Chapter 74

Chapter 74

“I heard that at his wedding, he was attacked by a crazed guest…” York let out a cold sneer, his voice carrying a hint of schadenfreude. “Oh well, for a man like him, such things are practically inevitable.”

“Don’t mind the others; even I would probably have been unable to resist punching him.”

“Oh?” Tu Nan feigned confusion. “What on earth did he do to make you dislike him so much?”

York’s eyes darted around before he broke into a grin. “Such matters aren’t quite suitable to tell a beautiful, delicate lady.”

“I don’t think she’s delicate at all,” the Peters said in unison, their muffled voices overlapping as they stacked themselves together again at some unknown point.

Tu Nan glanced at Eric, who lay immobile on the hospital bed. Without a tongue, he was unable to speak; he could only stare at York with eyes filled with fury.

He looked rather pitiful.

But then again, he deserved it.

The Head Nurse led her out of the ward and over to the nurses’ station.

Several other nurses were there, propping their heads up and dozing off. They snapped awake the moment they saw the Head Nurse.

“This is the new nurse, Miss Tu Nan,” the Head Nurse introduced her to the others before turning back to her.

“If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask them. If anything happens, come find me in my office on the Third Floor.”

Tu Nan nodded.

The Head Nurse waddled away.

One of the nurses at the station pointed to a seat. “You can sit there.”

“I’ve just arrived and I’m not very familiar with the work here. May I ask what we usually have to do?” Tu Nan asked with a smile.

One does not slap a smiling face-that was a universal truth that never went out of style.

The nurse paused and gave a bitter laugh. “You’ll find out after staying for a couple of days. There’s nothing we don’t do. Anything related to the patients is our responsibility.”

She then asked, “Which wards are you in charge of?”

“Ward 403 and Ward 404,” Tu Nan answered honestly.

The nurses nearby glanced at her, a look of pity surfacing in their eyes.

“Is something wrong?” Tu Nan asked, pretending to be nervous as she noticed their strange expressions.

“The patients in those two wards are incredibly difficult to deal with,” one of them blurted out, only to be glared at by another.

“Careful, someone might hear you.”

The group fell silent again, returning to the same drowsy state they were in before the Head Nurse arrived.

Full of doubt, Tu Nan sat down at her station and opened the files the Head Nurse had given her, deciding to study them carefully.

**Little Red Riding Hood:** Seven years old. Suspected schizophrenia, accompanied by symptoms of visual and auditory hallucinations. Occasional aggressive behavior.

**Snow White:** 18 years old. Condition unknown. No aggressive behavior for now.

**Rapunzel:** 19 years old. Suspected Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Possesses an intense protective instinct toward her own hair. Clinical symptoms include: repeatedly brushing her hair every day, extreme rejection of others approaching her, and difficulty in communication.

Exhibits certain aggressive behaviors when others attempt to touch her hair.

*Snow White’s condition is unknown?*

Tu Nan frowned, recalling the scene when she met Snow White. The girl had seemed to behave normally. Compared to the other two in Ward 403, she really didn’t look like she was ill.

If she wasn’t sick, why was she in the hospital?

It was impossible to know for now.

She suppressed her doubts and continued reading the files for Ward 404.

**York:** 23 years old.

Possesses an extraordinary desire to rescue women; believes himself to be a knight who saves all ladies.

A compulsive liar who uses extreme methods.

Note: Nurses need to be exceptionally careful regarding their distance from him.

…

Tu Nan finally understood why the Head Nurse seemed to dislike York so much.

**Peter:** 36 years old.

Insecure, irritable, extreme, with strong aggressive intent.

**Eric:** 21 years old.

Multiple bite wounds across the body; almost no intact skin or flesh.

Tongue was cut out with a sharp blade; unable to speak.

Almost no mobility.

Pica.

Tu Nan’s gaze lingered on the word “Pica,” feeling a strange sense of absurdity.

From the looks of it, none of the people in Ward 403 and Ward 404 were easy to get along with.

Even Little Red Riding Hood, who looked the most adorable, had aggressive tendencies.

Perhaps Eric’s stamp would be the easiest one to obtain.

After all… they were somewhat old acquaintances.

Before Tu Nan could think of a plan, the alert bell at the nurses’ station suddenly rang.

A nurse quickly stood up and left. Less than two minutes later, she came running back in a hurry.

Out of breath, she said to Tu Nan, “A patient reported that Ward 404 is being too noisy.” She gave Tu Nan a sympathetic look. “Go and see what’s happening. It won’t be good if the patients file a formal complaint.”

Tu Nan’s expression sharpened. She immediately stood up and headed toward Ward 404. Before she even got close, she could already hear the noise coming from inside.

Clattering and banging-it was quite the commotion.

The “Quiet” sign hanging in the hallway seemed like a mere decoration. Patients from the neighboring wards opened their doors, staring gloomily toward Ward 404.

Tu Nan noticed their gazes and felt a strange chill. She walked quickly to the door and knocked.

The noise inside stopped abruptly.

A few seconds later, York opened the door.

He struck what he thought was a charming pose, leaning against the doorframe as he looked at her with deep, soulful eyes. “Nurse, what brings you here?”

“A patient reported that Ward 404 is being too noisy.” Tu Nan maintained a polite smile, her gaze shifting past his shoulder to peer into the room. “I’ve come to see what’s going on.”

“Just a minor friction,” York said dismissively. “No need to trouble yourself with a trip down here.”
“It’s my job to solve problems for you,” Tu Nan said, pushing aside the hand he had braced against the doorframe as she walked inside. “You can come to me with any issues.”

The ward was such a mess that there was hardly a place to step.

Eric was still lying in his usual spot. He was willing but unable to help; even if he was dissatisfied with his roommates, there was nothing he could do. He could only lie there stiffly, staring blankly at the ceiling.

As for the Peters and York, they clearly weren’t getting along.

Chairs and books were strewn across the floor, and quilts and pillows were nowhere near where they belonged. They had even stripped the blanket right off Eric.

Tu Nan rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on.

“Gentlemen, I believe you should be aware that making noise is prohibited in the wards,” she said sternly. “If you continue to disturb the rest of the other patients, I’m afraid I’ll have to take other measures.”

Strictly speaking, the relationship between a patient and a nurse was one of mutual restraint.

A patient could complain about a nurse, but a nurse could also report a patient’s behavior and have them put into solitary confinement.

Although she didn’t know exactly how patients were confined here, they were clearly quite wary of it.

York smiled. “Why so serious? We’re just on good terms, just a bit of roughhousing.”

The Peters snorted coldly.

Tu Nan didn’t want to offend them on her first day. She offered a small smile. “I understand, of course. Just please keep your voices down. As long as the other patients can’t hear you, I can certainly pretend I didn’t notice.”

York gave a meaningful smile.

“Miss Nurse, you are much smarter than the others.”

“Is that so?” Tu Nan smiled, putting on a worried expression. “Jobs at Fairy Tale Hospital are hard to come by. If I want to pass my internship, I’ll have to rely on your help.”

York gave her a deep look. “It’s a pity this job is so exhausting. None of the previous nurses managed to stick it out.”

“Did they all resign?” Tu Nan didn’t miss the opportunity to fish for information.

“I’m not too sure about that,” York said vaguely. “After all, they wouldn’t go out of their way to tell us where they were going.”

Looking at York’s smile, she sneered inwardly, though she kept a smile on her face.

“I suppose that’s true.”

“So noisy, so noisy!” one of the Peters suddenly started shouting. “Get out! I want to rest!”

He reached out to push Tu Nan, trying to drive her out.

“That’s not how a gentleman should behave,” York said, reaching out to stop him. “Be friendlier to the lovely nurse.”

The two of them disagreed and immediately fell back into a scuffle.

Tu Nan sighed and reached out to try and separate them. “Stop fighting. I’ll leave right now.”

“Scram!” one of the Peters snarled.

Tu Nan had no choice but to retreat for the time being.

She closed the door and listened for a moment. Once she was sure the noise had died down, she felt safe enough to walk away.

She planned to check on Room 403 again.

Little Red Riding Hood was still in her original spot playing with building blocks. She seemed to be building a small wooden hut. Outside the hut… Tu Nan couldn’t tell what it was supposed to be.

She walked over softly and sat down beside Little Red Riding Hood.

“Little Red Riding Hood, shall I help you build that?” she asked gently.

Little Red Riding Hood looked up at her and clapped her hands happily.

“Okay, okay…”

Before she could finish, her smile suddenly froze, replaced by a look of hesitation.

“But…”

Tu Nan looked at her expression and tilted her head, asking softly, “What’s wrong?”

Little Red Riding Hood said distressfully, “Sister Xia Xia won’t let me play with you.”

Tu Nan froze. She glanced at the wall in front of Little Red Riding Hood, then at the other two people in the room.

Snow White acted as if she hadn’t heard the conversation, while Rapunzel was still brushing her hair with a comb.

Tu Nan calculated the time; she must have been brushing for an hour now.

“Who is Sister Xia Xia?” she asked.

“She’s the nurse who took care of us before you came, Sister,” Little Red Riding Hood said, focusing on fitting one block onto another. She didn’t realize the panic her words had caused.

For no reason at all, Tu Nan felt a sudden chill.

“Where is this Sister Xia Xia now?” Tu Nan asked tentatively.

“She’s right here.” Little Red Riding Hood looked up and pointed at the empty wall in front of her. “She’s sitting right here playing blocks with me… She’s glaring at you.”

A cold wind blew in from the balcony. Tu Nan shivered involuntarily, feeling as if someone really was staring at her.

“Why is she glaring at me?” She looked at Little Red Riding Hood, trying to read something from her face.

“She says that as soon as you arrived, you stole her position.” Little Red Riding Hood let out a yawn, looking tired. She finally put down the blocks. “I’m sleepy, Sister. Let’s play again this afternoon.”

Tu Nan watched as Little Red Riding Hood walked to her bed and lay down.

A sudden noise came from behind her. She turned around and found that the blocks Little Red Riding Hood had just stacked had been blown over by the wind.

She stood up and walked to the balcony, intending to close the window.

Rapunzel, who was still brushing her hair nearby, immediately reacted violently when she saw her approach, demanding she back away.

Tu Nan had seen her name in the files: Lepei. She crouched down, trying to communicate with her. “Your name is Lepei, right? I’m the new nurse. I mean no harm; I just want to close the window. The wind is too strong; you’ll catch a cold.”

Lepei ignored her, holding her comb up and staring at her with wide, wary eyes.
Tu Nan had never felt things were so tricky.

From the moment she entered the Instance until now, she remained in a fog, without a single clue.

Even communication was difficult, so how was she supposed to make them feel satisfied?

A sudden sneer came from behind her.

Tu Nan turned her head just in time to catch the mocking smile Snow White hadn’t yet retracted.

“Oh, sorry.” She blinked, her long, thick eyelashes like two small fans shading the light in her eyes. “This scene is just too interesting. Even though I’ve seen it many times, I still can’t quite help myself.”

Tu Nan stood up and shrugged. “It’s fine. It’s always a bit hard to adjust when you first start a job. You get used to it.”

Every move Snow White made was extremely elegant. Compared to Lepei, she clearly looked more like a real princess who had received a fine upbringing and strict etiquette training.

“How should I address you?” Tu Nan asked.

“You can call me Maria.” Snow White picked up the steaming teacup in front of her and gently blew on the vapor. “A name is just a label; it doesn’t matter what you call me.”

Little Red Riding Hood seemed to have schizophrenia, and Lepei was simply impossible to communicate with. In Ward 403, it seemed Maria was the only normal person capable of conversation.

“I saw in the files that you don’t seem to have an illness,” Tu Nan walked to her side and asked softly. “I’m curious-why would a person who isn’t sick be sent to a hospital?”

Maria remained calm and composed, neither angry nor annoyed. She set down the teacup after taking a sip and looked up at her.

“Since you’re so curious, why don’t you go find out for yourself?” she said with a smile. “If you can discover why I’m here, then you must have some skill. I might even make a deal with you.”

A turning point had finally appeared.

“What kind of deal?” she asked.

“That depends on whether you’re capable first.” Maria crossed her legs and dismissed her. “I think we need to rest. Miss Nurse, please leave now.”

*

Tu Nan returned to the nurses’ station. Two of the nurses seemed to have left, leaving only one person behind.

“Did they all leave?” Tu Nan sat down next to the remaining nurse and asked casually.

“The patients in the wards they’re assigned to are having an argument,” the nurse sighed. “Arguing all day long-it’s really annoying.”

“Yeah, I just got back from breaking up a fight myself.”

Tu Nan knew well that the best way to quickly bond with someone was to share a common enemy.

When two people shared a mutual dislike for something, it was easy to naturally become allies.

Sure enough, after they spent a while complaining together about the annoying patients, the nurse’s attitude toward her became noticeably warmer.

Tu Nan then pretended to ask casually, “There’s a patient in Ward 403 who doesn’t look sick at all. I have no idea why she was sent to the hospital.”

The nurse replied offhandedly, “You mean Maria?”

Tu Nan felt a surge of joy and nodded.

“It is strange, come to think of it.” The nurse was also quite puzzled. “Miss Maria behaves normally and speaks properly. She hasn’t had a single episode since she entered the hospital.”

“Do you know anything about her?” Tu Nan followed up.

The nurse shook her head. “I’m not responsible for Ward 403, so I don’t know much. However, I heard the previous nurse for Ward 403 say that Miss Maria is a real princess…”

Lowering her voice, she leaned in with a gossiping expression. “I heard she was about to marry the Prince of the neighboring kingdom. I have no idea how she ended up being sent here.”

Thanks to Eric, Tu Nan’s first impression of any “Prince” wasn’t great.

“Is that so?” Tu Nan put on an envious look. “I’ve never met a Prince before.”

The nurse covered her mouth and giggled, her expression teasing. “Isn’t there a Prince in Ward 404?”

“Who are you referring to?”

“The one wrapped head-to-toe in bandages. He doesn’t look the part, but he really was a Prince once. It’s a pity…”

Tu Nan grew curious. “A pity for what?”

“He’s ruined, that’s what.” The nurse was vague, unwilling to say more. “Anyway, Princes aren’t always as wonderful as we imagine.”

Tu Nan lowered her eyes slightly.

No one knew that better than she did.

The nurse didn’t know much else; aside from the fact that Maria was about to marry a neighboring Prince, she knew nothing.

According to her, Maria had been sent in a week before the Wedding was set to begin.

Tu Nan planned to ask Daisy during lunch to see if she had any more leads.

*

Lunchtime at the Fairy Tale Hospital was from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, but that was just when the Dining Room was open; the nurses didn’t actually get that much time to eat.

At exactly eleven o’clock, Daisy appeared at the nurses’ station. After greeting everyone warmly, she came over to Tu Nan.

“I’ve already delivered the internal organs you helped me put together to Hans. He asked me to thank you,” Daisy said enthusiastically. “Let’s go grab lunch. The cafeteria has my favorite rosemary veal steaks today.”

Tu Nan said goodbye to the others and walked toward the cafeteria with Daisy.

The hospital cafeteria was located on the first floor. The staff had a dedicated passage, so they quickly got their food and found a random spot to sit.

“Who is this Hans you keep talking about?” Tu Nan was very curious about the “Hans” Daisy mentioned and couldn’t help asking.

“Hans is the dog kept by the Dean’s people,” Daisy said cheerfully. “Before the Dean left the hospital, he entrusted Hans to my care. His stomach was upset a couple of days ago-I suspect he ate something bad. It took me a lot of effort to pull out his stomach and intestines to wash them clean.”
Tu Nan: “…”

Daisy sighed. “Animals are just so fragile.”

No, it wasn’t fragile at all-she was the fragile one.

Then again, in a hospital where an octopus could be the Head Nurse, nothing was impossible.

Tu Nan forced a smile. “Is that so?”

“I’m going to bring Hans his meal in a bit. Do you want to come with me?” Daisy invited her warmly. “Hans is a lively, adorable dog. You’ll definitely like him, and he’s been very eager to see you.”

Tu Nan nodded.

She was actually more interested in the dog’s owner than Hans himself.

-The Dean.

So far, this person only existed in the words of others. As the leader of Fairy Tale Hospital, the Dean’s importance had already been made clear in the very first rule of the Nurse’s Code.

“By the way, how is your work going?” Daisy quickly changed the subject. “Are you getting used to it?”

Tu Nan nodded, then shook her head.

Daisy’s curiosity was piqued, as expected. “Did something happen?”

Tu Nan let out a deliberate sigh, her expression somber. “They don’t seem to like me very much. The patients in Ward 404 are always fighting, and the ones in Ward 403 ignore me completely. I’m really afraid I won’t pass my internship.”

Daisy looked sympathetic; even the steak in her mouth didn’t seem as tasty anymore. “The Head Nurse is really something, assigning those two wards to you of all places…”

Tu Nan’s heart stirred slightly. “Is there something wrong with those two wards?”

“Ward 404 is full of lunatics. Especially that one wrapped up like a mummy, he…” Daisy hesitated, looking like she wanted to say something but was holding back. After a moment, she leaned in. “I’ll tell you, but don’t be scared. He used to like eating…”

She lowered her voice for the last word.

Tu Nan’s eyes widened, her acting good enough to win an award on the spot. “Really? Then aren’t I in great danger?”

“You don’t have to worry about that.” Daisy covered her mouth and giggled with a hint of schadenfreude. “His tongue is gone. No one knows who cut it out, but it’s a real relief.”

Tu Nan had originally thought Eric’s behavior was common in the Strange Tales world, but it seemed there were plenty of people who looked down on such actions.

She nodded and offered a few words of agreement before finally steering the conversation toward the information she really wanted.

“Miss Maria… do you know much about her?”

“Maria?” Daisy frowned slightly. “Why are you asking about her?”

“She seems to really dislike me.” Tu Nan lowered her eyes, the rims turning slightly red. “She won’t even say a word to me. I’m so afraid I won’t be able to satisfy her.”

Seeing her like this, Daisy felt as indignant as if she were the one being bullied.

“Maria is the most arrogant, vain, and overbearing person in the world!” she declared loudly, her eyes flashing with anger.

It was the first time Tu Nan had seen Daisy make such an expression.

It wasn’t hard to see that Daisy was very popular in the hospital and could strike up a conversation with almost anyone. For someone to make her react this way was telling.

Clearly, Maria was not an easy person to get along with.

“Why do you say that?” Tu Nan noticed people nearby looking at them and lowered her voice.

Daisy probably realized her reaction was too intense. She softened her voice, though her expression remained sour and her brow stayed tightly furrowed. “The very first day she entered the hospital, she was extremely disrespectful to the Dean.”

“…”

The respect people in this hospital had for the Dean was much deeper than she had imagined.

“She’s just a patient. Does the Dean personally examine her?” Tu Nan asked keenly, catching a detail in Daisy’s words.

“She is a Princess, after all,” Daisy said resentfully. “The day she came to the hospital, the King and Queen brought her personally. Because of that, the Dean had to give them face and receive them in person.”

“But Maria had a terrible attitude. She made a huge scene in the Dean’s office and even broke a cup.”

“How do you know all this?” Tu Nan asked, watching her indignant expression.

Chapter 76: The Dean

“I had just finished walking Hans for the Dean. I brought Hans to the door of the Dean’s office and heard the shouting inside, so I didn’t dare go in for a moment.”

Tu Nan hadn’t expected Daisy to actually know so much about Maria. Suppressing her excitement, she asked with a calm exterior, “Were they arguing in the Dean’s office?”

“Probably.” Daisy shrugged and popped a piece of steak into her mouth. “I only vaguely heard Maria saying things like ‘Give it up’ and ‘I’d rather stay in the hospital for the rest of my life.’ Then there were roars of anger and the sound of crying. I was afraid of being caught eavesdropping, so I tried to leave with Hans.”

“Then I heard Maria scream, followed by the sound of glass shattering.”

Daisy wore a look of disgust.

“The Dean is the person I respect most. Anyone disrespectful to the Dean is my enemy.”

Although Daisy had only overheard fragments, they contained a massive amount of information.

Tu Nan poked at the vegetables in her bowl, lost in thought.

Clearly, Maria hadn’t been sent to this hospital because she was ill. Rather, she had refused something, and the King and Queen had sent her here at the cost of her freedom.

Her stay in the hospital was more like a punishment.

So, what exactly had Maria refused?

Combining this with the news the nurse had told her earlier, could it be that Maria didn’t want to marry the Prince of the neighboring kingdom, so the King and Queen sent her here…?

“Tu Nan, Tu Nan!”
Daisy’s voice pulled her thoughts back to the present.

“What are you thinking about? I called you several times and you didn’t answer me,” Daisy said with a hint of dissatisfaction.

“Sorry,” Tu Nan smiled apologetically. “I was just thinking about how to pass my internship. You know, the competition for intern nurses is quite fierce.”

“That’s true.” Daisy nodded. “Especially since you’ve encountered a patient like Maria. She’s so arrogant; not a single nurse has ever managed to get a stamp from her.”

Tu Nan lowered her head, looking at the vegetables she had mashed into a pulp on her plate, losing her appetite.

“I’m finished eating.” She set down her knife and fork.

Daisy happened to stuff the last piece of steak into her mouth. “Let’s go see Hans.”

*

Hans lived in the hospital’s back garden, where a small hut had been specially built for him.

There were few people in the garden at noon. Hans was lying lazily in his hut, tongue out, eyes squinting slightly as he drifted in and out of sleep.

Hans was a massive black dog with thick fur. Lying there, he looked like a small mountain, his nose huffing and puffing with a very intimidating presence.

No wonder the back garden was so empty.

Seeing Daisy approach, he perked up slightly and reached out his tongue to lick her hand.

“Hans, look who I brought to see you.” Daisy stroked his head. “It’s the nurse I told you about, Tu Nan, the one who helped put your internal organs back together.”

Hans let out a low whine from his throat and walked over to Tu Nan, rubbing against her leg.

Standing up, he looked even taller and more terrifying than when he was crouching. He was nearly as tall as Tu Nan’s thighs, and his body heat seeped through her clothes to her skin, making her nerves instinctively tense up.

“Haha, don’t be afraid.” Daisy threw herself at Hans and hugged him tightly, burying her head in his thick fur. “He really likes you.”

“How can you tell?” Tu Nan forced a smile.

“I can understand what he’s saying.” Daisy winked. “He told me he likes you very much.”

Tu Nan’s eyes widened in surprise. “You can understand the language of animals?”

“Of course,” Daisy said nonchalantly. “Otherwise, how could I be the hospital’s receptionist? We get all kinds of patients here. I’m fluent in all the languages of the Fairy Tale World.”

Tu Nan felt a surge of respect for Daisy, but she couldn’t help feeling envious as well. Such a useful Skill-if she could learn it, her time in future Instances would be much easier.

“Do you want to give him a hug?” Daisy suddenly asked. “I just gave him a bath last week; he’s very clean.”

Tu Nan really wanted to refuse.

She had never been particularly fond of animals that looked this dangerous.

But Daisy was too enthusiastic, and Hans was looking up at her with bright, sparkling black eyes, making it truly difficult to say no.

“Alright.” Tu Nan crouched down and hesitantly approached Hans, opening her arms slightly to embrace him.

A startling source of heat lunged into her arms. Hans huffed, his hot breath spraying across her face, followed by a slight tickling sensation on her cheek.

Hans was licking her.

“I’ve rarely seen Hans get so close to someone,” Daisy said from the side, sounding a bit surprised and even slightly jealous. “I had to butter him up for a long time before I could get near him.”

Tu Nan was left in a bit of a mess from the licking. She was nearly knocked to the ground and could only try her best to push Hans away, panting slightly.

“Maybe we just hit it off,” Tu Nan said, wiping the drool from her face, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

Fortunately, Daisy wasn’t a petty person.

“You can come play with him often from now on.” Daisy patted Hans’s head. “He’s very lonely here; nobody stays with him.”

“What about the Dean?” Tu Nan asked. “Isn’t this his dog?”

“The Dean is very busy. He’s often away from the hospital.” Daisy’s face clouded with worry. “I haven’t seen him for a month.”

“Daisy, what are you doing here?”

A deep male voice came from behind them.

Tu Nan instinctively turned around to look.

What met her eyes was a very tall, blonde man. His skin appeared almost sickly pale in the sunlight, and he had a high bridge to his nose and deep-set eyes.

Tu Nan was momentarily dazed-not because of the man’s exceptional looks, but because his features seemed a bit softer compared to a typical European.

He looked mixed-race.

“Dean?” Daisy stood up from the ground in pleasant surprise. “Why are you back?”

The Dean?

Tu Nan’s heart jolted at the title, and she instinctively began to observe the man before her.

He wore gold-rimmed glasses. At this moment, those deep green eyes behind the lenses were also observing her.

Realizing this, Tu Nan immediately lowered her head.

“Who is this?” she heard the Dean ask.

“This is the new intern nurse, Miss Tu Nan,” Daisy said brightly. “She came with me to see Hans. Hans likes her very much.”

“Is that so?”

The Dean’s voice was very deep, a tone that seemed to resonate from his chest. Falling upon her ears, it didn’t feel romantic at all; instead, it carried a tremor that made her heart race with unease.

The Dean stepped forward. He carried a very faint scent, which seemed to be mixed with the bitterness of disinfectant.

He stopped in front of Tu Nan.

“Hans likes you?” he asked.