Chapter 4: He Jiaqing

Li Banfeng sat in the ward, watching He Jiaqing on the hospital bed.

After two full days of emergency treatment, He Jiaqing’s life was saved, but he fell into deep coma, with no sign of when he might wake.

The cause of the coma was unknown, and the hospital had not formulated a next-stage treatment plan.

According to the hospital, the next-stage treatment plan depended on He Jiaqing’s physical condition and on the wallets of Li Banfeng and He Jiaqing.

Li Banfeng’s entire living allowance had been spent, and even after deducting the portion covered by medical insurance, it was still a drop in the bucket.

He Jiaqing’s card held some savings, but since the password was unknown, the funds could not be accessed.

Li Banfeng tried contacting He Jiaqing’s family; though they were close, Li Banfeng did not know their contact details—he didn’t even have Lu Xiaolan’s number.

If things continued like this, Li Banfeng wouldn’t have money for his next meal, and He Jiaqing’s oxygen tube might be cut off.

Fortunately, on the third day, things took a turn: a man named He Haisheng appeared.

He claimed to be He Jiaqing’s third uncle; though Li Banfeng had never met this uncle, it didn’t matter—he immediately paid He Jiaqing’s medical bills.

Someone who voluntarily pays money is unlikely to be a scammer, assuming the money is real.

“You’re Li Banfeng, right? The school said you’ve been taking care of Jiaqing these past two days. You’ve worked hard.” He Haisheng peeled an apple for Li Banfeng.

“It’s like this…” Li Banfeng took a bite of the apple and was about to recount the events when He Haisheng interrupted him.

“Other matters can wait,” He Haisheng pulled out his wallet and handed Li Banfeng a stack of cash. “This is a small token—don’t say it’s too little.”

Li Banfeng desperately needed money—he had none left for food.

But he didn’t want to take it: “I don’t lack money. Jiaqing needs it now.”

“No other meaning—just a token. If you refuse, you think it’s too little!” He Haisheng shoved the cash into Li Banfeng’s pocket.

After a moment of silence, He Haisheng sighed: “The school called home saying Jiaqing had an accident. I thought Brother Er and Sister-in-law would rush over quickly, but neither of them was reliable.”

“It’s my fault for arriving late—you’ve been worn out, Banfeng. Go rest. I’ll handle this.”

Li Banfeng left the ward. He hadn’t slept properly in three days—he was exhausted, and even walking down the hospital corridor made his legs feel weak.

Just as he neared the elevator, his phone rang.

Click-click-click~

It was a message—the number displayed was still He Jiaqing’s.

Li Banfeng immediately frowned.

The message still read the same four characters: “Brother, save me.”

Li Banfeng replied: “Who are you?”

“I’m He Jiaqing.”

“Where did you get this phone?”

Li Banfeng had taken He Jiaqing to the train station; He Jiaqing boarded the train, then suddenly appeared on Li Banfeng’s bed. Before that, Li Banfeng had called He Jiaqing; after that, He Jiaqing had sent him a message.

This situation was bizarre—so bizarre that Li Banfeng couldn’t grasp its logic.

But no matter how bizarre the process, the outcome remained unchanged.

He Jiaqing lay in the hospital; though he had no ID or phone on him, he was undeniably He Jiaqing—Li Banfeng wouldn’t mistake him.

So the question arose:

Who answered the phone earlier?

And who is sending this message now?

The only reasonable explanation was that He Jiaqing’s phone had been lost; the person who found it had answered Li Banfeng’s call that night, imitated He Jiaqing’s voice to deceive him, and was now sending this message.

He picked up the phone—why contact me again?

This is classic fraud!

This incident should be reported to the police.

Li Banfeng believed He Jiaqing’s coma was connected to this person.

The other side didn’t reply for a long time.

The elevator arrived.

Li Banfeng put away his phone and was about to go downstairs when a middle-aged man with a broad forehead, narrow cheeks, and a gaunt frame blocked his path.

He smiled at Li Banfeng and pulled out an ID: “I’m a police officer. You’re Li Banfeng, right? I have a few questions regarding He Jiaqing.”

The man looked over fifty, with a hoarse voice that sounded like he had a lump of phlegm stuck in his throat.

I was just about to report this—and here comes the police…

Li Banfeng wanted to examine the man’s ID closely, but the middle-aged man tucked it back into his coat and whispered to a doctor in a white coat nearby.

The doctor seemed familiar with him—he led the middle-aged man and Li Banfeng into an empty ward.

The doctor closed the door outside the ward. Inside, only Li Banfeng and the middle-aged man remained, seated on adjacent hospital beds.

“Don’t be nervous,” the man smiled. “I’m Chen—call me Old Chen. I just have a few simple questions. You’re the one who brought He Jiaqing to the hospital, right?”

“Yes.” Li Banfeng nodded.

“How did you notice something was wrong with him?”

“He was sleeping on my bed—his face and breathing were abnormal. I immediately called emergency services.”

Old Chen nodded, scanning Li Banfeng up and down. His gaze shifted slightly.

He stared at Li Banfeng’s face—but not his eyes. He stared at Li Banfeng’s forehead.

“I heard you two drank together that day?”

“Yes!” Li Banfeng nodded. “He was going home—I saw him off.”

“You saw him off?”

“Yes. I took him to the train station, then took the subway back. When I got to the dorm, I suddenly found him sleeping on my bed.”

Li Banfeng’s story made no sense.

How could He Jiaqing have been at the train station and then appear on Li Banfeng’s bed in the dorm?

Old Chen wasn’t surprised by this answer. His expression remained calm, his gaze still fixed on Li Banfeng’s forehead:

“Did you and He Jiaqing have any conflicts?”

Any conflicts?

Li Banfeng thought carefully.

Had he seen photos of He Jiaqing’s girlfriend? Did that count as a conflict?

That wasn’t the point.

The point was the subtext behind the question.

Li Banfeng looked at Old Chen and said calmly: “You suspect I harmed He Jiaqing?”

Old Chen shook his head: “Not suspecting—just asking. If I truly suspected you, I wouldn’t be asking here. I heard you have some mental health issues?”

Li Banfeng nodded: “I have some issues, but I’m not insane. You can check my medical records.

I sent He Jiaqing and Lu Xiaolan to the train station together—we all returned to our hometowns. You can verify this with Lu Xiaolan.”

“Lu Xiaolan…” Old Chen pulled out a cigarette, glanced around the ward, decided it wasn’t appropriate, and put it back in the pack.

“Who is this Lu Xiaolan you mentioned?” Old Chen asked next.

“She’s He Jiaqing’s girlfriend. Our classmate. I saw them both off at the station—she boarded the train with him. She can vouch for me.”

“If they both boarded the train, how did He Jiaqing end up in your dorm?”

“I don’t know,” Li Banfeng answered honestly. “You should ask Lu Xiaolan—they were together the whole time.”

“Do you have Lu Xiaolan’s contact information?”

“No. The school can check. The train ticket records should be available too.”

“Which train did they take?”

“How would I know…” Li Banfeng thought, then a string of numbers suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Train 1160.

“Train 1160. They took Train 1160.” Li Banfeng remembered the station announcer’s voice.

Old Chen rubbed his lips with his fingers. Stuck in a dead end, he really wanted a cigarette: “Looks like Lu Xiaolan won’t be easy to find.”

“Why not?” Li Banfeng didn’t understand Old Chen’s meaning.

Old Chen continued rubbing his stubbled upper lip, speaking slowly: “On the night He Jiaqing had his accident, Train 1160 derailed and plunged off a cliff. No survivors have been found yet.”

Li Banfeng blinked. Thunder seemed to roll in his mind, the sound repeating He Jiaqing’s voice:

“She sleeps deeper than me—so deep, even if the train derailed, she wouldn’t wake up!”

The train really derailed.

Lu Xiaolan might really be dead.

Is He Jiaqing’s mouth blessed?

Or did he already know something?

He told me once that Lu Xiaolan was lying to him.

Was it really just because of Song Laoshi’s peach?

Why did he tell me to return to the dorm and call him?

Old Chen kept staring at Li Banfeng’s forehead and asked softly: “What are you thinking?”

Li Banfeng shook his head: “Nothing. Just worried about Lu Xiaolan.”

Old Chen was intrigued: “What’s your relationship with Lu Xiaolan? Between you, her, and He Jiaqing—is there some kind of…”

“You mean a love triangle?” Li Banfeng’s lips curled up—he was annoyed.

PS: Readers, are you satisfied with today’s update?

Unsatisfied?

No problem, there’s another chapter!

(End of this chapter)