather, and he always carries it with him. But this guy is such a scatterbrain; he forgets it wherever he goes. Luckily, the nurses who take care of him all recognize it, so they bring it back to him whenever it gets lost." Seeing the doctor's interest, Chun Ge gossiped a bit, but he didn't let the doctor examine the little silver fish closely. To him, the little silver fish wasn't anything special; what mattered was Cheng Xiao's medical examination results. So he casually put the little silver fish into his white coat pocket, smiling as he pushed Cheng Xiao towards the MIRI room: "I'll keep the little silver fish for you for now. Come on, we need to hurry."

Cheng Xiao looked at Chun Ge with an unnatural stiffness in his eyes. When no one noticed, a gloomy cold light flashed in his lowered eyes.

"Oh? You're not coming home for dinner again tonight?" Tang Yuan held the phone receiver, his tone full of reluctance. "I was hoping you'd take me to Pizza Hut tonight, Uncle! Okay, okay, we'll go next time. Uncle, take care of yourself and don't forget to eat tonight. Okay, okay, I'll lock the door tonight."

Tang Yuan slammed down the phone, glanced at the dim sky outside, and pouted, saying, "Little Lulu, looks like I'll have to order takeout again tonight. What should I eat this time?" As he spoke, he turned around and was horrified to see the little white snake he had mentioned arching open the window, gracefully trying to escape. "Oh my little darling!" Tang Yuan hurriedly pounced on it, grabbing the snake's tail with his little hand and smiling ingratiatingly, "Don't run away! If someone catches you, with your tiny body, you'd be nothing but a mouthful! Where do you want to go? I'll take you..."

The little white snake gave Tang Yuan a disdainful look, then reluctantly climbed up his arm and onto his neck, pretending to lock it tightly. Then it pointed to the door with its tail, looking like it wouldn't give up until it got out.

Forced by the tyranny, Tang Yuan had no choice but to pick up the key and comfort himself that he was going out to find food, not just wandering around aimlessly.

That's right, mainly for the little white snake to find food...

Tang Yuan turned up his collar, and the little white snake coiled around his neck twice. Unless you looked closely, you couldn't even tell there was a live snake hanging around his neck. Tang Yuan didn't actually know where to find food for the little white snake, so he wandered around and ended up buying a jianbing (Chinese crepe) from a roadside stall, filling his stomach.

Having eaten something and warmed his stomach, Tang Yuan's mood eased a little. While eating his jianbing (Chinese crepe), he watched the bustling traffic of the commercial street and muttered, "Little Lulu, you want to consume spiritual energy, but who has spiritual energy? Only someone as powerful as Master has it, but even if you find someone similar to Master, would they just let you eat without moving?" Most likely, they'd be sent flying into the sky... Tang Yuan silently swallowed the last sentence along with his jianbing.

The little white snake didn't respond, but instead flicked Tang Yuan's neck with its tail, guiding him in that direction.

Tang Yuan resignedly let out a sigh, quickly finished his jianbing guozi (Chinese crepe), and walked along the commercial street with his head down until he saw a sign with the two characters "Ya She" (哑舍) in small seal script. "No way! You're looking for my senior brother? But my senior brother isn't here! Otherwise, I would have just gone to him and stopped living with that doctor..." Tang Yuan was rather disappointed, but still followed the little white snake's lead and swaggered into the shop through the carved door.

Upon entering, Tang Yuan was captivated by the pure aroma of agarwood. He took several deep breaths, secretly marveling at his senior brother's wealth and influence; no wonder his master had considered seeking refuge here. Tang Yuan felt the small white snake wriggling around his neck, trying to climb down, and immediately pressed it down through his clothes in fright. He could vaguely sense a commotion in the previously tranquil shop because of his action; countless sounds flashed past his ears, but when he tried to listen carefully, it suddenly fell silent.

Tang Yuan's gaze swept across the shop's displays, his eyes growing increasingly fervent. He had grown up with his master since childhood, and every object his master used was a rare treasure, which honed his discerning eye to an exceptional degree. To outsiders, these items would appear indistinguishable from fakes, but even without handling them, he could identify them as priceless genuine artifacts, most of them even more valuable than items displayed in museums.

Wow, my senior is really rich! I need to be his benefactor!

Tang Yuan was heartbroken. Why wasn't his senior brother here? If he were, he could have easily handed the little white snake over to his senior brother to raise. Why did things have to turn out this way? The more Tang Yuan thought about it, the more unbalanced he felt. He carefully touched the Hainan rosewood official's hat chair beside him with his right hand. On the front of the chair, a knot in the wood formed a lifelike fox face, with exquisitely detailed features. It had been smiling, but the moment Tang Yuan touched it, it turned terrified.

Tang Yuan was startled instead. The little white snake, which he had been holding down with his left hand, seized his moment of distraction and snaked down his right sleeve, about to burst out. "Little brother, what do you want to buy?" A deep male voice suddenly sounded behind Tang Yuan, causing him to instantly withdraw his hand and the little white snake to stop in its tracks, quickly coiling around Tang Yuan's wrist.

"Uh..." Tang Yuan, still shaken, looked at the fox-faced man on the chair who had regained his smile and thought he must have been seeing things! He looked up at the handsome man in a Zhongshan suit standing behind him. It wasn't his senior brother, but the guy who was in charge of watching the shop that he and his master had seen outside the shop last time they came.

Lu Zigang was quite surprised that a child would enter the Silent Shop, because the Silent Shop's decor and layout were rather pretentious, and only older people would like to come and appreciate it. Young men and women rarely entered the shop, let alone a child around ten years old. Moreover, it seemed that he had frightened the other person.

Thinking of this, Lu Zigang's voice softened, and he gently stroked Tang Yuan's head, asking with a smile, "Would you like to go upstairs and sit for a while? Do you want Uncle to carry you up?"

Tang Yuan shook his head vigorously, indicating that he absolutely did not want to sit in a chair that could change its expression. He tried his best to act like a normal ten-year-old child, tilting his little face up and smiling innocently, saying, "Uncle, I'm going home now. Come and play again next time you're passing by!"

Everyone likes a polite child. Lu Zigang thought of his noisy cousin, who was nothing compared to the boy in front of him! Watching the boy skip away, Lu Zigang's gaze fell on the Hainan yellow pear blossom official's hat chair, and his eyes narrowed.

After a moment of silence, he sighed, reluctantly pulled a soft cloth from his pocket, bent down, and began to wipe.

There was a greasy, shiny fingerprint on the official's hat chair.

How could a brat be seen through at a glance?

He was indeed too naive.

Tang Yuancai was unaware that someone was silently gossiping about him behind his back. He raised his right hand and asked the little white snake in his sleeve in a low voice, "Little Lulu, can you absorb not only people's spiritual energy, but also the spiritual energy of objects?"

The little white snake writhed restlessly inside his sleeve. Tang Yuan quickly pressed his cuffs shut, and cold sweat immediately broke out.

He suddenly remembered that when the little white snake was unbearably hungry, it would appear in the form of a beautiful snake woman. If someone did that to him on the street, things would get interesting!
#Medusa's Daring Moment on the Commercial Street!#
#Cosplay? The snake beauty is so realistic it rivals American blockbusters!#
#New Biochemical Monster Arrives! Or is it the Chinese Dragon Group appearing?! Tang Yuan said he absolutely didn't want to be the male protagonist of a trending topic on Weibo! He was frantic, his first instinct was to find a doctor, after all, he had been taken care of by the doctor these past few days, and Tang Yuan couldn't think of any other solutions. If all else failed, should he ask the doctor to give the little white snake some ether to put it into a coma?

The hospital where the doctor worked was nearby. Tang Yuan had been treated there before, so they were somewhat familiar with each other. It was already late, and as a little kid, it would be easy for him to sneak into the hospital. Tang Yuan covered his nose in the stairwell, pretending to be allergic to the disinfectant smell, and muttered as he climbed the stairs, "Today's not an auspicious day, it's taboo to go out! Little Lulu, should we come another day? Okay, okay, stop it… Huh? You want to stop on this floor?" Tang Yuan glanced at the sign in the stairwell: Cardiothoracic Surgery Inpatient Department? Wasn't that the doctor's department? He said he was on duty tonight; maybe they could run into each other.

He secretly cheered, not caring that the doctor would catch him and scold him for messing around and running to the hospital. He even came up with an excuse and bought two hot roasted sweet potatoes outside the hospital.

It was visiting hours for patients at the hospital, and there were still many people walking back and forth in the corridor. Tang Yuan looked around curiously and for a moment forgot to watch the little white snake in his right sleeve. The snake slipped through the crack, jumped to the ground, and then slid forward quickly along the smooth tile floor, silently squeezing into one of the wards through the door crack.

Tang Yuan inwardly cursed his bad luck. Ignoring whether it was impolite or not, he pushed open the door to the ward without even knocking and slipped inside.

The doctor had just finished lunch. The department had held a meeting that afternoon to discuss several alternative plans for Cheng Xiao's surgery the next day. After all, some conditions cannot be detected by instruments; only after opening the chest on the operating table can the true situation be determined. The doctor was preoccupied with his hazy memory, and after the meeting, he went to the lab to practice surgical suturing techniques on models. He had initially doubted himself, but his body, following his brain's instructions, seemed to have a mind of its own, performing the procedures flawlessly. He could execute some advanced techniques that he had only seen on precious surgical images, cleanly and without any flaws.

It was almost like a dream.

The doctor was still somewhat dazed, but he knew that barring any unforeseen circumstances, he could definitely complete tomorrow's surgery. So, feeling reassured, he readily came to make his rounds when the nurse came to tell him that Cheng Xiao wanted to see him.

But... he thought he just saw a familiar little figure. Could that little rascal have come to the hospital?

The doctor frowned, took out his phone from his white coat, and started calling home, but no one answered for a long time.

The doctor stopped in front of the ward he had just seen. He realized that this was Cheng Xiao's room. He suppressed his anger, took a deep breath, and then knocked on the door. He waited for the person inside to respond before pushing the door open and entering.

Inside the private VIP ward, only the LED light beside the bed cast a dim, yellowish glow. The doctor quickly scanned the room and found only Cheng Xiao present. Had he just imagined it?

Cheng Xiao was looking down, playing with the little silver fish that Chun Ge had returned to him. The dim light cast a cold shadow on his face, making one feel sad.

Knowing the patient was worried about tomorrow's surgery, the doctor softened his voice and said in a very reliable tone, "Our chief surgeon will be performing the operation tomorrow, so don't worry." He then used some professional terminology to explain the various preparations for tomorrow's surgery.

Cheng Xiao smiled upon hearing this, but did not raise his head. He simply smiled faintly and said, "Sometimes I don't know why I have to live such a difficult life."

The doctor suddenly felt a bit uneasy. Generally, such words of comfort are more effective when spoken by the patient's family. But Cheng Xiao's family members were all gone, leaving him alone to face an illness that would never subside. The doctor felt a deep sense of respect whenever he thought of Cheng Xiao's thick medical history. Although he had never been sick himself, working in a hospital, he knew what it meant to be in a living hell.

He knew that anything he said at this moment would be futile, and he also knew that Cheng Xiao had called him over simply to seek companionship in this lonely night. The doctor simply pulled out a chair in front of the bed and sat down. Under Cheng Xiao's surprised gaze, he wiped his hands with a medical disinfectant wipe, picked up one of the apples on the bedside table, and began to peel it for himself.

"These apples must be from the hospital meals, right? Tsk, they're big and red. The food in the VIP room is definitely better than in our doctors' cafeteria." The doctor started chatting casually in a friendly tone, trying to distract Cheng Xiao while suddenly remembering that he could ask him a question, "By the way, we last met more than a year ago, right? Did you remember me then?"

Cheng Xiao tilted his head and fell into reminiscence, then said seriously, "Yes, you weren't wearing glasses back then, and your bangs were combed back, which is why I didn't recognize you at first today. But, did something good happen to you? You weren't like this before."

"Oh?" The doctor's hand trembled, and the thin apple peel he had just peeled broke off. He continued calmly, "What kind of impression did I give people back then?"

"Although he's always smiling, he gives off a cold and aloof vibe, like someone of very high status," Cheng Xiao joked with a smile.

"Was I that annoying before? No wonder the head doctor told me to change my personality and be more friendly to people, haha." The doctor explained dryly, confirming once again that something must have gone wrong during that period. But he had already gotten the most out of Cheng Xiao; he would try to get some information from Chun Ge if he had the chance.

Silence returned to the ward. After peeling an apple, the doctor divided it into four equal wedges and placed them in the fruit bowl. He then picked up another apple and began peeling it as if nothing was wrong. Back in his medical school days, he often used apple peeling to train the stability of his hands. He could peel an apple in just half a minute, the peel thin and even, without breaking in the middle. Moreover, it was a good way to calm his mind. When the doctor came back to his senses, he realized that he had peeled all six apples on the bedside table.

"Haha, sorry, I get addicted to peeling apples." The doctor smiled sheepishly. "What should I do? I think I've been peeling too many."

“It’s okay, these are all leftovers from today’s three meals. I don’t like apples, so you can have them all.” Cheng Xiao was very generous.

Even if he had a big appetite, he couldn't eat six apples! Besides, apples oxidize very quickly after being peeled. The doctor apologized and then took the fruit plate for a stroll, exchanging the apples with the nurses at the nurses' station for some snacks.

Cheng Xiao looked at the potato chips handed to him, and said with a wry smile, "Can my body eat this junk food?"

The doctor looked at him like he was an idiot: "It's not your stomach that's sick, and you've been fasting for eight hours before the surgery. The surgery is tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, so it's okay. You can still eat now. Oh dear, you've never even had potato chips before? That's so pitiful. Eating a couple won't hurt."

Cheng Xiao looked at the tempting aroma of the potato chips in front of him and couldn't resist reaching out to take them. However, without thinking, the little silver fish he was holding fell to the ground. The doctor bent down to pick it up, but because the lighting in the ward was dim, he couldn't immediately tell where the little silver fish had fallen. Upon closer inspection, the doctor noticed a faint light flickering under the bed.

Just as he was about to reach out, he suddenly heard Cheng Xiao exclaim, "Don't pick it up!"

At the same time, a clear child's voice rang out in the darkness: "Uncle, you'd better not touch that silver fish talisman."

The doctor paused, forgetting about picking up the little silver fish, and straightened up again, looking angrily at the little boy who came out of the ward's ensuite bathroom. Tang Yuan was indeed here.

"You'd better explain this to me."

Tang Yuan flinched slightly when he met the doctor's fiery gaze behind his glasses, but then straightened his small chest and said confidently, "Uncle, do you know what this silver fish talisman is used for?"

The doctor's lips twitched. He wanted Tang Yuan to explain why he was there; he didn't care about the silver fish charm at all. But out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Cheng Xiao's face was no longer calm, but filled with anxiety. Remembering that Cheng Xiao had warned him not to pick it up, his curiosity was piqued, and he pressed, "Of course I don't know, but you do?"

"Of course I know!" Tang Yuan pointed to his forehead, proudly implying to the doctor his photographic memory. What a joke! His master had taken him to look at those lost treasure catalogs since he was a child; of course he knew everything. "The fish-shaped tally is generally about the length of a finger, divided into left and right halves. There's a tenon and mortise in the middle that fits them together. The left half is kept in the inner court, while the right half is carried by the holder, essentially serving as an official's identification. Although it's said to have been invented by Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, the fish-shaped tally and the tiger tally from the Warring States period are only different in shape and represent different powers. The tiger tally could mobilize troops, while the fish-shaped tally simply proved identity; it has existed since ancient times."

"Is this silver fish talisman an antique?" The doctor frowned, feeling that this scene of being educated on history was very familiar. He seemed to remember someone who had patiently explained things to him like this, but when he tried to see what that person looked like, he couldn't, and he couldn't even remember what the person's voice was like.

“It is indeed an antique, and not just any antique.” Tang Yuan stared at Cheng Xiao on the hospital bed. “I wasn’t sure at first, but judging from your attitude, this silver fish talisman probably came from the ancient underworld and ended up in the human world. The underworld needs to draw yang energy from others when it travels among humans, but you somehow got this silver fish talisman, and you don’t have the identity of an underworld official. I’m afraid you’re using the silver fish talisman to steal the lifespan of others and transfer it to yourself. If it weren’t for this silver fish talisman, you probably wouldn’t be alive now.”

"Nonsense." The doctor was furious upon hearing this. As a medical professional, he naturally didn't believe in any supernatural or superstitious things. "Are you implying that our surgery was poorly performed?"

"No, no matter how well the surgery is done, the body still needs to be able to withstand it. Uncle, you know in your heart that it's already a miracle he's still alive after so many surgeries." Tang Yuan shrugged. He had overheard the surgical procedures in the bathroom and immediately felt that there was something wrong with Cheng Xiao. He had even flipped through the medical books that doctors kept at home when he was bored.

Although it was strange that Cheng Xiao's silver fish charm was often lost in various parts of the hospital, and people would always pick it up and give it to him, it couldn't be explained by Tang Yuan's reason! Just as the doctor was about to scold Tang Yuan for talking nonsense, he saw a small white snake crawl out from under the bed, with a fish-shaped bulge clearly visible on its belly.

Tang Yuan cried out and pounced on the little white snake, shaking it upside down: "My little darling! Why are you eating things like this? This silver fish talisman should have been sealed, how could you swallow it whole? Aren't you afraid of choking while feeding it!"

"Plop!" Something did indeed fall out of the little white snake's mouth, but unfortunately, it silently shattered into dust when it hit the ground.

Cheng Xiao silently stared at the pile of silver powder on the ground, a faint smile playing on his lips. When he looked up again, his expression was completely blank. "Doctor, I want to rest."

The doctor was so embarrassed that he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet. He naturally didn't believe what Tang Yuan said about the underworld and lifespan. Although he felt that the little silver fish broke strangely, he knew that Tang Yuan had done something wrong this time. He quickly apologized and took Tang Yuan and the little white snake out of the ward.

The room fell into a deathly silence once more. Cheng Xiao clenched his fists tightly, and it took him an unknown amount of time before he finally opened his right hand again.

In my palm were crumbs of potato chips.

He stared at it for a long time, then finally lowered his head and licked a tiny bit.

It really tastes delicious...

Chun Ge pushed open the lounge door and saw a doctor flipping through a medical book, while in the corner a boy of about ten years old was bowing his head and facing the wall in contemplation.

"Oh dear, how pitiful! You're really heartless," Chun Ge joked. The fact that the doctor had temporarily adopted a little boy was known to his close colleagues; some understood, some didn't, but Chun Ge felt it was ultimately the doctor's own life, and he thought it was fine as long as it was okay.

"Hmph, he needs a lesson." The doctor found his wavering based on Tang Yuan's confident boasts utterly ridiculous. Chun Ge had taken that silver fish talisman before; had his lifespan already been stolen? The doctor initially wanted to ask, but seeing Chun Ge's exhausted expression, he immediately changed his mind. Having such a thought was too laughable; saying it would surely earn him merciless ridicule from Chun Ge. He would definitely apologize to Cheng Xiao on Tang Yuan's behalf tomorrow morning.

"Still looking at Cheng Xiao's medical records? Get some rest, you'll be standing for a long time tomorrow." Chun Ge yawned and rubbed his wrists to massage his hand muscles.

The doctor closed Cheng Xiao's thick medical record. He had looked at it several times since he returned. Although it was indeed a miracle that Cheng Xiao was still alive despite his heart being riddled with holes, hadn't there been countless medical miracles already? The doctor stood up, intending to take Tang Yuan to wash up, only to find that this brat wasn't bowing his head in apology at all! He was sound asleep with his forehead against the wall!
Just as the doctor was about to raise his hand to knock Tang Yuan on the head, the pagers on his and Chun Ge's waists simultaneously beeped shrilly. Both looked down at the same time, and upon seeing the words displayed, they instinctively pushed open the door and rushed outside.

Startled awake, Tang Yuan rubbed his eyes with his little hands. After figuring out what had happened, he couldn't help but chuckle, "How long can stolen life last? Luckily, this silver fish talisman isn't very powerful. It can only steal lifespan by having someone else touch it on the last day of the holder's life, and the same person can only steal it once, with the number of days stolen being random. Look, thank goodness Uncle didn't fall for it. It seems Uncle doesn't need to prepare for surgery tomorrow and can come home with me soon, right?"

The little white snake around his neck flicked its bright red tongue, and Tang Yuan immediately deflated, stammering, "Little ancestor, seeing you like this, it's okay to eat the spiritual energy from antiques? But how about we make a deal? Can you not eat the spiritual energy from my second senior brother's good antiques? As for the evil spiritual energy from the silver fish talisman, you can eat it as much as you want!"

The little white snake tilted its head and thought for a moment, then reluctantly nodded.

"Sigh, but evil antiques are hard to find! My master and I once saw him seal away many powerful evil antiques, but unfortunately they're all sealed in the vault... There probably aren't many left in the world... Oh dear! My little ancestor! I'll think of something! My spiritual energy is low! My health bar is empty! Don't bite my face! It hurts!"

(End of this chapter)