Eating was the only way to quell the turmoil within. His stomach howled with hunger, and only when he devoured the food with unrestrained fervor did he finally feel a sense of relief.
It was truly delicious.
He couldn't fathom how he had never noticed—food could taste this divine.
In the kitchen, several cafeteria ladies stood anxiously, their bodies trembling. The metal bowls in their hands shook visibly. Fear clung to them like a second skin.
They harbored deep-seated misconceptions about the mentally ill.
Every news broadcast about psychiatric patients seemed to be a harbinger of disaster.
Ding Ye noticed Lin Fan had been gone for far too long. Years spent working in the mental hospital had sharpened her instincts—something must have happened.
She asked around—no one had seen him.
In the kitchen.
Lin Fan sat contentedly, having finished every dish before him. He patted his full, rounded belly, a picture of satisfaction. Then, calmly, he looked up at the cafeteria workers and said, "I'm full."
One of the women stared in horror at the crimson smear on the corner of his lips—tomato and scrambled eggs. Yet in her eyes, it looked no different than blood. The red sauce trickled down slowly, unbearably vivid.
Suddenly—
The woman clutched her chest, her breath caught, eyes rolled back—and she collapsed.
"Aaahh!"
"He's eating people! The lunatic is eating people!"
Their screams echoed through the halls, sharp as knives, laced with terror.
Lin Fan simply smiled, blinking slowly, watching the chaos unfold before him like a silent spectator.
Orderlies rushed in, their expressions stricken with panic. If a patient had done something irreparable, the blame would fall squarely on them.
"Call 120—now!"
"She's having a heart attack!"
Fortunately, the staff were trained in emergency response. Even in the face of the unpredictable, they remained composed.
Bee-boh! Bee-boh! Bee-boh!
An ambulance barreled into the asylum grounds. The driver, by now, treated this place as a regular destination. If he went more than a few days without visiting, something felt... off.
Doctors and nurses poured out.
They exchanged glances.
Was it that young man again?
He always seemed to be at the center of chaos.
The deputy director detested Lin Fan's presence, but healing was their calling. Once an incident occurred, they could not turn away.
"Huh?"
They were visibly surprised. The patient wasn't who they expected. Oddly enough, a hint of disappointment flickered in their eyes.
"Quick, she's having a myocardial infarction!"
Ding Ye quickly explained the woman's condition.
The medical staff said nothing more. The patient was swiftly loaded onto the ambulance.
Bee-boh! Bee-boh! Bee-boh!
Its taillights blurred as it sped out of sight.
In the director's office—
Director Hao stood by the window, watching the ambulance fade into the distance. He lit a cigarette in silence, inhaling deeply—not for the nicotine, but to soothe the weariness lodged deep in his chest.
Sigh.
He already knew what had happened. Though Lin Fan wasn't the one sent to the hospital, the incident was clearly linked to him. How could someone frighten a cook into unconsciousness just by eating?
And worse was yet to come.
Knock, knock.
The cafeteria ladies barged in, speaking all at once, voices raised in protest. Their meaning was clear: We can't do this job anymore. Please find someone else.
"I have grandchildren to raise."
"I have an overgrown baby of my own at home."
"We're still young—we might find love again. This place is too dangerous. We're afraid. We quit."
Ding Ye tried to mediate, gently coaxing them to calm down and talk it over. It was only one incident—surely such a thing wouldn't happen again.
"Ahem."
Director Hao's voice was hoarse from too much smoking. The cigarettes dulled the ache in his heart, the helplessness in his bones. Quitting wasn't an option.
Without turning around, he spoke quietly:
"Tell me how much of a raise you want."
His words carried weight, like those of a hidden master emerging from seclusion. Instantly, the noisy room fell silent.
Utter silence.
The women exchanged glances, and from their eyes, a faint glimmer of hope emerged.
"Director Hao, you know we love our jobs. We've come to see this place as our home."
"Would... would two hundred be acceptable?"
They waited, hearts pounding, unsure if he'd agree.
Once more, the office grew silent—so quiet, one could hear a heartbeat.
This was no longer a resignation—it was a negotiation. A psychological standoff.
Their bottom line was two hundred.
But Director Hao...
He crushed the cigarette into the ashtray and finally turned to face them. Three fingers rose in the air, firm and uncompromising.
"I'll give you three hundred."
A collective gasp.
Joy spread across their faces. Their souls seemed to dance with relief.
"Thank you, Director Hao!"
"You're such a kind man!"
Director Hao waved them off. "Get back to work. Just remember, the patients of Qingshan Mental Hospital won't harm you—as long as you don't judge them."
"If you take the time to talk to them, you'll see... they're not sick. Not really. They're just..."
He paused.
"Forget it. You wouldn't understand. Off you go."
The women left, beaming with satisfaction.
They had asked for two hundred.
He gave them three.
A good man indeed.
With enough money, everything you say sounds like wisdom.
After they departed—
Nurse Ding Ye bowed her head. "Director, it was my negligence that led to this. I accept full responsibility. Whatever the consequences, I'll bear them alone."
"Ding Ye," Hao replied, "you're an outstanding caregiver. The patients adore you. Don't let one incident make you doubt yourself. Go on—get back to work. A group of volunteers will be arriving soon. Make sure to take good care of them."
"Yes, Director." She hesitated. "Volunteers? There are actually people willing to come here... voluntarily?"
Director Hao chuckled. "Of course. With graduation season upon us, many fresh grads from the Four Great Colleges are coming to Yanhai. That one-eyed weirdo wants them to understand the meaning of protection and the blessings they take for granted. So he's sending them here. To this asylum. The man's clearly unwell."
The first half made sense to Ding Ye.
The second half... utterly baffling.
One-eyed weirdo?
The meaning of protection?
Blessings?
She chose not to dwell on it. These were not concerns for a nurse. Her job was simple: care for her patients well. That was enough.
Night fell.
It was time for the evening news.
The patients sat obediently before the television. When the short-haired female anchor appeared onscreen, the room erupted.
"That's my mom! She came to see me last time!"
"That's my girlfriend! Look, everyone, that's her!"
"Hmph. Coward. You didn't show up at the lake under the full moon. Now you dare appear here? I challenge you once more—under the moonlight, in the woods—do you dare face me?"
"I shall tear you limb from limb."
(End of Chapter)