Chapter 10: The Sweet Rage of Li Mei

To avoid detection, Lin Qing swiftly lowered his head, averting his gaze from the doorway.

Lin Qing had long suspected Li Mei possessed a “killing switch.” Otherwise, her outwardly kind and approachable demeanor had to be an elaborate act, and her acting skills would be truly exceptional.

Now, having witnessed Li Mei’s ‘switch’ being flipped, and recalling the information he’d previously overheard from the other two nurses, Lin Qing instantly understood the precise conditions that activated it.

Couples.

The sweeter the couple, the more intense Li Mei’s rage became.

Although he hadn’t personally seen the elderly patient in the adjacent bed, Wu Gang’s description painted a clear picture of a deeply affectionate relationship between the man and his wife.

This, then, was Li Mei’s motive for murder.

“Look at that sweet mouth of yours, as if it’s been brushed with honey. It seems being hospitalized isn’t without its benefits after all.”

“Hehe, my mouth is always sweet, isn’t that something you know best… darling, I truly…”

As Lin Qing uncovered Li Mei’s murderous motive, Wu Gang and Wang Lingling, completely oblivious, continued to sweetly dote on each other.

However, when Wang Lingling smilingly opened her package to reveal the homemade dishes within, Wu Gang felt as if Death itself had just rung his doorbell.

He couldn’t even manage a witty remark. His slightly downturned lips conveyed a sense of resignation.

‘Well, at least I’m already in the hospital,’ he thought. ‘If I get food poisoning, it’ll save on ambulance resources. They can just wheel me straight into the emergency room.’

“Alright, alright, it’s almost time to eat. Come quickly and have your meal!”

Wang Lingling’s next words made Wu Gang nod with a smile, though inwardly he felt that Death, utterly lacking in martial ethics, had simply broken down the door.

‘There’s no escaping it now. I might as well finish it all in one go!’

‘Just like drinking traditional Chinese medicine…’

‘One gulp.’

“This student must be hungry too, right? Come, I have another portion here~”

As Wang Lingling began to open the lids of various food containers, she suddenly remembered Lin Qing in the next bed and immediately extended a warm invitation.

Wang Lingling was incredibly generous when it came to sharing food.

‘Everything tastes better when shared!’

“No need. He doesn’t have injured legs and feet like me, so he can just go to the cafeteria to eat! Besides, this loving bento you prepared for me, I intend to finish it all by myself!”

However, upon hearing this, Wu Gang’s body gave a slight shiver. Not wanting his girlfriend to inflict her culinary harm on someone else’s stomach, he immediately feigned a jealous expression.

He even managed to discreetly wave his hand at Lin Qing, a faint glimmer of tears in his eyes, feeling like a true paragon of selflessness in the new century.

The four characters for ‘sacrificing oneself for others’ were practically emblazoned across his face.

“Oh my, my darling is truly too domineering, but I like it~ Come, all of this is yours. You absolutely must eat every last bit of it all up, okay❤~”

Yet, in the very next second, Wu Gang regretted it.

Staring at the overflowing lunchboxes before him, Wu Gang almost couldn’t help but adopt the expression of an old man on the subway staring at his phone, feeling utterly overwhelmed.

“Darling, I think eating all of this might be too much. Perhaps we should take it one meal at a time!”

“But I made this especially for you! Can you bear to see all this food and my efforts go to waste?”

While Wu Gang and Wang Lingling conversed about the food, Lin Qing looked up towards the doorway, noticing that Li Mei had left at some unknown point.

The doorway was now empty, devoid of any human presence.

Based on the black skull-like state he had seen earlier, Li Mei’s emotions were in severe turmoil. It was highly probable she would act tonight.

Lin Qing could, as before, observe with detachment. Knowing Li Mei’s murderous motive, and being a solitary individual, he was not within her hunting scope.

He had no need to fear being killed.

However, the thought of Wu Gang’s kindness towards him, and the potential ruin of an entire family, prevented Lin Qing from steeling his heart and watching Li Mei commit murder.

Wu Gang and Wang Lingling were deeply in love; they would undoubtedly build a happy family together in the future.

Such an ordinary happiness should not be shattered.

‘Alas!’

He had distinctly not wanted to get entangled in such matters again.

Now, it seemed, that was impossible.

But…

Even if he wanted to help Wu Gang, given the current circumstances, it would be extremely difficult.

If he were to directly inform Wu Gang that there was a murderer in the hospital, and that it was the nurse right beside them, Wu Gang would likely dismiss him as mentally unstable, a lunatic.

Lin Qing had, in the past, briefly mentioned the skull phenomenon to others. The result had been a week spent in a mental institution.

Fortunately, media coverage at the time prevented him from remaining confined there, and he was rescued in time.

This harsh reality quickly restored Lin Qing’s rationality, making him realize that continuing to publicize these matters would be highly detrimental to himself.

It was best not to let anyone else know about his unique ability.

After all, this world was made up of ordinary humans, and he might be the only one possessing such powers.

Therefore, if he couldn’t reveal everything, only one option remained.

Distract Li Mei.

Wu Gang was a strong, healthy man, while Lin Qing was a sickly youth.

If both became targets simultaneously, Li Mei would undoubtedly choose Lin Qing as her primary victim, thereby abandoning or postponing her attack on Wu Gang.

During Li Mei’s pursuit of Lin Qing, he would merely need to escape.

He must not be caught by Li Mei!

He would have to stall until Wu Gang was discharged.

That meant two days.

For this, he would need an accomplice, and it had to be a female.

At this thought, Lin Qing hesitated, then finally looked down at his phone screen, making his decision.

‘One cannot catch a wolf without sacrificing a cub.’ To confront a murderer, he needed to find someone more formidable than her.

Though he had originally intended to avoid further involvement, the situation now felt like a tangled ball of yarn, becoming increasingly difficult to unravel.

“Student, don’t listen to Old Wu’s nonsense. I brought plenty of food, and he can’t finish it all by himself. Just come over and eat!”

Just as Lin Qing was making his decision, before he could even light up his phone screen, Wang Lingling’s voice rang out again.

It seemed the matter concerning the food had been settled.

Although Wu Gang felt genuinely sorry for the younger man in the next bed, the thought that he wouldn’t have to finish all of the ‘dark cuisine’ himself filled him with relief, as if a benevolent angel had descended from the heavens, making the evil Death vanish!

He was alive again!!!

“No, thank you. I’ll go to the cafeteria later.”

However, Lin Qing politely declined Wang Lingling’s enthusiasm.

This instantly drained most of Wu Gang’s ‘HP bar,’ making him realize that what was meant to come, could not be avoided after all!

Death had returned!

“Why are you being so polite with me? Alright, no more talk, just come and eat!”

Yet, faced with Lin Qing’s polite refusal, Wang Lingling spoke again.

She then lifted two lunchboxes, preparing to personally deliver them to Lin Qing’s side, hoping to receive compliments on her cooking from others and thus console her regret of not becoming a chef.

Wang Lingling even considered spoon-feeding him, eager to get the most authentic feedback!

“Am I too late?”

However, just as Wang Lingling reached Lin Qing’s bedside, the ward door was pulled open from the outside.

Su Yao stood at the doorway, holding a food container, tilting her head slightly in confusion, yet watching Lin Qing with a knowing, playful smile in her eyes.