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Chapter 43: Self-Reproach, Disappointment

Yang Haoran was no longer the naive young man he once was. Although he had only recently become a Night Watcher and the time was short, he had successfully stepped into another world and learned a few things.

Seeing Guan Hai enveloped in Yin Qi, he first frowned, his expression solemn, as if contemplating something. But then his brows relaxed, as if he understood.

"Such heavy Yin Qi. No wonder he fainted. But it's nothing serious, just Yin Qi clinging to him. He'll recover after some rest."

Through his Ghost Eye, Yang Haoran carefully observed Guan Hai's condition. Aside from seeing Guan Hai shrouded in a layer of Yin Qi, he found no other abnormalities on him. Therefore, he concluded that Guan Hai's sudden fainting was due to this pervasive Yin Qi.

As for whether Guan Hai fainted due to another medical condition, Yang Haoran had considered it, but he believed it was unlikely. If he hadn't seen the layer of Yin Qi surrounding Guan Hai, he might have speculated that way, but having seen it, he still concluded that Guan Hai's fainting was related to the Yin Qi.

However, at this moment, he still felt a strange sense of bewilderment. How did Guan Hai suddenly become afflicted with such Yin Qi?

Just as he thought this, Xiao Mo returned. Hearing Xiao Mo's questioning voice, Yang Haoran quickly dispelled his Ghost Eye, and his eyes returned to normal.

"Huh? Why are the curtains drawn? " Xiao Mo asked, looking at Yang Haoran by the bed.

Yang Haoran had been facing away from her just now, so she hadn't noticed the strangeness in his eyes. If she had, she would surely have screamed, and her reaction might have been even more intense.

With those words, Yang Haoran left the ward. At this hour, the only place to buy anything would be a twenty-four-hour convenience store. Though a bit troublesome, in the current situation, he had no choice but to go.

When Yang Haoran returned to the hospital, he carried several bags filled with simple daily necessities that Guan Hai could use during his recovery at the hospital. As for anything else they needed, they would have to wait until morning to buy it.

After handing the items to Xiao Mo to deal with, Yang Haoran headed to the smoking area. He had been so busy all night that he'd forgotten to smoke. Now that he had downtime, he felt like something was missing, and it clicked—he hadn't had a cigarette in hours.

In the smoking area, Yang Haoran puffed on his cigarette, lost in thought.

In his view, Guan Hai's problem wasn't severe; he just needed some rest, and the Yin Qi on him would gradually dissipate. Once the Yin Qi was completely gone, he should be able to return to normal, so there was nothing to worry about. The only thing that concerned him was where Guan Hai had picked up all that Yin Qi.

Yang Haoran actually had some theories, but he couldn't confirm them yet, so he didn't dare to jump to conclusions.

To uncover the truth, he would have to wait until Guan Hai woke up and then ask him what had happened to him recently.

"I wonder if the Spirit Power in my body can dispel the Yin Qi on him, but Xiao Mo is constantly by his side, so I don't have a chance to try."

Yang Haoran thought this to himself, then flicked his cigarette ash. He had wanted to ask Jiang Dashi, but it was too late. He had no intention of disturbing Jiang Dashi's rest at this hour, deciding instead to call him after daybreak.

Having made up his mind, Yang Haoran temporarily set aside Guan Hai's matter and turned his thoughts to something else.

The hospital where Guan Hai was currently being treated was also the hospital where Jiang Zhenzhen had been admitted. However, when he had snuck out earlier, he had specifically gone to Jiang Zhenzhen's ward and found that her bed had already been assigned to someone else.

Jiang Zhenzhen had been discharged, though he didn't know when.

Yang Haoran felt a mix of self-reproach and disappointment.

He blamed himself because he had been too busy with his own affairs during this period. Apart from visiting her at the hospital that one day, he hadn't been back to see Jiang Zhenzhen, nor had he even called her.

His disappointment stemmed from the fact that Jiang Zhenzhen hadn't taken the initiative to contact him either, not a single call.

To be honest, Yang Haoran had some genuine feelings for Jiang Zhenzhen. Jiang Zhenzhen had a wonderful personality that perfectly matched his criteria for a partner. If possible, he would naturally be very happy to be with her.

As he gained more experience, Yang Haoran's standards for a partner were no longer just about looks, as they had been in his youth. Now, he prioritized a person's character and personality, considering whether they were compatible with him and if they were the kind of person to build a life with. Appearance had fallen to the very last priority.

His time interacting with Jiang Zhenzhen hadn't been long, but she had left him with a very good impression. She was gentle, not overbearing, frugal, and filial. He really liked that personality. As for whether this personality was her true self or one she adopted to fit into society, that was something they would naturally discover if they became a couple.

If everything about Jiang Zhenzhen wasn't a pretense, then in Yang Haoran's eyes, this girl was the other half he was looking for. He believed they would definitely be happy together.

Of course, this was just his wishful thinking. Even if he thought she was a perfect match for him, it was only his unilateral opinion. Whether she felt the same way about him was hard to say.

Originally, he thought he still had a chance. After all, he might not have saved Jiang Zhenzhen's life, but he had certainly helped her. As long as Jiang Zhenzhen didn't have a boyfriend, it wasn't impossible for her to develop feelings for him. If he had been more diligent, especially staying by her side during her hospitalization, then "the one closest to the water enjoys the moon first," and his chances would have been greater.

However, it was regrettable that by the time he finished dealing with his own matters and freed himself, he realized it was already too late; she had already been discharged.

At thirty, many people might consider him still young, but Yang Haoran felt old. Perhaps it was because he had experienced too much, causing his mindset to far exceed what was typical for his age.

In truth, both men and women have moments when they feel exhausted. When a woman is exhausted, she seeks a man to rely on; why wouldn't a man, when exhausted, also wish for a woman to lean on? It's just that a man with a sense of responsibility often has a greater capacity for endurance than a woman.

"Sigh," Yang Haoran sighed, pulling out a cigarette from his Ghost-Hunting Bag and lighting another. Amidst the curling smoke, his expression was somewhat forlorn, a little melancholy.

"Two opportunities, I seized one and missed one. I became a Night Watcher, gaining abilities ordinary people don't possess, but I also brushed past a relationship because of it. Perhaps, there's a reason why I'm single after all."

Although he hadn't yet confessed his feelings, judging by the current situation, he seemed to have no hope for the time being. The fact that Jiang Zhenzhen hadn't contacted him for so many days was clear proof.

However, Yang Haoran was a person who could be indifferent about some things but very stubborn about others. So, he wasn't about to give up. On the contrary, he still planned to try. He would call Jiang Zhenzhen proactively after daybreak.

As he thought this, another cigarette burned down to its end. Yang Haoran extinguished the butt and turned to check on Guan Hai, but after only two steps, his body stiffened, and his gaze shifted in a certain direction.

From the moment he stepped into this hospital, Yang Haoran had sensed the presence of Yin Qi. Initially, he didn't care; it was normal for a hospital to have Yin Qi. After all, new lives were born here every day, but also, lives came to an end here every day.

People died here every day; some died peacefully of old age, others died with lingering resentment, and still others died filled with malevolent grudges. These negative emotions would make the hospital's Yin Qi heavier, which is why hospitals are always enveloped in a layer of Yin Qi. This is also why many people feel uncomfortable whenever they enter a hospital, and even on a hot day, they feel a chill run through their bodies.

Normally, there would be nothing strange about this, and Yang Haoran wouldn't have paid it any mind. But now, he sensed a place where the Yin Qi was exceptionally dense, far exceeding other areas of the hospital.

"Such heavy Yin Qi. . . could it be the hospital morgue? " A thought popped into Yang Haoran's mind.

Considering this, he hesitated for a moment, then abandoned the idea of immediately returning to the ward and instead walked towards this area of dense Yin Qi.