Zhang Haixiang stood there in a daze, and behind him, he heard the joyful voice of his five-year-old daughter. "Daddy! Daddy!!"
He instinctively turned around and saw his daughter, who was being held in his wife's arms, smiling and reaching out to him as if wanting a hug.
"Nuinui..." He unconsciously called out his daughter's name, and the little girl in her mother's arms became even happier, repeatedly calling for her daddy.
Tears streamed down his wife's face as she choked back her sobs and whispered to her daughter, "Daddy is inside, and he'll be out soon."
Nuinui tilted her head in confusion. Wasn't Daddy right here?
"Your daughter is not yet five years old, and she can still see you."
Shi Qing took out an egg tart from his pocket, enjoying it. After finishing it in a few bites, Meng Qing, who was standing nearby, quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe the corners of his mouth.
Zhang Haixiang looked bewildered, unable to take his eyes off his wife and daughter. He then looked at Shi Qing and asked, "So, am I dead now?"
"Not yet, but it's almost time," Shi Qing replied.
Shi Qing patted Meng Qing on the shoulder and said, "You tell him."
Meng Qing hesitated for a moment, glanced at the little girl who was looking in their direction, and whispered to Zhang Haixiang, "Your lifespan has reached its end."
"Because you've been in a coma for a while, your soul has become a ghost doctor."
"Ghost doctor..." Zhang Haixiang understood. Those patients who had been coming to him these past few days had been saying strange things.
They were all ghosts.
Once this realization hit him, all the hazy memories from these past days came flooding back. Every morning, he had thought he was reliving the same day, yawning as he went to work, and being overwhelmed by patients.
It turned out that he had already died.
Feeling unable to stand, he leaned against the wall and slowly sat on a bench, his eyes filled with confusion.
"So, are you here to take me away? Are you the messengers of death?"
"We're not messengers of death. We're here..." Meng Qing paused and looked at Shi Qing, seeking guidance. "What are we here for?"
Shi Qing raised an eyebrow. "Of course, we're here to watch the show."
"Someone like him, whose body is still alive but whose soul has become a ghost doctor, I've never seen before."
"And since he's going to the underworld today, we just happened to catch the same ride."
Meng Qing hesitated, looking at the Demon King. He carefully chose his words and leaned in closer to Shi Qing, speaking softly, "Is it okay to say it like this? He's already so heartbroken."
Shi Qing turned his head and whispered back, his voice low and filled with an inexplicable allure, more like a seduction than a secret conversation: "I'm the Demon King. You expect me to be considerate of others when it comes to negative energy in this world?"
With that, he unceremoniously pulled the young Taoist priest down to sit beside him, propping his long legs comfortably on the young man's lap.
"Alright, now we just have to wait for his time to come," Shi Qing said.
Meng Qing found Shi Qing's response unsurprising, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Shi Qing wasn't exactly as he presented himself.
After all, it had been Shi Qing who had instructed him to help Zhang Haixiang cross over earlier in the morgue.
But he kept his thoughts to himself and silently took out a small bag from his pocket, pouring some almonds into his hand. He picked one and handed it to the Demon King.
The Demon King was momentarily stunned, then he glared at Meng Qing. "What's this?"
Meng Qing blushed even more at his harsh tone and stammered as he offered the almond, "These are almonds, very delicious. Senior Brother gave them to me, saying they were made by villagers from the village below, pesticide-free, and they taste authentic."
Seeing that Shi Qing was still staring at him without saying a word, the young Taoist priest, with his handsome face flushed, added nervously, "I used to eat a few of these from time to time. After eating them, my mouth would be filled with a fragrant flavor. Anyway, we're just waiting, so you can have this."
Shi Qing glanced at the almonds that Meng Qing had placed near him, raised an eyebrow slightly, and, in a seemingly nonchalant manner, leaned back, opening his mouth.
It was obvious that he wanted someone to feed him.
Meng Qing blushed even more at this sight, but he picked up an almond and held it out to the Demon King's lips.
The Demon King's lips didn't move, but he rolled his tongue, taking the almond into his mouth.
The young Taoist priest's hand trembled along with his movements.
Tsk...
His neck turned red, and he nervously moved his hand behind his back, stammering, "Wh-what are you doing?"
"Eating almonds, what else?" Shi Qing reclined comfortably on the bench, his entire body stretched out. He opened his mouth and said, "They taste good. Young Taoist, keep feeding me."
Meng Qing, blushing, wiped a moist spot off his fingers with a handkerchief. As he did so, he lifted his eyes to glance at Shi Qing, his cheeks flushed.
In a low voice, he said, "Don't touch me again."
"Depends on my mood," Shi Qing replied, then opened his mouth again and said, "Ah."
So, the young Taoist priest sat beside him, with the Demon King's long legs resting on his lap. He fed him almonds one by one.
Seeing Shi Qing enjoying the almonds, Meng Qing couldn't resist and had one himself.
In the end, it became a cycle: he fed one, Shi Qing ate one, he fed one, Shi Qing ate one. Both of them were enjoying themselves.
The young man who had followed Zhang Haixiang up looked on and thought, "He's already dead, so naturally, I can see the auras around Shi Qing and Meng Qing. One's black as night, the other's white as snow. Yet, they can sit together peacefully and eat."
"The world has truly gone mad."
He didn't dare to provoke these two obviously remarkable individuals whom he didn't know. The young man tiptoed and cautiously squatted next to Zhang Haixiang.
Zhang Haixiang faced the wall, wearing a "I'm shutting myself off" expression.
"Dr. Zhang."
The young man cautiously poked Zhang Haixiang.
"Uh, so, Dr. Zhang, don't be too sad. Life and death are fated, and you're going to die anyway."
Zhang Haixiang leaned his forehead against the wall with a thud.
"I don't want to die."
The young man expressed understanding.
"But, Dr. Zhang, think about it this way, the world is so vast. Even if we're gone, it won't make much of a difference, right?"
He sighed, "I couldn't accept it at first either. But when I thought about it, I'm not married yet, I have a younger brother down there, and an older brother up there. No money, no house. If I die, my parents will grieve for a while, but with my brothers there, they should be able to recover."
"Dr. Zhang, when you think about it this way, isn't it a bit easier for you?"
Zhang Haixiang shut himself off even more. He banged his head against the wall repeatedly.
"Hey, hey, hey, Dr. Zhang, don't bang your head against the wall! Don't!"
Zhang Haixiang shook off the young man's hand and said, "Don't stop me. Since I'm already a ghost, banging against the wall won't hurt. Let me calm down."
As he continued to bang his head, he suddenly felt that something was wrong. He stopped, touched his head, and found a large bump.
Zhang Haixiang: "..."
The young man: "I was just about to say, even though we're ghosts, we can still feel pain when we hit things. We just won't die again. Or, rather, because we've already died, we won't die a second time."
Zhang Haixiang: "..."
Just now, he had heard "ghost doctor" and thought they were talking about doctors who turned into ghosts. It turned out to be this kind of ghost doctor.
With the swollen bump on his forehead, Zhang Haixiang looked at the young man in front of him and said, "If it hurts all the time, can't I go to the underworld?"
"No, no way. I've wanted to leave a long time ago, but I've been hurting all the time. That's why I can't go," the young man said.
Zhang Haixiang looked at his wife, who was anxiously waiting at the operating room door, and his daughter, who had been looking in his direction. He gritted his teeth, turned his head, and resumed banging against the wall.
"Hey, Dr. Zhang, what are you doing?!"
Zhang Haixiang banged against the wall and, while enduring the pain, said, "I'm not going to the underworld! I want to stay here with my family."
The young man said, "Wait, Dr. Zhang, calm down, don't act impulsively!"
Zhang Haixiang continued to bang against the wall and said, "I'm not being impulsive. I've thought it through. I can't leave. I want to be with them. If it hurts, so be it. I'm a man, what's a little pain? Don't stop me, I'm definitely staying!"
The young man said, "No, what I meant was, you're a ghost doctor. You have merit, so even if you die with an injury, you'll go straight to the underworld."
Zhang Haixiang: "..."
He stopped and turned to look at the young man. "Can this merit be transferred to someone else? Can you take it?"
"Merit is a good thing. How can you give it to me? With merit, you'll definitely be reborn in a good life in your next life."
Zhang Haixiang touched the bump on his forehead and turned his body, leaning against the wall. His gaze remained fixed on his wife and daughter.
"Does the next life have anything to do with this life?"
"When I was young, I was frail and frequently fell ill. My parents stayed up every night, watching over me with great care, and they managed to raise me. It took eight years of dating before my wife and I finally got married. Our daughter has always been well-behaved. I didn't fulfill my responsibilities as a father because of my busy job; I didn't have time to play with her."
As he spoke, he gazed at the little girl who was still unaware of her father's critical condition. She was chasing the sunlight, giggling and jumping on the floor, her face lit up with a carefree smile.
Watching her, Zhang Haixiang also smiled, "Our daughter is such a good girl. She never blamed me for not playing with her. Whenever I manage to come home from work on time, she rushes to the door, calling 'Daddy,' and runs to me. She wants to be with me no matter what I'm doing, like a little shadow."
But as he continued to speak and smile, tears welled up in his eyes. "She's so young, she doesn't understand anything, and she hasn't learned anything yet. How could I... how could I leave her like this? My wife is also frail. How can she manage on her own? Even if they can't see me, I still want to stay here, be with them, and watch my daughter grow up."
Shi Qing, chewing on an almond, swallowed a few bites and then looked toward Zhang Haixiang, saying, "Your idea is nice, but there's a problem."
"Ghostly beings who linger in the human realm gradually forget about their past experiences, then forget who they are. Eventually, they turn into lost souls, living aimlessly day by day."
"Lost souls only retain their obsessions, but they can't distinguish whether they love or hate the person they're obsessed with. You don't want to become a lost soul and unknowingly harm your family every day after you forget yourself, do you?"
Zhang Haixiang's anguish deepened. He cried with tears streaming down his face, turned his head, and continued to weep silently against the wall.
The young man, standing next to him, sighed and patted his shoulder. "Dr. Zhang, my condolences. Actually, you're already lucky to leave like this. Look at this hospital, there are probably many ghosts who are injured and can't leave. Ghost doctors like you are very rare. Most ghost doctors stay for at most a day before they're taken away by the ghost messengers. Their fate is either to disintegrate or become lost souls."
"If you think about it this way, isn't it much better?"
Zhang Haixiang wiped his tears and looked in the direction of his wife and daughter. He touched his hair, which had far fewer strands compared to his peers, and cried like a child.
"Is there really no other way? Must I leave?"
Shi Qing turned his body, adjusted his position, and lay on Meng Qing's lap. "According to common sense, when your lifespan is up, you must leave."
Meng Qing turned his head to look at Zhang Haixiang, but the Demon King grabbed his hand, forcing him to turn his attention back.
"You're always looking at other people. I'm your spouse; look at me."
With that, he opened his mouth, saying, "Ah."
The young Taoist priest blushed, enduring the embarrassment of being watched, and continued to feed Shi Qing almonds. Before feeding him, he would carefully inspect the almonds in his palm, selecting the big, plump ones for Shi Qing and keeping the smaller, less attractive ones for himself.
The young man looked at the two of them with envy and sighed, "Why do I have to watch a love show even after I've died? I hope in my next life, I won't be single."
As he pondered this, he realized that when he was alive, he lived the life of a single person every day. Now that he was a ghost, he could enjoy double portions.
Just as he was thinking this, he saw Zhang Haixiang staggering to his feet and heading towards Shi Qing and Meng Qing.
He hurriedly tried to grab Zhang Haixiang's hand but was a step too late. He whispered urgently, "Dr. Zhang, don't go there. Those two are extraordinary individuals. A wave of their hands could end us."
Zhang Haixiang didn't listen to him, and he continued to touch his swollen forehead as he approached the two.
He bowed respectfully and asked, "Gentlemen, earlier you mentioned hitching a ride with me to the underworld. May I inquire, do you know when exactly I will pass away?"
Shi Qing nudged Meng Qing with his head, indicating that he should answer.
Meng Qing obediently extended his hand to calculate and, after a few seconds, looked up. "At 12:53:07 noon."
"You have three hours left."
Shi Qing waved his hand, and a large clock appeared on the wall, ticking away.
"If you have anything left to do, you better do it."
Zhang Haixiang looked at the clock, symbolizing the countdown of his life, wiped away his tears, and bowed again. "Thank you."
He returned to the young man's side. "You said there are many ghosts in the hospital with injuries who can't leave, right? Let them come here, and I'll treat their injuries."
"What? Now? But there are so many of them, and treating ghost injuries also requires energy. You'll get tired."
"I don't mind getting tired. After all, I'm a doctor."
"Alright, as long as you're not afraid of getting tired."
The young man ran to the window, stuck his head out, and shouted to the spirits below, "Hey!! Down there!! The ghost doctor is on the top floor! If you want treatment, hurry up! You only have three hours!!"
After shouting, he returned and sat beside Zhang Haixiang. Zhang Haixiang looked at the empty corridor and said, "No ghosts, huh?"
"They're all rushing up here."
The young man stuck his neck out and took a glance. "There are too many ghosts in the hospital who can't leave, and, Dr. Zhang, you're a fresh spirit. Many ghosts don't recognize you, or else I wouldn't have been searching for you for so long."
Zhang Haixiang also looked down. "There are so many? I didn't notice. I had no idea it was so..."
His words caught in his throat.
In the stairwell, a group of ghosts started to ascend, crowding together in an unstoppable flow. Each of them had eyes filled with a desperate longing to stay alive.
"Is it a ghost doctor?"
"Indeed, it's a ghost doctor!"
"Oh, this is great! Lately, I've been feeling like my mind isn't working properly. I thought I was turning into a lost soul."
"Oh dear, isn't this Dr. Zhang? Dr. Zhang, do you remember me? I, the one from a year ago, you treated my leg, but I had a stroke six months ago, and I died as soon as I entered the hospital."
"Dr. Zhang, we have some history. Can you treat me first?"
"Get out, get out! Queue up, queue up! I was here first. Ghost Doctor, I didn't expect you to be so young. I thought ghost doctors were all old folks. I searched for you several times but couldn't find you."
Zhang Haixiang looked at the sea of ghosts in front of him. He didn't realize there were so many ghosts in the hospital.
These ghosts were crowded, but they all cooperated and instinctively avoided Shi Qing and Meng Qing's area.
Shi Qing didn't move, only shouted, "Doctor, you don't need to treat them the same way you did when you were alive. Just use your hands."
"Use my hands?"
Zhang Haixiang tentatively pinched the neck of the first ghost brought to him. As he pinched, the bleeding stopped. However, the first time he did it, he accidentally made the neck a bit pointy.
Zhang Haixiang: "Sorry..."
"It's okay."
The ghost, clutching his neck, hurriedly moved away. "Thank you! My goodness, it's been twenty years since I died. It's time for me to reincarnate. The last time I met a ghost messenger, they told me that if I didn't hurry, my next life's mother would give birth to a stillborn baby."
"Ghost Doctor! I'm going to queue up for the River of Death first. If fate allows, we'll meet again!"
"Ah, wait."
He rushed back, gave Zhang Haixiang a bear hug, and said, "Great doctor, I know you've been crying. Let me give you a hug. Don't cry."
Afterward, he rushed away again.
Zhang Haixiang: "He's a lively ghost."
For the rest of the time, he worked tirelessly, treating each injured ghost as if he never tired. Because this method of treatment was different from normal methods, it was quick, but he remained standing and felt a bit weary.
The young man had been healed long ago and was not in a hurry to reincarnate. He watched and saw Zhang Haixiang stop to massage his temples, looking very tired. He suggested, "Dr. Zhang, take a break. This method is draining."
Zhang Haixiang looked at the ghosts waiting in line and straightened his back. "It's fine. While I'm still here, I need to treat them all. Otherwise, when I leave, they'll have to wait again."
And they might turn into lost souls before the next ghost doctor arrives.
He continued to pinch the injuries of the lingering spirits, wearing a fatigued smile. He said to the young man nearby, "Treating ghosts is simpler than treating humans."
"That's for sure."
After saying that, the young man stood up again and shouted, "Hey, everyone in line, move to the left side. Don't block the Ghost Doctor's view of his wife and daughter."
The group of ghosts shifted to the left. Without their cover, the mother and daughter waiting at the door entered Zhang Haixiang's sight.
He felt like crying again.
He didn't know how long he had been repeating the motion of pinching the injuries, but time was ticking away, and most of the ghosts in line had been treated.
Ding!
The elevator door opened.
Two elderly people leaned on each other and walked over.
At that moment, it felt like time had stopped. Zhang Haixiang stared blankly as they staggered to the door of the operating room.
His wife welcomed them. Words hadn't left her mouth yet, but tears were already streaming down her face.
"Dad, Mom, you've come."
"Haixiang, Haixiang, is he inside? I heard, I heard from Xiao Liu, it's very dangerous, isn't it?"
Zhang's mother spoke first, and when she saw her daughter-in-law crying while covering her mouth, her tears flowed as well. "How did it come to this? How did it come to this?"
"Haixiang!! Haixiang, how can you bear to leave? Your daughter is still so young..."
She couldn't see, but behind her, her son was crying silently, his hands continuously treating patients.
"Dr. Zhang, your parents are here? Why don't you go and see them? We'll be fine."
The ghost who had been treated by him carefully suggested, "Go see them and bid farewell."
Zhang Haixiang lowered his head in embarrassment. "I won't go. I won't go. I'm unfilial, making them send off their black-haired son with white hair. Even if I go, they won't be able to see me."
"There isn't much time left. Let me finish up."
The clock hanging on the wall continued to tick away the time.
Finally, at 12:43, there were no more ghosts in the corridor.
They had all been healed and had gone to line up at the River of Death.
Shi Qing also stood up, yawned, and urged Zhang Haixiang, who was tired and his hands shaking, "Doctor, it's time to go."
Zhang Haixiang looked up, glanced at the clock, and then at his family. "Isn't there still ten minutes left?"
"Go a little earlier; there's a surprise."
Since the clock was not being checked, Shi Qing reached for Meng Qing's hand and looked at the wristwatch. "What's going on? Aren't the ghost messengers supposed to start half an hour early? Where have they gone?"
The young man who had been following Zhang Haixiang cautiously put on a pleasing smile. "I saw the ghost messengers just now."
"But when they saw both of you from a distance, they ran away."
"Oh..."
Understanding, Shi Qing nodded and said to Meng Qing, "I guess those ghost messengers are experienced. They've seen me beat the King of Hell."
"Never mind, we'll pave our own way."
"Doctor, it's time to go. Do you have anything else to say?"
Zhang Haixiang gazed at the lit-up operating room, his family waiting outside, and then lowered his head to look at his trembling hands.
"I guess I can consider myself a good doctor."
"I'd like to recite something."
Shi Qing leaned on Meng Qing. "Go ahead."
The doctor stood there, looking at his family from a distance.
"In the name of health and with lives entrusted to me, as I step into the hallowed halls of medical education, I solemnly pledge:
I willingly devote myself to medicine, love my homeland, be loyal to the people, adhere to medical ethics, respect my teachers, be disciplined, study diligently, tirelessly seek improvement, and strive for comprehensive development.
I am determined to do my utmost to alleviate human suffering, promote health, and uphold the sanctity and honor of the medical profession. To save lives, heal the wounded, I will not shirk hardship, persist in my pursuit, and work tirelessly for the development of the medical and healthcare industry and the well-being of human physical and mental health."
※※※
On the River of Death, countless lost souls were queuing up.
The ghost messengers were maintaining order. "Men to the left, women to the right, and transgender souls in the middle."
"If your time is near, turn right to expedite the process. If not, wait patiently. No cutting in line, and don't be in a hurry to reincarnate. Reincarnation depends on fate, not your position in line. If you don't want to reincarnate, don't stand on the bridge; jump into the river."
A ghost messenger pushed a cart by:
"Peanuts, sunflower seeds, watermelon."
"Coke, milk tea, coffee."
"One cup for just one hundred million underworld coins, only one hundred million underworld coins."
Watching this scene, Zhang Haixiang muttered, "Isn't this like a train station?"
"More or less. Nowadays, more young people are passing away, and even the King of the Underworld is keeping up with the times."
The lost souls waiting in line brightened up when they saw Zhang Haixiang.
"Ghost Doctor, you're here too, so fast."
"Hey, are you in a hurry, Ghost Doctor? If you are, we'll change places. I'm closer to the front of the line."
Meng Qing, visiting the River of Death for the first time, marveled at the beautiful scene. "It's so beautiful."
He felt the warm, soft palm of the Demon King's hand and suddenly realized that his heart was racing.
"Shi Qing..."
The young Daoist priest couldn't help but call out, but when he turned his head, he was stunned.
The Demon King was placing a donation box on the ground with several large characters written on it: "Ghost Doctor Donations."
Meng Qing was puzzled. "Shi Qing, what are you doing?"
"Making an exchange."
The Demon King raised his hand, and a contract appeared in his palm. With another wave of his hand, the contract floated lightly and landed in front of the Ghost Doctor.
"Ghost Doctor, contribute merit to me, and I will let you return to life."
Zhang Haixiang widened his eyes and nodded without thinking. "Okay, okay!"
"Good, now sign it."
He trembled as he picked up the pen and signed with a messy signature.
Shi Qing took back the contract and looked at the doctor's signature with satisfaction.
"I can bring you back to life, but how long you live depends on how much your patients are willing to give you."
He cleared his throat. "Over here, we're collecting the Ghost Doctor's lifespan. Those who have been saved by him and want to contribute, please do so. If you don't want to contribute, pretend you didn't hear."
Zhang Haixiang nervously stood by, watching.
He looked at the bewildered ghost faces and encouraged himself silently. It didn't matter if it was one day or two, as long as he could go back and spend more time with his family, it was worth it.
The young man was the first to step forward. "I'll contribute one year, Doctor. Although it seems far away for the next life, I'll donate just one year."
Zhang Haixiang couldn't speak; he just nodded vigorously.
"One year is more than enough. Thank you!"
Another ghost stepped forward. "I'll contribute one year too, Doctor. If it weren't for you, I would have had to wait longer. Thank you."
"I'll contribute six months, Doctor. I'm sorry; I just asked the ghost messenger, and he said I'll only live until forty-eight in my next life, so I donated a bit less."
"I can live up to ninety. Doctor, I'm giving you two years!"
"I'll give you one day, wuwuwu, Doctor, I'll die on the ground in my next life, so I'll split my two days with you."
Zhang Haixiang kept thanking them. Each time a ghost approached, he expressed his gratitude.
Almost every ghost said to him, "I should be thanking you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had a chance to come down."
How many ghosts were there in a hospital?
Shi Qing approached the donation box.
"That's enough; if you donate more, the doctor will become an old monster."
Zhang Haixiang didn't know what else to say; he could only keep bowing.
"Thank you, thank you all."
Meng Qing stood to the side, watching Shi Qing sway the donation box, transferring lifespans to Zhang Haixiang. His gaze gradually softened.
On the River of Death, scattered lights drifted around, even more beautiful than a galaxy.
The young Daoist priest walked over and gently held the Demon King's hand.
Shi Qing turned to him. "What are you doing?"
Blushing, Meng Qing called him softly, "Demon Lord."
The contract's power took effect, and Meng Qing leaned over, placing a fleeting kiss on the Demon King's fair cheek.
※※※
"Dr. Zhang is currently not in danger. His vital signs are stable, and waking up is only a matter of time. Sister-in-law, please be patient."
Zhang Haixiang listened to his colleague's words by his bedside and slowly opened his eyes.
He gazed at the ceiling for a long time before finally calling out, "Er-er..."
His wife almost rushed over, throwing herself onto the bed. "Haixiang, you scared me to death!"
"It's over, it's all over now..."
Zhang Haixiang laboriously moved his fingers, touched his wife's hair, and comforted her softly, "We'll live together until we're eighty-five."
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
His wife calmed down, wiped away her tears, and stood up. Worried, she lightly touched her husband's face.
"Look at you, you've lost so much weight."
"Hey? Why is your head swollen? Didn't you go to the operating room without it being like this?"
Zhang Haixiang extended his hand with effort, touched the lump on his forehead, and smiled, "It's okay, it hurts, but it's fine."
"You've been confused; even when it hurts, you say it's fine."
Zhang Haixiang recovered faster than anyone had imagined. On the third day, he was already able to stroll around the entire floor with his wife's support.
Today, he had come to the Obstetrics and Gynecology department, where he had an old schoolmate. Zhang Haixiang waited for him to finish work.
As he sat there, he suddenly heard the loud crying of a child.
A hospital room door swung open, and a parent emerged, cradling the crying baby while whispering, "My dear, don't cry so much. You've only been born for three days, why are you crying so loudly?"
In the hallway, a curious relative of another patient approached, pointing at the baby's neck and asking, "Oh my, what's wrong with this baby's neck?"
"It's been like this since birth. The doctor said it's nothing to worry about. It's just a little extra flesh. It can be removed when he's older, but it won't cause any issues if it's not removed."
Zhang Haixiang slowly walked over and looked at the baby crying in his grandmother's arms. There was a small, raised lump on the baby's neck.
He reached out and said to the parents, "Let me hold him. I can try to calm the baby."
The parents didn't think much of it and carefully handed their grandson over.
Zhang Haixiang gently cradled the infant and swayed him, saying, "Here, let me hold you. Don't cry."
The little baby, with his bright black eyes, looked at him and puckered his lips.
At this moment, he didn't understand anything, couldn't speak, and couldn't comprehend words. But looking at the gentle, smiling doctor in front of him, he inexplicably felt comfortable.
He puckered his lips a few more times and, miraculously, stopped crying.
Thank you for reading this far! You can access more chapters from HERE by joining my Patreon community. You'll gain exclusive early access to the COMPLETE NOVEL.
As a member of my Patreon community, here is what you'll get:
For $5
- Early access to 100s of chapters before they go public.
- You also get access to all the novels I'm translating, you can find them here HERE.
- Your name will be featured on the "Wall of Gratitude".
- The power to vote on which novel I translate next.
- You Get Ad-free Chapters.
For $10
- You get to suggest a Novel for me to translate.
- You get access to Digital art.
- Your name featured on the "Wall of Gratitude" (in gold).
For $20
- You get to recommend a Novel and I will immediately start translating it.
- Your name featured on the "Wall of Gratitude" (in blue).
Plus, you can Cancel your membership at any time.
Don't let this amazing opportunity slip through your fingers!
