The Restless Spirit's Father

"Aiya, how could these things grow like mushrooms?" One of the wardens sighed as he saw more concept art bulletins pasted on the walls of the library.

Huo Taiyang was assembling another bulletin from what Liu Xiaodan had finished in the morning. Even he was puzzled how Liu Xiaodan could complete a drawing in minutes when he used to do one for hours.

"Beats me." Huo Taiyang only sighed.

After pasting the last one, he stared at the drawings. He still remembered the kind of things Liu Xiaodan had around him, and it was not just the creepy child. He had nightmares of what his eyes had seen on the fourth floor of the sick hall, but they were too vague for him to remember after. All he knew was that two women were there… as well as Liu Xiaodan.

He then left the bulletin to collect more cut-out decorations for it when he noticed that someone was peeking from the door.

"Aiya, no need to act so suspicious. What do you need?" Huo Taiyang walked to the door and dragged Fu Xing inside.

"Ah, hello, senior!" Fu Xing chuckled and then cleared his throat as he made himself decent as he saw other wardens looking in their direction. He then started murmuring next to Huo Taiyang, "Senior, I need something to ask you. It's about the child..."

"Oh, what about Guangru?"

"Don't say his name. He might show up."

Huo Taiyang only shook his head. Show up? That child was in the library all day as long as his Baba was there. If he was scared of the child, Fu Xing shouldn't have gone to the library.

"Fine, fine. What do you want?" Huo Taiyang only sighed. Liu Xiaodan had to leave again after being fetched by the escort wardens for the third time today. The child shouldn't be loitering around, right?

"...how are you not scared of him? Isn't he some scary dirty thing that… that could kill people?"

Huo Taiyang stopped arranging the books and dragged the officer away as an attempt to keep Fu Xing from talking with him near the other wardens. He then turned to the floor warden. "Listen here… the child will not hurt anyone who does not dare hurt Boss Liu.

"If you're that scared of him, then don't poke your nose in his business."

Fu Xing was shocked. It seemed that this old man had found out about the child differently. Then again, it didn't mean that he was not afraid at all. Fu Xing sighed and spoke seriously, "You don't… think the child can come kill you one day?"

"Honestly, I never did anything to madden Boss Liu. I have no reason to fear the child… unless I accidentally threw something at him in fright. He had this thing about sprouting out of nowhere after all."

Fu Xing then murmured to himself before chuckling to finally excuse himself. However, before he could leave, Huo Taiyang's words reached his ears: "There's no point in caring about this now. Liu Xiaodan is going to be sent to Cherry Medical tomorrow."

…

Liu Xiaodan sat in the visitors' hall again, with a weird expression on his face. Before him were three males who had caps and thick shades to almost conceal their faces. He wasn't trying to laugh, but he was doing a bad job at hiding it.

"You guys… hahaha, don't you think you're, hahaha, making me look suspicious, too? Hahaha!" Liu Xiaodan finally let out his laughter.

"Shut it, jackass." Ruan Jin lowered his shades and saw the stare the wardens were giving them, He only gulped down the lump in his throat before looking back at Liu Xiaodan. "Xiaodan… we're sorry for not coming to see you. Ting was keeping an eye on us..."

"Oh? Why would they restrict you? It's not like you can break me out of here." Liu Xiaodan chuckled, enjoying the view. He hadn't seen them for a while, and they turned up in weird, funny looks. "No, no, don't take off your disguises—"

"Damn, if you didn't do anything stupid, we wouldn't have to wear them." Xu Disung wanted to reach out and pinch Liu Xiaodan's face, but he didn't want to alarm the wardens. If he ever wanted to, he would just throw a punch. Wen Taio and Ruan Jin would surely throw their own as well.

In the end, he could only massage his head. "Dude, how are you? Are you not going through some weird initiations here… or some kind of weird gang thing in here?"

Liu Xiaodan shook his head. "Not really. They leave me alone."

However, Wen Taio didn't seem to believe him. Considering the kind of looks their magic one was getting from the other inmates, he figured something was strange. He then asked, "Xiaodan, the child… is not making trouble in this place, right?"

"No..." Liu Xiaodan then smiled. "Guys, do you want to see something cool?"

"Nope." "Probably no." "Definitely not."

"..."

"I have a feeling it's something creepy so no." Ruan Jin pouted. He then started rapping at the table but stopped after a few seconds, noticing the changing looks of the wardens. "Hey, hey, we came because we heard you will be transferred tomorrow.

"Are you sure you want to go there? That looks like a very shady place."

Liu Xiaodan raised his brows. "Really? But you came with me when we went there before, right?"

"I know, I know. We kinda did enter Cherry Medical, but we didn't see the actual patients. What if they're some kind of video-game type of insane? Ones that would attack you regardless?" Ruan Jin gritted his teeth for not being able to hit Liu Xiaodan openly.

If they were in a different setting, he would have punched him really hard.

"Don't be like that. I'm pretty sure they would be sane at least." Liu Xiaodan chuckled.

"Geez, Xiaodan."

"Xiaodan..." Wen Taio then leaned a little closer and whispered, completely changing the atmosphere at their table, "I heard that some weird chick is trying to see you."

Liu Xiaodan brought his gaze to Wen Taio, hoping that they would be involved with Qiao Shan. However, the next question completely made him laugh out.

"Is she really hot?" "Can you give her number to us?"

Ruan Jin couldn't hit Liu Xiaodan, but he could reach out and pinch Xu Disung who was the closest. "What part of 'dangerous' did you not know? Seriously?"

Xu Disung grabbed his hand and tried to twist it, with Ruan Jin using his other hand to fight back the grip. "Shut up. You have your ghost lady."

Liu Xiaodan only shook his head with a smile. He then lifted his head. "Guys, it's not good to get involved with women who want to see me now. They would probably prefer jailed men over you guys with brighter futures. Why not hang out with some freshmen instead?"

"Hahaha, we're kidding, we're kidding!" Wen Taio laughed out and soon toned down his laughter as the wardens glared at them. He then chuckled. "Dude, do you know? Jin here met some girl who helped us see you in such short notice. She also said she can give us access to Cherry Medical, too."

"Her name… isn't Qiao Shan, is it?" Liu Xiaodan frowned his brows, and the three were… confused.

Xu Disung shook his head. "No, she didn't say her whole name, but she asked us to call her Ah Yue." He then began explaining with meaningless hand gestures.

"Look, we don't think she's a bad chick, and she's willing to help us. Jin here didn't seem to like her, but we do because she helps. If she ends up becoming a villain, we'll deal with it ourselves. Don't worry..."

Ruan Jin gritted his teeth again. "I just don't understand why Li Feng's ex-fiancee is willing to help us." He then turned to Liu Xiaodan before the other three males could process his words. "Xiaodan!

"I'm sorry if I got you in more trouble, but I want to know why you're drawing attention from people like her. If she tries to hurt you, please take it against me!"

"...why would I?" Liu Xiaodan chuckled after a few seconds. He then shook his head. "A lot of people are interested in Guangru, and they can frame things like it's a win-win situation for you as well. Don't worry, just don't dive in when it has already become troublesome.

"As for my safety, no need to worry about it." Even with quite a sad smile, Liu Xiaodan still kept the subtle curl on his lips. "I won't die."

The three other hors.e.m.e.n kept quiet for a while before Wen Taio reacted as if sobbing. "Wuwuwu, our magic one has grown up. Wuwuwu, I'm so proud..."

"Did you hear that, Jin? Wuwuwu, he doesn't need us anymore..."

"Gosh, guys, you're embarrassing!" Ruan Jin then sniggered. "Aren't you scared that the a.d.u.l.t Xiaodan here will be offended?"

Liu Xiaodan's eyes flickered before he frowned at them. "Hey!"

"See, he's too grown up to take the sight!" "Yes, he doesn't need us anymore!" "Son, don't let your father down."

In the end, it only took a few more minutes for them to finish chattering and bid goodbyes to the man who would be sent to a tormented place.

Even if they were very reluctant to leave Liu Xiaodan, they couldn't possibly break him out. Just before they could leave, Ruan Jin still grabbed Liu Xiaodan's arms and held onto them as if the force was apologizing to him.

Even after a few days, Ruan Jin still blamed himself for giving Liu Xiaodan the idea.

When they got to the parking lot, Ren Shanyue was waiting for them inside her family van. The driver was in his seat, just waiting for his lady's order.

Xu Disung then chuckled after they settled in their seats. "Ah Yue, thanks a lot. Then again, why are you helping us? You don't seem to be the first person Xiaodan thought of when we said a girl is helping us."

"Hm, did he give a name?"

"Qiao Shan."

"Oh? The Qiao family is already in the move then." Ren Shanyue huffed. She then looked at the driver. "Uncle, let's drop them off their houses."

Ruan Jin sniffed loudly before glaring at the woman. "Hey, Miss Ren, what do you mean by that? What's the Qiao family doing to Xiaodan?"

"Miss Ren?"

"Hehe, that's something I don't want to say, but if you want to know really badly, I'll give you a clue." Ren Shanyue smiled viciously when she turned back to them. "The Qiao family now wants his body and soul, and we… are going to stop them."

END OF VOLUME 3