Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo' Chapter 4 He Jiaqing’s Mouth

Li Banfeng remained in the hospital room, his gaze fixed on He Jiaqing, who lay unconscious in the bed.

After two full days of intensive medical intervention, He Jiaqing's life had been secured, yet he had slipped into a profound coma, with no clear indication of when he might awaken.

The reason for his comatose state remained a mystery, and the hospital had yet to devise a subsequent treatment strategy.

According to the hospital's assessment, the continuation of treatment hinged not only on He Jiaqing's physical recovery but also significantly on the financial resources of both Li Banfeng and He Jiaqing.

Every penny Li Banfeng had saved was channeled into He Jiaqing's medical care. Even after accounting for the reimbursements from medical insurance, the funds were far from adequate.

He Jiaqing had some funds stashed away on his card, but due to the forgotten PIN, accessing them was currently impossible.

Li Banfeng made attempts to reach out to He Jiaqing's relatives. Despite their close bond, Li Banfeng lacked their contact details. He didn't even have Lu Xiaolan's number.

If this situation persisted, Li Banfeng faced the prospect of not knowing where his next meal would come from, and He Jiaqing's vital oxygen supply could be jeopardized.

Fortunately, on the third day, a glimmer of hope appeared with the arrival of a man named He Haisheng.

He introduced himself as He Jiaqing's Third Uncle. Although Li Banfeng had never encountered this relative before, it proved inconsequential. This Third Uncle instantly took responsibility for He Jiaqing's mounting medical bills.

One who readily offers financial assistance is typically not a charlatan, assuming, of course, that the promised funds materialize.

"You must be Li Banfeng, correct? I heard from the school about your dedication in looking after Jiaqing these past couple of days. You’ve truly gone the extra mile," He Haisheng remarked, peeling an apple for Li Banfeng.

"It's like this..." Li Banfeng began, taking a bite of the apple, intending to explain the predicament, but He Haisheng cut him off.

"We can discuss other matters shortly," He Haisheng stated, producing his wallet and presenting a wad of cash to Li Banfeng. "This is merely a small token of my appreciation; please don't consider it insufficient."

Li Banfeng was in dire need of funds; affording his next meal seemed uncertain.

Yet, he hesitated to accept the money. "I'm not lacking funds. It's Jiaqing who requires them at this moment."

"It's just a small gesture, really. If you refuse it, it implies you think it's too little!" He Haisheng insisted, pressing the cash into Li Banfeng's pocket.

After a brief, quiet interval, He Haisheng let out a sigh. "The school alerted the family about Jiaqing's accident. I assumed my second elder brother and sister-in-law would rush over immediately. It appears neither of them is particularly reliable. I apologize for my delayed arrival and for causing you such inconvenience, Ban Feng. Please, go and get some rest. I will handle matters here."

Li Banfeng departed the hospital room, his exhaustion profound from three days of minimal sleep. As he navigated the hospital corridor, his legs felt decidedly unsteady.

Approaching the elevators, his phone suddenly vibrated with an incoming alert.

PING!

It was a text message. The sender's identification still displayed He Jiaqing's number.

Li Banfeng's brow immediately furrowed. The message contained a mere four words: "Brother, save me."

Li Banfeng responded, "Who is this?"

"It's He Jiaqing."

"Where did you get this phone?"

Li Banfeng recalled seeing He Jiaqing off at the train station, watching him board a train, only for him to suddenly reappear in Li Banfeng's own bed. Prior to that, Li Banfeng had indeed called He Jiaqing. Following that, He Jiaqing had sent him messages.

The sequence of events was so bewildering that Li Banfeng found it utterly incomprehensible.

Regardless of how bizarre the circumstances unfolded, the present reality remained concrete.

He Jiaqing was in the hospital, lying unresponsive. Though he possessed neither identification nor a phone, the person was undeniably He Jiaqing; Li Banfeng couldn't possibly mistake him.

The most logical conclusion was that He Jiaqing had misplaced his phone. The individual who found it must have answered Li Banfeng's call that night, impersonated He Jiaqing's voice to deceive him, and was now engaging in this text conversation.

Li Banfeng harbored a strong suspicion that He Jiaqing's current comatose state was linked to this deceptive individual.

A considerable time passed without a reply.

The elevator doors slid open. Li Banfeng pocketed his phone, preparing to descend, when a middle-aged man, distinguished by a broad forehead, elongated cheeks, and a slender build, stepped directly into his path.

The man offered Li Banfeng a smile and produced a badge. "I am a police officer. Are you Li Banfeng? I need to ask you a few questions concerning He Jiaqing."

The man appeared to be in his fifties and possessed a voice reminiscent of a drake's croak. When he spoke, it sounded as though his throat held a piece of aged tobacco.

Li Banfeng earnestly desired a closer examination of the man's badge, but the middle-aged individual swiftly concealed it back into his pocket and engaged in a hushed conversation with a nearby doctor clad in a white coat.

The physician appeared to recognize him. He guided the middle-aged man and Li Banfeng into an unoccupied hospital chamber.

Closing the door from the outside, the doctor departed, leaving Li Banfeng and the middle-aged man alone within. They took seats on two adjacent hospital beds, facing one another.

"Don't be anxious," the middle-aged man offered a smile. "My surname is Chen. You can simply address me as Old Chen. I merely wish to pose a few straightforward inquiries. You were the one who brought He Jiaqing to the hospital, correct?"

"Yes," Li Banfeng confirmed with a nod.

"How did you ascertain that something was amiss with him?"

"He was resting in my bed. His complexion and respiration seemed unusual, so I promptly initiated an emergency call."

Old Chen nodded, his gaze appraising Li Banfeng from head to toe. His eyes shifted subtly.

He fixed his attention on Li Banfeng’s face but avoided direct eye contact, instead concentrating on his forehead.

"I understand you two shared drinks together on that particular day?"

"Yes!" Li Banfeng affirmed with a nod. "He was preparing to return home, and I accompanied him to see him off."

"You saw him off?"

"Indeed, I escorted him to the train station and subsequently returned to my dormitory via the subway. Upon my return to the dormitory, I unexpectedly discovered him asleep in my bed."

Li Banfeng's account presented a logical inconsistency.

If He Jiaqing had proceeded to the train station, how could he have subsequently materialized in the dormitory? And moreover, in Li Banfeng’s own bed.

Old Chen displayed no surprise at this response. His demeanor remained amiable, and he continued to direct his gaze toward Li Banfeng’s forehead. "Do you and He Jiaqing typically experience any disagreements?"

Li Banfeng paused for a moment's reflection.

Gazing at Old Chen, Li Banfeng’s expression was composed. "Are you implying that I might have had a hand in harming He Jiaqing?"

Old Chen gently shook his head. "I wouldn't phrase it as suspicion; I am merely inquiring. If I genuinely suspected you, I would not be having this conversation here. I was informed you have certain... psychological challenges?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "A minor issue, perhaps, but I am not mentally unsound. Your medical records can attest to that. I accompanied both He Jiaqing and Lu Xiaolan to see them off at the train. They were both returning to their hometown. You can confirm this with Lu Xiaolan."

"Lu Xiaolan..." Old Chen mused. He reached for a cigarette but then, observing the hospital room, deemed it unsuitable for smoking and returned it to its pack.

"This Lu Xiaolan you mentioned, who is she?" Old Chen inquired further.

"She is He Jiaqing's girlfriend, a fellow student from our university. I escorted both of them to the station. She boarded the train with He Jiaqing. She can corroborate my statement."

"If they both boarded the train, then why did He Jiaqing end up in your dormitory?"

"I cannot say," Li Banfeng replied truthfully. "You should direct that question to Lu Xiaolan. They were invariably together."

"Do you possess Lu Xiaolan's contact details?"

"I do not, but the school should have this information. The details of their train journey should also be traceable."

"Which train were they on?"

"How would I possibly know that..." Li Banfeng trailed off. Abruptly, a sequence of numbers materialized in his mind. "The 1160 train. They were aboard the 1160 train," Li Banfeng recalled, the disembodied voice of the station announcer echoing in his memory.

Old Chen rubbed his lips with his finger. He appeared to have reached an impasse and clearly desired a cigarette. "It seems locating Lu Xiaolan will prove rather difficult."

"And why would that be?" Li Banfeng inquired, perplexed.

Old Chen continued to stroke his lightly stubbled upper lip and spoke deliberately, "On the very night of the incident involving He Jiaqing, the 1160 train suffered a derailment and plunged off a cliff. To this day, no survivors from that train have been recovered."

Li Banfeng blinked. It felt as though thunder was reverberating within his skull. Amidst the percussive clamor, He Jiaqing's words repeatedly surfaced: "She sleeps more soundly than I do, so deeply, even more soundly than a pig. She wouldn't stir even if the train went off the rails!"

Old Chen maintained his steady gaze on Li Banfeng’s forehead and posed a question in a hushed tone, "What thoughts occupy your mind?"

"Nothing significant, merely concern for Lu Xiaolan," Li Banfeng replied, shaking his head.

Old Chen's curiosity was piqued. "What is the nature of your relationship with Lu Xiaolan? Between the two of you and He Jiaqing, is there perhaps a situation involving a bit of a..."

"Are you attempting to insinuate a romantic entanglement?" Li Banfeng's lips curved upward, a discernable edge of anger coloring his voice.