The lunch bell’s sound was melodious, a gentle and soothing piano tune. Xu Yintang listened to the bell but had no intention of getting up and going out. He simply put on his slippers and sat quietly on the edge of the bed, waiting. Soon, the chaotic sound of footsteps could be heard from outside the door.
Little Darling crawled out from under the bed with his little brother in his arms, curiously reaching out toward the door. They could smell the delicious aroma seeping in through the crack in the door, and it got closer and closer, making their stomachs growl as if they had been feasting on air in a dungeon.
*Slurp…*
Wet and sticky mucus oozed from Little Darling’s mouthparts, corroding shallow burn marks on the floor. Xu Yintang reached down and picked up the two little ones from the gap in the door. He thought for a moment and then grabbed the rabbit plush toy from the bedside and stuffed them inside.
This rabbit plush toy was very old, dirty, and tattered, with loose seams, holes, and missing an eye and half an ear. Xu Yintang didn’t know why he kept this thing around. It seemed that he had brought it with him when he first arrived by his mother’s side. It was like an original accessory that belonged to him. Both his mother and the hospital believed it was a comfort item that could stabilize his emotions, so he always took this rabbit plush toy wherever he went.
However, Xu Yintang didn’t have any special fondness or dislike for the toy. He took out some cotton from it, which worked perfectly to make a comfortable nest for the two little ones. Little Darling twisted and molded the fleshy tentacles into a more suitable shape for the plush toy, filling it up so it looked plump and adorable, unlike its previously deflated and droopy state.
As it was carefully adjusting to prop up the rabbit’s ears, the door was pushed open rudely from the outside. Standing outside the door was a sturdy-looking caregiver whose gaze roamed around the room to check for any prohibited items and then landed on Xu Yintang, checking his attire. Then, with a harsh tone, the caregiver said, “3021, come out and line up!”
“Okay,” Xu Yintang responded, picking up the rabbit plush toy and heading outside. His hospital gown had the number 3021 written on the chest, which was his patient number. In the hospital, patients were called by their numbers for easy management. 3021 represented Xu Yintang as the 21st patient in Ward 3 when he was admitted.
As he passed by the caregiver, the caregiver looked at the plush toy he was carrying and chuckled with a hint of malice and disdain. However, he didn’t say anything. The hospital allowed patients to carry such harmless comfort items with them, but public displays and actions related to them were strictly prohibited, and breaking these rules could lead to solitary confinement.
Outside the door, about ten patients were already waiting, standing in a disorganized line, either lost in thought or muttering and laughing to themselves. The caregivers had to shout and push to get them to move forward.
Xu Yintang thoughtfully joined the back of the line and greeted his current neighbor, who had moved in recently to replace the previous one who liked to do various inappropriate things in public. From Xu Yintang’s observations during this time, his new neighbor was polite, friendly, and quiet, which made him an ideal neighbor.
“It seems like we’re having noodles for lunch today,” Xu Yintang said.
The young man he greeted became excited and tugged the man beside him, saying with enthusiasm, “We’re having noodles today!”
The man he tugged was one of the typically absent-minded patients, whose reactions were delayed as he nodded slowly and said, “Yeah…”
The young man happily translated for him, “He says noodles are delicious, and he likes them too.”
He then noticed the rabbit plush toy in Xu Yintang’s arms and remarked, “Hey, it’s rare to see you bringing it out.”
Xu Yintang nodded and introduced them, “These are my children, Little Darling is the older brother, and Second Treasure is the younger brother.” He lifted the rabbit’s paw and waved it, saying, “Say hello to Uncle Yu.”
The young man was named Yu Kongyou, and he had moved in on the first day and insisted on knocking on the door to introduce himself and his male companion, Xu Zhongping. Xu Zhongping was a silent and stubborn man, but Xu Yintang found it easier to refer to him by his number, 2222 – the 222nd patient in Ward 2. The four 2s were easier to remember than his full name.
Every time Xu Yintang referred to him this way, Yu Kongyou playfully acted annoyed, but he himself would occasionally call Xu Zhongping the four 2s and playfully tease the man who sat in a corner, appearing absent-minded. However, Xu Yintang hadn’t seen Xu Zhongping respond to him.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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But soon, he eagerly approached them as if they were common and cute kittens. “Hello, I’m your Uncle Yu,” he said. “You can call me Uncle. Do you understand? The guy next to me is your big brother.”
He pointed at Xu Zhongping and taught two kids to call him “Brother PingPing.” Ignoring Xu Zhongping’s pale and emaciated appearance, they looked like they belonged to two different generations.
The murmurs and whispers at the end of the line drew the attention of those in front. Xu Yintang was relatively special among the patients. When they heard him earnestly mention having two children, and some slightly conscious patients even turned their heads to look. However, as they turned, they suddenly saw a rabbit doll with holes in its eyes and ears moving in Xu Yintang’s arms. This sight caused an immediate and chaotic reaction, with people screaming in fear.
“Ahhhhhh—!”
“Monster! There’s a monster! Ahhhhh!!!”
“Help! Help! I’m going to die! I’m going to die! He’s coming for me!”
The frightened patients seemed to be experiencing hallucinations far scarier than a rabbit doll with moving tentacles. Some of them waved their arms, clutching their heads and scurrying away. Some even climbed up the windowsill, frantically pounding on the windows as if they were trying to escape from the fifth-floor iron railing.
The chaotic scene caused those patients who were already disoriented to be pushed or tripped, leading to an even more chaotic chain reaction.
Xu Zhongping was also pushed aside by someone, and he sat against the wall in a daze. The noisy environment and the chaotic crowd seemed to trigger a memory for him. He curled up, hugging his head, frozen in place.
“…”
“…”
Xu Yintang looked at Yu Kongyou, and Yu Kongyou looked back at Xu Yintang. Both of them had a look that seemed to suggest they were blaming each other. When a patient ran up screaming, apparently wanting to have a “battle” with the rabbit doll, Xu Yintang moved out of the way and gestured with raised hands to emphasize his innocence, saying, “I didn’t do anything.”
Yu Kongyou, on the other hand, squatted down next to Xu Zhongping, sighed, and muttered something under his breath, seemingly annoyed with him for being so unhelpful.
“Quiet! Get down and cover your heads!” The nurse shouted loudly and pressed a button on the wall. Immediately, a sharp and piercing alarm sounded in the corridor. Simultaneously, she pulled out a baton from her waist and mercilessly struck the patients who were screaming and thrashing.
*Smack!* *Smack!* *Smack!*
The sound of the metal baton hitting flesh made Yu Kongyou flinch, and he complained to Xu Yintang, shaking his head and gesturing for him to be quiet. “She’s just jealous of our good looks, always hitting us in the face.”
Xu Yintang crouched down, placing the doll on his knee, patting it a couple of times to calm down the two excited kids. He then glanced at Yu Kongyou and made a “shush” gesture.
Don’t speak the truth.
Yu Kongyou touched his own pretty face, which had been struck by the baton, sighed, and then patted Xu Zhongping’s hair to comfort the poor guy who had been hit, continuing to grumble, “This makes her even uglier.”
Xu Zhongping’s face, which had turned black and blue, contorted with anger. His already tense and stiff facial features looked even worse, and his face seemed on the verge of falling off. Comparing Xu Kongyou’s delicate and cute appearance with his own, the contrast was quite stark.
A few seconds later, several tall and robust male nurses with stern faces appeared in the corridor. They yelled and scolded the patients who were not deterred by the alarm and batons, pinning them to the ground. After a crackling sound from the switches on the batons, the struggling and screaming patients soon quieted down, their eyes rolling back.
“Why is Section Two so unruly? We need more control!” they grumbled as they handled the unconscious patients. In no time, the queue of patients, originally numbering over ten, was reduced by half. The remaining patients, under the guidance of the nurses, stood in line, their expressions increasingly vacant and numb, as if nothing had happened, and they continued to move forward.
“Go ahead.” Xu Yintang patted the rabbit doll and called the restless kids to follow the departing nurses to snatch a few bites of the “food” – these nurses smelled very appetizing, with abundant energy and active emotions. Their violent and sadistic tendencies were quite appealing to Second Treasure, although these few might not be enough to satisfy his appetite.
However, this hospital had some excellent nurses, each more diligent than the last.
Little Darling might not be as pleased since he preferred something fresher. In this place, he even chose to eat the newly deceased bodies rather than the preserved or dried ones. Some of the nurses even had a foul odor.
With limited options, he had to make do. Hopefully, Little Darling could overcome his fussiness.
Meanwhile, Yu Kongyou was still comforting the frightened Xu Zhongping, paying little attention to whether their neighbor, Xu Yintang, was letting the kids cause mischief.
Xu Yintang held the rabbit doll and listened to Yu Kongyou’s muttering as they reached the hospital’s first-floor patient cafeteria. There, a large number of patients dressed in identical blue and white striped hospital gowns stood in line to receive their meals, creating quite a scene.
Yu Kongyou rushed to the front to take a look and returned excitedly, announcing, “We’re having noodles today!”
Xu Yintang squeezed the rabbit doll’s paws and felt that the kids had probably started their lunch. The sweet and savory aroma wafted into his head.
The cafeteria operated efficiently with a conveyor belt-like system for meal distribution. In no time, it was their turn. Xu Yintang received his bowl of noodles and a spoon – ever since a patient had choked on chopsticks while eating, the cafeteria only provided spoons.
The noodles were cooked until soft and mushy, resembling a porridge mixed with finely chopped cabbage and a hint of egg flower. It was a low-oil, low-salt standard hospital meal and one of the tastiest items the cafeteria had to offer.
While eating, the nurse in charge of overseeing the meal made rounds to check that every patient finished their food and didn’t leave anything behind. Most patients in Section Two were obedient, and a few warnings from the nurse were usually enough to keep them eating.
In contrast, mealtimes in Section Three, where Xu Yintang used to stay, were much livelier. The nurses were busy feeding patients, and each meal was accompanied by loud wailing and crying.
Xu Yintang quietly ate his meal, taking each spoonful slowly, chewing thoroughly, and not speaking or glancing around. He was usually disciplined and didn’t need someone to supervise his eating. Yu Kongyou, on the other hand, kept babbling, questioning whether his sense of taste was malfunctioning.
He complained about the cafeteria’s many signature “delicacies,” alternating between disgust and fascination, and Xu Yintang didn’t know what was wrong with him.
Fortunately, lunchtime was only half an hour, and Xu Yintang soon escaped from Yu Kongyou’s endless chatter. After lunch, the patients in Section Two were usually assigned to read, go for a walk, or engage in crafts. Those who needed treatment would be taken away by nurses in light pink uniforms.
Xu Yintang was different from them. He had to visit his mother, who was also residing in the same hospital.
A nurse led him to the entrance of the third-floor building in Section Two and handed him over to another nurse responsible for Section Three. The nurses in Section Three appeared more authoritative. Xu Yintang smiled and nodded at the nurse with the pungent, burnt face, saying, “Thank you.”
The nurse remained silent and turned, gesturing for Xu Yintang to follow.
To get from Section Two to Section Three, they needed to cross a small garden. The side closer to Section Two was beautifully maintained, with colorful flowers emitting a fragrant aroma.
Xu Yintang stopped and asked, “Can I pick some for my mother?”
The nurse remained motionless, so Xu Yintang took that as permission and selected a few pink and white flowers, bundling them together with some leaves.
Only in the garden near Section Two could fresh flowers be picked. As they moved closer to Section Three, the garden became barren, and the land gradually revealed a dark, reddish-brown, dirty color. The vegetation resembled blackened remnants after a fire, and the air carried a pungent odor. Occasionally, the wind sounded eerie, like a mournful cry for help.
Even the sky was gloomy and yellowish. The three-story building in Section Three, standing beneath the overcast clouds, appeared to be only two stories tall from the outside. The walls were peeling, and withered ivy climbed up like decaying veins, giving the building a sense of darkness and decay.
As they entered the building, the lighting dimmed. The stairs crisscrossed, separating the structure into layers upon layers. At times, Xu Yintang had to pass through multiple patient rooms to move from one level to another. Finally, he traversed a long, dark corridor where he had to be careful not to stumble over obstacles. The rooms deep in the corridor were well-maintained with bright, shiny doorplates. From the slightly open doors, the gentle and melodic hum of a woman’s voice could be heard.
“Gardenia flowers, white orchids…”
“Scented gardenia flowers, white orchids…”
Author’s Note –
If there is a hospital instance in the future –
Mother Xu Yintang: Thank you for the invitation; the gaming experience was great, and everyone was so friendly. It felt like coming home. I’ll be back next time 🙂
Little Darling & Second Treasure: Thanks for inviting us; the gaming experience was great, and everyone was so delicious. It felt like being at mom’s place.
Instance Bosses: Don’t come near me!!!
Thank you for the chapter! <3
I didn’t expect his mom to be in the hospital too! 😭
Thanks for the update 🤣❤️
Are they in a mental hospital?
It seems more like an old school sanitarium – where it is more important for the patients to be controlled and out of sight of society than actually cured. Abuse and unethical experiments were rampant there. This certainly explains the MC’s disassociation and inability to identify pain/pleasure.
Oooohhhh 〣( ºΔº )〣
Very true, I didn’t even think m about that part
I didn’t expect for him to be a long time patient at a mental hospital! (This one is an absolutely horrible institution! Why are they abusing patients?!) At least I now understand why he keeps talking about his neighbours and their behaviour.
His mother is also there?! Wow!
The hospital really could be the place for a game instance to take place XD
I tried to MTL a bit more chapters and got some hints of what’s going on, but your translation is really on another level. Thank you for picking this up, Miss Translator~
where are you finding mtls i can’t find one for this novel anywhere 😭
Oh wow, so he and his mom are long time patients? No wonder he was so nonchalant about the game
It feels like he lives in another instance.
Thanks for the chapters(=^･ｪ･^=))ﾉ彡☆
Looks like there’s lots of food available for the hungry children.
Ultimate revenge on those nurses… Sending his children off to eat them.
🤣🤣 the authors note
Lunatic gong + mother + MC = the best! 🤞🏻
Wow, unexpected
Thank you for your translation ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Such a bright and welcoming environment for the children…lmao. Thanks for the update 🤣❤️🤣❤️
This brings to mind that sanatoriums were also a place where the poorest of the poor were locked away from society. As if poverty were a mental disease instead of a socialite issue. Horrible experiments were done on those poor souls, who had no one to defend them. All because they were poor.
Oh I wonder why his mental health didn’t improve doctors 🙃
Maybe because him and many other innocent patients are locked up in a fucked up abusive old school sanatorium or mental asylum.
This is not a place which helps patients recover or cares for them, it just wants to stuff up all the ‘mentally ill’ in one place, lock the door and call it a day.
It makes me so angry that places like this existed and still exist.
I keep forgetting that there will be romance and this is the gong
oh! this makes sense… i feel bad for those who saw the children move the toy…
will he show his mother his kids? no… that might scare her, please don’t.
Wow, even though they’re crazy they’re still human…. doesn’t doing this to them just make their mental health worse?