There was no doubt that Long Feicheng had matured.
After getting into the car, Long Feicheng comforted Lu Caiwei from time to time, gradually calming her down.
Only then did she have the chance to observe this pursuer whom she hadn't seen for several months.
Although Long Feicheng was still as flippant as ever, beneath his uninhibited exterior lay an optimistic heart. He always managed to bring joy to others without regard for his own image, yet he was remarkably sensible in matters of great importance.
Lu Caiwei finally recognized the good qualities in Long Feicheng and began to look at this silly boy seriously.
The police car slowly drove into the municipal hospital.
After parking, the five of them headed straight for the inpatient department. They took the elevator to the special ward. As soon as they reached the corridor, they saw two police officers standing outside the room.
Lu Caiwei's father, Lu Xiong, was a person of importance. People in his position would naturally receive preferential treatment when admitted to a hospital. To ensure his safety, police officers were specifically assigned to guard him.
The officers recognized Xia Zhi and Lu Caiwei immediately, but they were suspicious of Yan Shouyi and the other two, so they stopped them to inquire about their situation.
Anxious to see her father, Lu Caiwei had no patience to explain to them. "They are my friends, here to visit my dad."
The officers exchanged glances. One of them said, "Hello, please show your IDs for verification."
This request was reasonable. Even though they were Lu Caiwei's friends, it was possible for Lu Caiwei to be deceived by someone with ulterior motives.
After all, Lu Xiong's identity was too sensitive. The information he possessed and the enemies he had made could very well pose a fatal threat to him in his current condition.
"Do all of us need to?" Yan Shouyi reached for his ID.
The officer considered for a moment. "One person's is enough."
"I'll do it," Long Feicheng said. He readily took out his ID. Just as the officer was about to use his phone to verify it, Long Feicheng suddenly remembered something. His expression changed dramatically, and he quickly snatched his ID back.
"What are you doing?!" the officer exclaimed, startled, instinctively reaching for his sidearm.
Long Feicheng quickly raised his hands and said with an embarrassed expression, "How about you verify theirs? I won't go in. Old Jin is good at treating illnesses anyway..."
But the officers were not easily fooled. They could see the guilt on Long Feicheng's face at a glance.
The more Long Feicheng appeared guilty, the more the two officers felt compelled to investigate his identity, as this young man clearly had something to hide!
"Hand over your ID," the officer stepped forward.
"Officer, please don't!" Long Feicheng pleaded.
Xia Zhi, standing nearby, was taken aback. It reminded her of when she first met Long Feicheng, he had called her "Officer" back then.
This guy really hasn't changed at all...
While others were wondering why Long Feicheng was reluctant to hand over his ID, Xia Zhi suddenly understood.
Long Feicheng had a criminal record!
He had been caught multiple times for consorting with prostitutes. Xia Zhi knew he was a repeat offender.
Long Feicheng had just made a good impression on Lu Caiwei. If he were to be discovered by the police at the ward entrance with so many "black marks" on his record, he would probably never be able to hold his head up in front of Lu Caiwei again.
So, Lu Caiwei quickly stepped forward, asking Long Feicheng to give her his ID. Then, she took the two officers aside to verify his identity.
The two officers were initially full of vigilance. When they saw Long Feicheng's criminal record, they couldn't help but reveal knowing smiles.
Then, they returned the ID to everyone with relaxed expressions.
"Phew... Good heavens, I almost messed up!" Long Feicheng let out a sigh of relief.
He looked at Xia Zhi with immense gratitude, thinking how fortunate he was to have her help.
The next second, the officer beside them glared at Old Jin. "You're old, stop messing around outside. Don't you feel embarrassed?"
Old Jin looked honest and docile, nodding continuously, smiling as he took his ID back.
Seeing this, Yan Shouyi and Long Feicheng couldn't help but ask curiously, "Old Jin, you've been caught before too?"
Wait, why did I say "too"? Yan Shouyi thought to himself.
Old Jin grunted a few times. "Who hasn't wasted some precious time when they were young?"
"Damn it!" Long Feicheng gave Old Jin the middle finger.
This old man was still unmarried. It was true that the barefoot were not afraid of those with shoes. Public shame meant nothing to him anymore.
After verifying their identities, the two police officers finally let them pass.
The five pushed open the ward door. After walking a few more steps, they saw Lu Xiong lying on the bed, pale and sickly.
Although Lu Xiong was in his fifties, he was still burly. However, he now looked very weak, with an oxygen tube inserted into his nose.
Seeing the dire state of her father, Lu Caiwei felt a pang of heartache.
"Old Jin, go and check the situation," Yan Shouyi said urgently.
Old Jin nodded, put his ID in his pocket, and came to the bedside.
As the saying goes, the four steps of ancient medical diagnosis are eating, drinking, whoring... no, observing, smelling, asking, and palpating.
Old Jin first examined Lu Xiong's complexion, then leaned in to listen to his breathing, and finally took his hand to feel his pulse.
"His forehead is dark, his breathing is weak, and his qi and blood are disordered. He is indeed being haunted by an evil spirit," Old Jin concluded.
As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Xiong, who had been weakly sleeping, suddenly opened his eyes wide. His hands flailed in the air, and he shouted, "Let me go! Let me go! I don't know you at all! Get out!"
Lu Caiwei immediately said, "My dad's hallucinations are acting up again!"
Yan Shouyi's expression darkened. He hadn't sensed any ghost presence in the room.
But if there were no evil spirits around, what had triggered Lu Xiong, causing him to suddenly become agitated from his slumber?
Old Jin made a move, pressing a few points on Lu Xiong's body. Lu Xiong instantly calmed down, his eyes rolled back, and he fell into a deep sleep.
It was evident that Lu Xiong's condition was not simply a case of being haunted by an evil spirit; there were complexities that only ancient physicians would know. Fortunately, Old Jin had the ability to manage the situation, so Lu Xiong's life should not be in danger.
Yan Shouyi then asked Old Jin, "What's his condition?"
Old Jin shook his head with a solemn expression, indicating that the situation was complex and required serious thought.
After some time, Old Jin's brow remained furrowed, as if he had reached a dead end. He finally spoke, "There's more than one problem with Lu Xiong."
"You mean, besides being haunted by an evil spirit, he's also gotten into other trouble?" Yan Shouyi immediately understood Old Jin's meaning.
Old Jin nodded. "According to my diagnosis, Lu Xiong was first haunted by an evil spirit, which drained his yang energy. Then, he was subjected to a curse. However, there's one thing I don't understand: this room seemed fine just moments ago, so why did Lu Xiong suddenly have hallucinations?"
This was also Yan Shouyi's confusion.
He pondered for a moment and then said, looking down, "The room is fine. Could it be this bed that has the problem?"